Sentry of The Wounded Heart

CHAPTER 14

"I got 7 fishes in total!" he shouted and ran towards me.

I hid my bucket behind my back.

I didn't count how many fishes I caught, pero ang lakas lang ng gut feeling ko na hindi lalamang ang mga nahuli kong isda kaysa sa nahuli niya. I have seen him in my peripheral vision pulling out his fishpole for how many times.

"Weh? Sure na pito? Patingin nga!"

He smirked and pushed the bucket closer to me, but I didn't bother to look inside the bucket. I don't have any doubt that he caught 7 fishes. Hindi ko lang matanggap na mukhang ako 'yung talo sa bet naming dalawa.

"You caught 3 fishes, don't you?"

Nahihiya akong yumuko at nilingon ang laman ng balde ko. After 1 hour of fishing, tatlong isda lamang ang nabingwit ko. Hindi naman talaga ako magaling manghuli ng isda, pero 'yung expectation ko lang na akala ko mananalo ako dahil lagi rin naman akong tumatambay sa fishpond namin sa farm. But nakalimutan kong ilog ang lokasyon namin ngayon. Mas mahirap yata manghuli ng isda sa ilog.

"But how did you..."

"Count it?" he cut me off and smiled sheepishly. "Paano ko naman hindi mabibilang kung masyado kang hirap kanina sa paghatak ng isda sa tuwing may nata-trap sa hook?"

His bit his lower lip trying not to laugh.

Napasimangot ako. "Ang daya at ang unfair mo kasi!" naiinis kong sigaw at napanguso pero tanging halakhak niya lamang ang narinig ko mula sa kaniya.

"Saan naman ako naging madaya at hindi naging patas?"

"You knew this place better than me. Kaya paniguradong kabisado mo na kung saan 'yung maraming isda kaya hindi ka nag-pumilit na dito ako!"

"You checked my site, Minie. I let you make a choice first."

I crossed my arms and looked away.

"Accept your defeat, Minie."

"Edi, ikaw na panalo!"

He just laugh and didn't mind my sarcasm.

"In result of it, you'll date me starting today." He sounded more proud, kaya pumaswit na lang ako.

"May choice pa ba ako?"

"Don't worry, you'll get the answer to your question after our contract date."

"Tsk. Ang tagal pa kaya nun. You can just spill it ngayon, ah? Hindi naman ako iiwas sa deal."

"As what I said. It's sacred, Minie. You have to wait for the answer after our deal."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, whatever."

Napa-iling ito at yumuko para kunin sa likuran ko ang baldeng may isda.

"Tch. Cute talaga".

I heard him whispering something.

"Whoa! Why didn't you tell me you're a pro in catching big fishes? Kaya pala hirap kang hatakin yung mga isda kanina." Manghang sabi nito nang makita ang mga isdang nahuli ko.

"So? Malalaking isda yung lumapit sa paon ko, eh. Hindi nman ako yung nag-decide na magpahuli."

"Ayaw mo ba tingnan yung mga nahuli ko?"

"You already won! Bakit ko pa ba titingnan?"

Nagkibit-balikat siya. "Okay. Sabi mo, eh." aniya at nagsimulang maglakad bitbit ang dalawang balde pati yung fishpoles.

I stared at him as he walked and looked down to the buckets. I tilted my head and I suddenly got curious about his bucket. Mas nakaka-curious pa lalo ang pasipol-sipol nito.