Halfway Down There

Chapter 11

I watched Cosimo longer while he was busy scrolling on his notes. Binaba niya ang tingin sa akin nang magpatuloy ako sa katititig sa kanya.

"What?" The side of his lips rose up.

"Ba't ka babawi? For what exactly?" nalilito kong tanong.

He paused for a second. "I should have been here with you as promised."

My lips were slowly set into a thin line. He's here with me now... for the sake of fulfilling his promise? Not because he wants to? Tumango nalang ako. I gave a smile and walked next to him quietly. I get it. I should not let it affect me. He's just... that way. He's Cosimo. I doubt he feels things deeply. Everything is casual to him. Everyone is his friend. He's like this to everyone so who am I to think he's treating me special in the first place.

"Saan ba 'yang plan mo?" I teased him, forcing myself to be positive despite the heaviness in my heart.

"I have two surprises for you," kumindat pa siya sa akin.

Naglalakad kami hanggang sa nasa tapat na kami ng Sforza store. Rain was still pouring nonstop and I have always hated getting soaked because I find it so frustrating, pero ngayon, wala yata akong pakialam. I turned to Cosimo when he lifted his arms and pressed the thing he was holding. I realized it was a key fob. At tama nga dahil may tumunog na kotse.

Nilingon ko ang kotse. It's a beetle.

"Is that Mr. Bean's?" pabiro kong tanong.

"That was green. Ah, fake fan," he joked back.

Pinasadahan ko ang kotse. "Is it yours?"

"Uh-huh," he muttered. He changed the topic immediately when he turned to me. "You don't look so surprised to see a beetle. I guess you're used to it."

Napakurapkurap ako at agad na ginulat ang sarili. "N-no! I'm surprised! Really. Wow!"

He laughed teasingly. "You don't have to hide the fact you're rich."

"My family is. I'm not, okay? In fact, pwede pasakay? Ubos na pamasahe ko for this week, e," I implied without looking at him.

My Dad has this type of VW beetle in his car collection. It's green and he gave it to me when I was sixteen. He even encouraged me to change the colour to pink. This car right here is so Cosimo. It looks playful. And cute.

"Well, aren't you rich?" balik ko sa kanya.

"No. Will you still love me?" pang-aasar niya pa rin.

It was an innocent question, but he's remarkably good at it.

"Sure," sinubukan ko sa pabiro na tono habang malapad na naka ngisi.

I opened the door myself before he had the chance to. He looked at me in disbelief. Napatingin din tuloy ako sa sarili ko, wondering what I did wrong. He lent a hand which I accepted. Nalilito ko siyang pinagmasdan. Pinayungan niya ulit ako at hinila patungo sa kabilang side. He opened the door to the shotgun seat.

"You sit here. Not behind me," he emphasized.

Naupo na ako kahit saan. Okay lang naman sa akin. And I guess it is nicer to sit in front anyway. Akala ko lang ay baka ayaw niya kaya sa likod na ako pumwesto kanina. He maneuvered the car and from the way he steer to the way he manipulate every control, I could tell he's driven different cars already. Manual, automatic, or both.

I doubt his claim of him not being born into money. As much as I don't want to say it, growing up, I was surrounded by big families. I can immediately identify an elite person in a crowded room. It's not through the tangible things—such as, whether they are wearing branded clothes or bags, or if they have their hair treated... It's simply just around the air. It's in their aura.