#2: Strumming the Pain

Strumming 17

Uneventful— that's how I'm going to describe my summer. Wala masyadong nangyari sa buong summer ko, maliban sa araw-araw kaming magkausap ni Kirk. He calls me everyday, text me everyday, and the first thing he'll ask is always 'how are you?'.

Most of the time, I'll stay in the house. Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla na lang akong nakabantay. Tita Ina wouldn't even let me step out of the house. Ayaw ba niya na hindi niya ako nakikita?

'Yung pisngi ko nga rin ay parang namanhid na sa mga sampal na nakukuha ko. Wala naman akong magagawa kung hindi iiyak na lang 'yun. The voices inside my head are just making it worse. I don't know, I feel like it gotten worse— or maybe I'm just being dramatic again.

I snapped back to reality when I heard a phone ringing— of course, it was my phone. Ako lang naman mag-isa sa kwarto. I checked who's the caller is— I instantly smiled when I saw it.

"Kirk," I answered the call, biting my lower lip.

"Hey, baby," he answered, I tried my best not to smile too much. "How are you, babe?" he asked.

"Stop with the endearments." masungit kunwari na sabi ko sa kanya.

"Okay, Miss Beret." he playfully answered. "How are you? How was your day?" he asked like he's so ready to listen to me.

"I'm okay." I answered.

"Are you sure?" he asked, again.

"Yes, you're worrying too much." I answered, laughing.

"I can't help it." sagot naman niya sa 'kin.

"Don't worry about me." sabi ko naman sa kanya. He just hummed as an answer then changed the topic.

"May pasok na pala bukas," sabi niya. "Makikita mo na ako bukas, alam kong miss mo na ako." makapal ang mukha na sabi niya.

"As if." I answered.

"Hindi mo ako miss? Hindi mo na ba ako gusto?!" parang bata na tanong naman niya sa 'kin kaya napa-irap ako.

"We just saw each other two days ago." I answered.

"Oh, ano naman ngayon? Kahapon pa nga kita namimiss, e. Hindi pa kita natawagan dahil medyo busy ako." he said, like a sulky child.

"You don't need to call me everyday." sabi ko naman sa kanya.

It's not like we're in a relationship, right?

"I'll miss you like crazy, Shian, so don't tell me to stop calling you everyday." sabi naman niya sa 'kin.

"May pasok na rin naman." sabi ko pa sa kanya.