In Between

12

12

“P-pwede mo na ba akong bitawan?”  tanong ni Tay na mukhang nahihirapan ng huminga.

Hinigpitan ko munang muli ang yakap ko sa kaniya bago bumitaw saka pinisil ang magkabila niyang pisngi. Tila nawala na parang bula ang galit ko sa kaniya mula umaga. Worth it rin pala ang paggising niya sa akin ng pagkaaga.

“You’re the besttt!!!!” gigil kong sabi sa kaniya. Ngunit natigilan ng makita ko ang ginagawa ko. Napaiwas ako ng tingin dahil sa sobrang lapit ko sa kaniya at tinanggal ang kamay kong nakapisil sa magkabila niyang pisngi.

Tumikhim ako.

“Tara na.” aya ko sa kaniya at ako pa mismo ang nag-abot ng ticket sa guard.

Halos lumundag sa dibdib ko ang puso ko sa sobrang saya, hinding hindi mapapantayan ng kahit na anong bagay ang saya ko sa tuwing kaharap ko ang nagsisikumpulan na mga libro. It’s like tons of gold and boxes of money in my eyes.

“I never knew that this kind of things can make you that happy...” he said while looking at the books like he’s interested.

“This is not just a thing to me...” i answered. “... this is like a shelter in my Life, bro.”

He chuckled at my answer and nodded as he pulled a book and opened it.

“Nagbabasa ka?” tanong ko.

“Minsan.”

Any kind of books is in here, ni hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang shelves ang nandito. Mayroon ring second floor at hindi ko na malaman kung ano ang uunahin ko. Ang magumpisa ng magbasa o maglibot muna upang makita ang kabuuhan.

“Libot muna tayo.” Aya ni Tay or should i call him Aladdin since he told me that he’s Aladdin for today.

Aangal pa sana ako ngunit napaisip ako na mas magandang mag libot muna para makahanap na rin ng magandang librong babasahin. I still can’t imagine that I’m here in the place i never imagine i would be, and most likely, i never imagine that i would be here with someone i never thought would be in my side.

Maybe i should be a little kind to him since he’s the reason why I’m here? Maybe i should, baka pauwiin niya ako ng maaga no.

We roam around the place and it took an hour before we finished in the FIRST FLOOR. Yes, first floor. The place is literally big and huge. Book shelves are high that i needed Aladdin’s help to reach the above.

Meron ring coffee shop and some snacks that can be buy inside. But readers should be careful not to spill the coffee or damage the book they’re reading. They have to pay for it if they did.

The place is also not that crowded since they are following the maximum number of people inside and i love it. I think the manager here knew that bookworms hate crowded and noisy places.

This place might be a second home for me!

“C-can we sit now and rest our feet for walking for more than an hour and my hands are freaking tired now because of this bunch of books I’m holding.” Reklamo ni Aladdin sa tabi ko habang hawak hawak ang mga librong pinahawak ko.

Napatawa naman ako at kumuha ng iilang librong hawak niya, balak ko sanang pahirapan siya sa pagbitbit ngunit bumalik muli sa isipan kong siya ang dahilan kaya ako nakapasok rito.

Abot hanggang tainga ang ngiti ko habang nakatingin sa mga librong nasa harapan ko. Pumwesto kami sa isang table sa tabi ng isang glass wall na kita ang isang garden, mas lalo akong napangiti sa nakita ko lalo na sa dami ng nagliliparang paru-paru.

Mayroon rin namang pwesto kung saan may privacy ka at hindi glass wall, kung mag isa ako ay mas prefer ko doon pero dahil may kasama ako ngayon ay mas prefer kong nasa maliwanag at outer na view.

I never thought of being happy like this in library but with SOMEONE also can be this fun. You have someone to talk to, to laugh to, to tell your jokes to, and to cry to. The memory of us in a library at school flashed in my mind, it’s tragic yet wonderful that we showed the real us.

He cried that he never done with someone else, and i comforted someone that i never done in my life too.

“Kaya mo bang tapusin yan ngayon?” he asked while looking at the bunch of books in our table.

“Yes.” I answered with determination, “Pero kung hindi, edi babalik tayo, right?”

Ngumiti siya sa akin, “Of course.”

Without wasting any more seconds, i started reading the books I picked. I got startled when He put earphone in my ears. Ni hindi ko namalayan na nasa tabi ko na siya sa sobrang focus sa pagbabasa.

“It’s better to listens music while reading, right?” he said that made me agree, He also has book in his hands.

Playing: Lost Stars by Adam Levine

In fairness, his taste of music is quite good and matches mine.

Please, don't see
Just a boy caught up in dreams and fantasies
Please, see me
Reaching out for someone I can't see
Take my hand
Let's see where we wake up tomorrow
Best laid plans
Sometimes are just a one night stand
I'll be damned

“Let’s make a bet.”

“What bet?” i asked without removing my eyes at the book.

“The one who finished more books than the other can make a wish.”

Cupid's demanding back his arrow
So let's get drunk on our tears
And, God, tell us the reason
Youth is wasted on the young
It's hunting season and the lambs are on the run

Napatawa ako, “Ako ba hinahamon mo? Sure.”

Itinapat naman niya sa akin ang pinky finger niya, “Pinky promise muna.”

Mas natawa ako, his childish acts. Sinunod ko naman ang gusto niya dahil for sure ay hindi ako nito titigilan.

Searching for meaning
But are we all lost stars
Trying to light up the dark?
Who are we?
Just a speck of dust within the galaxy
Woe is me

After a short childish deal, we started reading. I didn’t think of the bet and just enjoyed this moment with the book and with this annoying guy that made my day with this wonderful song.