Letting Go Liberty

Chap 08

My phone was bombarded with text messages from Aelius, at least a sign that he got home alive.

From: Aelius Jai Alvarez

Yes, I got home, thank you for asking.

Why did you leave me in your parking lot? Alone.

You'd be the prime suspect if I get murdered in my own car.

Madami pa siyang texts but I didn't bother to read all of them and decided to reply with a simple "king of being oa, really." Habang nag hahanap ng mga source ng reviewers and review center for the PhiLSAT that is no way near biglang tumunog ang phone ko and I hesistated for a second. Should I really talk to him after leaving him alone after seeing him that way?

Heck, I'm doomed.

I answered the call, "What?" I heard him gasp, so dramatic talaga, "No sorry?" I scoffed, "And why would I say sorry, mister?" Dapat nga magpasalamat siya at hindi ko siya ginising kung hindi– I shook my head. No, Callista, get your mind out of the gutter. He's Aelius for god's sake!

"Um, you didn't bother to wake me up before leaving my car?"

"I told the guard to knock on your window if after 3 minutes hindi ka pa umaalis," I told him bago pa siya makapag reklamo, but unsurprisngly, syempre may sasabihin pa siya. "You're weird, Cali, you could've easily waken me up," He paused, "I'm not mad or anything but being left like that scares the hell out of me, ang dilim dilim 'don then someone's knocking on your window, never again." It made me laugh, "Okay, fine. Sorry na, I was in a hurry a while ago."

"Why were you in a hurry, I thought you weren't busy? Sabi ko naman sayo, we didn't have to go," Direderetso niyang sabi. How am I supposed to make up an excuse? Ano, sasabihin ko na nag mamadali ako because I thought I was under a spell that I wanted to feel his skin against mine? How I was scared to see his eyes because I was longing to meet his gaze?

"Cali, you still there?" I heard Jai's voice which made me go back to my senses, "Uh, yes," Don't stutter! "Ano lang, I wasn't lying when I told you I wasn't busy, It's just something came up, si Ynnia, you know her, right?" I was out of breath, akala ko I wouldn't be suspicious but Jai was quick to notice the pace of my talking.

"Hey, slow down, woman.. Are you breaking the word count record? Ang daming words nun," Narinig ko ang pag tawa niya and it made me frown even though he wouldn't see it, "Ewan ko sayo, bye na!" I didn't know why I couldn't hang up, maybe I was waiting for his reply?

"I was just kidding," Tumatawa pa din siya pero biglang nawalan ng ingay sa linya niya, "Do you have something to tell me?" His voice was somehow different, it wasn't laced with playfulness. I don't like it when he talks like that parang may kung anong epekto sakin pag ganyan siya.

"Huh? Ano naman sasabihin ko sayo?"

"I don't know, you tell me–"

I interrupted him right away.

"Wala akong sasabihin, bye!" I ended the call and threw it on my bed, why was I being that way?

Hindi nga pwede.

It was Valentine's day in two weeks and the school told the student council to come up with something. Medyo naiirita ako dahil kanina when the president asked me for ideas, wala akong maibigay. Sabi niya na she wasn't expecting me to have nothing, palagi naman daw ako may magandang idea at ano daw ang nangyayare sa akin. I was silenced, I didn't want to stoop down her level. I knew better, sana pati ang mga nakarinig 'non sa meeting room.