NICHOLAI
I sat down at the chair in front of Alison as soon as the guy named Dave left us alone. Hindi ko alam kung sino yung lalaki na kasama niya since hindi ko naman siya nakikita around campus. And just so happens nga na he's from another school.
"So bakit ka pala nandito ulit?" I called the waiter and asked for two bottles of asahi.
Tumingin sa akin si Alison nang makahulugan at nag angat ng kilay. I raised my brows as well in return, pero umiling lang siya at ngumiti ng maliit. There was a hint of mischief in her smile kaya mas lalao akong nagtaka.
"Kuya rarely drinks tho, pero if he drinks, he will always asks if may asahi. Parehas pala kayo ng taste." She nodded as if she understood something.
The waiter returned for the two bottles and a bucket of ice cubes. Binuksan ko ang bote ng beer at nilagay ito sa baso sabay sinamahan ng yelo. I offered Alison some but she declined me with a smile.
"So bakit ka nga nandito?" I asked again for I don't know how many times already dahil kanina niya pa ayaw ito sagutin.
I took the glass at ininom ang alak, ngumiti lang siya sa akin at napailing. "You're so makulit talaga noh." Agap niya and we both chuckled.
"I'm here with kuya. Sumama lang ako sa kaniya."
Namilog ang mata ko sa narinig at nilapag ng mabilis ang baso. "What? Nandito si Kyle?"
I immediately stood up at nagpalingon lingon para hanapin kung nasaan ang kapatid niya. Pero there were no sight of him, kahit anino o presensya niya ay hindi ko maramdaman sa paligid.
Wait. Bakit ko ba siya hinahanap? I mean I can take this as an opportunity to show him na I'm being serious with his sister, but why do I feel something inside me that makes me bothered na hindi ko siya nakikita ngayon.
I sat back down again at tumingin kay Alison na ngiting ngiti sa akin. I knitted my brows at inabot ulit ang baso para uminom.
"Bat mo naman hinahanap Nico?" she was smirking at me at parang binibigyan niya ng ibang kahulugan ang pagtayo ko.
Napakamot ako sa batok at kinagat ang ibabang labi. Well I admit, there is this thing about Kyle that makes me want to see him kahit saan ako magpunta. Eto kasing kapatid niya, everytime na magkasama kami walang ibang bukang bibig kung hindi si Kyle. Puro si Kyle laman ng paguusap namin, kaya ayan, medyo nakuryoso na rin ako sa kaniya. We can be friends naman I think, kung makukuha ko ang tiwala niya.
"Pupunta kaya..." My voice almost came out as a whisper dahil it was just supposed to be said inside my mind.
Natawa si Alison kaya tinignan ko siya nang biglaan. "Punta 'yon dito mamaya, tignan mo." Hindi maalis ang ngiti at ngisi sa maganda niyang mukha at ang mapaglarong galaw ng kilay.
Binasa ko ang aking labi at ngumuso. Let me set this straight first. I'm straight, and sigurado ako sa sexuality ko dahil I've been with women ever since. There were never a time I looked at a man in a different way, siguro I can appreciate if someone guy looks handsome, pero that's it. No other thoughts or whatsoever.
"I'm straight Alison, and ikaw ang pakay ko. Not your brother." I said firmly at nagsalin ulit ng alak sa baso at ininom ito.
She smiled even wider, and this time it was an upturned smile. Parang pinipigilan niya pa ang pag ngiti at umirap sa akin.
"Okay, sabi mo yan eh."
She called a waiter at nagorder ng kalamares for some pulutan. Nang dumating na ito ay agad niyang nilantakan and offered me some, but I politely declined since I don't like seafood.
