Willing to You

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

[UMIKA]

"Good bye, ingat kayo sa pag-uwi." Ani ko sa aking mga estudyante habang kinakawayan sila.

Tinanaw ko pa ang mga ito saglit bago nagpatuloy sa pgaliligpit ng mga materials na ginamit ko sa pagtuturo kanina.

I was halfway erasing what was written in the board when I heard the door open.

Gayon na lamang ang aking pagtataka dahil sa pagkakaalam ko'y lahat ng bata ay nasundo na ng kanilang mga magulang.

Dahan-dahan akong pumihit sa direksiyon kung nasaan ang pinto upang harapin ang tao.

Bumadha ang gulat sa aking mukha nang tumambad sa aking harapan kung sino ito.

Bahagya ko pang naramdaman ang panlalamig nang makitang matigas ang ekspresyon ng mukha nito. Halata ang galit sa titig at bahagyang umiigting ang panga.

The silence stretched between us for a while bago ko nahanap ang aking boses upang magsalita.

"L-Laster..." dama ko pa ang bahagyang panginginig ng aking boses dahil sa bahagyang pagdilim ng ekspresyon nito nang banggitin ko ang kanyang pangalan.

Huminga muna ito nang malalim bago nagsalita.

"Umika, long time no see."

Bahagyang nangilid ang aking luha ng banggitin niya ang aking pangalan.

*****

This cup of coffee was really interesting. It was white, lightweight and sophisticated na tila ba isa kang royalty habang humihigop ng iyong kape. Pagdating sa mismong produkto ay hindi ka rin talo dahil sa aroma pa lamang nito ay masasabi mong hindi man ganoon katapang ang kape ay magigising naman ang diwa mo sa sarap nito.

Mula sa interesanteng tasa ay inilibot ko ang aking paningin sa loob ng coffee shop. Sa mga upuan, na medyo punuan. Sa mga dekorasyon na nakasabit pati na rin sa ilang book shelves na bagama't ay hindi pa ganoon karami ang mga aklat ay medyo interesante pa rin tingnan na nakadagdag sa appeal ng lugar.

I'll borrow a book one of these days while having my coffee again here.

"Kaya ba natin today?" Halos mapaigtad ako sa aking kinauupuan nang marinig ko ang boses niya.

I looked at him and swallowed the bile in my throat while looking at him.

It has been five years. There are a lot of changes that can be seen in him.

Laster Vilotimo. My bestfriend.

Unlike dati, he's more toned now not that bulky bulk pero tama lamang na masasabi mong inaalagaan ang kanyang katawan. He's now sporting a longer hair na bumagay sa kanyang medyo tan na complexion. He has his glasses na nagpapakita how serious he is, aside from the fact na rin siguro that he has low eyesight. Gone is the hint of playfulness from his youth. But he still looks gwapo mus be the reason why some girls in the place keeps on glancing on our side.

I was scanning his face when I saw the curve of his lips only to find him smirking.

"Done checking me out?" Agad-agad akong umiwas nang tingin sa kaniya when I felt my cheeks heating.

Am I blushing? Because of my bestfriend?

Technically, he isn't your bestfriend anymore because you left him, right? Said my inner voice.

I cleared my throat once again. Afraid that he might also hear my thoughts about him.

Yes, he looks more fine than before pero he won't hear me say it. Baka lumaki lang ulo nito at asarin lang ako.

"Ano bang kailangan mo?" I said while I was trying to appeal unbothered.

I heard his low chuckle kaya naman napatingin ako rito nang may pagtataka.

Taliwas naman sa mukha nito ang saya, tila ba natatawa pa nga ito sa inis.

"Why did you left?" He asked.

Once again, the tension rose.

"I had to." Naalala ko na naman ang kahihiyang nangyari kaya napatungo ako.

Ngunit bago ako tuluyang makatungo ay hinuli ni Laster ang aking baba.

"Look at me in the eyes, and explain. You owe me an explanation, Umiyakin." He said softly.

Seeing how gentle his reaction despite what I did made my tears to finally fall.

"I did something horrible, Las. I ruined him." I said habang humihikbi.

When he heard what I said, I don't know but anger passed by in his expression but it was immediately replaced with a soft expression when he heard my sobs.

He stood from his seat at lumapit sa aking tapat upang yakapin ako. But because he was standing and I was seating, hanggang sa kapantay ng tiyan niya lamang ako. Sumandig ako rito dahil nahihiya na rin ako sa tingin ng mga tao.

I could feel his shirt getting wet from my tears but I did not mind, and he didn't seem to mind as well.

"I-I'm sorry, L-Las..."

"I wasn't thinking that time and the only thing na naisip ko ay umalis. Lumayo sa lahat dahil sa ginawa ko." I said, this time medyo tumatahan na ako.

He just stood till while listening at walang pake sa mga tao sa paligid.

"S-si L-Lael Shawn..." but before I could even finish my sentence he cut me off.

Dahan-dahan pa itong lumayo ng bahagya sa akin.

"Stop. It doesn't matter anymore. I don't care about them. What's matter right now is you came back." He said while intently looking down at me.

I could hear my heart racing when I heard his words.

"I will not let you leave again, Umika."