So, Who's The Culprit? (completed)

CHAPTER 27

LOVE OR LUST?
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

"Good morning," bati ni Miguel nang bumaba ako sa kwarto. Nakasanayan ko na talaga ang pambungad niyang mukha na siyang taga hatid sundo ko sa Academy.

"Makikikain ka?"

"Syempre! Maliban sa'yo ano bang mas masarap na pwedeng kainin ngayon?" I stared at him sternly. Nagbingi-bingihan na lamang ako.

"Napaka inosente mo talaga," he uttered. Agad ay nilingon ko ito.

"I'm not as innocent as you think I am. Hindi ako ganoon ka slow, sadyang puro kabulastugan lang 'yang pumapasok sa isip mo," I countered.

"Hindi naman kabulastugan. It's not my fault that my imagination is sexy," he rebutted. Inirapan ko naman kaagad ito.

"Miguel, I'm not dense. I'm telling you, I can be both fragile yet wild. Pag sinabayan ko 'yang imagination mo sig——"

"Edi sabayan mo," pagpuputol niya sa paliwanag ko. "Sabayan mo. I dare you, Ms. Blossom." He ambled towards me and his eyes locked at mine. Sinalubong ko naman 'yun. "If you think I'm wild right now, believe me, I can still be wilder. After all, I'm like a roller coaster. The faster I go, the louder you scream."

Agad ko itong itinulak palayo sa akin. I stared at him with disgust. Realization hits me.

"Hey, what's wrong? It's a joke," he clarify. "If I'd crossed the line, I'm sorry."

"Do you know that jokes can be insulting sometimes?"

"Uhmm, I'm sorry did I offend you?" he questioned. Bakas na ang pagsisi sa kanyang mukha.

"Are you also aware that for a joke to be funny, a portion of it must be fact?" I asked again.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you sure what you feel towards me isn't just lust? Because that's what I feel. I hate it!"

Napabuntong hininga ito. He stared at me with a mad expression. He then chuckled.

"I'm sorry if that's what you feel but I'm not that low, Cheryl. Hindi ako ganoon kababaw. I don't know everything that happened about you for you to have those ideas but I'm not one of those guys in a movie that maybe you usually watched! So all along sa tingin mo all the things I did for you is just because I want to fvck you or something?!"

"Hindi sa ganoon!"

"Then what?!" he asked, almost yelled.

"Because I'm scared!"

His face softens. Medyo na guilty ako sa mga inakusa ko sa kanya. I like him, or more likely, I love him already. I just want to be sure. I just want to get rid of this freaking damn feeling I have for him if hindi naman totoo 'yung pinapakita niya. I'm just—— scared. I don't want to settle for his fantasies. Natatakot ako.

He sigh. He ambled towards me and tucked a strand of my hair to my ear. He caressed both of my shoulders using both his hands at hinarap niya ako. Humapaw na ang galit sa kanyang mukha.

"Sorry if 'yan ang interpretation mo sa mga biro ko. But I love you. In a world full of what-ifs and unpredictable twists, my love for you is something I'm certain of. Trust me. I know the difference between lust and love, Cheryl," he said while staring at me smiling genuinely, with his sparkling eyes and thick dark brows.

"Between the two, w-where do I belong?" I asked, stuttering afraid of what he might answer.

"I fell for you and until now I'm still falling. You're too precious and too rare. You're love, Cheryl. I love you and if alternate universe exists, it will always be you. I hope that there will always be an us. In every world, and in every chapter of every story. I love you endlessly, Cheryl."