Jump From the Air (Erudite Series #5)

Kapitulo 16

After two weeks of eating with Kalon and chatting with him, I have come to a suspicion—he likes me too. It was either that or he just found me as a really good friend to be with. So, I asked Wren and Amy. Overthinking was such a difficult enemy.

"Oh, he likes you. Sigurado. Nonstop ang convo n'yo, 'di ba? And, you've eaten with him so often these past weeks more and more. What else could be the reason?" ang sabi ni Wren.

"Ask him for yourself," ito naman ang sagot ni Amy. Ibinalik niya sa akin ang sinabi ko noon sa kaniya tungkol kay Dominique.

Oo nga pala!

"I never got to ask, what happened when you asked Dom?" tinanong ko si Amy habang kumakain kami.

"Asked Dom what?" Wren questioned before biting her tacos again.

"Remember when I told you he asked me to the movies?" Amy explained to Wren.

Lumaki ang mga mata ni Wren. "Oh, yeah! How did that go? You never told us na," she says.

"I was right, he does like me. But I told him I was not interested in him that way, so we never went to see a movie. He also feels... awkward now. I guess it's because I rejected him, but he hasn't talked to me since, like, talk when we're alone," sabi ni Amy habang nag-iipon ng kanin sa kutsara niya.

I silently nodded. Wren continued eating her tacos, not making any comments like me.

Rejection is hard. I feel like Dominique's feeling embarrassed and stupid. That's what's usually felt after being rejected. So, he resorted to ignorance of the girl he likes because it makes him feel less of those negative feelings.

Hindi madaling tanggapin ang pag-ayaw sa 'yo ng taong gusto mo.

Hindi madaling tanggapin ang kabaliktaran ng nararamdaman mo mula sa tao na gusto mo.

Pero wala namang may gusto ng ganito. I know Amy really never intended to enter any romantic relationships since the first sem because the only goal she had in mind in college was to be excellent in her academic area. Frankly, if we didn't approach Amy, I would think she'd stay alone for college. And, she didn't really mind it, it was obvious.

Amy was never one to initiate plans with us because she has a schedule—one that revolves around her studies. She just adjusts it whenever we ask her to eat or do something with us. Amy was always fine with or without us. It was like she had a veil of solitude she enjoyed having. It was just the way she was.

Although I feel bad for Dominique, I was sure he'd recover from this. We were friends after all. We were all attached, even Amy.

"Hindi ka naman," Wren looked at Amy while speaking, "gay?"

Umiling si Amy at uminom ng tubig bago nagsalita. "No, I'm not gay."

We continued eating while talking about other things. After lunch, we went back to campus and went to our class. I was contemplating during class if I should find out if Kalon liked me back. But I thought of what happened to Dominique.

I was going to ask directly. If Kalon didn't like me, the aftermath would be messier because I considered Kalon a friend now, not just a crush. Nakikipagkulitan na siya sa akin paminsan-minsan, e. Naging kumportable na ako sa kaniya at siya rin sa akin. Nakapag-share na ako sa kaniya ng ilang pangarap ko, he told me some of his too. He had even showed vulnerability to me once already, when we videocalled once.

Pero gusto kong malaman kasi ang hirap na nanghuhula!

Pagd-uwi ko sa bahay, nag-aral ako at maiging pinag-isipan kung tatanungin ko ba si Kalon o hindi. Hindi ko rin alam kailan ko isisingit kung sakaling itanong ko, e. Through chat ba or kapag kumain na lang kami? Ewan!