Fragile Hearts [HEARTS TRILOGY #1]

Chapter 08

I paced back and forth. Katatapos lang ng huling klase namin pero hindi pa rin ako umaalis para puntahan si Josiah sa sinabi niyang lugar.

"Pwede ba huminto ka, Dee! Ako nahihilo sa pagpabalik-balik mo!"

Napabalik kay Ancie ang tingin ko. Nakalimutan ko'ng naki-sit-in nga pala siya sa last class namin dahil ayaw niyang mainitan sa CS Hall. Her laptop is opened in front of her, probably still working on her baby thesis.

Huminga ako nang malalim at kinuha ang isang stool doon para umupo sa harap niya. I need to let it out or my chest will explode—not literally, but my heart is a ticking time bomb nonetheless.

"Ans, kailangan ko lang na makinig ka at 'wag muna mag-react, okay?" I told her. Kumunot ang noo niya sa akin at bahagyang tumaas ang kilay.

"Ikaw yung katulong ni Daryll lagyan ng bato ang bag ko last year?" She asked, suspicious.

"What? No!"
Oo tumulong ako kay Daryll but this is not the time for her to know that.
"Anyway! What if, hypothetically, what if there's someone who asked you to date them, but not really date—date them? Hypothetical lang ha!"

"Alam mo, Dee, diretsuhin mo nalang ako. Wala pa akong tulog simula kahapon, umayos ka" she threatened.

Napangiwi ako bago huminga ng malalim, calming my heart.

"Okay," I started, "Will you support me if I'm about to do something very stupid?"

Ancie rolled her eyes, "May itatanga ka pa?"

"Ans, naman! Seryoso kasi!"

She sighed and nod, "Tingin mo tatagal tayong magkaibigan if I won't, Dee? As long as it's not stupid enough to land us in jail or six feet below the soil, you have my full support"

I smiled. Na-touched naman ako 'ron.
Pero mabilis din akong sumeryoso ulit.
"What if it involves dating someone?" I continued.

Bahagyang lumiwanag ang mga mata niya sa narinig. "Much better! Para makalimutan mo na si Josiah—"

"Si Josiah yung i-de-date ko, Ans" I said before she could finish. Napapikit ako, bracing for her shoutings, but it didn't come.

Dahan-dahan akong nagmulat ulit ng mga mata. Ancie is poker face kaya hindi ko malaman kung ano ang reaksyon niya. She didn't utter anything, just a plain expressionless stare.

"Ans?" I called her. She didn't react. "Huy! Gagi, mag-react ka naman!" I gently poke her cheeks. Tinampal niya palayo ang kamay ko at sinamaan ako ng tingin.

"I am both surprised and disappointed," she sighed.

She motioned me to continue, kaya kahit kinakabahan na bigla nalang niya ako pukpokin ng laptop, ay nagpatuloy ako.

"I'll be dating Jo, but not really dating... I asked him to fake date me"

I said and she exploded.

"ANO?! BOBO KA BA DOMINIC LEE?!" Napapikit ako sa lakas ng boses ni Ancie. "PUTANG INA BELOW THE CATEGORY OF STUPIDITY NA YAN EH!"
"Nag-a-apply ka bang fourth member ng GomBurZa?! Ika-apat na martyr?! Putang ina, Dee! Hindi ka namin iniiangatan para saktan lang sarili mo, huh!? No! Itigil mo 'yang katangahan na 'yan! Wag lang talaga papakita sa'kin 'yang Josiah na 'yan! Tatagain ko siya ng t-square!"