Chasing Sunsets

A Day Away

"HEY, HAZE and Nana" tawag ni Chace habang tinatahak namin ni Nana ang daan palabas ng classroom. Ang init ng araw sa labas, feeling ko super lagkit ko na "Do you want to grab some lunch together?"

I felt Nana nudged at her kaya pasimple ko itong inirapan habang nakatalikod ang mukha ko kay Chace.

I finally looked at Chace again na naghihintay pa rin sa sagot namin, na mukhang hindi naman balak sagutin ni Nana.

Kaya, ako na sasagot, I guess.

I hesitated. I looked at Nana who just nodded at me. "Sure," I finally replied, my heart fluttering slightly. Ang landi mo talaga.

As they sat down to eat, nagpaalam muna si Nana to buy her lunch and inask na rin ako kung anong gusto kong pagkain.

After Nana left, Chace asked, "So, how's everything going? You seem a bit distracted today."

I took a deep breath, considering how much to reveal. "It's just... things at home are complicated," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Chace looked at me with concern. "If you're comfortable sharing, I'm here to listen. Pero kung hindi, okay lang din. I just want to make sure you're okay."

I gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Chace. It's just the usual family problems, you know?"

Chace nodded, maybe sensing na I really didn't want to delve deeper. "Okay, understood. So, um.. may need ka bang gawin bago umuwi or need mo ba agad umuwi?"

I got curious with what he was going to say, "Um.. wala naman, why?"

"I know a park and I've been thinking on going there for a very long time na, but since naisip ko while talking to you, I thought na why not ask you to go with me? Are you free ba? It's okay lang din if hindi, naisip ko lang naman kasi talaga randomly" that made me quite happy, kahit halatang he's so careful with his words.

Maybe because of what I said earlier.

I straightened my back before answering him. "Sure, that sounds nice. G me later."

─

*/bell rings

I grabbed my backpack and opened it para malagay ko na yung mga gamit ko. I put my binder first, and my pencil case last.

I can feel Chace looking at me from my peripheral vision, kaya't bigla kong naalala ang plano namin kanina. Tumingin ako sa kanya at sinabi, "I'll just inform Nana na 'di ako makakasabay sa kanya." Binigyan ko siya ng ngiti pagkatapos.

Nagkaroon siya ng pag-aalalang ekspresyon sa mukha. "Oh, I'm so sorry I forgot na you live together pala. I did not think of that earlier. Is it really okay?"

Napa-smile tuloy ako because of his worriedness. "Don't worry. It's okay. Minsan din hindi kami nagsasabay, when one of us needs to do something."

He suddenly sighed in relief after hearing my answer, which I thought was cute.

Isinukbit ko ang backpack ko sa likod ko at lumapit sa kinaroroonan ni Nana, who's packing her stuff.

"Girl," sabi ko, habang hinihintay na tumingin siya sa akin, "Hindi ako makakasabay today kasi may pupuntahan kami ni Chace." Nakita ko ang pag-squint ng mga mata niya nang marinig ang pangalan ni Chace.

"Hmmm... That's suspicious. That's weird" She said while iniikutan ako. Mapangasar talaga.

Pag eto inasar ko kay Kenneth, kita mo.

"Whatever girl. I'll just buy our dinner later since nasa labas na rin naman ako later." I rolled my eyes after that.

"Okay~" She said, still with a hint of pangaasar.