Hooked

072

arielle.

Alam ko na ang gusto ko noon pa man.

I would never do the first move. I would not risk. Sa tagalog, hindi ako tataya. To simply put it, I want to contain my feelings and suppress the thrill that infatuation promotes. People's opinion are divided towards this kind of thing.

Some prefer indulging romance with a young heart while others, just like it better when they're old enough to deal with the ideology of love.

I'm the latter.

For I always have plenty things in mind but none of it was to commit to love.

That is. . . until he happened.

It all started in freshmen. Everyone, or if not, almost everyone in our batch-found Raven Alexon attractive. He truly was. He had that pretty privilege anyone would sacrifice their selves for. He's rich, living his nepotistic lifestyle as seen on his family background.

But I saw beyond that.

"Wala kang sundo?" tanong ko sa lalaking nakatalikod na akala ko ay 'yung isa kong kaklase na malapit ang bahay sa amin-hawak ang chip bag na kanina ko pa inuunti-unting kainin. Dismissal na namin at dahil cleaners ako, hapon na ako nakalabas. Inabot na ng gutom.

"W-Wala."

Muntik ko nang mabitiwan ang chichiryang hawak nang ang lalaking lumingon ay si Raxel, hindi ang kaklase slash kapitbahay ko.

At that time, naiilang talaga ako sa kaniya. He's literally put of my league! Hindi pa naman ako pala-ayos noong freshman year. Baka kapag tumabi ako ay mapagkamalan pa akong yaya.

"B-Bakit wala?" Nautal na rin ako, dala pa rin ng gulat.

"Hindi ako sinipot." Medyo nanlumo ako doon. Alam ko kasi ang pakiramdam kapag napapag-intay sa wala. Nakaramdam ako ng awa kaya isinantabi ko na ang hiya at inaya siyang sumabay sa akin.

"Ano bang direksyon ng bahay niyo? Sabay na tayo. Mas makakamura pa sa pamasahe." aya ko, although alam kong may chance pa na may makasabay ang either one of us na ibang estudyante kapag naghiwalay kami ng sakay.

"Oh, well. South amin. Sainyo ba?" he's very soft-spoken. Every word he utters are laced with gentleness. Safe. That's what I can feel around him.

"Uhm. . . Taliwas. Pero that's okay! Ikaw na lang muna bumaba." I suggested genuinely. He looks unsure and repeatedly asked if it's okay, but with his every doubts, I made sure it's more than fine.

Kinabukasan at sa mga susunod na araw, nangyaring kami palagi ang magkasabay. I also found out that his reason that day was only an excuse. He admitted that he wanted to accumulate more street knowledge. That is just one of the many things I admire about him.

Hanggang sa nakabisado ko na ang daan papunta sa bahay nila. Sinampal talaga ako ng kahirapan. 'Yung subdivision nila 'yong tipo na madalas puntahan ng mga mangangaroling dahil magaganda ang bahay.

Then, just like that, we became friends. We sort of had a bond. It wasn't consistent, but I always felt it. Raxel and I would have small talks, sometimes deep ones, hang out with mutual friends, and all things that requires our liberty.

I had fun times during my youth, and it wouldn't be complete without him.

"Aalis ka?"

Raxel nodded in glum and ate the remaining takoyaki in his cup. "Kami. Me and my family is leaving due to some issues sa firm. Temporary lang naman."

A deep frown escaped my lips. I knew that time how much I'm going to miss him. Fondness developed through the times we spent together even in a short time. Pakiramdam ko. . . I'm about to lose a friend.