Between Never and Maybe

10

"I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together."
― Lisa Kleypas, Blue-Eyed Devil

If he does something inappropriate, I will definitely kick his balls and run for my life. I thought to myself habang tinatahak namin ang highway. The sun radiated orange streaks throughout the monday sky. We barely uttered a single word, like the silence was so sacred and one word could easily ruin everything. Ibinaling ko ang atensyon sa bintana at pinanood na lang ang paglapas namin sa mga sasakyan.

"Saan tayo pupunta?"

"Ayos ka lang ba?"

Napalingon kami sa isa't isa at sa pagiging awkward namin.

"Sige, ikaw muna." Sabi niya sa akin kasabay ng pagsasabi ko rin sa kaniya. I shook my head as all the blood seemed to rush on his head. He tensed up and his cheeks turned the shade of crimson.

"Saan tayo pupunta? We seem to be going around for hours." I asked him and he seemed to be contemplating whether to tell me or not.

"I-I-uh—" He stuttered and it made him harder to read. He made a desperate move to fan himself even if the A/C is already on blast.

"I actually don't know where we should eat." He muttered shyly like he's some sort of five year old who did something wrong, and my breath hitched. This side of him seemed a lot more raw than how I saw him at school.

Tyler Janssen Van Howell, just what on earth are you up to? I thought to myself.

"Dito tayo sa kaliwa tas diretsuhin mo lang, may kainan dito." I told him, di ako pwedeng umuwi nang masyadong gabi at marami pa akong kailangan gawin.

"But I promised you—"

"Save that promise for next time, nagugutom na ako." Sinabi ko na lang dahil mukhang guilty na guilty siya na inilabas niya ako na walang prospect na itinerary. He reluctantly agreed and turned left.

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"Ayan diyan, baba muna ako hanap ka na ng parking." Sabi ko at tumango naman siya, bumaba na ako at humanap na siya ng pagpaparkingan. Tumingin ako sa cellphone ko at alas-sais na ng gabi. Magtetext pa lang ako kay inang na may biglang tumawag.

Haze calling...

"Uy Haze anyare, nakauwi ka na ba?" I said as I settled in one of the tables at hinintay na dumating si Tyler.

"Saan ka? Miss you na, di na tayo sabay nakakauwi." Napangiti na lang ako habang nakanguso siya sa pagmamaktol niya.