Forever With You

CHAPTER 16

Sa nakalipas na tatlong linggo ay maraming nangyari at nagbago lalo na sa amin ni Mommy. Masaya lang ako dahil maganda na nga ang relasyon namin ngayon. Hindi pa man kami yung close na close talaga sa isa't isa, atleast we're both trying to make our relationship better.

Nandito lang din naman ako sa bahay, hindi ako umaalis. Mas naging masipag na siguro ata ako dahil palagi na akong tumutulong sa paglilinis at pag-aasikaso rito sa bahay. At Yaya ko si Yaya Melda simula pagkabata pero nung lumaki na ako ay hindi na ako masyadong nagpapaasikaso sakaniya dahil kaya ko naman na.

I have lots of time and I didn't waste it. Iniba ko rin yung arrangement ng kwarto ko. Nagbawas ako ng mga lumang gamit at pinalitan ko rin yung iba ng bago. My room became more spacious than before.

Aalis ako ngayon at may pupuntahan. Medyo kinakabahan lang ako dahil si Jeff ang kikitain ko.

Speaking of him, Jeff... After he told me that he likes me after my graduation ay hindi siya nagparamdam. He didn't follow up anything. He didn't message me a single thing kaya naisip ko na baka wala lang iyon. I even told Paulo about it pero parang wala lang naman sakaniya.

I was already relieved not until he texted me after a while, he just texted me yesterday. He said he just gave me time and space to think. And that he's really serious about liking me. At ngayon, gusto niyang magkita kami para mag-usap pa.

"Jeff..." pagtawag ko sakaniya, pagkuha ko sa atensiyon niya dahil naabutan ko siyang nagcecellphone nang dumating ako.

"Hey, Bianca." he said as he looked at me. "Sit down." he added.

I just quietly sit down in front of him. We are here at a coffee shop, wala rin masyadong tao.

"Ano nga pala yung kailangan pang pag-usapan?" ako na ang unang nagtanong sakaniya. Better start the conversation early so it would end early too. Ayoko lang 'tong patagalin.

"About us?" patanong niyang sagot dahilan para mapatitig ako sakaniya. "You know I've told you already yesterday na seryoso ako. Bianca, I'm serious of my feelings for you. I don't know when this started pero mula nung unang encounter palang natin, hindi ka na maalis sa isip ko. You just looks so nice, proper..." he said. "Four months ago... Apat na buwan na tayong magkakilala, magkaibigan... If you could give me a chance, I would like to try..."

"Try?" I uttered, confused.

Ano bang klaseng try ang sinasabi niya? Parang laro lang ba 'tong bagay na 'to sakaniya?

"I'll pursue you..." he said that made me stunned. "I don't know if you also like me but if you'll let me, I'll court you until you feel the same way."

I parted my mouth open to speak.

"Jeff... Don't you think this is too fast?" I asked him. "I'm sorry, I mean, wala pa kasi akong experience sa ganito eh... I just don't know what to say or what to react." I apologized.

"It's okay." he said so I smiled a little.

"U-Uh..." I uttered as I try to find words to say. "You said that you like me but I honestly don't feel the same way." I said, not looking at him. "S-Sinabi ko na para wag ka nang umasa—"

"That's why I'll purse you, Bianca." he cutted me off. "Sa ngayon sabihin mo nang wala pa. Na hindi pa parehas ang nararamdaman natin but if you let me, liligawan kita. I'll get to know you more, we will get to know each other. Ganun lang."

Still, I'm not convinced.

Hindi ako kumibo o nagsalita man lang pagkatapos niya. Napaiwas ako ng tingin pero nadapo naman ang paningin ko sa taong pumasok sa coffee shop.

Si Ken, if I am not mistaken. Isa siya sa kagrupo ni Paulo. Napalingon ako sa paligid, umaasa na baka kasama niya si Paulo pero wala. Hindi nagawi ang tingin ni Ken sa direksiyon ko kaya hindi rin niya ako nakita. Bumuntong-hininga nalang ako tsaka bumaling kay Jeff.

