For Years, I Love You

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Confident

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Staring at the photopaper in my hands, I was trapped in a wonderhall of thoughts, unable to forget the seraphic experience I just had.

The photo felt surreal to the point I had to pinch myself. When I got hurt, I pursed my lips as I tried containing my smile. Jericho and I were looking at each other in the first row of photo. The second one was when we were looking at the camera, smiling beside each other. The third photo was the one that made me surprise the most— Jericho was looking at me with a smile on his face.

If I didn't know better, I would have thought Jericho was looking at me because he likes me. But then again, he just indirectly confessed that he likes me— again.

As a straightforward dude, Jericho often confessed indirectly. Hindi ko siya maintindihan, pero okay na 'yon. At least, he confessed and clearly, it's for me. Palaging may pangalan ko sa bawat salitang binibigkas niya.

Sana sa susunod na pananalita niya, may kasama ng kasiguraduhan— diretsong pag-amin na.

Pero bakit naman ako magmamadali? For years, I admired Jericho from a far. I liked him— I like him. Ngayong binibigyan niya 'ko ng atensyon— ng pagkakalituhan— ayos lang dahil sa tamang oras, magkakaroon din ng kasiguraduhan. I can wait until he admits that he likes me directly. Until then, I can bear with his indirect confessions and blunt compliments.

Baka kasi hindi pa siya handa. Baka kasi hindi pa rin siya sigurado. Knowing that he was ghosted before, I can understand him. I want to understand him more, so I will stay and wait until he's sure enough to admit his feelings.

Gano'n naman talaga, 'di ba? Maghihintay ka hanggang maging sigurado sa 'yo. Maghihintay ka kasi naiintindihan mo. Maghihintay ka kasi... mahal mo.

Gano'n naman talaga... 'di ba?

"Hindi ko talaga maintindihan kung bakit ang tatanga ng mga tao kapag in love!"

Napakurap ako nang magising mula sa malalim na pag-iisip. Napabaling ako kay Gino dahil sa naging pahayag niya. He was beside Kian. Both of them were drinking their Yakult while Jericho who was beside me was drinking his bottled water.

"Like, ilang beses ka nang niloko, iniwan ka na, sinaktan ka na, pero babalikan mo pa rin kasi ano? Kasi mahal mo? Amputa, ano 'yon?!" Gino furrowed his eyebrows. Halos ibato niya na rin ang hawak na inumin sa inis. "Ang tanga lang talaga!"

"Tumfact!" Kian nodded his head, sipping on his drink. "Dami kong kilalang gan'yan. Ewan ko ba. Nasaktan na pero babalik pa rin, parang tanga lang, 'di ba? Tapos kapag nasaktan na naman, iiyak ulit,"

"Ang dami-daming tao sa mundo pero balik nang balik pa rin sa taong minsan na silang sinaktan. Worst, madalas pa silang saktan!" Malalim na bumuntonghininga si Gino. "Bakit ba ayaw na lang nila maghanap ng iba? 'Yung much better! 'Yung tatratuhin sila ng tama! 'Yung magmamahal sa kanila ng buo. 'Yung iintindihin sila kahit anong mangyari!"

"Ewan ko rin ba," Kian shrugged his shoulders. "Pero hindi rin natin sila masisisi. Wala naman tayo sa posisyon nila, e. Hindi natin alam kung ano 'yung naranasan nila kaya balik pa rin sila nang balik. Siguro, hindi lang talaga nila kayang i-let go 'yung tao,"