When Spring Returns

16

The week after the finals was one of the quietest eras of mine. Paano ba naman, after ng mga sinabi ni Zab, hindi ko talaga maiwasang maging cold kay Paige at Camden. Just like tonight. Sitting at the small bench here in our backyard with my friends, classmates, and Camden as a celebration for wrapping up the 11th grade with a bang or should I say, with bottles of beer and whisky.

Bahay ko pa talaga ang piniling venue e. Malayo rin naman kasi medyo sa room ng parents ko at sa room nila Dani at Drew kung kaya't okay lang na mag-ingay. 'Wag lang pasobra.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" bulong sa'kin ni Camden pero hindi ko lang siya pinansin.

Tiningnan ko muna ang mga kaibigan ko na kung saan ay naglalaro ngayon ng uno. There are some na rin na lasing, like, Rose, Brea, Paige, Reece, and Hanna. With Zab and Finn of course, being the loudest among them all. Si Faith ay nakaupo lang pero parang may tama na rin. Ang iba naman ay nagkakaraoke lang.

Lumingon ako kay Camden na ngayon ay naka back hug sa'kin.

"You said, you wanna talk to me after the finals, right?" bulong niya ulit.

Tumango lang ako bilang tugon at ibinilin kila Maria at Shannon ang mga lasing. Nagsenyas na lang din akong may kukunin lang sa kusina nang hindi na sila magtaka. Lumabas na rin si Drew ng room niya at nagtake pa talaga ng shat.

Camden was holding my hand, while we were walking towards the kitchen. Ipinwesto niya ako sa sink at binakuran ako gamit ang dalawang braso niya. I can now smell his breath. Smells like the whisky we had earlier obviously.

Ang mga mata niya'y nasa akin lang at mukha talaga siyang seryoso. We're having this silence for quite a few minutes na halos mga crickets na lang ang maririnig, nang bigla siyang magsalita nang mahinahon at sa malalim niyang boses.

"Are you mad at me?" tanong niya nang hindi lumilipat ang tingin.

Umiwas ako ng tingin pero ibinalik niya ito sa kaniyang direksyon by holding my chin.

"Look at me, my girl." Agad ko namang ibinalik ang tingin ko sa kaniya. "Is my Spring mad at me? Hmm?"

I just rolled my eyes bilang tugon. "My Spring? Kailan pa ako naging iyo?"

He brushed my cheek using his fingers. "So, you're mad?"

"I am."

"Okay. I'm all ears whenever you're ready."

I let out a sigh bago magstart magkwento. I told him those stuff na kinuwento sa'kin ni Zabryna last week nang hindi ko namamalayan na may luha pa lang lumabas sa'king mga mata. He wiped it gently, immediately, and gave me a gentle kiss at the top of my head.

"Now that I get it, I'll explain it to you, okay? I'll show you our convo para hindi ikaw mag overthink," he told me while doing something on his phone.

Ipinakita niya nga sa'kin ang convo nila ni Paige at wala naman akong nakitang dapat kong ikakagalit.

"We just talked about some stuff regarding sa schoolwork natin."

"Why does she have to ask you? E, nandito naman kami," I asked him nang nakakunot ang noo and he answered me with a shrug.

"You still mad?"

Tumango ulit ako bilang tugon.

"Spring, I won't do to you what Luca did to Zab if that's what you're thinking mula nang malaman mo 'yan from whoever it is. God, I love you so much na it will hurt me even more kapag nakita kitang nasasaktan lalo na 'pag ako 'yung cause. I will rather wait kung kailan pwede na kitang ikiss kesa sa humalik ako ng ibang babae," he explained to me with a serious face and calm voice.