What Happened? || MaColet (BINI #1)

Chapter 22: Infatuation

Everyone left except Jhoanna and me. I decided to stay muna dahil gusto ko siyang makausap. She agreed to stay too dahil wala rin naman daw naghihintay sa kanya sa bahay. I knew that. She was living alone. Ang ayoko lang ay parang pinapamukha niya sa akin na kapag hindi ko siya sinamahan ay ako ang masama.

"Hindi pa ba tayo aalis? Magsasara na ’yung restaurant na binook ko for our dinner." Jho looked at her wrist watch.

"Ayokong lumabas kasama ka." I looked at her and she looked shocked after hearing that. "I didn't want to be rude, Jho. But I hope you'll understand me kung magiging straightforward ako ngayon."

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I don't know exactly what you're up to, but I don't like it." I heaved a sigh and put my hands inside my pocket before facing her with dead eyes. "Tell me, why do you have to invite me in front of many people? Why do you have to invite only me e ang dami natin kanina?"

"I want to spend time with you. Is that answer enough?" she asked. She looked innocent right now. Don't get me wrong. I don't hate her, I just hate what she did.

"Bakit ako?" I asked then huffed. "I mean, pwede mo namang yayain sila Sheena, si Franz, si Maloi. Bakit ako lang?"

"Because I want to spend time with you nga. Ano bang mali roon?" she asked back and she sounded frustrated already.

"Mali nga, kasi parang may gusto ka sa ’kin. Hindi mo ba gets ’yon? If sa States kapag niyaya mo ang isang taong lumabas, okay lang. Dito, hindi. As if you're asking me out for a date. Do you get my point?" I asked and ran my finger through my hair dahil naiinis na ako.

"So what if I'm asking you out? So what if I'm asking you to date me? Is that so wrong?"

Hindi niya talaga maintindihan ang mga sinasabi ko.

"Yes. Kasi una sa lahat, you don't like—"

"I do like you, Colet." She confessed that made me taken aback. "Hindi ba pwedeng magkagusto sa ’yo dahil babae tayo pareho?"

"It's not that, Jho." I bit my lower lip and averted my gaze. "Pero bawal."

"Why?" she asked and held my chin gently for me to face her. "Why can't I like you?"

"You don't know me well. Ilang days pa lang tayo nagkakasama. Ni-hindi nga tayo madalas magkausap at palagi pa akong ilag sa ’yo. You can't like me in just a few days." I explained.

"Ilang araw ba dapat, Colet?"

"That's not the question. You just can't like me." I turned my back but she grabbed my arms to stop me from walking away.

Tang— Bakit ang awkward? Bakit imbes na kiligin ako dahil may nagkagusto sa ’kin, bakit parang naaawa pa ako sa kanya?

"Then answer me." Jho's voice raised. "Why can't I like you?"

"Because I can't like you back." I didn't want to hurt her feelings just like that, pero ayoko ring umasa siya. "Hindi kita kayang saluhin, Jho. This is too soon for me. And also..." I stopped mid-sentence. "I like someone else."

Jho fell silent after hearing that. She stepped back and averted her gaze. "Kaya ba ayaw mo sa ’kin? Dahil kay Maloi? You like her?"

"Oo." I answered. "That's why I don't want you to like me, because I don't want to hurt you. I like Maloi. I like her a lot."

Jho nodded and sighed. "I heard she's a transferee too. Ilang days na ba kayo magkakilala before dumating ako? Does she know you like I do? I heard everything about you from your closest friends. I tried—"

"I like her for who she is." I sighed. "She doesn't need to know me from my closest friends kasi siya mismo gumawa ng paraan para makasama ako. Para kilalanin ako. Siya mismo umalam non. She didn't ask anyone. And she didn't need to try so hard just like what you did."

"Kayo na ba?"

"It doesn't matter kung kami na o hindi. Labas ka na roon. I just don't want to get involved with you again dahil sa tingin ko nagseselos siya sa ’yo." I patted Jho's shoulder and sadly smiled. "Thank you for liking me, but I'm sorry."

I turned my back again at tuluyan nang umalis sa headquarters. Ayoko nang makarinig ulit sa kanya ng ganon. I'll just forget what happened para hindi na ako mailang.

When I reached the gate of the school, I saw Maloi standing there. She was waiting for someone, I guess.

"May hinihintay ka?" I asked when I reached the spot where she stood. "Ayaw mo bang sumabay sa ’kin?"

"Hindi na," she said. "I'm waiting for Mikha. Sa kanila muna ako for now. Baka mamaya magselos si Jhoanna kasi lagi na akong natutulog sa inyo."

"I thought you were going home?"

"Echos lang ’yon, ano ka ba. Nasa province pa rin sila at ayoko mag-isa. I'll just stay sa condo ni Mikha, mag-isa rin naman siya, so sasamahan ko na." She smiled at me. "Akala ko ba may dinner kayo ni Jho? Nasaan siya?"

"I don't know. Iniwan ko na. Hindi ako pumayag sa dinner."

"Arte mo. Minsan lang kaya may mag-treat sa ’yo tapos aayaw ka pa? Pagkain na naging bato pa." She rolled her eyes.

"Tinulad mo pa ako sa ’yo. Tumatanggi ako ’no?"

Maloi smiled and slowly nodded. "Pero kung ako ba mag-aaya papayag ka?" she asked and looked at her phone. "May food park na kakabukas lang sa malapit. Doon na lang ako magpapasundo. Kain muna tayo. Nagugutom na ako."

"Tara." I walked ahead and she laughed so hard.

"Masyado kang obvious." She was still laughing kaya napakunot na ang noo ko. "Tigilan mo ’ko sa mga ganyan mo, Cole. Konti na lang iisipin ko na gusto mo ’ko."

But before I could say something to her, my phone buzzed and I received a message from Franz. Kasama niya si Mikha ngayon at mukhang matatagalan pa sila sa pagsundo kay Maloi kaya ang bilin niya sa ’kin ay samahan muna si Maloi. How did he even know na magkasama kami?

"Papa mo?" she asked, referring to the person who texted me.

"Si Franz." I casually answered.

"Isa pa ’yang si Franz. Grabe ang confession sa ’yo, every day and every night." Maloi chuckled. "Pero I understand, bagay naman kayo."

"Bakit mo ba ako shiniship kay Franz?" Iritado kong tanong sabay balik ng phone sa bulsa ko. "Hindi naman kami talo."

"Bagay kayo," she said and tilted her head. "Gwapo siya, maganda ka. Oh ‘di ba."

"‘Wag sa kanya. Ang awkward."

"Kanino mo ba gusto? Ilalakad pa kita."

"Sa ‘yo."

"Siraulo."

"Kilig ka naman?" Tawa ko.

"Asa. Tara na nga. Nagugutom na talaga ako."