SHACKLED

SHACKED 10

"I like being friends with you but do you want to try dating with me?" he said which interrupted my malicious thoughts.

I froze for like a minute or two.

"I'm really straightforward when it comes to someone I like, and I know it's so sudden," he said while looking at me.

Hindi ako makatingin sakaniya dahil hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko. Nashook ako mare.

"Try lang natin. Kung hindi mag-work, edi it's not meant to be," dagdag niya pa.

We're silent for a while. No one is talking.

"Sorry," bigla niya namang sabi nung hindi ako makasagot sa sinabi niya.

"No, it's fine. Nagulat lang ako." sagot ko para hindi naman maging awkward. Ang tagal na rin nung last time na I dated someone. High School pa ata.

"I know right. Hahaha," he said. "I just really find you adorable, that I even want to risk a chance just to have you," dagdag niya.

I don't know how to react, to be honest.

Dating, is not bad thing and it's actually like trying to get to know each other more. Pag nag-date naman that doesn't mean that we're on a serious relationship agad, diba?

Pero, natatakot ako. I know myself better than anyone else, I fall easily and I fall so hard. I'm scared I'll fall and will end up broken. I've been protecting and guarding my heart.

But something inside me says otherwise. I'm scared, pero gusto ko. I don't know if I'm being desperate, pero I like him sa jeep pa lang when I first saw him.

"You don't really have to answer that. I'm really sorry, " he said.

I looked at him for a while. All my life, I've never tried risking but he, he's brave and is willing to risk.

I stared at him and realized, maybe I should try. I'll never know unless I'll try. Maraming what ifs sa utak ko but I chose not to listen. Mas gugustuhin ko 'yung mga 'what ifs' kapag sinubuka ko, kesa mga 'what ifs' kung hindi.

Kung masaktan man, edi masaktan. Handa naman na akong pulutin ang sarili ko, kung sakaling masira man ako. I do believe, he's not going to hurt me so much, to the point that I'll be broken so bad.

I'm not certain if it's love at first sight, because it started with a happy crush. It's just, that happy crush starts to grow day by day as I spend time with him. It's blooming, and it just won't stop.

"I---" I was about to say something when a guy started knocking on the window of Travis' car.

Napatingin kami sakaniya at sumisenyas siya na buksan ang bintana.

He doesn't seem to be suspicious kaya binuksan ni Travis yung bintana.

"Pare pasensya na. I'm the owner of the car behind you," he said and we're listening to him.

"Na-flat kasi 'yung gulong ko and I don't have my tools. Do you have a lug wrench?" tanong niya.

Tumingin sa 'kin si Travis and said, "Let's talk later. Wait here."

Bumaba siya and nagpunta sa may back seat.

May kinuha siyang pa-X na tools tapos sumama siya do'n sa lalaki. I even heard him say, "Let me help," before going to the guy's car.

Habang mag-isa ako ay iniisip ko kung  tama ba 'yung gagawin kong pumayag o dapat ko pang pag-isipan ng matagal.

Bigla namang nag-ring ang phone ko and Ben is calling.

[Tol, asan ka?] he asked. "Bakit?" Tanong ko pabalik dahil hindi ko alam paano sasabihing kasama ko si Travis.

He started sobbing kaya nag-alala ako.