Scarlet Strings of Love

Chapter 43: ceangal

"There's time to love somebody who won't try to change your way"

—Best Friend by 5 Seconds of Summer

LUXUS' POINT OF VIEW

I sighed as I walked out of the classroom with my classmates. My brain is so dry after the exam. Nagugutom na rin ako kaya pumunta ako sa cafeteria. I was expecting to see the cafeteria full of people but surprisingly there were only a few people inside.

I walked up to the cashier and ordered my food. Pagkatapos kong kunin ang pagkain ko ay naghanap ako ng mauupuan. Paglingon ko, nakita ko si Red na nakaupo malapit sa bintana ng cafeteria.

There was a lot of food in front of her as she scrolled through her laptop with her headphones on. I decided to go sit with her because she looked lonely, and Anne never ate alone. Not that it matters.

Nang makalapit ako agad na umangat ang ulo ni Red at binigyan niya ako ng malaking ngiti. I couldn't stop myself from smiling as well before I took the seat in front of her.

"Daming carbs niyan."

"What?" Red asked, looking up at me.

I stopped when I realized what I had just said. Bakit ko sinabi yun? Red is not Anne. Red doesn't count calories and monitors what she eats like Anne does.

Red is not Anne. I know this, and yet...

"I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

"I didn't mean to say that. I'm really sorry—"

Red chuckled, "What's going on? Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry for... you know," I said, trailing off. Nahihiya ako sa sarili ko. I promised myself I wouldn't compare them anymore yet here I am.

"Why are you so worried? I wasn't offended by it," Red said.

"But—"

"Stop," Red said, laughing, putting her hand on mine. "You don't need to over explain or over apologize. You're fine."

"Sorry," I said.

"I don't know why you were so worried about something like that," Red said. "It's because it's exam week, isn't it? Or what you call 'hell week' or something?"

"That's probably it," I said, smiling at her. I turned my hand over and held hers which was still on top of mine.

Her hands are rough, but I like the feel of it. I can feel her determination to master and play the drums just from her hand. Whenever I hold her hand I always feel envious. My hands once felt like this. I was once determined like this.

Napatingin ako kay Red nang marinig ko siyang humagikgik.

"What is it?"

"I can feel the calluses on your fingers," she said.

"What? I don't have calluses," I said. She took my hand, moved her stuff to the side and leaned on the table.

"It's right here," she said, holding my fingers. "Feel this part here."

Hinipo ko yung fingertips ko at naramdaman ko ang matigas at smooth na balat nito.

"See? I told you," Red said.

"But how did I get it?" I asked, staring at my fingertips. As if I didn't know how I got it.

"What do you mean? Obviously you get calluses when you play the guitar a lot," sabi ni Red. "Are you really okay?"