The Secret Admirer (Silent Lips Series #4)

Twenty-Eight

Chapter 28
Imagination

**

"Two orders of Java Chip Frappuccino for Sofia and Jerome!"

"Ako na," sabi ni Jerome bago pa man makatayo si Sofia para kunin ang order nila. Tumango na lamang si Sofia at hinayaan itong lumapit sa counter.

After bumping into Jerome earlier, they exchanged pleasantries until Sofia decided to ask him out for a coffee. It was an attempt to catch up to each other as friends, but Sofia also wanted to tell him something.

Gusto niya itong makausap tungkol sa nararamdaman nito. Kahit na hindi naman talaga niya naramdaman ang panliligaw nito, tingin niya ay karapatan pa rin nito na malaman na may nagugustuhan na siya. Ayaw na rin naman niyang umasa pa ito sa kanya.

Inilapag ni Jerome ang inumin nila sa mesa nang makabalik ito. They took their time sipping on their drinks until Sofia decided to break the silence.

"Kumusta ka naman? Tapos ka na sa internship mo?" panimula niyang tanong.

"Okay naman. Medyo malapit nang matapos. Kaunting tiis na lang," sagot nito. Tipid itong ngumiti saka siya tinitigan. "But that isn't the reason why you asked me out to talk, right?"

Nagulat si Sofia sa narinig. Naramdaman ba nito na may iba siyang gustong pag-usapan?

Huminga nang malalim si Sofia saka inilapag sa mesa ang hawak na inumin. Pinaglaruan niya ang straw nito. Hindi siya makatingin kay Jerome nang nahihiya siyang ngumiti.

"Am I that obvious?" she asked. "I'm so—"

"If you're going to apologize, please don't," Jerome interrupted. Umiwas ito ng tingin habang iniikot ang straw sa inumin nito. "I think I already know what you wanted to talk about. Bago pa matapos ang first sem, napansin ko na."

Hindi sumagot si Sofia. Hinayaan niyang magsalita si Jerome nang maramdaman niyang mukhang may gusto itong sabihin.

"Naaalala mo pa ba noong tinanong mo ako kung ako ba ang nagbibigay sa'yo ng love notes?" tanong nito. Tumango siya. "That was the time I realized you like someone else. That's why I started distancing myself from you. Alam ko kasing darating ang oras na magkakausap tayo tungkol dito."

"I'm sorry, Jerome."

He smiled. "I told you, you don't have to apologize for that. You didn't do anything wrong. Kung umasa ako, ginusto ko iyon. Hindi mo kasalanan iyon. Noong umamin ako sa'yo na gusto kita, hinanda ko na rin ang sarili ko ano man ang maging sagot mo. Just because I said I like you doesn't mean you have to like me back."

Sofia doesn't know what to say.

"Besides, I am aware that I never really did anything to make you fall in love with me. I didn't do anything to show how much I like you. It's understandable you wouldn't like me," he added.

Tipid na ngumiti si Sofia. Sa totoo lang ay isa iyon sa rason kung bakit hindi niya nagustuhan si Jerome nang higit pa sa kaibigan. Even when he's vocal about his feelings, she never thought it was serious. Madalas kasing parang ginagawa lang nitong biro iyon.

Maliban pa roon ay wala rin talaga itong ginawa para ipakita na seryoso ito sa nararamdaman. Kahit na sinabi nitong manliligaw ito ay hindi naman talaga nito iyon ginawa. Naisip na lamang niya na baka hindi naman ganoon kalalim ang nararamdaman nito para sa kanya.

"Can I ask you something?" Jerome asked when she didn't say anything.

She nodded. "Sure."

"Is Zane the guy you like?"

Nagulat man sa tanong nito ay agad siyang umiling. Hindi niya alam kung paano nito naisip na si Zane ang gusto niya. Of course, she's not going to tell him about Charles but she's not going to use Zane and lie to Jerome.