CHOOSE ME ✔️

COLD WINTER

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: COLD WINTER

" on this cold weather night, I can't help but despise this warm feeling inside my chest that I have not experienced in almost a year "

"Really? Really?" I roll my eyes at Ryland's numerous complaints as I close my book, standing up to return the book I borrowed from one of the shelves.

"God, shut up. Ang ingay mo."

"Anong maingay? Tayong dalawa lang naman dito!"

"We're in a library, Ryland, manahimik ka." muntik na 'kong magmura sa kanya pero pinigilan ko lang ang sarili ko.

Hindi rin nakakatulong ang lalaking 'to, kanina pa siya puro 'really, really' samantalang nababaliw ako sa sarili 'kong desisyon kaya kahit ako kinakabahan na.

"No, but, really? You're going on a date?" tanong niya ulet sabay titig sa'kin na para bang 'di siya makapaniwalang nangyayari 'to ngayon sa buhay ko.

"Ilang beses ko na bang sinagot yang tanong mo, Ryland? I am going on a date." I said for the tenth time or maybe a hundredth time, I can't remember.

Hindi talaga makapaniwala si Ryland that this is happening. I mean he knew that I've dated some people before, of course may mga date ako pero malapit lapit lang sa campus o punta punta lang sa mall tapos kain sa McDonalds o KFC.

If you think about it, parang high school dates lang yun. I haven't had a single date or suitor for years since meeting Yael. Well, I think I did had a date with him pero yun nga lang wala namang kami kaya 'di yung official. Tsaka pinilit ko lang naman siya, ayoko nang isipin pa yun.

The important thing is I am going on a date. Nakilala ko yung lalaki nung nakaraang buwan dahil kay Chandria, kaibigan ng boyfriend ni Chandria ang magiging date ko.

She has a new boyfriend again, honestly I don't understand where she gets these guys at kung paano niya naakit yung mga lalaking yun, I honestly would like to know how she does it. I finally asked her and she introduced me to that guy, and here I am... nervous about this date.

"Sino yung lalaki?" I sat next to him as I take a sip of his iced coffee.

"You know the guy who I sit next to in the cafe these days?" tumango naman siya agad.

"Him." lumaki yung mga mata niya sa lalaking tinutukoy ko, hinablot niya yung iced coffee mula sa kamay ko at inilapag yo'n sa side ng lamesa na'min.

"You're crazy, you're crazy!"

"What?"

"That guy!? He's rumored to be playing with a lot of women... especially if they're freshmen..."

Wow, this is my first time hearing about this. Pero rumors lang naman, baka gawa gawa lang naman yun. Binilog ko ulet yung mga mata ko kay Ryland at kinuha ulet yung iced coffee niya.

"You need to stop believing those rumors, Ryland. He's a good guy, tsaka 'di ko naman siya nakikitang nakikipaglandian sa mga freshmen dito sa campus."

"Di mo yan ala--"

"Alam ko yun, alam ko, Ryland. Just trust me in this one, and if he is some guy that likes to play then maybe... I'll play too." I said with a smile on my face.

As if hindi ako nakikipaglaro noon bago ko makilala si Yael. I liked to play games too with my guy classmates, flirting here and there tapos yun lang. Nothing more. Kaya kung gusto nang lalaki na 'to na makipaglaro sa'kin, then fuck it, I'll fucking play too. It's been a while anyways.