Aligning the Stars (GXG)

VI - Encounters

Astrea

"What's with the long face, pamangkin?" Rinig 'kong tanong ni Tita Sandra sa likuran ko, "Hindi ka ba nag-enjoy do'n sa party at nakasimangot ka ng ganyan?"

"Really? You're gonna use that nickname on me now?"

"Only if you want me to." She teased me while she was making a cup of coffee, "Pero seryoso, bakit parang luging lugi ka ngayon?"

Hindi ko alam kung anong isasagot sa tanong niya dahil hanggang ngayon ay iniisip ko pa rin ang mga naging pangyayari kanina. Kalahating oras na simula nung nakauwi na ako sa bahay, pero hindi ko man lang magawang tumayo at dumiretso sa kwarto ko.

"Huy, ano na? Mag a-alas tres na." Tawag ulit ni Tita sabay upo kabaligtaran sa'kin.

But my mind kept on flashing what happened earlier.

3 hours ago..

"..I think I'm falling for someone.."

She said it like she just realized it as well, I don't know how or what to react. Dahil parang may bumabara sa lalamunan ko.

Ramdam ko din ang biglang pag-tingin ni Moon sa'kin, nakatitig lang ito na tila winawari ang pananahimik ko. I ruffled his ears softly, before giving him a half-hearted smile.

"Oh god, what am I saying.." I heard her whisper to herself, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that to you. You don't even know me that much, and you're probably thinking how weird and random I am. Just forget what I said—"

Taking a deep breath, I turned to face her, my voice steady as I asked, "What exactly do you want advice on?"

She stopped talking as her eyes widened in shock, "I-I.. w-what.. um.." She looked confused for a second, probably not expecting that I'll listen.

"Hula ko ay matagal mo na po 'tong iniisip.. that's the reason why you decided to tell a stranger about it."

Stranger.

Yeah, she remembers my name, she remembers that I saved Moon before.. but she doesn't remember the close encounters we had before. A bitter smile formed around my lips,  I'll always be a stranger to her. So, that's what I'm going to be at this moment.

"You'll just think I'm crazy."

"I won't." Sagot ko sa kanya, "I keep my words."

She chuckled softly as she shook her head, "Maybe it's just the alcohol talking."

"Uminom ka po?"

"Just a little."

"..Then it's really bothering you." I said with a hint of spite in my tone, though I tried to control it. "What made you think that you might like this someone?"

Nanatili lang siyang tahimik, na para bang ang lalim ng iniisip niya.

"To be honest.." She exhaled deeply and looked away, "I also don't know. I just found myself.. thinking about that person, almost every day. Not an hour, not a minute, not even a second goes by without her in my thoughts."

Sa bawat salitang binibigkas niya, mas bumibigat ang nararamdaman ko.

That's how I feel for her all these years.

"When we were together for a week, I kept myself under control. Hindi ko siya masyadong nilapitan o kinausap dahil hindi ako sigurado sa nararamdaman ko. I really thought that this would just go away on its own, you know? But even myself knows that I'm lying to myself if I say that these feelings I have for that person isn't real."