Barely Captivated

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Trippings lang ba ’yon? Or ginawa niya lang kasi pakiramdam niya kailangan niya?

Two days had passed.

After that night, hindi na kami nagkita ulit. As in, ni anino niya hindi ko makita. Not even a glimpse of his eyes—those eyes I had grown used to looking for the moment I stepped into any room.

Lutang ako simula noong gabing ’yon. Kahit sa panaginip ko, nararamdaman ko pa rin 'yong halik niya. Nakakainis. Hindi siya mawala sa sistema ko. Gusto ko magalit, gusto ko magtampo, kasi hindi naman gano’n dapat.

Hindi gano’n dapat ang first kiss ko.

Sakaniya ko ibibigay, oo. Pero ’yong iiwan ako at hindi magpapakita pagkatapos ako nakawan ng halik? No freaking way. What the freak siya!

I sighed as I crouched on the court floor, surrounded by piles of faux vines, paper flowers, and balloons we were supposed to pre-pack for the booth decors. The sun was starting to dip, casting long shadows on the covered court, but we weren’t done yet and the ribbons still scattered all over the floor.

I was racing against time. My hands moved automatically, arranging, wrapping, taping—trying to distract my thoughts away from him.

“Kalea!” sigaw ni Astraea papunta sa akin. “May delivery rider daw sa labas. Paabot daw sa’yo.”

Napakunot-noo ako. “Sa akin?”

“Oo! Hindi daw siya aalis hangga’t hindi ikaw ang kukuha.”

I sighed and dusted my apron, quickly heading to the gate. Paglabas ko, isang lalaki na full delivery gear handed me a brown paper bag with my name written in cursive on the front. My eyes narrowed.

Bukod sa nakakapagtaka na may biglang delivery para sa akin, cover na cover din ’yong lalaki. I can’t see even a single skin or his hair, kahit ’yong mata ay nakasuot ng sungglasses. Nag dadalawang isip na tuloy ako kung bubuksan ko, mamaya may bomba pala ’diba?!

“Kanino po galing ’to?” tanong ko habang kinukuha ang package. Parang familiar pa nga ’yong handletter pero ayokong mag assume.

Tumikhim siya, tila nag aadjust siya ng boses. “Walang sabi, Ma’am. Basta binigay lang sa akin to deliver. Thank you!” Then he turned and walked away.

Curious, I stepped back inside and placed the bag on the table. Astraea peeked over my shoulder, sumunod din pala sa akin ang babaeng ’to! “Oh. Secret admirer?” she teased. "Mukhang malalagot ’yan kung magkakataon“

I rolled my eyes but felt my heartbeat quicken. Opening the bag, I found a small glass dome inside, and within it was a preserved blue rose, delicately arranged with soft baby’s breath and white pearls.

There was a note taped at the bottom.

“I will explain.”

Iyon lang ang nakalagay. No signature, no clue.

Pero ngayon, parang alam ko na kung kanino nanggaling.

Bumalik kami sa loob ng court na medyo magaan na ang loob ko. I walked with Astraea, walking hands, while it swayed. Alam na alam niya na talaga kapag may something sa akin ’no? parang nakaraang araw lang busy siya sa lovelife niya, tapos napansin niya lang na tahimik ako, ako naman ’yong parang boyfriend niya ngayon.

We spend the remaining hours doing booth chores para naman maging magaan nalang kinabukasan. Patuloy kami sa pag-gawa hanggang sa namamalayan nalang namin na mga designs nalang na ididikit ang kailangang asikasuhin.

Umuwi ako sa bahay pagtapos namin magpaalam sa isa’t isa. My shoulders were heavy, parang may dala akong isang linggong pagod, but there was a small smile on my face—barely there, but it was something. Pagdating sa harap ng gate namin, hindi ako agad pumasok. I stood there quietly, fingers loosely holding onto the strap of my bag, and turned my head ever so slightly to the right.