Sweet Lost Love

5

Hesper became so warm to me and it's frustrating. He's treating me like a child— like his real little sister. He even calls me lil sis during rehearsal or whenever he saw me around the campus.

"Call me Kuya...." Hesper poke my forehead. Kanina niya pa ako kinukulit because I don't address him like he wanted me to.

"Why are you so obsessed with me calling you kuya ba? I don't want nga..." I push his hand away. "I have a crush on you. It's weird."

He chuckled. Kinuha niya ang flask ko at walang sabing nakiinom. I made face. Why he became so comfortable with me anyway?

"That boy has a crush on you..." He pointed Enzo— iyong ka-batch ko na isa sa gumagawa ng script namin. "Gusto mo ilakad kita? Kunin ko number?"

"No, I don't like him. He got so many pimples. Kadiri."

Siniko niya ako at sinamaan ng tingin. What's wrong with him? He's easily got mad every time I'm being honest with how people around us look— totoo naman, marami namang pimples talaga.

"Napaka spoiled brat mo." Tinuro niya ang isa sa mga gumagawa ng props namin. —Si Pierre. "Ayon oh, walang pimples. Bagay kayo."

I look him dead in the eye. "Are you kidding me? He's gay!"

"He's gay?" he take a second look to the guy he pointed. "No way."

Inagaw ko sa kanya ang script na binabasa ko kanina bago siya lumapit at kunin iyon para gawing pamaypay. "And if you're not aware he has a crush on you too."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really, Kuya..." I emphasize my last word— rolling my eyes. He's getting annoying.

Alam ko naman na nilalapitan niya ako kapag may rehearsal kasi ako lang kaya niyang tiising kasama rito. He keeps on pointing boys around, hindi ko nalang siya pinapansin at inaaral ang lyrics ng mga kakantahin— today's the first day we'll practice with the songs. I am excited since I really do well with singing.

"Hes!"

Natigil siya kakadaldal nang pumasok sa theater si Zayn. Kinawayan niya ang kaibigan na patakbong lumapit sa amin. Napataas ang kilay ko nang umupo sa kabila ko si Zayn— we're sitting at the edge of the stage tapos napapagitnaan pa nila ako. I look like a sprout between two tall trees.

"Basketball tayo. Nag-aya sina Louis."

"Hindi ako pwede..." Pinakita niya kay Zayn ang script niya. "Rehearsal."

"Mamaya pagkatapos."

Umiling siya. "Uuwi akong Batanggas."

Nawala ang attention ko sa binabasa at napunta sa kanya ang tingin. It's the middle of the week— why would he want to go home to their farm?

"Bakit? Akala ko sabado pa?"

"Tutulong ako. Harvest na, eh."

"Dami niyong tao, ah. Kailangan ka na doon?"

Tawa lang ang sagot niya. He's so weird. Zayn's right— they're rich. Even without their plantation his family will do good. His dad is a firefighter, his mom is a doctor— his sister works in Lafayette Jewelries— a luxury jewelry brand. I don't think he's needed in their plantation.

"We have rehearsal tomorrow. You can't skip," paalala ko sa kanya.

He reach for my hair and ruffle it. I push his hand away again— fixing what he did.