"Tanga! Tanga! Tanga!" gigil na sambit ko habang pinupukpok ang ulo.
I was pacing back and forth in my room as I remembered what I told him instead!
Ang tanga-tanga mo! Bakit 'yon ang sinabi mo?!
"Tanga ka, Frances! Tanga ka! Naakainis ka!" inis na sigaw ko habang pinanggigigilan ang unan. "My god! Ang tanga! Sukli? Ano'ng sukli, Frances?!"
I groaned more after I reminisced about that missed opportunity. He didn't get his change, though. He just told me to keep it. And after that, umalis na siya!
Nevertheless, I guess that's fine. As the days went by, we started to get closer. I didn't know how. We just found ourselves seeing each other coincidentally and talking.
Small talks and chuckles. I guess that was where it all began.
Hindi na rin ako masiyadong binubully dahil kapag ginagawa nila 'yon, nariyan si Gunther na tutulong sa akin.
"Do they always do that to you?" tanong niya, isang araw.
Nagkatinginan kami. Agad akong umiwas ng tingin at kabadong tumawa.
"O-Oo...pero okay lang. Hindi nila ako mapapasuko."
Hindi siya nagsalita. Sa huli ay tumango siya.
"You're brave."
Napalingon ako sa kanya. Nakatingin siya sa malayo. Maliit akong ngumiti at tumitig sa lupa.
I have no other choice but to be. Or else...the world will fall over me.
"Kumusta na nga pala kayo ni Francine?" I diverted the topic.
Nilingon niya lang ako saglit. Marahan kaming naglalakad sa pathway papunta sa kung saan.
He only shrugged at my question.
"She's busy, I guess."
Busy? Paanong busy e wala namang ginagawa 'yon kundi magselpon.
Katahimikan ang bumalot sa amin hanggang sa magtanong ulit ako.
"Are you two...dating?" marahan kong tanong.
Madalang na kasi siyang magchat sa akin. Kung hindi na ako magchachat, hindi na siya magrereply.
Nagkibit-balikat uli siya. Bumuntong hininga naman ako.
"Do you...like her?" segunda kong tanong at tumingin sa kanya.
Unti-unti siyang lumingon sa akin at agad kong nasalo ang mga mata niya.
"Don't know. I'm confused."
I bit my lower lip and looked away. That's it. He's confused between us. Maybe he thinks that Francine has a dual personality, and he doesn't know which one he must like.
"Sometimes...she's not herself. Sometimes I am comfortable with her, but sometimes she's unreadable. She's hard to predict."
Lalo akong tumungo at pinag away ang mga kamay.
"But...will there be a chance that... you'll get to like her?"
He shrugged again and sighed.
"I don't know, either. I don't know how to answer that question."
Our conversation ended with that. Kaya naman, kinompronta ko agad si Francine tungkol sa bagay na 'yon.
"He's so boring! Wala siyang ka-thrill-thrill! He's not as aggressive as my boyfriend so how the hell would I enjoy his company?!"
"What?!" hindi makapaniwalang utas ko.
Boring?!
"He even doesn't initiate a kiss! Although we were having an intimate talk! Kahit hawak o haplos man lang sana, wala! He's totally distant!"
BINABASA MO ANG
Termination of Desire
RomanceWhen it comes to her overweight figure, Frances Dominique Villarosa has never felt confident. She was never popular at her school and was frequently the target of bullying. She had lost all faith in love up until she meets Gunther Frawley Esquivel...
