Less of Me, More of You

Chapter 8

2019

▶️: Padaba Taka - dwta

Dandelions - Ruth B.

Coffee - BTS

"Do you like girls?"

Ella wanted to ask that question to Jema. But, looking at Jema who looks at peace while observing the birds playing on the water of fountain held her back.

In a three-seated bench, Jema and Ella are sitting close to each other with no space spotted between them.

It's like they're naturally gravitated to each other.

Tiningnan na lang din ni Ella ang mga ibong masayang nagtatampisaw sa halos mapuno na ng mga dahon at maruming tubig.

"Alam mo ba..." Jema suddenly spoke and Ella briefly glanced at her. Masyado kasi itong malapit, hindi siya nakakahinga kapag napagtatanto niyang gahibla lang ang layo ng mga mukha nila kapag lumilingon siya.

"...nung nakaraang buwan hindi man lang tayo nakapag-usap nang maayos," pagpapatuloy niya.

Walang lumingon sa kanila. Tanging ang mga paunti-unting nagliliparang ibon lamang ang pinili ng mga mata nilang pagmasdan.

"Oo nga eh," Ella agreed. She didn't know what to say.

Strangely, her heart started to beat fast. Her stomach felt weird.

Matagal naman na silang nakakapag-usap ni Jema pero parang habang tumatagal na magkatabi sila, naguguluhan siya sa sarili.

She didn't act like this before.

Is it the short proximity?

No, they were like this before. They even had much closer interaction than this. They held hands, kissed each other's cheeks, and hugged so many times she lost count.

She breathed in to calm her raging heart. Why the heck is she so nervous all of a sudden?

Nang ilalabas na sana niya ang hanging nilanghap, bigla namang lumingon na lang si Jema.

She's smiling. Her white, perfect-shaped teeth are showing. She uttered something but Ella unfortunately cannot comprehend anything right now.

Ang ganda.

Ang ganda-ganda ni Jema.

"Earth to ate Ella?" natatawang sambit ni Jema. Parang may nag-flashback sa tanong niya na 'yon na akala mo nangyari na 'yon.

"Ha?" Ella shifted her focus on something, basta 'wag lang kay Jema.

"Tinanong kita kung kumusta college life." Finally, tumingin na si Jema sa ibang bagay kaya naibuga na ni Ella ang hanging natengga sa lalamunan niya.

Ella asked herself again, what the hell is happening?

Ella cleared her throat to answer her, "nothing changed that much except sa workloads. It's exhausting."

"Ikaw?"

Naglakas siya ng loob na lumingon kay Jema.

Kahit nasa malayo ang tingin nito, malinaw sa mga mata ni Ella kung gaano kaganda ang isang Jema Galanza.