Parallels

are you mine tonight?

Sugar n' Spice - Denise Julia

--

"What?" Alyssa asks, she caught Den staring at her. 

Dennise shakes her head, "wala naman," sabi nito at iniwas ang tingin kay Alyssa. 

Alyssa's eyebrows furrowed, paubos na ang ice cream niya pero yung kay Den wala pa rin sa kalahati. 

"Ikaw nag-aya mag-ice cream after training pero parang ayaw mo naman," Alyssa says, "okay ka lang ba, Den?" 

"Oo, may iniisip lang ako kanina," Den says, "sorry, zoning out lang ulit."

Alyssa laughs, "piso for your thoughts?"

Dennise laughs, "you could've made it 100."

"Ang mahal naman ng thoughts mo," Alyssa answers. 

"Mahal talaga," Dennise says to herself, "masaya ka ba, Ly?"

"Huh? About saan?" 

"Makasama ulit ako sa team," Dennise answers. 

"Ohhh, oo naman! Ilang years na kitang pinipilit kaya. Can't even explain to you the happiness I've felt when you finally said yes."

Dennise smiles, "na-realize ko lang kanina, when I was zoning out, na sayo pa rin talaga ako babalik."

That statement surprised Alyssa but she didn't choose to react. 

"I declined a lot of times kasi sabi ko ayaw kong maging sobrang comfortable ulit with the thought of having you around, I mean, alam mo 'yun? May tendencies ako to become so dependent sayo, I know you know that."

Alyssa nods, "yeah I remember yung college natin."

Dennise nods as well, "kaso, naisip ko rin, I'm a different person na ngayon. I've grown, we've grown, maybe I can control it na," natatawang sabi ni Den. 

"You know you can always depend on me, though?" Alyssa says.

"I know naman, but not just too much, baka sabihin na naman nila Ella binabakuran na naman kita."

Alyssa laughs, "okay lang naman."

"Huh?" Dennise asks.

"Huh?" Alyssa asks back. 

"Okay lang na binabakuran kita?" 

Alyssa gulps and shrugs, "I don't mind it."

"Eto na naman po tayo sa mixed signals," Den thought, "sira ulo."

Alyssa chuckles, "do whatever you want, Den, I don't mind nga."

Den didn't answer anymore, inubos na lang niya yung ice cream niya bago ito tuluyang matunaw pati siya. 

Alyssa dropped off Den to her condo after.

"Thanks, Ly! Ingat ka!" Den said and made her way to kiss Alyssa's cheeks. 

Alyssa smiles as soon as she felt Den's lips on her cheeks, "thank you, Den. See you tomorrow?" 

Den nods, "see you tomorrow."

Dennise watch Alyssa's car as she wave goodbye to the latter. She bit her lip as she go inside the elevator.

"Para ka namang teenager, Den," she said to herself. Pagkarating niya sa unit niya, nag-ready agad siya ng dinner and showered first before eating.

She checked her phone after, and saw Alyssa's message 20 minutes ago. 

Alyssa: Hiii Den, nakauwi na ako. Thank you ulit sa ice cream!