What If's

CHAPTER 29

It was a bright sunny day. I woke up feeling fresh and energized. Feeling ko nga nothing could go wrong today.

"Ang ganda ng smile ah, saya ka?" Napatawa na lang ako dahil sa ka-abnormalan ko. Nakakasira pala ng ulo ang sobrang saya no? Imagine kinakausap ko na ulit sarili ko.

"No, hindi ka pa nasisiraan ng bait Alex. Normal people make it a hobby to converse with theirselves." Ge push mo 'yan.

I am busy scrolling through my phone since it was unusually quiet. I mean wala naman talaga akong natatanggap na messages and call on a normal basis pero...

Hinihintay mo text niya no? My brain is so annoying. Sige fine, I admit. Oo, medyo naghihintay ako. Medyo lang, promise.

Reasonable naman siguro 'di ba? Like, we KISSED! Hindi smack or peck but KISS.

"Ano na kaya ginagawa ng isang 'yon, baka tulog pa...should I call him?" I said to myself.

Pero baka busy siya and besides, I don't want him to think that I'm clingy.

"But what if I sent him a random text...tapos sasabihin ko na lang na wrong send..." Desperada ka sis? Napabuntong hininga na lang ako dahil sa mga pinagiisip ko. I keep staring at my phone and on the screen is his contact details.

"Sino kausap mo?" Nabigla ako sa pagsasalita ni Andrea kaya sa 'di inaasahan ay napindot ko ang call icon sa may ibaba ng pangalan niya.

"Shit!"

Dahil sa sobrang pagkataranta ay nag-ring muna ang call bago ko pa man ito na-off. "Bakit ka ba kasi sumusulpot bigla?" nayayamot kong saad sa pinsan ko.

"Eh sa na curious lang naman ako kung sino kasama mo dito..." sabi niya habang nakangisi. "So tell me my dear cousin, why are you talking to yourself? And why so loud?"

"Wala..."

"Napakasinungaling mo talaga, huling-huli ka na nga nagde-deny pa rin."

Her being observant is such a blessing and curse for me. Or she's just nosy. "Alam mo ikaw—"

My words were cut off by a soft vibration in my hands that's soon followed by my phones' ringtone.

*Stalker Calling...*

Shit! He's calling me!!!!

"Stalker? Sino 'yan?" she asked. I understand the confused look plastered on her face though. If by chance I too saw someone who'd receive a call coming from a stalker I'd be alarmed. Sino ba naman kasing tanga ang sumasagot ng tawag mula sa stalker 'di ba?

I ignored her query, instead I answered the call with my fingers fidgeting. "H-Hello?"

There was silence on the other end of the call, it seemed like he was only listening to what I would say. Seconds more and still there was nothing, so I got impatient. "Hello, anong kailangan mo at tumawag ka?" I said not minding the tone I'm using.

I thought my building annoyance would shake him to speak but no, he didn't instead I heard a chuckle on his side. Aba! May gana pa talaga siyang tumawa.

Naiinis na ako sa kanya sa totoo lang. I'm still deciding whether to just give in to anger or to simply end the call when Andrea took the phone from my grasp. "Hey! Give that back."

She motioned for me to keep quiet. I don't get what she's doing but I let her. When she handed me back the device I noticed that it was on speakerphone.

I was about to reprimand her for being a busybody when he spoke...

"Goodmorning, Alexandra..."

I gulped upon hearing his voice. Dammit! How can he sound so sexy and manly at the same time? Is this his bedroom voice? I am at lost for words. His raspy voice just keeps ringing inside my head!!

I felt a stinging pain on my arm turns out my devil of a cousin pinched me. "What?" I mouthed.

She gestured for the phone and instantly I realized that I was still on a call with the idiot from our neighboring village.

"Tsk... walang maganda sa umaga ko!" I saw Aya rolling her eyes at me as she mouthed me the words 'lying bitch!'

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed... anyway, I'll be there today so don't miss me too much a'right."

"Excuse me? Who do you think you are?"

"So grumpy... wait for me. See you later, love."

"H-hey!!!" I didn't even get to finish a sentence since he ended the call before I did. How dare you do that?! He thinks he so cool hanging up the call on me, I'll have to teach him some manners!

"I don't know if you're blushing because of him calling you 'love' or maybe it's because of something else..."

Blushing? Sino...ako? As if I would!

"Oh where are you going, Alex?"

"Magbibihis."

"Kakatapos mo lang maligo, sis. Bakit ka magbibihis ulit?" Nabato naman ako sa aking kinakatayuan ng dahil sa sinabi niya.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"Uhm...s-socks! Oo, socks. I'll change my socks kasi 'di ko gutso 'yong kulay." Mabilis pa sa alas kwartong sinarado ko ang pinto ng walk-in closet ko dahil sa kahihiyan. What a lame excuse. Kahit pa nasa loob na ako ay rinig ko pa rin ang malakas na tawa ni Andrea.

She's mocking me. She's making fun of me!

***

"Oh hija, bakit hindi ka pa kumakain?" tanomh ni manang.

"Hayy nako, manang. 'Wag mo ng pansinin ang isang 'yan hindi makakakain 'yan kung hindi pa darating 'yong jowa niya." Napairap nalang ako sa naging sagot ng pinsan ko. Busog lang ko no, pero kakain din ako maya-maya.

"Ah 'yong binatang Lopez ba kamo?"

"Opo manang."

"Alam mo couz ang daldal mo. Kumain ka nalang pwede?" sabi ko habang nilalagay ang isang pirasong garlic bread sa bibig niya.

Ilang sandali pa ay dumating nga si Joshua. At ang bida-bida kong pinsan ay 'di talaga nag-aksaya ng oras na ipahiya ako at nakuha niya pang-i-narrate ang nangyari kaninang umaga na ikinatuwa naman ng lalaki.

We had our breakfast and decided to stay here in the garden. Pinalayas ko na ang pinsan ko kasi baka mag-away na naman silang dalawa. Ang ingay pa naman nila pareho.

Kunyari ka pa eh gusto mo lang naman talaga ng alone time kasama si Joshua. Shut up crazy self!!!

"So should I pick you up tomorrow?"

Napatigil ako sa pakikipagtalo sa sarili ko ng dahil sa tanong niya. May lakad ba kami bukas na nakalimutan ko?

I looked at him confused. He smiled at me as he continued, "It's their wedding day tomorrow."

My mouth formed a silent 'O' as an act of recognition. Bukas na pala 'yon, bakit parang ang bilis yata. But come to think of it, tama lang ba na sabay kaming pumunta? Or maybe I can just meet him there...

"I think it would be better if we go together..." My eyes widened, did he read my mind again? "Nope. How many time do I have to tell you, I can't read minds. Your facial expressions are just so honest, that's all."

Napatango-tango na lang ako. But deep inside, am I that easy to read?

"Y-yeah... you're right."

"Huh?"

"I mean, tama ka. Mas mabuti pa nga na sabay na lang tayong pumunta." Isang ngiti lang ang naging tugon niya sa sinabi ko.

So ikakasal na talaga siya bukas. And I will be there as their witness. Am I nervous? Honestly, no.

Maybe because I'm already over him and that I forgave him. Before dating, we were friends. And right now, I think being friends will work well on us.

And as his friend, I wish him well.

***