Eighteen

Chapter 35

I'm on break and on my way out to meet her. I left my watch with her last night, and she has no idea I've deliberately done that, so I could see her soon.

Under a shade of a tree, Trianna stood in tattered jeans and a big black hoodie, making her look like a criminal in hiding. For some reason, she's scared of getting caught by her own friend, my sister.

"Hey, I've been waiting for you! Kinakabahan ako sa paglipas ng minuto, Cailein," she says upon seeing me, then she pulls me suddenly. Ang lapit namin sa isa't isa. It's to conceal herself with my body. Abala naman ang mga taong dumadaan sa kanya-kanyang ginagawa kaya hindi kami napansin dito sa may lilim. Pero matangkad si Tria, her height ending at my lips, so it doesn't really help.

She's peering up at me with her worried eyes. My hand takes her hand that's clinging on my cuff, entwining them together. This makes her head fall limply against my shoulder. She's told me before that I was unfair whenever I did this because I was exploiting her weakness. When she raises her head again, she's pouting. As often as she's done that is as often as the times my heart has taken a weird leap and my head can only think of nothing but her. I've no idea when I have gotten so smitten; it just happened.

"Relo mo, o," aniya at lumayo nang kaunti sa'kin para ibigay 'yon.

"You seem in a rush."

"Hindi, ah." Nag-iwas siya ng tingin, nakanguso pa rin. "Gusto nga kitang makita . . ." bulong niya sa sarili, but I hear it nonetheless. Binitiwan ko ang kamay niya nang pakiramdam kong baka masyado na itong ginagawa ko, but her ring finger reaches after it, pulling it close before hanging her pinky over my forefinger. She did that without throwing me a cursory look. She can be unfair sometimes. With my free hand, I take her chin and guide her face to look at me straight in the eyes.

"Can you put it on me?" I request, nodding slightly at the watch still in her hand.

"Mapapaghalataan tayo rito," sabi niya, pero inabot pa rin ang palapulsuhan ko. She can't be more restless, and I can't help but smile.

"Okay lang. Bakit, you don't want to tell them yet?"

She's busy pulling the leather to the size of my wrist, and I can't peel my eyes off her.

"I gotta tell you something—" May sasabihin na sana ako sa kanyang importante when my cell rings. It's Luigi. I check the time—two minutes before our next period in the afternoon.

"Ha?"

"Mamaya na lang. I have to go back." I heave a sigh before taking in a little more of her suspiciously adorable getup before heading back in.

Pagkauwi ko noon, I already have a plan to see her at the convenience store near our village where we usually see each other for the past weeks. Her mom already knows about me. Getting caught by her side of the family has never been an issue, but she wants to be more careful around her friends. She did reassure me that she's not ashamed of me or anything in that regard.

She hasn't told me the reason behind this, but I'm assuming she's waiting for something that I'm hoping does not concern me. Napansin ko sa kanya, lagi niyang tinatanong ang mga bagay na gagawin niya o naming dalalwa kung ayos lang ba sa'kin. She always checks on my interest, but I really have nothing against whatever she plans to do with our relationship, as long as she doesn't end it. Personally, I want to stop hiding things. If we're dating, we're going to do it seriously.

That's what I'm to tell her at the convenience store until I receive a call from Mom. Unang beses ito makalipas ang dalawang linggo.

"Mom? Hey, how are you? Bakit hindi ka namin matawagan? Camille is worried about you. She constantly thinks about you. Ako rin, nag-aalala. Walang gabi na hindi ko inisip kung kumusta ka. Tita Celes has been updating us, but those weren't enough till you called. And you have only called today. What happened, Mom? Is it something I should be worried about?" I spiel, feeling breathless after all those words that gushed out one after another. My heart is throbbing loudly against my ribcage, and I'm trying to level it out.