Grape Juice (By the Border, #1) ✓

16

"Gusto mo ba mag-pasta, Wesley?"

I awkwardly stood behind Nadine, with Novah less than a meter away. "Pasta sounds good," nahihiya kong sagot.

Paroon at parito si Nadine: naghiwa ng kamatis, naghanap ng spices sa malaki nilang pantry, at nagbukas ng napakalaking mga ceramic na garapon sa kusina. She took out a handful of uncooked penne from one of the jars, throwing them in a pot of boiling water. Bumaling ako kay Novah na siya namang tinuro ang lamesa. Wala pang naghain. His head nodded towards the same direction. Nauna siyang pumunta roon at tahimik ko siyang sinundan.

No meaningful conversation was held while we watched Nadine cook. Naisipan kong lapitan siya at tumulong dahil mukhang ang dami niyang planong ipakain sa amin, pero hinawakan ni Novah ang braso ko para piligan ako sa pag-alis. "Mom rejects helping hands," komento niya at hindi na muling nagsalita noong makapuwesto na kaming lahat sa hapagkainan. We began eating after they said grace, hot sauces and porcelain plates laid out before us.

Palagi akong sinasali ni Kenzie at Nadine sa diskusyon. Even Klein who rarely said a word suddenly asked me about how I was faring in school and laughed at his daughter's lame jokes about basketball. May kutob akong ginawa nila ang mga ito dahil hindi ako nagsasalita hangga't hindi nakadirekta sa akin ang mga tanong. It wasn't that I normally talked a lot around them, but there was a chance of the Valerias knowing—or feeling—what had been weighing on my mind since I left Station 25 yesterday.

Marami mang ganap sa lamesa ay ilang beses dumapo ang paningin ko kay Novah. He calmly ate at a slow pace, not minding everyone and everything, only speaking when asked questions as well. Hindi man lang niya inangat ang ulo para nakawan ako ng tingin—a habit of his that I often noticed whenever we ate lunch together at school. I sat directly in front of him, but it was as if Nadine's dish was the only thing that was perpetually worthy of his attention.

A confusing feeling crept up inside my stomach, and I struggled to ignore it. It couldn't be from the pasta. No. Pero paglipas ng ilang minuto ay hindi na nakaayos si Novah sa kaniyang upuan. Ibinaba niya ang hawak na kubyertos at kinagat ang labi. He suddenly donned this look of distress. His hands clasped around the edge of the table. Then, for the first time in almost hald an hour of waiting, our eyes met.

Tinulak ni Novah ang plato niya palayo. "Busog na po ako."

Nadine stopped mid-conversation with Klein, frowning. "Why? May problema ba sa pasta? Lulutuan kita ng bago."

"Hindi na, Mom," nakangiti niyang saad. "The pasta is good. My lunch just had too much rice and chicken filet."

Liar. He didn't eat much.

"Mamaya na po siguro ako kakain ulit," dagdag niya.

One look at Nadine's face and I could tell she already knew of something, and I was painfully close to finding out.

Pinangako niyang sasabihin na niya sa akin ngayong gabi.

The rest of us finished with depleted enthusiasm, and as I offered to collect the dirty plates and do the dishes, Kenzie held my shoulder, weakly squeezing it—a gesture I couldn't translate into reason. Gamit ang kaniyang maingat na kamay at ang mga mata niyang may nais sabihin, walang imik niyang kinuha ang mga plato mula sa akin.

"Nasa balcony madalas na tumatambay si Kuya. You'll probably find him there right now," saad ni Kenzie bago umalis. Nodding to her, I bit my lip to ease my nerves, choosing to inflict pain on the chapped skin in hopes of getting rid of the bigger shit I had deep inside.

"Ang lamig pero dito mo naisipang tumambay," panimula ko matapos buksan ang pinto ng maliit nilang palko. Naabutan kong nakasandal si Novah sa bakal na railing, ang tingin ay lumipat mula sa itim na kalangitan patungo sa akin. Wala akong makitang bituin sa buong kalawakan ng langit, kaya ang imaheng naisip ko ay wala nang ibang tao sa mundo kundi kaming dalawa. Maski ang naririnig kong ingay ng mga Valeria sa loob ng bahay ay tila naglaho na parang bula nang mapansin ko ang lalim ng titig ni Novah sa akin.