At the Tips (Villa Aurin Series #2)

CHAPTER 27

"Mula pa noong high school, gustung-gusto na kita!"

Itinikom ko ang bahagyang nakaawang kong labi nang makabawi at hinayaang bumagsak ang tingin ko sa pagitan ng kaniyang mata at pisngi. Mabilis ang pintig ng puso ko at hindi pa nakakabawi mula sa narinig. We waited for each other to calm down.

"That's why I keep on thinking about you, lalo na noong umamin ka sa akin. I tried, believe me. But I can't resist you... I can't resist these feelings anymore."

"That's not true," natitigilan kong sabi.

I remember all our interactions, how cold he treated all the girls, the way his brows crossed because of annoyance, and the times he didn't even give me a single glance.

"You were ignoring girls, Renz. You were ignoring me–"

"I just ignored them for you not to befriend me," putol niya sa kung ano mang sasabihin ko na mas lalo kong ikinamaang.

"What made you think that I would try to befriend you? Feeling mo ako unang lalapit sa'yo kasi friendly ka?" pag-alma ko, hindi makapaniwala.

Yes, I do like him now. Ngunit junior high pa lang, kilala na siyang hindi nakikipag-usap sa babae. Nasimulan ko lang naman siya nagustuhan noong senior high na kami... so did he assume that I would approach him back in junior high? Really? Eh hindi ko pa naman siya gusto noon!

Ngayon, naiisip ko... kung noong junior high ba kinakausap na niya ako, magugustuhan ko na siya? I bit my lowerlip. Noon, madali ko siguro 'yon masasagot na hindi. Ngayon, naging malabo na ang sagot sa akin.

Nagustuhan ko nga kahit suplado, paano pa kaya kung hindi?

Umiinit pa ang pisngi ko sa posibilidad na gusto na niya ako noong mula junior high?

That's just so unexpected. He even bit his lowerlip when he saw my reaction, stifling a chuckle.

"Hindi naman sa ganon. Cautious lang," paliwanag niya, pinipigilang ngumisi.

"Senior lang naman nung nagustuhan kita. Hindi ka naman kapansin-pansin noong junior high," mariin kong sabi.

That was almost a lie. Of course, he's good-looking, tall, intelligent, and responsible, how could I not notice him? It was just that... I never imagined that I would step on the line later on.

Imbes na ma-offend, umangat na ng tuluyan ang sulok labi niya. Hindi na niya napigilang tumawa. When I glared at him, he pressed his lips tightly together. He then took a sigh.

"Alright. To be honest, it's for me... I did it to keep my distance from you and to remind myself that I shouldn't like you. It has become natural... until I become cold towards girls, in general."

"Ba't hindi na lang ako ang iniwasan mo?"

His brows furrrowed, like I said something wrong. "I didn't want you think that I hated you alone. I maybe wanted to distance myself from you, pero ayokong isipin mo na ikaw lang ang ayaw ko..."

Binasa niya ang labi at umiwas ng tingin.

"Gustung-gusto nga kita, kaya paanong mangyayaring ikaw lang ayaw ko?" he reasoned out, his adam's apple moved slowly.

My cheeks flushed more, just like his. He looked really shy, as if he were caught redhanded. Nevertheless, the sincerity in his voice was very evident. It didn't sound rehearsed at all. Parang pati siya ay nagulat na umaamin siya ngayon.

"Alam kong 'di mo ako paniniwalaan agad. I even lied to you when you asked me if I liked you. But I have reached my limits. I can no longer hold back..."