Rebirth As Rui (Under Major Revision)

12 | enigmatic curse

▌│█║▌║▌║ 12. ║▌║▌║█│▌

Hangga't maaari, iniiwasan ko nang tumungo mismo sa tirahan ni Felix, lalo pa at nalalagi roon halos si Yarrow maging ang grupo niya. Hindi ko na rin inuuwian ang bahay na tinutuluyan ko, maliban na lamang kung maliligo at magpapalit ng damit. Laging sa balkonahe agad ng sariling silid ang diretso ko. Back to my old habits, in short.

As for Spice, I was constantly giving him calls to check up on him. Kahit gagago-gago si Felix, tiwala naman ako ritong hindi niya pababayaan ang batang iyon. Idagdag nang dito rin ako nagtatanong tungkol sa kalagayan ni Yarrow, at paulit-ulit lang ang parating isinasagot nito sa tuwing napapatawag ako.

"Do I look like a goddamn messenger to you, huh? Get your ass here!"

"Is he with you, by any chance?" kalmadong tinuran ko isang madaling araw nang kausap ko ito.

"You know what? I am so done with this shit! Elixir! Take this and talk to your boyfriend yourself!"

Napatigil ang kamay ko sa paggalaw ng lapis nang makarinig ng malalim na paghinga sa kabilang linya. Hinga pa lamang nito, alam ko na agad na si Yarrow iyon. I closed the cover of the sketchbook and put it aside together with the pencil in between the pages, bringing myself out of the car to gasp for some fresh air.

Kung may puso lang na nakakabit sa akin, paniguradong kanina pa iyon pumipintig nang masakit.

Parehas kaming walang imik, tila naghihintayan lamang sa kung sinong unang puputol sa katahimikan. Sa huli, napatikhim ako habang bahagyang nakatingala sa mabituing kalangitan at hindi rin nakatiis.

"Hey..." I greeted him hoarsely, grazing my lips with my fingers and eventually tracing my lip piercing.

Hindi pa rin ito nagsasalita, patuloy lamang na naririnig ang kaniyang mga singhap. Is he pissed up to this time? Damn, of course. What else would I expect when I have not yet explained nor apologized for letting him witness such disgusting sight?

It was giving me a rough time to do so since I was never used to express it. I paced back and forth beyond the vehicle, switching the phone to the other side of my ear whilst contemplating on how to commence the conversation; on how I would prolong it in case he now decides to speak. He may not be responding but it was a good thing he was not cutting the line off yet.

I ran my fingers through my hair to mess it up, "Kumain ka na?"

Putanginang tanong iyan. Halos mapabunghalit ako ng tawa. Why the fuck am I so awkward? Why am I not a sweet and smooth talker like the others? I fucking hate this. Come on, Rui. You are better than this!

Yarrow's sexy chuckle rang on my head, stiffening my entire body, "Hindi pa. Unless you'll take me out?"

"Can I?" I nipped my lower lip, briskly opening the car door to settle inside.

Buwisit, sabi ko at lulubayan ko na si Yarrow nang sa gayon ay matuwid na ang pag-iisip ko! Pero ano na naman itong ginagawa ko, ha?

Mabilis kong pinatakbo ang sasakyan, walang pakialam kung nalalabag na ang batas trapiko, sabik na sabik na muli siyang masilayan. Ilang araw pa lang simula nang magplano ako sa pag-iwas sa kaniya, subalit ito at nahihila na naman ako pabalik nang walang kahirap-hirap. Groaning with avidity crawling down my spine, I swore under my breath as the half smile curving my lips cannot be peeled off.

"Drive safely. I heard you've had a car crash once with Felix," pagalit niyang sermon sa akin.

Hindi ko pa pala naibababa ang tawag. Hinablot ko ang phone upang patayin ang bluetooth, inilipat sa isang kamay, at nangingising itinapat iyon sa kaliwang tainga. I maneuvered the steering wheel with a sole hand, opening up the car window to place my elbow against it.