Hardest to Lose (Villaraza Series #4)

26 | Feel

26 | Feel

* * * * *

Love from another continent usually ends up cold as the climate changes. I had heard a lot of sad stories from people who thought distance would make their love fonder. Distance is usually evil and people who brave them are the toughest and most faithful.

In a way, Sherlyn must be one of the rare ones.

Malinaw pa rin sa akin kung paanong lantaran siyang ginawang tanga ni Markus noon. Kaya hindi ko matanggap na lumipas ang panahon ay tila may puwang pa rin sa kanya ang hinayupak na ‘yon. Setting aside that she was my first love, kapag ginago ka ng taong minahal mo nang totoo, hindi ba dapat lang ay magalit at mawala ang nararamdaman mo rito?

Was she really that in love that she brought it up to this day?

“Hey.”

Hindi ko na kailangang tingnan pa kung sino ang umupo sa harapan ko. Markus was everywhere so I wasn’t surprised he was here in the café, too. Kaunti na lang ay iisipin kong stalker. Damn, that would be so creepy.

“I’m busy,” I said dismissively, reminded of the previous times he came to me just to annoy the hell out of me.

Tumawa siya, magaspang at pabulong. “You always say that.”

Mula sa binabasang libro ay tiningnan ko siya. Nakapangalumbaba siya at nanunudyo ang tingin. His lips threatened a smile and his earring winked.

I wondered what he was thinking. When I was still ignorant of what he thought of me, he was predictable. Now that I knew who was I in his life, I couldn’t measure the depth of his feelings. He was suddenly a mystery I was curious about.

“What? You find me handsome now?” he teased, grin stayed on his lips.

I scoffed. “Yes, you’re handsome. I never denied that. The question is,” I added pressure to my gaze, if that was even possible, “do I even care?”

Hindi siya nakasagot sa tugon ko at nawalan ng tingkad ang kanyang ngiti. He was rarely speechless so it was a big deal to me.

If he thought he could play me, he should be reminded that I swept girls off their feet. He was playing a dangerous game I spent years mastering.

“May sadya ka ba?” I asked, overacting my nonchalance to the point of fakery.

“You really have good lips.”

Malamig ko siyang tinitigan. “Are you really doing this again?”

He looked confused for a moment before mischief returned to his eyes. “I’m just admiring them. Most of your features are the same with your eldest brother.”

Ipinaikot ko ang mga mata.

Kailan kaya ako titigilan ng gagong ‘to? Hindi na talaga ako natutuwa. Was he really in love with me? Hindi ba siya natatakot na mas lalo ko siyang ayawan? He was making me uncomfortable.

He just wouldn’t stop mentioning things about kissing – how would I feel about it with a guy or would I be okay with it. Rinding-rindi na ako at ilang beses ko na siyang kamuntikang batukan. Why was he curious, anyway?

He was still immature as hell!

“I’ll never kiss you,” matiim kong sabi. “You can stop being curious now.”

His mouth formed a circle before he chuckled. “Tatandaan ko ‘yan.”

“You should. And just to remind you, I’m greatly offended when you ask me those type of questions.”