CHAPTER TEN
"YOU WERE the boy who... who...!" Hindi niya makuhang tapusin ang sinasabi. She flushed hotly as she remembered how she had been so affected by his kiss.
"Boy?" Tumaas ang mga kilay nito, his lips twitched in amusement. "At twenty-three, I was hardly a boy, Marti," wika nito, pagkuwa'y itinaas ang isang kamay, and brushed his knuckles softly against her cheek.
"I was invited that night," patuloy nito. "Kasama ako sa panel na pipili kung sino ang magiging Prince and Princess of the night. At nakita kita nang pumapasok ka sa hall... so beautiful. Then and there, alam ko na kaagad kung sino ang pipiliin ko. My eyes followed your every move... my head craned out of my seat and searched for you among the crowd.
"When I saw you dance with some boys, nagulat ako sa panibughong nadama ko sa sandaling iyon. Ipinangako ko sa sarili kong isasayaw kita bago matapos ang gabi... no matter what they say."
She was speechless. She couldn't even break eye contact, na para bang ang mga mata nito'y isang black hole at hinihigop siya.
"But the dance never happened..." He finished with a whisper. "And you never allowed me to keep my promise that you would be crowned the most beautiful girl that night. Hindi ka nagbalik sa loob."
Sa pagkakataong iyon ay nagawa niyang magbaba ng tingin. "I—I went home right after you left..."
"I'd gather about that. At kung alam mo lang kung paano ko pinagtiisan ang kabagot-bagot na gabing iyon," he said with a drawl. Sinikap niyang salubungin ang mga mata nito, and tried to smile casually. "I'm sure you're... joking."
Hindi sumagot si Dash. Nanatiling nakatitig sa kanya, the dark eyes turned darker as his gaze moved down to her lovely lips.
She evaded his eyes and added defensively. "Y-you've never approached me again. I mean, sa campus. I... I honestly didn't know it was you. And hated myself even more that night because I allowed a boy—a stranger to... to kiss me." Muli ay pinamulahan siya ng pisngi. "Huwag mong ipagkamaling... what I mean... I don't usually—"
"I know. Itinanong ko kay Mia kung ilan ang naging boyfriend mo sa nakalipas na mga taon."
"Itinanong mo kay Mia!" She was indignant.
Dash only smiled. "And I was surprised and delighted when she said you allowed no one to come between you and your studies... not for the lack of any suitors. In fact, she said there were quite a number of them."
She cleared her throat. Sinikap niyang pakawalan ang sarili sa pamamagitan ng pagpapagulong sa swivel chair paatras. Subalit pinipigilan nito iyon.
"Dash... it's past twelve... m-may pasok pa ako..."
"You said I never approached you again after that night, Marti..." anito na tila hindi siya nagsalita.
"Hindi ko ibig sabihing inaasahan kung lalapitan mo uli ako," muling depensa niya sa sarili, and knew it for a lie, dahil sa isang sulok na bahagi ng puso niya'y umasa siyang lalapitan siyang muli ng estranghero... hoping he wasn't one of Aliana's classmates.
"That kiss we shared spent me thousands of sleepless nights. Hindi ko alam na hindi mo ako kilala, Marti, na hindi mo ako nakilala nang gabing iyon. Forgive my conceit, pero tulad nga ng sinabi ko nang mapasukan kita sa opisina ng student council, inaasahan kong kilala ako ng lahat ng estudyanteng—"
