Too Young

I.

There was a time that I fell in love, again. It was that moment when she grabbed my hips and pulled me in. She whispered in my ears, "I got you, Aiah." I was in the midst of tripping on my feet when she caught me. In front of the water fountain, at the park where our friends hang out. We were in high school then, and I was graduating. It's a time of making most of the days spent.

The moment where her arms were around me and I stopped breathing. I knew I stopped breathing because when I finally stood up straight I released a heavy breath making her ask if I was okay. I wasn't.

The only things in my mind were wishes. I wished for love to give, I wished for time to give, I wished for her to not stop the way her eyes see me.

"Ate Aiah? Hellooo, tulala ka nanaman." Mikha chuckled at me while I kept staring. Her laugh made me snap out of my thoughts. Funny how I can replace all of my playlist with her laughs.

I smiled and said, "Thanks Mikhs, buti na lang nasalo mo ko." Then I laughed, but I didn't know what I really felt.

She didn't say anything but just kept smiling. As I urged her to go to our friends, they were teasing loudly how late we were.

"Oh ayan na pala ang dalawang manlilibre satin!" Stacey said while putting Mikha in a headlock. The latter was struggling and pushing Stacey away.

"Dun ka nga! Staku ginulo mo buhok ko!" Mikha frowned.

"Hoy manlilibre kayo ah!" Sheena said as she linked arms with me.

"Gusto namin ng Ice cream, Ate Oiah." Maloi clapped her hands excitedly.

"Gusto ko strawberry flavor!" Gwen exclaimed, even raising her hand.

"Ako friesss!" Jhoanna said. Stacey had always loved to tease Jhoanna so she said, "Sus! Kaka fries mo lang kanina! Pang ilan mo na yan?" Then Jhoanna slapped Stacey's arm and they started arguing again.

I shook my head at them and smiled.

"Kahit choco Ice cream na lang ako." Colet said and Sheena agreed, "Ako rin chocolate flavor."

"Hay nako wait, teka nga lang. Anong manlilibre ba? Wala naman kayong sinabing ganyan." Mikha opposed.

"It's fine, I'll buy us ice cream." I said and laughed when their reactions brightened. Mikha only looked at me and sighed.

"Fine! Pero ice cream lang ah." Mikha said to them and grabbed her wallet.

"What? Gusto ko rin fries!" Jhoanna pouted.

"Wag ka nga, si Staku na bibili ng fries mo." Mikha made a face at the girl.

"Hoy anong ako!"

"Luh mga boang na to nag away pa nga." Colet said.

"Sige na, pati fries bibilin." I said which made them stop.

"Yey! Buti pa si ate oiah, bleh!"

"So kailan tayo makakabili ng ice cream niyan ang tagal niyo magaway?" Maloi said impatiently.

"Eto na, eto na. Ate aiah?" Mikha held out her hand to me and I took it.

We bought ice cream and fries and spent time with the girls. There was always laughter and teasing whenever I was with them. Always happy and comfortable, and at times like that I suddenly got conscious that I'm laughing and enjoying myself. I got conscious about how I heard her laugh above more than anybody else. Almost constantly I noticed her smile and her eyes when she glanced at me. Everytime, it was full of joy, adoration, and love. I didn't know if it was alright to look at it like that; if it's fine to find love within those eyes. It felt like it wasn't.