What Happened? || MaColet (BINI #1)

Chapter 23: Confession

Nang makarating kami sa bagong open na food park agad akong dinala ni Maloi sa harap. Meron kasing banda roon at pwede kang magrequest or pwede ka ring kumanta kung gusto mo.

She was listening at first pero nang matapos ’yung kumakanta, pinuntahan niya ’yung vocalist at may ibinulong. I was just sitting at the table while eating my fries nang tumingin sa akin ang vocalist at ngumiti.

Piskit. Ano na naman ginawa ni Maloi?

"Seems like we have a singer here. Gusto nyo ba siya marinig kumanta?" tanong ng vocalist sa mga nanunuod.

They all cheered kaya napakunot ang noo ko, lalo nang palapit sa akin ang vocalist. Maloi was smiling from where she stood. Siraulo talaga. Ano namang kakantahin ko? Nagugutom lang ’yung tao, kailangan pang kumanta.

"What's your name?" the vocalist asked.

"Cole po," I said.

"Nice name, parang si Cole Sprouse lang ah. What's your all time favorite song and can you sing it for us?" she asked again.

"I don't have an all-time favorite song, but I can sing one song for all of you." I smiled.

Maloi's smile widened. Alam na alam kasi niyang hindi ako makahindi sa kanya.

Pumunta na ako sa harap para umupo at kunin ang gitara. Maloi was still at the side while looking at me with prideful eyes. It was as if she was so proud of me. Wala naman akong ginagawang mabuti these past few days.

"This song is dedicated to the person who always makes me smile." I didn't look at her. It would be too obvious if I did.

"Nahulog sa 'yong mga mata," I sang as I strummed the guitar. I wanted to look at her eyes but I knew I would fall hard this time. "Tila ba'y ‘di na makawala."

"Nais ko lang ay magtanong," I shifted my head para silipin siya. I saw her looking at me with loving eyes. Piskit, baka mawala ako sa tono.

"Maari bang humingi ng pagkakataon?" The crowd cheered when I wiggled my brows at Maloi. However, she didn't get it.

"Na mahawakan ang 'yong mga kamay." I focused on strumming the guitar and closed my eyes. "At sa awitin na ‘to tayo’y sasabay."

"Ikaw lang ang pipiliin, oh wala nang iba." I chuckled at the lyrics. Bakit ramdam na ramdam ko lyrics nito?

"Ikaw ang panalangin na makasama hanggang sa pagtanda." The crowd waved their hands.

"At lagi kong uulitin, ipapaalala sa 'yo." I looked at Maloi again and from afar, I saw Mikha but she wasn't with Franz. It was someone else.

"Ikaw ang panalangin," I continued the song habang papalapit si Mikha at ’yung guy kay Maloi.

"Ikaw ang panalangin." I stopped. Not because I didn't feel the song anymore, but because the guy wrapped his hand around Maloi and she looked surprised on seeing him.

Maloi hugged him as if she was so excited to meet him. Nawala na ako sa mood. I thanked everyone at isinauli ang gitara.

I didn't bid goodbye to Maloi. Basta na lang akong umalis at hindi na nagpaalam sa kanila. Naiinis ako.

***

"Ate Colet! Alas otso na!" Pilit akong niyuyugyog ni Tin para bumangon pero wala talaga ako sa mood pumasok.

After what happened last night, sobrang naiirita ako. Maloi didn't text me. Ni-hindi niya ako hinanap kagabi after ko mag-disappear nang ganoon. Hindi naman ako nag-iinarte pero kahit text man lang na "Umuwi ka na ba? Pagkatingin ko wala ka." Wala! Walang nangyari na ganyan. Panigurado masyado na siyang natuwa roon sa lalaking nakita niya.

"Isa pa! Hahampasin kita ng unan!" Banta ko kay Tin kaya lumabas na lang siya ng kwarto. Bakit ba niya ako ginigising? Eh dati naman walang paki ’to kung ma-late ako.

"Nicolette. Bumangon ka na," wika ni Mama mula sa labas ng kwarto ko kaya napahilamos ako ng mukha. Ano ba naman mga taong ’to. Hindi naman ako nagpapagising sa kanila.

"Eto na!" I shouted pero hindi pagalit. Baka kasi mahampas ako ng nanay ko kapag nagdabog ako.

"Bilisan mo. Nakakahiya sa bisita mo. Nandito si Maria."

"Maraiah nga!" I corrected her pero hindi pa rin ako bumangon. Gusto ko pa matulog. Mga 10 minutes. Si Aiah lang naman ’yon.

I closed my eyes again para matulog pero nagulat ako nang biglang bumukas ang pinto. Naknam! Bakit naman hindi ni-lock ni Tin—

Babatukan ko na sana si Tin dahil akala ko siya iyon nang makita ko si Maloi. She looked okay but I could see in her eyes that she was worried.

I heaved a sigh at humiga ulit. Galit ako sa kanya. Ayoko muna siyang makausap.

"Sorry for coming in without knocking. Kanina ka pa kasi tinatawag ng mama mo, kaya ang sabi niya, pumasok na raw ako deretso." I felt Maloi sat on the edge of the bed. I could smell her sweet perfume. "Bigla kang nawala kagabi. Umuwi ka na pala."

"Ano bang gagawin ko ron?" I asked.

"I thought nagalit ka kasi pinakanta kita sa harap without asking kung gusto mo ba." She heaved a sigh and felt that she was slowly leaning back para magdikit ang mga likod namin. "Sorry na. Hindi ko alam na ayaw mo pala nang ganoon."

"Hindi naman iyon." I moved para umalis siya sa tabi ko but she didn't even flinch.

"Oh e ano? Trip mo lang magalit nang walang dahilan?" Maloi asked at umakyat na sa kama para pumunta sa kabilang side at tingnan ako.

Piskit. Mukha akong bangag, hindi pa ako naghihilamos. Baka mamaya may muta pa ako.

"Kung gusto mo talaga magsorry dapat kagabi pa," I said at tinalikuran ulit siya.

Maloi had enough kaya humiga na lang siya sa tabi ko at niyakap ako. Tang— ANO BA!

"Low battery phone ko kagabi. Si Mikha naman naiwan niya kay Franz phone niya. Hindi naman kita matetext with Maki's phone kasi wala pa siyang number dito sa Pilipinas—"

"Sino si Maki?" I asked at hinarap na siya. I was so shocked kasi ang lapit pala ng mukha namin sa isa't isa.

"Mikha's stepbrother. A baby brother." She answered and gently tucked the remaining hair behind my ear. "Don't tell me nakita mo si Maki kahapon at siya ang dahilan kung bakit ka nagsu-sulk ngayon."

"Hindi ah." I pouted. "Bakit naman ako magseselos."

"Wala naman akong sinabi na nagseselos ka ha?" Maloi chuckled pero nakatingin pa rin siya sa mata ko. "Masyado kang halata, Cole."

"Tigilan mo ’ko," I said then tried to stand up pero hinila niya ako pabalik sa higaan.

"Tell me, Cole. I don't like mixed signals." Maloi's voice became serious. It was as if she wasn't the jolly girl I was with last night. Her voice was full of curiosity.

"I already told Jho—"

"You like Jho?"

"Ha?" I chuckled nervously. "Saan mo nakuha ’yan?"

"I like you, Cole. Hindi ko personality ang magparaya." Maloi looked into my eyes. "If I have to make you realize that I am worthy of you, I would. If I have to steal you from her, I would. Pipilitin kitang piliin mo ’ko."

I was taken aback. Wala naman akong sinasabi na gusto ko si Jho? What made her think like that?