Officially Meeting You

Chapter 24: You'll Never Know

"Huwag!"

Napamulat ako nang marinig ang sigaw ni Zeus. But before I can look back, I felt his hand around my tummy as he pulled me away from the end of the rooftop.

Napapikit ako nang maramdaman ang pagbagsak ng katawan ko sa sahig. I immediately felt the pain on my back and I winced with that.

I opened my eyes and was about to scold him when I saw him over me. My body literary froze because our faces are only inches apart.

"Ano bang—"

He stopped from talking and it looks like he also realized our position. Pero imbes na umalis, mas tinitigan niya pa ako.

I felt uncomfortable but couldn't look away. We stared at each other and I don't know why I suddenly felt calm.

That everything was calm inside me.

But when I noticed that he's now looking at my lips and his face is moving closer, doon ako nagbalik sa realidad. Kaagad kong itinulak iyong mukha niya kaya napahiga siya sa tabi ko.

Kaagad akong umayos ng upo at napatikhim. He hissed and sat too while glaring at me.

"Masakit 'yun ah!"

"Your fault," I immediately said.

He frowned. "At bakit?"

"Malandi ka kasi."

Napaawang ang bibig niya at mukhang inis na inis talaga sa pagtulak ko sa mukha niya. Nag-iwas na lang ako ng tingin bago pa ako matawa. He's so annoying but everytime he's around, a humorous atmosphere will always appear.

"Teka nga."

Pinaharap niya ako sa kanya kaya kumunot ang noo ko.

"Oh?"

"Hindi ba dapat magpasalamat ka pa sa akin na niligtas kita? Kung hindi ako dumating, baka tumalon ka na," he said and shook his head like he was disappointed. "Pero imbes na magpasalamat, sinasaktan mo pa ako. Napakasama mo talagang nilalang."

I almost rolled my eyes. Nagda-drama na naman kahit hindi niya bagay.

"Sino bang may sabing tatalon ako?"

"Eh bakit doon ka nakatayo? Tapos medyo nakataas pa 'yang mga kamay mo."

"Hindi nga ako tatalon. Nagpapahangin lang ako dahil nakaka-suffocate sa loob," I said and looked away. "And besides, I'm not a coward like him. Doing the same thing he did is the least thing I would do."

After I said that, I immediately felt the atmosphere changing. It turned somber and dark. But I refused to show any emotions and just kept a straight face.

Nakikita ko sa peripheral vision ko na nakatitig siya sa akin pero pinanatili ko ang tingin ko sa harap. But when I felt him moving closer to me, that's when I looked at him.

He tapped his shoulder and smiled at me. Then he spread his arms.

Napakunot noo ako. "Ano 'yan?"

"Pwede mo akong gawing shoulder to cry on. Yayakapin kita at iko-comfort. Kaya halika na," sambit niya at todo-ngiti pa.

I shook my head. "Sinungaling. Pasimple ka pa."

"Totoo nga!"

"Kahit totoo pa 'yan, salamat na lang," I said and sighed. "I don't need it."

He fell silent after I said that but my mind is too occupied to even feel guilty about it. It's not something I should think about.

Napalingon naman kami pareho nang makarinig ng mga yapak na papalapit. Then we saw the siblings, Anna and Jiro walking toward us.