ETB #1: Lost in Blank Stares

Chapter 09

Chapter 09

I finished showering and went back to the locker to organize my things. Walang ibang tao sa locker room, kaya't ako lang ang mag-isa. Ako kasi ang laging nauuna sa pagbibihis o pagligo; ayoko ng may kasabay at gusto kong makalabas agad dito. Nagulat ako nang isara ko ang aking locker at nakita si Stefano.

"Bakit ka nandito?" gulat na tanong ko.

I mean, of course, he would be here-locker room to ng mga lalaki, e. But what I meant was, bakit nandito siya sa harap ko?

Stefano stood with his arms crossed, nakasandal sa gilid ng locker malapit sa akin. He was looking at me seriously.

He tilted his head. "You didn't reply to my message."

I cleared my throat and looked at my locker again, pretending to adjust something. Pero sa totoo lang, ayoko lang talaga tumingin sa mga mata niyang parang nagtatampo dahil hindi ko siya nareplyan. At anong isasagot ko sa tanong niya-na hindi ako nakapag-reply kasi inuna ko yung kilig ko?

But honestly, sa sobrang kilig ko sa pag-message niya sa akin, nakalimutan ko nang mag-reply.

"Ah, I didn't notice. Natabunan na rin siguro ng ibang nag-DM sa akin, and I was busy too," I reasoned out.

Hindi pa rin ako tumitingin sa lalaki at kunwaring inaayos pa rin ang mga gamit ko. Hindi rin nakikisama ang puso ko-ang lakas ng tibok.

"Busy with Rej?" Napatigil ako sa ginagawa ko at bumaling ang tingin sa kanya.

What did he just say?

"You were chatting with him about something that same day you didn't reply to me," he continued, his voice carrying a hint of frustration.

Gusto kong matawa at magtaka sa mga sinasabi niya. Parang ang bothered niya kasi, and I don't get why we're having this conversation right now.

"We were just talking about the girl that he likes, nothing more," paliwanag ko. At bakit niya alam na nag-uusap kami ni Rejiel? They're friends, pero bakit alam niya! At bakit parang galit siya!

"But you said you were busy," he interrogated.

My heartbeat was racing; pakiramdam ko, lalabas na ang puso ko sa dibdib ko. "Busy sa ibang bagay. Hindi naman ibig sabihin na 24/7 akong busy, Pres."

He let out a frustrated sigh, pushing himself off the locker and standing up straight. His eyes were intense, and I could feel the tension in the air between us.

"You ignored my message for hours. But you had time to chat with him?" His words stung, and the way he said it made it sound like I had committed some huge offense. Parang ang laki pa ng kasalanan ko dahil inuna kong replyan ang kaibigan ko.

Wala na talagang lumalabas na salita sa bibig ko. I don't know what to say anymore. Hindi ko alam paano ipapaliwanag na halos mangisay ako sa kilig kaya hindi ako nakapag-reply. That every word he sent made my heart race, and instead of responding, I just sat there, staring at his message like some lovesick idiot?

I looked at him, feeling completely cornered. Stefano's gaze was fixed on me, waiting for an explanation na hindi ko kayang maibigay.