Under the Brightest Stars

11

11

Sobrang lakas ng pintig ng puso ko. Mahigpit ang hawak ko sa manibela, nag-iisip kung ano ang dapat kong sabihin. Paul's words keep on repeating as if it's telling me that Santi really likes me!

"Joke lang," aniya.

"H-Huh?"

Mahina siyang natawa. "Masyado ka namang seryoso. Ibig ko lang sabihin na masyado kang friendly."

Kabado akong tumawa.

Mabuti na lang at nag-usap na kami tungkol sa paparating niyang exam. Hindi na ulit niya binanggit iyong tungkol sa sinabi niya kanina. Mabuti na rin kasi parang mababaliw ako kung sakaling mapag-usapan pa namin iyon.

Hindi ako nakatulog sa gabing iyon. My heart was beating loudly as I recalled what he said. Oh my god, Santi. You are making my head spin.

"Your eyebags look healthy," Sam joked when we met at a coffee shop.

"Really? I couldn't sleep last night."

Kinuha ko ang concealer at naglagay sa ilalim ng mga mata. May klase pa si Lisa kaya kami lamang dalawa ang narito. We just want to hang out since pareho kaming ayaw munang umuwi sa bahay.

"Sam, I want to tell you something."

She raised a brow. "About what?"

"About Santi..."

She smiled. "I know, Frans. It's obvious."

Nag-facepalm ako. "Sana 'wag mo na munang sabihin kay Lisa kasi alam mo naman kung paano iyon mag-react."

I just want to let it all out. So I started to tell her about my "friendship" with Santi. I even told her that we already met even before the incident at the bar. Siguro kailangan ko lang talagang may mapagsabihan at si Sam ang taong kailangan ko ngayon.

After telling her everything, she gasped and stared at me in shock.

"For months, Frans? You hid it for so long!" aniya.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"I mean, wala namang problema sa akin. Pero, my god, tinago mo talaga?"

"I'm just afraid that you'll say something bad, okay. I just hate it because Santi is different from us, but that doesn't make him less."

She sighed. "Well, I think you really like him so much. And I also think he likes you."

"Really?"

"Hindi ako sure," banta niya. "But based on what you said, I guess he really does."

"Baka friendly lang siya..."

Ilang beses ko na ring kasing inisip iyan. Ngunit possible rin naman na kaibigan lang talaga ang turing niya sa akin. Ayaw ko namang idiin iyon.

"Well, we can always assume. Tanungin mo na lang kaya?"

"Is it okay if I really date him?"

She nodded. "Ano namang mali roon?"

I hesitated. Uminom ako ng iced coffee para kumalma.

"Frans, you keep on throwing hate to your mother because she cares about what other people would say. Listen to yourself, why would you worry? Is it really because you're afraid to risk your friendship with Santi? Or about other people's approval?"

Sam's words strucked like lightning. Masakit ngunit totoo. Para akong naliwanagan. Tama siya.

Ayokong maging katulad ni Mom, ngunit hindi ko rin talaga maiwasang isipin ang tungkol doon. After all, we're still a public personality. But I really like him.