The Girl Who Came From Above

CHAPTER 30: Hide and Seek

I stood there stuck for several minutes. I know what I did was shocking and I am afraid that Angel is now angry because I kiss her without even asking for her permission. It was unsure for me. I don't know what made me do it but at that time, something is driving me to kiss her. Mabilis siyang tumakbo papasok sa kaniyang bagong bahay. I wanted to run after her pero baka maging mas awkward and complicated pa if I'll do that.

I gently touch my lips and without knowing the reason, I smiled. I can feel that my heart beats so fast and I can stop myself from smiling. "Bro, you're still here?" nagulat ako nang biglang magsalita si Paulo. I can't even composed myself well because I'm still thinking about what happened earlier. "Ah.. yeah" I shortly replied. Napatingin siya sa aking mukha and he's checking if something's wrong with me or my face. "Are you having difficulties in driving home?" tanong niya sa akin sabay tingin sa sasakyan na nakapark sa tabi.

"Ah.. yes, that's what I'm going to say" I said while trying to hide my nervousness and overall excitement. "Ah, I'll drive you home. Kukunin ko muna ang naiwan kong wallet sa bahay ni Angel" he explained at agad naman ako na tumango. "Okay, I'll wait in the car" I replied.

I hurriedly went inside the car kasi ayaw kong magkita kami ni Angel at the moment. We are both shocked about the unexpected situation and ayaw ko din na mapahiya siya sa harapan ni Paulo. After receiving the wallet from Angel, Paulo hurriedly ran towards my direction. Sumakay siya sa driver's seat and I handed him the car keys. He started the engine and drove the car.

We are both silent during the trip. Hindi rin nagsalita si Paulo kaya I also didn't started a conversation. I grab my phone and read some old messages that I have in my phone. "I can see that you're doing better ever since Angel came to your house" I stopped looking at my phone and changed my attention to Paulo who's looking at me at the rear view mirror waiting for my response.

"I think so, I did became better" full of skepticism I answered. "I know about Angel" I look more seriously to him as I processed what he said to me. Yeah, that's right. I remember that he even said to me earlier that Angel is not my cousin. "How did you know?" I asked him. "Angel told me" he replied. So, they're becoming more close now huh. And even that thought bothers me knowing that Angel told him about that information and so Angel trusted him.

"I just wanted you to know that I'm helping her" he started the conversation again. "Helping with what? Financial means?" I asked him. He stared at me seriously and for a while, I realized that Paulo has this side that I never know. "I'm helping her to get back to where she came from. No matter what it takes" natahimik ako dahil sa sinabi niya. I can feel his eagerness. I slowly shift my gazed outside the car because he's staring at me quite seriously.

"I also want her to be back" I slowly said to him. "That's good then, I don't have to worry about you when that time comes" I look again at him. "Why do you bother to ask that?" He smiled slightly and said, "I can see that you and Angel became that close and I'm afraid that your separation with Angel can hurt you badly"

Hindi ako umimik. I didn't even think about that. As for now, I don't know what exactly I feel towards her. I'm safe when I'm with her. I'm happy when she's around and she's giving me the kind of feeling that I am not alone because I know that she was here looking out for me. "I wanted to be straight to the point. Jastine, I like her and I wanted to protect her" I can feel that my throat dried up and I don't have the courage to speak. Why am I affected?

"I'm telling you this because I want to make sure if you don't have any feelings toward Angel" he continued speaking. "I don't think ... I don't think that I have the rights to stop you from liking her" I said at sumandal ako sa car seat. Too many shocking events that happened this day. Too many.