Always By Your Side

Kabanata 22

Isang buwan

Isang buwan na akong nandito sa Del Acosta. Inilibot ako nina Tita Lucia at Leona sa lugar. They are even staying at my place dahil ayaw ni Tita Lucia iwan ako mag-isa.

I stared at Leona while she's drawing some small donuts in her notebook. Sanay na ata itong tinititigan, she doesn't seem bothered by my stares.

"Why?" She dropped her pen on the table at hinarap ako, wearing her expressionless face.

"Nothing," People like her are sometimes hard to deal with. Hindi mo alam kung ano ang tumatakbo sa utak, it's terrifying yet thrilling at the same time.

"You look pure and fragile,"

She tilted her head to the side, calculating.

"I am not."

"I said you look pure and fragile. I didn't say you are one," I smirk at her.

Bato ata talaga ang batang 'to. Walang reaksyon sa sinabi ko.

"You're a supermodel, right?" Tumango ako at humalumbaba sa lamesa.

"Why? You want to be like me?"

"No, I'm curious about something."  There, I saw one emotion in her eyes.

"Shoot," Tinaasan ko ito ng kilay nang titigan lang ako nito. "Ano?"

"Bakit hindi ka bumalik sa US? You were supposed to go back weeks ago, right?" Hindi natuloy dahil panigurado naman my perfectionist grandparents already did something about my work.

"I'm jobless." Natatawang sagot ko sa kanya. "US isn't my home. Nasa Iladal siya ngayon." Umirap ito.

"Let's talk about you," I opened another topic because she remains quiet as she draws donuts again.

"Aside from Bella, do you have any other friends?" I inquired.

Umiling ito. "One is enough. Bella is already annoying, ayoko na magdagdag pa ng isa pang masakit sa ulo."

"You should find." I encourage her.

"Find what?"

"Other friends."

"Ang tigas ng ulo mo. I can only tolerate Bella, I don't want another pain in the ass friend."

Inirapan ko siya. "If you can find another friend, I'll grant you one wish."

Slowly her lips form into a smirk. Binalik niya ang atensyon sa akin, completely forgetting what she's doing.

"Okay. Call." Napangiti ako.

Her green eyes twinkled. Those green eyes.

"You know I know someone with the same eyes as yours. I love him so much. Kapag nakauwi ako, he will marry me. There's no way out the moment he entered my life." Nawala ang ngisi sa mga labi niya.

Umayos ito ng upo sa tabi ko at binalik ang tingin sa ginagawa. Ilang beses ko itong narinig na napabuntong-hininga.

"Are you craving for donuts?" Tanong ko at tumayo.

Mabilis itong lumingon sa gawi ko nang maramdaman ang pagtayo ko.

"Where are you going?"

"Bibilhan kita ng donuts. Wait here." Hinawakan nito ang wrist ko at tumayo.

"No." She said firmly. "I'm coming with you."

"Gabi na. It's not safe for you to go alone at night. Stay here." Nagmamadaling umalis ito at pagbalik ay may dalang isang extra na hoodie sa kamay.

"Wear this. Your outfit," She look at me from head to toe, "Is too revealing."

Wala sa oras na napatingin ako sa suot ko. What?

Nakasuot ako ng cotton shorts at isang over-sized na white t-shirt na klaro ang itim na bra.

I was about to argue with her nang matigilan dahil kuhang-kuha niya ang mukha ni Vernon, Her brother's facial expression whenever he's serious at gusto niyang masunod ang gusto niya. I won't back down kapag hindi ko gusto ang sinasabi niya not until he eyes me na sobrang seryoso, wala kang magagawa kundi sumunod nalang.

"Where are you going?" Tanong ko nang maisuot ang hoodie na bigay niya.

Nagtatakang tumingin ito sa akin habang naka-hawak sa doorknob ng main door. I pointed the stairs papuntang garage.

"We're going to use my car."

Leona doesn't look interested nor amazed at my collection. Para pa itong masama ang loob habang nakatingin sa mga sasakyan na nasa harapan niya. I picked the car that caught my attention.

Hindi naman naging matagal ang byahe at nakarating kaagad kami sa Hao Donuts. Obviously, they sell donuts.

Naunang pumasok si Leona bago ako. Nakita ko siyang nakikipag-usap sa isang babae. Hindi ko makita ang hitsura ng babae dahil nakatalikod ito sa pwesto ko.

Leona is smiling while talking to her. It was a rare sight, Leona smiling at someone. Gumaganda siya lalo kapag ngumingiti, does she know that? She should smile more often. Bato talaga.

"Leona," I call her name nang makalapit sakanila.

The girl, Leona is talking to, turns around dahilan para makita ko ang mukha niya.

Hindi ako nakapagsalita kaagad. She looks like an angel lalo na ang malaking ngiti na nakapaskil sa mga labi nito na halatang hindi pilit at totoo. She looks unreal.

"Hi!" She greeted with a warm big smile.

"Hey," I responded nang makabawi. I stared at her long enough at alam ko na napansin nilang dalawa 'yon.

"This is