Halfway Down There

Chapter 12

October talaga ang simula ng kolehiyo. As the additional program of Marangoni, which we had for the last weeks as some sort of pre-enrollment, comes to an end, we are given weeks to rest before overlapping activities welcome us.

That means... there'll be no problem if I agree! He is indeed... a man full of surprises.

Tumango si Cosimo. A smile played on the edge of his lips. "Venezia."

I looked at him curiously and re-confirmed his statement. "You'll... take me there? Really?"

"I won't take you there without your consent?" He laughed teasingly. "Take yourself?"

Tinampal ko siya, natatawa. My sleepiness flew out the window now. "Baliw. Ano nga?"

"I would, hmm... pero 50-50 dapat tayo!" aniya.

"As it should be," pagtango ko. I know he meant how the expenses will be divided if we do go on this trip and that's more than okay with me. "Text me about it!"

He only shook his head. Palayo na ako habang siya ay abala pa sa paninitig sa akin. Buti nalang at buhay pa ako hanggang ngayon kahit na ilang beses na ako muntikang mahimatay sa titig niyang ganyan. I crunched my nose, waved a hand at him, and proceeded to walk back to the lift. A sea of boys went for the elevator, too, and just as I was about to enter so I could finally feel the warmth of my bed, Cosimo stepped inside with me.

Nagulat na naman ako kaya napalingon ako sa kanya. Medyo malapit ang mukha namin sa isa't isa dahil sa dami ng pumasok sa lift. If it weren't for his height, our nose would have been five or less inches apart!

"Samahan na kita. Nandito naman lang din ako," sabi ni Cosimo at nilingon ang ilang lalaking nakatingin sa akin.

I nodded, a bit absentmindedly. "Thank you, kahit no need naman."

Sa likod ko siya pumwesto. Whereas the other people were behind or next to him, not mine. Pagkarating namin sa floor ko, pinauna ako ni Cosimo at saka siya lumabas. He walked beside me with his hands in his pockets. He then began walking while facing me kaya ngayon ay backwards na ang paglakad niya. I watched him with a brow up, wondering what he's up to again.

He was especially attractive today. Why is that? Because I found out he's into racing? Ang gwapo niya naman talaga kanina sa racetrack. Kung mas magpapakatotoo pa ako, gwapo rin siya nung medyo nagalit siya. I just couldn't admit it hours ago since it was the first time I saw him wear that kind of emotion. There was something about it I can't pinpoint. 

"Are we really going to Venezia?" seryosong tanong niya sa akin. "Do you want to? Or is it just because I brought it up?"

Umiling ako. "It'll be nice if I could visit Venice. I want to, Cosimo. Sakto rin since may break kami before college actually starts."

Ngumisi siya. "So... we're going to Venice then, huh?"

"Ah-huh." I smirked back at him. "50-50?"

He burst out laughing. Napangiti ako habang pinagmamasdan siyang tumatawa. Hinawakan ko ang palapulsuhan niya at hinila siya dahil tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang lakad niya. Halos madala niya pa ako sa bigat niya! We were one door away from my room. He looked down at me as I stood in front of my door. Binulsa niya muli ang mga kamay niya.

"Thank you for today," marahang sinabi niya.

I shook my head with a small smile. "That's supposedly my line."

"Akong nauna," he said slowly, his gaze still on me.

My heart felt happy for some reason. It felt home even when I am miles away from my family. And for that, I let Cosimo have it his way. Living alone in a foreign place seems fun at first, and it continues to be, but most of the time, I feel homesick. It is a combined feeling of missing my family, my friends, my town, and my old ways.