Winter Heat

Chapter 20 - It Was Still Cloudy

Chapter 20 - It Was Still Cloudy

"I didn't know that you're close with Heat. Friends kayo?" 'Yon ang naging bungad ni Flame nang makarating kami sa cabin. Dumiretso ako ng pasok para makapaghanda sa paliligo habang naiwan naman siya sa may pintuan, ipinapagpag ang tubig sa basang-basa niyang payong.

I found it hard to answer the question. I mean, ano nga ba kami? Are we friends? Are we something?

She was already closing the umbrella when she looked at me. "Well, he's friends naman talaga with everyone. He's that kind, 'no?"

Again. I couldn't utter a word. But this time, I just didn't know if I should comment on the last thing she said. Itinuloy ko na lang ang paghahanap ng makapal na damit sa drawer ko.

"OMG! Is that Frost's? That's Frost Mantello's pullover, right? Siya lang ang kilala ko rito na varsity player sa Scitus," biglang dire-diretso niyang sabi. Itinulak niya na nga lang basta pasara 'yong pinto, hindi niya inaalis ang tingin sa suot kong tumutulo pa. "Hala, bagay kayo!"

Napatigil ang mga kamay ko sa paghahalughog sa gamit ko. Lumingon ako sa kaniya. "Huh?"

"Kinikilig ako!"

"What—"

"Don't worry, I'll support you! Ilalakad kita, Winter. I got you!"

"But—"

"Basta i-help mo rin ako kay Heat ah?"

"Hold up." Doon na ako tumayo nang maayos at diretsong humarap sa kaniya. Palalampasin ko sana ang mga nauna niyang sinabi, pero hindi ang huling 'yon. "What?"

"I'm telling you this because we're roommies, and we're friends." She faced me directly too with a soft smile on her face. "I like Heat."

What the hell...

"I know, it's too fast. Second week pa lang natin here, but he's really my type and—"

"I like him too," I said. "Second year na."

The smile on Flame's face quickly faded as her eyes widened. She didn't say a word for a moment and just stared at me as if waiting for me to take what I said back. But I remained serious. "W-What—"

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you," seryoso pa ring sabi ko bago tumalikod ulit. Sa sobrang awkward ng sitwasyon, dinampot ko na lang ang puting oversized tshirt na nasa pinaka-ibabaw ng mga damit ko. Papasok na sana ako sa CR nang marinig kong nagsalita siya ulit.

"W-Why are you like that..."

Lumingon ulit ako sa kaniya. Basang-basa na ang sahig namin dahil sa 'kin.

"I told you I like him," she said in a meaningful tone while giving me the eye that tells me to let her words sink in.

They did. But it's not like I'm affected. "And I told you I like him too."

She really seemed confused. Her brows almost connected. "But I told you first?"

My brows furrowed too. "So?"

She looked so baffled by my simple reaction until her brows suddenly went up. "Oh..." she said, like she realized something while looking at me. "Sorry, I just thought you're a girl's girl too."