21
"Hey,"
I was staring at the dark sky, but it suddenly got interrupted when I heard Arthfael's voice. Nasa labas pa rin ako ng mansyon at ilang minuto lang ang lumipas nang iwan ako dito ni mommy mag-isa.
I shifted my weight to face him. He was already beside me and looking at where I was looking earlier.
"Ganda ng gabi 'no?" He uttered it and faced me. "Pero mas maganda ka pa rin sa gabi, tangi,"
Slowly, a smile was forming on my lips. He stepped closer to me and put his hand on my back.
"Bakit ka lumabas? Hindi ba komportable sa loob?" He gently asked.
I immediately nodded at him.
"You still don't like crowded places?"
Umiling ako. "Hindi naman. Medyo komportable na rin ako sa mataong lugar pero hindi ako komportable sa mga taong nasa loob."
He nodded and licked his lips. He didn't ask more questions, but it feels like he was missing something. He smiled at me and I was just staring at him.
"Aren't you going to ask me why my lola called me earlier?" Tanong ko sa kanya.
Umangat ang gilid ng itaas n'yang labi at umiling saakin. "Kung hindi ka komportableng sabihin saakin, ayos lang."
I pouted my lips. "But you have the right to ask me because you're my boyfriend. Didn't you see that Lola introduced me to a guy earlier?"
Mahinahon ang tanong kong iyon kay Arthfael. Tinitingnan ko ang ekspresyon ng mukha n'ya pero wala namang nagbago sa kung anong ekspresyon niya kanina. He doesn't look bothered by what I told him. He just gave a soft smile, and I could feel his hand caressing my back.
"Hmm, nakita ko..." Tumango-tango s'ya..
"Weren't you jealous?"
"Bakit ako magseselos? Ipinakilala ka lang naman. May dapat bang ikaselos?"
Umiling ako. Ramdam ko kung paanong nakakaramdam ng kaba sa dibdib ko na hinaluan ng sakit dahil ayaw kong ma-disappoint s'ya kapag sinabi ko sa kanya ang sinusubukang gawin ni lola.
Ayaw kong hindi nasasabi sa kanya ang nararamdaman ko at sa kanya lang talaga ako komportableng sabihin ang lahat. I knew that Arthfael was just waiting for me to open the conversation. He doesn't want to ask because he's thinking that I'm not comfortable talking about it.
But it doesn't work that way for me.
I wanted us to have more open communication.
Communication is important to a relationship and even though I've never been in a relationship before, I know how it will work if a relationship doesn't have enough communication.
"Lola introduced me to a guy named Drayden Salmeña," I started. "He's attending law school, and my lola was very fond of people who were into the law."
Nakita kong umawang ang labi niya at parang batang tumango saakin. Nanatili ang tingin niya at buong atensyon ay ibinigay habang naghihintay pa sa sasabihin ko.
"She likes the guy and she's trying to match us." Suminghap ako sa sarili.
I saw how Arthfael became uncomfortable with what I uttered. He stopped caressing my back and stood straight beside me.
"Hindi ako gusto para sa 'yo ng lola mo?" Mahina at tunog disappointed n'yang tanong.
I slowly nodded, and my serious eyes didn't leave his face. I wanted to see what his reaction would be because I wanted to acknowledge what his reaction would be to what I said. I know that he was disappointed, but I wanted to assure him too that it doesn't really matter to me if my lola doesn't like him. There's really no point in lying on his face.
