Rainy Season in Manila

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"That was..." I look at Archie and he stopped as he thought about what he's going to say next. Hindi ko naman mapigilang mapangiti. "Wonderful."

"I agree... it was never my first time to be there, but I've never felt in love at that moment."

"In love with me?" he questioned.

Agad naman akong umiling. "No! That's not what I meant. Assumero ka naman, Archie. Ang ibigsabihin ko, I'm in love with the view and all. 'Wag kang mag-isip ng ibang bagay."

He laughed. "And yet you sound so defensive."

"Hindi kaya!"

"See what I'm talking about?" Ngisi pa nito.

I scoffed and crossed my arms. "Grabe ka talaga. If you want to think about that, bahala ka sa buhay mo."

He chuckled. "You're cute, Criselda."

"Cute mo mukha mo. 'Di ko ibabalik sa 'yo 'yong compliment."

"It doesn't have to be, alam ko naman na." Ngisi pa nito.

I rubbed my arms. "Bakit parang mas lumamig dito sa loob ng sasakyan mo? Hindi mo naman tinodo 'yong aircon. Umuulan na nga sa labas, pati ba naman dito malamig pa. Ahhh! Okay, gets..." Nilingon siya pertaining that it was him I was talking about.

He shook his head, chuckling. "You know what, Criselda—"

"Ano na naman 'yon?"

"I thought we won't be getting along with each other," he confessed. "Akala ko masungit ka and all you do is to argue with everyone, but I get to know you and you're not the person I was thinking. Surely, whoever your boyfriend will be, he'll be lucky because of you."

"Sana all magkaka-jowa."

"It's not impossible for you," he said. "Why don't we try?"

I aggressively shifted my head at him and gave him a questionable look. "Anong try? Do you hear yourself, Archie? Kung ano-ano nang pumapasok diyan sa isip mo. Don't ever try. Wala ka namang chance."

"Oh, try me, Criselda." Ngisi pa nito.

"Bahala ka sa buhay mo. Bilisan mo na nga lang mag-drive para makabalik na ako sa dorm."

"It's raining, not safe to speed up," he warned. "Did you know that Bennett almost died?"

"Almost died?" I questioned. I didn't know about that. Hindi naman na-mention sa akin ni Bennett 'yon.

Archie nodded to confirm it. "Yes, we were shocked when we heard it from him. Good thing, his car has an airbag and save him from getting crashed. He ended up having a neck brace for a few days and then he bought a new one and continued driving around. Bennett and I are in the same age, but he's more like a baby and needed to guide at some situations. Sometimes... he's gone wreckless."

"Does he have a bad childhood or something?"

Archie shook his head. "No, I don't think so. His parents actually supports everything he does. Dalawa lang silang magkapatid. His older sister, Mallory, has been there for him all the time. But you know what, I'm still happy he made it out alive on that night. I was so afraid for him."

"I would be as well..." I muttered.

Because I still do remember that night. Ako 'yong dahilan kung bakit siya naaksidente. If he didn't take me home, hindi siya mapupunta sa sitwasyong gano'n. At this point, being rude to him made me realize that I shouldn't do that. Siya na nga itong nagmamagandang loob sa akin, ako pa ang may ganang magalit. Maybe I should start looking on the brighter side.