"Is it okay if I think about it?" I asked him. Ayoko rin naman kasi siyang i-reject nang agaran.

"You'll give me a chance? You'll allow me to court you?" his smile widened.

"Y-Yes... I'll give it a try." I said, unsure.

Hindi ko alam kung tama ba yung sinabi at ginawa ko pero kagaya nalang din ng sinabi ko noon, wala namang masama kung susubukan ko.

This is definitely new to me. Bukod kay Paulo ay may iba nang lalaki ang malapit sakin, at manliligaw ko pa talaga.

I told Jeff I can't stay for long so he insisted na ihatid ako pauwi sa bahay. I agreed. Pero pagkalabas namin ng coffee shop ay tanaw ko sa di kalayuan si Paulo. Magkasama pala sila ni Ken, hindi lang siya kanina sumama sa loob.

I suddenly had the urge to call him pero kasama ko nga pala si Jeff kaya hindi ko nalang siya tinawag pa. I followed Jeff up to his car tsaka kami umalis.

"M-Mom's at home, by the way." sambit ko habang nasa sasakyan niya pa kami.

"Hm... That's good then." he said.

Good nga ba?

It's not in the plan to let Jeff come over at our house pero nakita ni Mommy na inihatid ako ni Jeff pauwi, nakita niya akonf bumaba ng sasakyan kaya pareho niya kaming tinawag at pinapasok sa loob.

"Thank you sa paghatid pauwi kay Bianca." Mom said to Jeff who just smiled a little.

"It's okay po. And, uhm... I would like to introduce myself again to you, Ma'am. I'm Jefferson Salazar po, Bianca's suitor."

Nanlaki ang mga mata kong napatingin kay Jeff nang magpakilala ulit siya kay Mommy pero bilang manliligaw ko na. Ang bilis naman niya...

"Suitor?" Mom asked Jeff before looking at me. Parang hindi siya makapaniwala.

"Y-Yes, Mom..." I said as I looked down a bit.

"You didn't tell me you have one." she said.

"U-Uh, it was just a while when I asked her if I can court her. Gladly, she said yes." Jeff answered for me.

I just nodded and forced a smile at Mom. Napatango nalang din siya dahil wala naman na siyang magagawa.

Jeff speaked again, he's talking to Mom but this time ay pinapakiramdam ko bawat salitang binibitawan niya, mga salitang sinasabi niya dahil baka may kung anong sabihin nanaman siya na hindi ko inaasahan.

Mom's serious listening and talking to Jeff. Jeff said to her his intention to me is good.

I had a time staring and observing Jeff. He's composed while talking to someone else, kagaya ngayon. Parang alam niya na kung ano ang kailangan niyang sabihin. And I realized that I admire him for that, na sana kagaya nalang niya ako. He's good at communicating. Ako nga itong nagkakanda-utal-utal pa minsan lalo na noon tuwing nakikipag-usap ako kay Mommy. But that was before...

"That Jefferson seems good..." Mom said while we are eating our dinner, bigla niyang nabanggit si Jeff kaya napatigil at napatingin ako sakaniya.

"He is a good guy." I said and I continued to eat.

Hindi rin naman nagtagal kanina si Jeff dito sa bahay at umalis din kaagad siya. After he talked to Mom, nagpaalam na rin siyang aalis na siya.

"Good guy than Paulo?"

"Mom?" I uttered as I looked at her again when she said that. I looked at her confused.

"Sorry... Nanibago lang kasi ako." she said. "All your life, si Paulo lang yung totoo mong kaibigan. You are friends since childhood up until now. Siya lang yung sanay kong kasama mo. I'm complacent whenever you're with him because we both know him... But some things really happened for a change, right? I just hope what's  best for you, Bianca. I won't meddle anymore, especially on that one. Hahayaan kita sa Jefferson na 'yon. You'll decide for yourself now. Decide on your own." she added.