Her Fearless Ways

FEARLESS

That was just the first of Diego's moves.

Ang sumunod niyang pinunterya ay si Ruby. He gave her threats enough for her parents to transfer her to the same school I was in. Para raw mabantayan ko siya kuno. I had to keep my eyes on her and Red as well. What I did not expect was that it would cause a hindrance for me to make my move with Red.

"Your father sent me a handwritten letter," Ruby stated when we met at the mall.

I knew what letter she was referring to. It was for Red! That was my confession letter to her. The words I could not express verbally, the thoughts I couldn't say right to her face, all of the things I wanted to say—I wrote it down for her.

Gusto kong magalit kay Ruby dahil binasa niya ang ginawa kong liham. Sinabi niya pang future girlfriend ko siya! But my anger turned into confusion after seeing Red sulking. Does that... mean something?

"Ang ganda naman pala ng future girlfriend mo. Malko pa ang tawag sa 'yo," she uttered.

Her voice sounded irritated. Galit ba siya? Why do I feel that she's... jealous? Why would she be? Hindi niya naman ako gusto.

"Yeah, my future girlfriend is the prettiest," I replied, looking at her.

Mukha ngang galit siya dahil bigla siyang umalis at iniwan ako. Dahil alam ko na kung saan siya nakatira ay naglakas-loob akong puntahan siya. She didn't seem to like my presence in her house though. Mukha siyang natatakot sa akin... o para sa akin. That bothered me, but I came here to apologize so might as well start with it.

"Galit ka?" lumapit ako sa kanya pero agad niya akong tinulak papalayo.

"Bakit naman ako magagalit? Sige nga, bigyan mo ako ng rason kung bakit dapat akong magalit?"

Galit nga siya.

"Kasi nilandi ako ni Ruby sa harapan mo," napalunok ako sa nasabi. "And she called me Malko. I don't have any idea why she did that."

Her mouth opened as if shocked about what I just said. "A-ano namang masama ro'n? Future girlfriend mo naman siya , 'di ba?"

Ayan na naman siya. Nauutal na naman. Kung hindi ko lang talaga alam na kaibigan lang ang turing niya sa akin ay inisip ko na na gusto niya ako. O baka naman talaga gusto niya rin ako at pareho lang naming tinatago iyon sa isa't-isa? I shrugged the thoughts off as I sat on the chair para sabayan siyang kumain.

"Siguraduhin mong swak sa panlasa mo 'yan, ha? 'Pag nalaman kong nagsisinungaling ka, ipapalapa kita sa mga pusa ko," biro niya, tatawa-tawa pa.

"Baka ikaw ang lapain ko hanggang sa maglihi ka."

Hindi ko inaasahang masasabi ko iyon pero mas hindi ko inaasahan ang reaksyon niya. Nasamid siya sa kinakain at mabilis na kumuha ng tubig sa ref nila. Pinanood ko siyang tumambay sa harap ng bukas nilang ref at nagpupunas ng pawis niya.

The refrigerator light touched her skin, and as if in an instant, her vibrant skin glowed. Just the sight of her closing her eyes as she was feeling cold gust of wind from the refrigerator enlightened me of one thing: I need to confess my love for her.

With the little gap between us, as I asked her about what she truly felt, I was so close to telling her I loved her. Until there was a knock on the door.

Mabilis niya akong hinila papasok sa kwarto niya at kaagad kong nabasa ang takot sa mukha niya. "Papa mo?"

"O-oo. At hindi siya mabuting tao, Malko. Please, 'wag kang maingay. Babalikan kita rito, aasikasuhin ko lang siya," sagot niya at iniwan ako sa loob.

I tried eavesdropping and I heard someone telling her that she's pretty. There was a moment of silence before she went back to the room. From her bed, I saw how her expression turned to worse. She was terrified.