What does it takes to be a flower - (Flower Series No. 1)

23

Kabanata 23

Opportunist

Gabi ng maupo ako sa lamesa sa kusina. Di ko na mabilang kong ilang ulit na ba akong sasandal sa monoblock o sa mesa habang napatong sa dalawang kamay ang ulo.

Itataas ang kamay sa screen ng phone na kanina ko pa tinititigan pero ibabalik rin naman sa mukha ko.

"Alam mo bakla, hightech na ang cellphone ngayon pero di naman kukusa yang magpapalit.

Napataas ang mukha ko ng maupo sa harap ko si Nathalie, nilapag nito ang mug niya sa mesa.

Agad nalang ako umiwas ng tingin bago binaliktad ang phone.

Sighing. I have a choice of changing the lockscreen, ngunit naaalala ko ang huli nitong sinabi,

You are not true to your words.

Damn! Sa totoo lang ay alam kong catfish niya lang iyon, but the back of my mind, my conscience are peeking. What so big deal on defying my own principles? Eh ako naman to.

Tumawa si Nathalie, sipping lightly on her mug. "Alam mo, bet na bet ko si Tylo. He has the looks, the talent, the attitude and very a mysterious guy na you wanted to uncover..."

Umangat ang tingin ko. Sa kanya ng umiling iling siya. "Hays, naalala ko tuloy nung magpapansin ako sa kanya. Hahah. ."

Tahimik ko na pinakikinggan ang sinasahi niya. I remember it. Yun yung panahon ng teacher's day.

"But no matter what I do, kahit anong pa cute... wala! Gosh! He has only had his eyes on a particular person..." Nakangiti na sabi ni Nat bago siya tumingin pabalik saakin galing sa iniinom nya.

Napalunok ako at iniwas ang tingin sa kanya. Wala siyang sinasabi ngunit iba ang tuya ng kanyang tingin.

"Tell me Kelleo.. what was stopping you? What are you so scared about?" Malamyos na tanong niya.

I slowly look back at her, she was leaning on her seat. Waiting for an answer. She was pregnant yet she look so beautiful like a bloom flower. Medyo nagkakalaman ang pisnge at namumula ang kutis nitong mestiza.

Mga ilang segundo akong napatikom sa aking labi. Para kasing ang hirap sagutin ng tanong niya sa isip ko kahit matagal ng may sagot ang utak ko sa mga ganito.

"What was stopping me?" It doesn't just repeating her question again. It was, my way to recall how I should have answered it.

"Hindi mo habang buhay matatago ang lahat ng kinikimkim mo Kelleo," she suddenly uttered which makes me stopped. "I dont know your story but I could tell na you've been through alot... And everything you put line with has a reason."

I was gulping to keep all the emotion that I have inside.

Ayoko man aminin pero kasi ang bawat bigkas niya ng mga salita ay kakaiba ang binibigay saakin.

"in my stay here I came to realize na, hinf=di ikaw ang Kelleo na nakikita ko sa school. I dont know how can I elaborate but to summarize it, masyado mong sh-in-eltered ang sarili mo. Maybe that is the reason why kung bkit ka takot.."

"Alam mo ba? Kahit sinaktan ako ng tao kong mahal, I was always willing to stand and ask him back. Alam mo kong bakit?" Her eyes began teary.

"Because I don't wanna asks myself in the future, 'why did I take my chances?', tanga man isipin pero, I wanna be a person who is caught up with many regrets, just because I was too scared to risk.