"W-what?" Nawawalang boses na sabi ko. I was beyond shocked. This guy? Courting me? I must be dreaming.
"I like you, Lory. I like you a lot." He sighed then continued. "Since day one..." I can sense his sincerity, I just can't process everything. Paano ko map-proseso ng mgasinasabi niya kung all along iniisip kong may girlfriend siya?
Napakurap-kurap pa ko baka kasi mali ang dinig ko. "Please... say something..." Pagsusumamamo niya at doon ako natauhan.
"Since day one? What do you mean by that?" I confusingly looked at him. That's when my audition? Doon kami unang nagkita. Napakamot ako sa ulo dahil naguguluhan ako.
"I have a crush on you, back then. And... I guess you're too busy to notice. I told you before na ikaw lagi ang usapan sa campus... sino bang hindi nakakakilala sayo?" He chuckled like he was reminiscing that moment.
"But you have a girlfriend, right?" There natanong ko rin sa wakas. He looked at me like I say something stupid.
"Huh? Baliw ka ba? Do you think liligawan kita if may girlfriend ako? What am I? An asshole?" Dude, really protesting about what I ask.
Wala talaga? Fake news pala ako. Hindi talaga ata totoo ang girl instinct.
"Ahh... I've been thinking that you have a girlfriend for quite a while now..." Nilaro ko ang mga daliri ko dahil sa hiya.
"Is that the reason...why you avoiding me?"
"Yes."
"Damn, woman." Mahinang bulong niya at mas lalo akong nahiya sa inakto ko.
"I'm sorry, okay? But can you blame me? Noon pa lang I have a hunch na may girlfriend ka, the lockscreen, your fb bio and you even confirmed that may nilalandi ka!" Mabilis kong paliwanag at hiningal ako daig ko pa nag-rap.
Natawa siya. Nope, erased that. Humalakhak siya na para bang sinabi ko ang pinakanakakatawang joke.
"So, you just assumed and never asked me directly?" Nakangiting tanong niya sa 'kin at tumango ako. I can't agreed no more.
Tumawa siyang muli at sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. He caressed my hair and look at me, smiling like he won in a lottery.
"Little miss scratchy nose, stop assuming and if there's something you want to know about me, feel free to ask me." Little miss what? Psh. How can I be so sure na hindi siya magsisinungaling.
"About the lockscreen, it's you." I gasped, hindi ako makapaniwala sa sinabi niya.
Tiningnan ko siya ng may pagdududa. "Look at the date." Kinuha niya 'yung phone niya at pinindot ang gallery.
May 16, 2022
Wait? Eto 'yung unang interaction namin sa sinehan? So, he's telling the truth. He really like me before pa.
"And the bio? It's you dummy." Tumawa siya ng bahagya. "Ang hirap kaya maging friend mo sa fb, would you believe na hindi lang ako isang beses nagfriend request sayo?" Tiningnan ko siya at namamangha ako sa mga revelation niya. Hindi naman kasi ako pala-accept sa facebook.
"Kung may gusto ka na sa 'kin noon, bakit hindi mo ako nilapitan?" Marami akong gustong itanong, bakit ngayon lang? Bakit ako?
"I just want to make sure, ilang lalaki ba ang nagkakagusto sayo sa campus. If I want to shoot my shot, I'll prepare for it."
"How deep?"
"How deep is what? Gusto mo ba lumangoy?" Napapalm face na lang ako. Minsan may pagkatanga rin 'to, eh.
"Gaano ba kalalim ang pagkagusto mo sa 'kin?" I like him too, kaya nga ko umiwas siya unang nagkagusto pero baka mas matindi ang pagkagusto ko sa kaniya.
