SEVEN AND ARROW (Montana Series 2 | BXB)

16: Limerence

๋࣭࣪☾⭑

Our morning was far different from the previous days. I became more comfortable around Arrow. Maging ang katahimikan sa loob ng sasakyan tuwing kami ay pumapasok ay nawala na. He even allowed me to listen to musics, though he didn't like my song choices.

"May tanong ako," sabi ko habang nagmamaneho papuntang school.

"Ano 'yon?" tanong niya, ngunit nakatuon ang kanyang tingin sa windshield.

"That song," I began. "The one that I heard, why did you give that title to that song?"

I saw he glanced at me from the corner of my eye. "Seven Arrows?" He asked to clarify, then I nodded. "It's about you and me," he answered without hesitation.

I tried controlling what's shaping inside me, but deep down my heart, I felt like I was over the moon. Hiniling ko na maging tapat siya sa mga nararamdaman niya, ngunit hindi ko maiwasang magulat sa mga bagay na lumalabas sa kanyang bibig.

"It's about our childhood," he continued. "Natatakot kasi ako na balang araw ay makalimutan ko ang mga bagay na 'yon, kaya ginawan ko ng kanta para lagi kong maalala."

My eyes drawn to him for a moment, then returned it to the road immediately. "Why do you always talk like you're saying goodbye?"

"Hindi natin alam kung anong pwedeng mangyari sa hinaharap. Just like what happened to my dad. I didn't expect it would be my last conversation with him. Kung alam ko lang ay hindi na sana ako nakipagtalo sa kanya."

Inaasahan kong magiging malungkot ang kanyang tono sa mga salitang 'yon, ngunit sa nakakapagtakang dahilan, tila komportable na siyang pagusapan ang nangyari sa kanyang ama.

We just got out of Marble Village, then Arrow did something. He brought his face closer to mine, causing me to press my back against my seat. Kamuntikan ko ring maihinto ang sasakyan sa pagkagulat.

"What are you doing?" I asked, trying to focus my eyes on the road.

As he leaned in close to me, my heart began pumping so hard. I felt his hand brushing against my waist and around my lap. For a swift moment, I thought he wanted to do something scandalous.

Like seriously, Arrow, in the car?

But then, I heard the click of the seatbelt buckle. Nilagay lang pala niya ang seatbelt ko. Mabilis kong iniling ang aking ulo, nahihiya sa aking sarili dahil sa madumi kong utak.

"Lagi kang maglagay ng seatbelt kapag nagmamaneho ka," saad nito. "You'll never know when an accident will strike."

I let out a nervous laugh. "I just forgot to put it."

Muli siyang bumalik sa kanyang pagkakaupo at itinuon muli ang tingin sa daanan. "Lagi mong alalahanin ang kaligtasan mo. Not fastening your seatbelt could change everything."

Alam kong naaalala niya ang kanyang ama habang binibigkas ang mga salitang 'yon. It must be so traumatic on his part. Hindi ko siya masisisi kung tila galit siya sa buong mundo. He had all the reasons to get mad.

Malapit na kami sa school, ngunit bago pa man ako lumiko ay pinatigil ako ni Arrow. "Turn the other way," he said.

Nilingon ko naman siya. "Bakit? Hindi naman dyan ang daan papuntang school."

"I don't want to go to school today," he said. "It's our PE this afternoon and our lesson will be the basic dancing position."

"Ano namang problema doon?" tanong ko.

"I hate dancing," he said.

"Arrow, it's just basic positions. Hindi naman tayo sasayaw."

"Still, I don't want to go to school," he insisted.