Cold as Ice

K A B A N A T A 16 //

And Then I Fell

After everything we've been through, konti na lang ay graduation ko na. Hindi ako makapaniwalang last week ko na ito sa college at malapit na akong umalis. Exams na lang at defense ng thesis, and then, the rest will fall into place. I don't know how to feel about this. A part of me is super excited. Pero medyo malungkot din ako.

I regret some things. Gaya na lamang ng late start ng pagkakaibigan namin nina Kriessa, Jules, Liz at Bea. I regret na hindi ako masyadong naging ka-carefree ni Gab. And, sometimes, I regret being too nice, being too nerdy. Huli na noong ma-realize ko na masyado akong sumunod sa mga rules. I wish I had broken some of them.

"Ano nanaman 'yang iniisip mo?" Aeron asked. Pasimpleng pinaglalaruan niya ang kamay ko.

It was just one of those days. Since patapos na ang school year, wala na kaming mga klase. Aeron asked me to hang out with him kaya ngayon, nandito kami sa garden ng school at nagpapalamig.

"Wala naman." I answered. "'Yung mga bagay lang na mamimiss ko sa university."

He smiled at me and nodded in agreement. Pati siya ay gagraduate kasabay namin and what's even more surprising is the fact na may balitang cum laude ang gago. Pero kapag tinatanong ko naman siya, hindi niya inaamin.

"Ako ba, mamimiss mo?" Tanong niya habang may nakakalokong ngiti. His dark eyes were alive with mischief.

Napaisip naman ako. These past few months have been really different with Aeron around. Actually, nakakagulat na hanggang ngayon ay nililigawan niya pa rin ako matapos ng lahat ng katarayan ko. Immune na ata siya. Lahat ng bad moods ko, tiniis niya. Lahat ng mga utos ko, pinagbigyan niya. And I remember one time, bigla akong nagcrave for McDo fries ng mga madaling araw. When I called and told him about it, dumating siya sa condo ko fifteen minutes later with fries.

"Silence means yes." He grinned. "So mamimiss mo ako?"

"Oo na." I agreed. "I'd probably miss you."

Ang nakakalokong ngiti niya ay agad na nawala. Napanganga siya sa naging sagot ko.

"Seriously?" He asked. And then the evil smile was back. "You'll miss me?"

"Oo." I rolled my eyes at him. "Pero mas mamimiss ko si Gab."

Agad na napawi ang ngiti niya.

"Joke lang." I smiled. "Ikaw ah. Every time I mention Gab, sumasama ang timpla ng mukha mo. Magkaaway ba kayo?"

"Hindi." His frown worsened. "I just hate it when you play with my feelings. Hindi pa ba obvious na seryoso ako sa 'yo at nasasaktan ako kapag pinagseselos mo ako?"

This time, ngiti ko naman ang napawi.

"I bet if I asked you to be my girlfriend, you'd just laugh at me." Bulong niya. "I swear ikaw na ang pinaka-dense na babaeng nakilala ko. Alam ng buong university na ito that you have my heart, and you still don't have a clue."