Beneath Your Smile (The Old And The New Series #1)

Kabanata 25

Kabanata 25

"Before sembreak pala ang birthday ni Demetrio," ani ni Lucia nang tumabi ito sa akin.

Nahuli ako ng isang strikto na teacher namin na nasa ibang upuan kaya pinalipat niya ako. Bumalik na ako sa dati at orihinal kong upuan kung kaya tumatabi rin sa akin si Lucia kapag wala kaming klase.

"Yup. Maganda ya ang at weekend 'yung birthday niya ngayon. Pangit kapag weekdays, kailangan pang i-move para hindi makaabala sa klase."

Sinang-ayunan nito ang sinabi ko. "So ano ang ireregalo mo kay Demetrio?"

Natigilan ako sa tanong ni Lucia. Mismo siya ay nagulat dahil naging blanko ang mukha ko. May pagtakip pa siya ng baba na nalalaman at nang kinuha niya ang kamay sa baba ay bumanghalit siya ng tawa.

"Really, Eanne? Wala ka pang may ireregalo sa kanya?" Disbelief was written in her eyes.

Nahihiya akong umiwas ng tingin. Mabuti at wala pa si Demetrio sa room. Mayroong ibang napatingin sa amin dahil sa pagtawa ni Lucia pero alam kong hindi nila alam ang pinag-uusapan namin.

"I don't have any idea what gift should I give to him," nasabi ko na lang. Hindi ko pa rin magawang tumingin kay Lucia kaya tinampal niya ang braso ko.

"Gaga. Ano'ng pakinabang ng tatlo mong kapatid na lalaki kung hindi mo sila tatanungin. Then, dapat ngayon pa lamang alam mo na ang mga gusto ni Demetrio para hindi ka na mahirapan. Naku, Eanne, ilang buwan na kayong mag-girlfriend at mag-boyfriend. Don't tell you don't know?"

Napakurap-kurap. "Anong you don't know ang sinasabi mo?" Hinarap ko ito. "Alam ko ang mga gusto ni Demetrio... It's just that... mahirap lang na pumili sa sobrang dami!" I countered. It was a lie.

I know Demetrio likes and dislikes. Like he liked to use a baby cologne instead of men's cologne dahil masakit iyon para sa ilong niya. Hindi ko rin alam bakit pero nagpasalamat talaga ako na hindi matatapang na pabango ang gamit ng mga kapatid ko nakin.

He likes to be with me all the time kaya parati na kaming sabay kumain ng lunch sa Cafeteria kasama ang mga pinsan at kapatid ko.

His dislikes was loud people. Minsan kasi nitong napagalitan ang classmates namin habang nagfo-formataion dahil kahit naka attention na, galaw nang galaw at usap pa rin ng usap sa katabi nito.

He don't like those girls who don't treated me right. Hindi ko alam paano niya napansin na iba ang trato sa akin ng ibang babae but after we are far from them, he would say that he doesn't like the girl because of her rude behaviour. Para bang hindi lang ako nanggaling doon. Gano'n din ako. Mas malala pa nga.

And the last one, he doesn't like someone copying his answer. Dahil noon na magkatabi kami, I tried to take a peek of his answer and he would instantly hide it from me. Later on, after the exam, he confronted me that he doesn't like it. It was okay for him to copy his assignments but not his answers during an examination. Kaya dahil sa kaya bakit ako nag-aaral ngayon. He's the reason why my grades accelerated.

But with material things, 'yon ang hindi ko alam. He wears a watch. He wears a necklace, his dog tag. He doesn't wear rings. He doesn't wear any kind of bracelet... Oh wait. Bracelet. I can give him one then I should have mine also. I want to have a couple bracelets with him!

I smirked at Lucia. "I know what I can give to him," proud na sabi ko.

There was a mask of doubt in Lucia's face but I didn't think of it. The whole day I was visualizing the design that I want for our bracelet. I want it customized. I don't mind the price of the bracelets. Mas nasa isip ko ang pagiging detelyado para sa bracelets namin ni Demi.