This Is Not Strange

Chapter Twenty

Bridgette

Three months had gone so fast. It's summer and I'm on my way back to the island na. Sinama ako nina Lola papuntang Cebu para raw makapag decide na ako kung saang school ako papasok after senior year. A lot of things happened to me rin bago natapos ang school year. I won the election, so I'm the new President of our council. I also won at the regional level in our writing contest na naganap noon sa Manila.

  Me and Ella are constantly talking through chat. She's still obsessed with investigating Sir Bob and his kabet 'daw'. I know naman na she wants to solve her case para matahimik na ang loob niya but I'm also against her risking herself. I've tried talking to her about it but she just shrugged me off. Stubborn as always.

  Pagkarating ko sa bahay ay si Pen agad ang sumalubong sa akin. I promised her kasi na mag bo-bond kami pagkauwi ko. I've missed her din. It feels like it's been so long since we had time for each other.

  “Thanks sa pasalubong.”

  I nodded and joined her sa sofa. We both ate the food I bought and then decided to go out para maglakad-lakad lang.

  “So kumusta kayo ng crush mo?”

  “Kami ni Ella? We're good. We're friends.” Back to the time where me and Ella were at the poultry, I almost confessed to her. We were playing this game called minecraft. She let me join her world in there and we build a house together. It was really sweet and I can't forget how she told me na alaga raw namin si Briella, ang cat na ni-tame namin. The name almost killed me. She. Freaking. Combined. Our. Name. For. Our. Cat.

  “Weh? Your eyes suggests that you two are something more.”

  Am I really that obvious?

  “May naalala lang ako. It happened last December.” I smiled at the thought of us playing that game.

  “Kwento mo nga.”

  “Nagpunta kaming dalawa sa rest house namin sa poultry and then nagtambay kami roon habang naglalaro ng minecraft.”

  “Wow! Nagbahay-bahayan ba kayo? Ang sweet naman. So kayo na?”

  “Gosh, no! Muntik ko na maamin sa kanya, pero mabuti nalang agad na nag change ang subject.”

  “Gosh, my friend! Bakit ang tagal mong umamin?”

  “What if hindi mutual? I don't know how to handle rejection.”

  I've been trained to fight for the things I want, to always get them. Pero when it comes to Ella, natitiklop ako.

  “You have fifty percent chance na mutual ang feelings ninyo. Why not hold on to that chance?”

  I purse my lips, not saying anything.

  Then Pen continued, “Pero if ever man na hindi mutual, you need to accept it. Bridgey, you need to stop thinking na lahat ay makukuha mo. Some things are not meant for you and it's alright. That's how the world works. Have courage to accept things na.”

  I sigh and stopped walking. She is right about all the things she mentioned pero mahirap talagang iapply sa buhay.