Responsibilities That Ties Us

Chapter 21: Just Keep Swimming

"Sure ka wala kang nararamdaman?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. So you can go now—"

"Ang pula mo parin. Sure, kabang wala kang nararamdaman?"

I glared his way dahil parang sirang radio naman itong paulit-ulit na nagtatanong. Stubbron guy, really; he's not helping with all this emotional circus in my chest. "I've told you already—"

"Ok, ok. Sabi mo yan ha." He turns to pull his motor around, like it weighs nothing to him. "Pero kung may nararamdaman ka talaga, you can text me... kung may kalangan kang papabili saakin."

"It's nine, I doubt may bukas pang stores."

"Edi hahanapan ng may bukas para ma bilhan ng kaylangan mo," he grinned, wearing his helmet. "Nga pala... pupunta kaba doon sa party ni Sophia? Yung gaganapin sa linggo?"

"No. Not thinking about it." Dahil the thought of having to hang with other students— knowing Sophia, she probably invited the whole school— who probably were on with the rumor spreading and stuff. I can stand facing them all, but I just chose not to.

Parang nalungkot ito sa sinabi ko. "Ginugulo kasi ako ni Landon... sabi niya pilitin daw kita—"

"I'm not going nga."

"Eh, hindi naman kita pipilitin talaga," agap niya, "alam ko namang ayaw mo sa tao eh... pero sana pupunta ka doon."

I folded my arms. "You just said the reason why I'm not going."

"...Pero pwede naman kitang samahan. Kung gusto mo, aalis tayo ng maaga ng walang paalam para hindi ka nila ma-isdisturbo."

Why is he even saying that? His classmates will probably join, so why is he reaching and telling he'll choose me over them?

"You'll probably have friends there."

"Eh, ano naman. Mabubuhay pa naman sila kung hindi ko sila kakausapin doon..."

"It'll look like I'm forcing you away from them."

"Sus, hindi ah." He laughed bago paandarin yung motor niya. Its engine ripped through the silent night. "At pilit ba 'yun kung mas gusto kita?"

It took a while to register saakin, pero nung naintindihan ko itong pinapahiwatig niya'y tinignan ko lang siya ng masama. He grinned stupidly, "I mean, na mas-gusto kitang samahan."

I kind of hate that he can casually pull something like that, it sounds cheesy and cringy too. But I hate myself more for having to react to it; naginit iyong pisngi ko. I don't even reach out like this to anyone, or at anything anymore.