04
"Good morning, Miss Ma'am," Gulat na bati ni Arthfael saakin nang makita ako sa harapan niya.
I put the book I was carrying on the table, and then I lowered my bag to the chair in front of him.
"Morning," I greeted back and sat quietly.
He looked at me as if he were reading my movements and expressions. I honestly didn't expect him to be here now. I thought he would ignore me because of his sudden confession last Saturday night.
Disappointed ako no'n dahil akala ko katulad s'ya ng iba na lalayuan ako matapos umamin na may gusto saakin. But Arthfael does not seem to be one of those guys.
Sana.
"Don't you have training?" I asked and looked at him.
He shook his head. "Wala naman, Miss Ma'am," sagot niya. "Galit ka ba saakin?"
Kumunot ang noo ko. "No,"
He nodded. "Nabigla ba kita no'ng umamin ako sa 'yo na gusto kita noong sabado?"
I don't know what to say to him and I also don't want to lie. Yes, I was shocked, but not too much. I felt more disappointed because I thought he was like the other guys, which is wrong. Hindi ko dapat kaagad s'ya hinusgahan base sa maaaring intensyon niya dahil hindi ko pa naman s'ya gano'n ka kilala.
He sighed and smiled apologetically. "Kung nabigla ka at hindi mo nagustuhan 'yung sinabi ko, pasensya na. Hindi ko lang talaga intensyon na magbigay sa 'yo ng mix signals. Mas ayos nang alam mong gusto kita kaya ako lumalapit sa 'yo."
I licked my lips. "Kaya ka lang ba lumalapit saakin ay dahil gusto mo ako?"
"Hmm," he gave me a nod. "Gusto kita. Gusto kitang makilala, gusto kita biglang tao, gusto kitang makasama, gusto kitang kausap, gusto kita bilang ikaw... lahat ng p'wedeng ibig sabihin ng salitang gusto kita iyon 'yong dahilan kung bakit ako lumalapit sa 'yo."
Gusto kita bilang ikaw...
"Okay," I answered.
Mas lalong lumaki ang ngiti niya. "Huwag kang mag-alala, Khaleesi. Hindi naman porket umamin ako sa 'yo ay ibig sabihin 'yon lang ang intensyon ko para kausapin at lapitan ka. Maraming dahilan para lapitan at kausapin ka, Khaleesi. T'yaka hindi naman ako nagmamadali... Ayoko lang talagang masayang ko 'yung pagkakataon ko. Isang taon na akong natorpe sa 'yo,"
I just stared at him. I didn't say anything while he continued talking. The genuine smile on his lips tells me how sincere he is about what he's telling me right now.
"Hindi mo kasi ako pinansin pagkatapos kong umamin sa 'yo no'ng sabado. Natakot akong baka nabigla kita, kaya kung hindi ka komportable h'wag mo nalang masyadong isipin 'yung sinabi ko."
"Hindi ko naman iniisip."
His lips parted for a few seconds, and after that, he laughed loudly. Tipid akong napailing dahil sa malakas niyang pagtawa t'yaka nagbaba ng tingin sa libro ko.
"Mas'yado mo nang tinatapakan ang puso ko, Miss Ma'am,"
Ngumuso ako.
It's a good thing we're far away from the other tables and also from the librarian; baka mapalabas kami dahil sa ingay namin.
We studied together. We were both quiet, and he seemed to notice that I was very serious about reading, so he stopped talking and just read the book he was holding. Pero minsan nahuhuli ko pa rin s'yang nakatingin at tulala saakin tapos ngingitian lang ako kapag nagbalik ako ng tingin sa kanya.
