Embracing the Cold

Chapter 7

Dalawang linggo hindi pumunta sina Bryce at Paulo sa amin. Kung kailan ako nakisabay sa kanilang mag-aral sa living room ay siya namang hindi sila pumunta. Simula noong tinawagan raw siya ng 'mommy' niya ay hindi na sila bumalik. Ang sabi ni Andrea tungkol kay Bryce isang beses na tinanong siya ni Anthony ay nagbabakasyon daw ang pamilya nila sa isang probinsya. Si Paulo naman, mayroon din dawng pinagkakaabalahan.

"Quishanette, may alam na ako diyan. You can ask me if mayroon kang hindi naiintindihan," nakangiting sinabi ni Andrea, nasa living room kaming tatlo.

"Thanks, but no thanks." Hindi ko siya nilingon. Nagpatuloy ako sa pagbabasa.

"Twin, nakachat ko si Bryce kanina ang sabi niya sa susunod na Sabado daw ang start ng schedule ng entrance exam," sabi ni Andrea kay Anthony. Tahimik akong nakikinig.

"Nakabalik na sila?" Gulat na tanong ni Anthony. Yun din sana ang itatanong ko mabuti at naunahan niya ako.

"Kahapon pa pero hindi na muna sila pupunta dito, if gusto daw natin, tayo nalang ang pumunta sa kanila," anunsyo ni Andrea. No way, there's no way.

"Ako, g ako. Ikaw ba, Quish?" Baling ni Anthony sa akin. Inilingan ko lang sila. I'm not going to their house, there's no way. I said rude things to him the past weeks, baka mabalik niya rin sa akin iyon. And isa pa, we're not that close. Not close but have kissed him more than twice. Not close, Quish?

"Kayo nalang," simpleng sagot ko.

"You should come with us, Quishanette. Their house is as big as ours and magkapit-bahay lang din sila ni Paulo. Also, you need to meet Bryce's parents although they're very busy too like Mama and Papa and Tito. We have met his little sister, she's pretty. She looks like Bryce talaga. I guess she's two years younger," mahabang pangungumbinsi ni Andrea. That's how deep their friendship is, huh. I feel sad for myself. I don't know, I randomly thought of this. I gave my first kiss to someone I don't know that much. I am kind of attracted to him but is that enough to do things only lovers do? Like the kissing and hugging things? Lol, I'm not that conservative but I can't help to think about those things. My first boyfriend should've received my first kiss.

"I.. I'm staying. We're not that.. uh.. close with Bryce anyway," nauutal kong sagot.

"It doesn't matter, you're close with Paulo naman," pangungumbinsi pa rin ni Andrea. She's really this nosy. Dati, I hate the way she talks like parang hindi nauubusan ng sasabihin but now I feel like it's something very important. I can't just die and not have friends. I now envy the way she talks. Also her softness.

"No, I'm fine here." Pinal kong sagot. Bumuntong-hininga si Andrea at binalingan ang kapatid. Nagpaalam sila sa akin na mag-aayos para dumiretso kina Bryce. Sayang. Gusto ko pero nahihiya ako. The last interaction we had, it didn't end well. Because of me. Bakit ba kasi ang tigas ko? Like I'm rude. I'm maldita. I'm snob. Those are just turn offs. Kahit naman ganito ako, alot of boys likes me so it didn't really matter to me but now that someone I'm attracted to is into good girls, I think I'm willing to atleast let my good girl side come out? Well, we'll see how this attraction goes and when will this end.

Pumasok ako sa kwarto sa araw na iyon. I opened my laptop and started doing my plot of the year. Malayo pa ako sa ending but I had fun writing the story. After slight revision, humiga na ako. It's been, wait, 2 weeks? 3 weeks? A month? Since I opened my facebook account. I'm not really into Facebook because it's chaotic and toxic. I prefer Instagram, less hassle. Only beautiful pictures on my feeds and little texts.

Bryce is online. Mabilis kong inopen ang chatheads and to my surprise, he's been leaving a message. I guess, 30 messages all in all? He stopped messaging earlier this morning.