All I Ever Wanted

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Paikot-ikot ako sa kama. Hindi ako makatulog. Tumingin ako sa gilid at nakita ang oras sa electronic clock sa bedside table, 1.11 am.

Madaling araw na pero bakit hindi pa rin ako dalawin ng antok? Siguro dahil hindi pa ako sanay dito. Unang gabi pa lang and I was homesick already. Namimiss ko na si Dad, si Mom, at si Alvin.

Bakit ba pinapunta na nila ako agad dito, e, mahigit dalawang buwan pa bago magsimula ang pasukan?

Hay. Oo nga pala. Dahil gusto ni Mommy na masanay na akong gawin ang lahat ng bagay ng mag-isa para pagdating ng June, prepared na ako.

Suddenly, my mind wandered to Kale. Hindi ko na siya nakita kahapon pagkatapos ng nangyari sa porch niya. Ewan, pero mas pinili kong magkulong na lang dito sa bahay. Kahit kasi sinabi ni Kale na okay lang, nahihiya pa rin ako sa ginawa ni Suzy. Iniisip ko din kung sakali mang magkikita kami, ano naman ang pag-uusapan namin? Pakiramdam ko, parang ang hirap niyang i-please. Isa pa, masyado siyang seryoso. Hindi man lang ngumingiti. At kung ngingiti man, ang tipid-tipid lang.

Iniisip ko tuloy kung ganyan siya kapag kaharap niya ang mga kaibigan niya. And I wondered how he even became friends with them if he was that serious and kind of snob.

And yung family niya kaya, nasaan? Why was he living alone here? Gaano na siya katagal dito?

I sighed. Ang dami kong gustong malaman kay Kale. Somehow, him being a lot mysterious, was making me want to know him better. Para masagot na rin lahat ng katanungan ko.

Isa lang ang paraan para mangyari yan. And that is to befriend him. I hoped it'd be okay with him.

Tomorrow, I'd try my luck. 

=

Nagising ako sa maingay na tunog ng alarm clock. Habang nakapikit at nakahiga pa rin, inabot ko ito at pinatay. Maya-maya ay unti-unti ko ng binuksan ang mga mata at bumangon. Tiningnan ko ang oras, three minutes after five. Hindi ko alam kung anong oras na ako nakatulog kanina.

Pero kulang man o sapat ang tulog, kailangan ko ng bumangon para mag-jogging. I woke up early in the morning for a jog. I'd do this for an hour everyday. It was a good exercise plus it helped me develop a fit and healthy body.

Tumayo na ako mula sa kama at pumunta sa dresser, I got my sweat pants, criss-cross sleeveless, and a jacket to top it over. After that, I stripped off at nagsimula nang magpalit. After putting my hair up with a ponytail, I got my iPod and put it into my pocket with its earphone hanging on each of my shoulder.

Tumingin pa akong muli sa salamin. Seeing that everything was good, I went out of my room then out of the house. Pagkalabas ko ng pinto, ang malamig na simoy ng hangin ang tumama sa mukha ko. I was glad I decided to wear a jacket. Kung hindi, siguradong lalamigin ako. It was April but we were having a cold weather. Ugh! That's what you call climate change.

Nang ilipat ko ang tingin sa bandang kanan, saka ko pa lang napansin na bukas ang ilaw sa porch ng kabilang bahay. At nang tumingin ako doon ng mabuti, nakita kong may lalaking nakaupo sa railings nito. Though, his back was facing me, I know the guy was Kale.

"Good morning," I greeted him cheerfully. Maybe pwede ko nang umpisahan ang pakikipagkaibigan sa kanya.

Lumingon siya sa akin. I was expecting him to greet me back too. But to my great shock and disappointment, he did not. Instead, ibinalik niya lang ang tingin sa kung anumang bagay ang tinitingnan niya kanina.

I huffed. Seriously, Kale just ignored me?

Calm down, Maika. Deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. Baka naman na-misunderstood ko siya? Baka naman di niya ako nakita kasi nakapatay ang ilaw dito sa porch ko? Tama, baka yun nga yun. Baka hindi naman talaga niya ako in-snob-an... baka nga.

Making up my mind, naglakad ako papalapit sa bahay niya at tumayo sa harapan niya.

Wearing my biggest and sweetest smile, I greeted him again, "Good morning Kale."

Tiningnan niya lang ako habang nakataas ang isang kilay tapos ay tumingin ulit sa malayo.

Okay, I was definitely wrong. He. Did. Ignore. Me. 

Ugh! Sana pala di ko na lang siya inisipan ng mabuti 'cause in the first place, he was really a jerk.

Nakakahiya na talagang manatili pang nakatayo dito sa harapan niya. Sure, if there was a crowd who were watching us right now, kanina pa ako nakarinig ng tawanan. Dapat kanina ko pa siya sinuntok sabay takbo nang mabilis. Pero hindi. Hindi iyon ang ginawa ko.

Call me crazy but I repeated it again. I smiled impossibly wider at him and repeated my greeting, "Good morning, Kale!"

Para akong sirang plaka dahil paulit-ulit ko yung ginawa. I wouldn't give up. Ako ata si Maika Saludez, and giving up wasn't in my vocabulary.

"Will you shut up?" he said with a scowl after my eight attempt. And I was sure he was annoyed. I smiled wickedly. Yun nga ang gusto ko, ang mainis siya.

"You're too annoying, you know that?" tanong niya, still with the tone he used earlier.

I tried to compose myself. There was no way I would raise my voice. I am patient. "I won't be if in the first place you greeted me back and didn't ignore me," I answered in the calmest voice I could have right now.

He clicked his tongue. "Can't you see, I want to be alone. Now go!" taboy niya sa akin.

I frowned. Bakit ba siya ganyan? He seemed to be okay yesterday, tapos ngayon... Ugh! I didn't even know what to say anymore!

"Ano pang hinihintay mo? Umalis ka na!" taboy niya ulit.

I clenched my fist as I stood firmly. "No," I said as I shook my head.

"What?" gulat niyang tanong.

"Sabi ko hindi ako aalis. But I might on one condition."

"What? Are you crazy?"

"No, I'm not. O ano, gusto mo bang umalis ako o hindi?"

"Fine. Anong condition mo?"

"Greet me back."

He scoffed. "I should've not asked. You really are crazy!"

Pinalampas ko lang ang comment nyang yun.

"What? Are you gonna do it? Or I won't leave?"

He sighed. "Fine!"

Tumingin muna siya sa gilid pagkatapos ibinalik ang tingin sa akin. "Good morning," he said. And I was stunned of how calm he said that.

Ngumiti ako sa kanya. "Good," sabi ko. "Bye Kale," paalam ko at lumingon na.

"Weirdo," mahina lang yun pero narinig ko pa rin na sinabi niya.

At nang maabot ko ang gate, tiningnan ko ulit si Kale. And surprisingly, nakatingin din siya sa akin. Realizing I had caught him looking at me, he moved his gaze away.

Natawa ako. "Hey want to go jogging with me?" tanong ko.

He looked back at me. "Thanks but no thanks," sagot niya.

I smiled. That was still rude of him. But atleast, he answered me.

Tuluyan na akong lumabas ng gate at sinara ito. Nilagay ko na ang earphone sa magkabilang tenga at binuksan ang iPod ko. Nang mag-umpisa ng tumugtog ito, nag-umpisa na rin akong tumakbo. Maybe Kale had a split personality, pero hindi nyan mababago ang desisyon kong makipagkaibigan sa kanya.