Number
"So... you're busy pala?" I trailed off, trying to start a nice conversation with him.
Hindi siya sumagot. Tigas talaga ng lalaking 'to. Gawa yata sa marmol.
I licked my lips.
"Sa'n ka busy? Dito sa party?" Subok ko ulit habang nag-aabang ng kahit kaunting reaksiyon mula sa kanya pero nanatili siyang nakatanaw sa unahan, ayaw akong balingan.
I narrowed my eyes on him. Bingi ba 'to?
"Uy..." I poked his arm using my forefinger. Napatingin siya sa akin dahil ang kamay kong naka-arm sling pa ang ginamit ko.
I smirked slowly. His eyes dropped on my arm again. Tumikhim ako kaya napaangat siya ng tingin, nagkakasalubong na ang mga kilay.
"What?" he snapped.
"Bakit hindi mo ako kinakausap?" Kaagad na tanong ko, sinasamantala ang pagkakataong nakatingin pa siya sa akin.
"What do you mean?" Litong tanong niya.
"I'm talking to you. You're not responding." Paliwanag ko. Hay naku. Ang simple-simple ng tanong ko, hindi niya maintindihan?
"Bakit?" he inquired impatiently.
"What? Anong bakit?" Tanong ko, nalilito na rin tuloy.
He watched me like I'm dumb and stupid. "Why do you want me to talk to you? Are we close?"
"Hindi."
"So?"
I tilted my head as I watched him more. "But you're my tutor? We need to be at least civil with each other..."
He sighed and looked away. "We're civil."
"At may kaunting inis ka lang sa akin..." Dugtong ko sa maingat na paraan dahil baka hindi na naman niya ako kausapin.
Kaunting inis, my ass. Baka lihim na galit talaga.
His head snapped towards me. "What do you mean?"
Bahagya akong ngumuso, medyo hindi makapaniwala na sumasagot siya.
"You seem annoyed with me."
Nagtaas siya ng kilay, may bakas pa rin ng iritasyon ang mga mata. "Coz you're annoying?"
I faked a shock. "Am I?"
Napasinghap siya at muling bumaling nalang sa dagat. Natawa ako pero hindi na niya ako muling pinansin. I waited for him to look at me again but it didn't come. Aww, expired na kabaitan niya?
"How's your mother?" I asked, remnants of my playfulness are now gone.
Hindi siya sumagot.
I looked away. Nandito na lang din naman kami, mas mabuting gawin ko na 'to.
"I'm sorry about yesterday..." Mahinang sambit ko habang nakatingin sa malayo. Nanatili akong gano'n, ayaw siyang balingan kasi for sure ay hindi niya naman ako papansinin. Magmumukha lang akong tutang nanglilimos ng atensiyon. "It was very childish of me. I won't do it again. I hope you can... give me another chance."
I felt how my brows palpitate. Damn it. My last sentence doesn't sound right. Ano ba 'to? Minsan na nga lang ako magsorry, hindi pa pulido!
I cleared my throat, still watching the horizon. "I mean... I hope you can forgive me." Mas okay ba 'to?
Hays. Punyeta naman, oh!
Mabagal ko siyang hinarap para manghingi ng reaksiyon pero nalaglag nalang ang panga ko nang makitang wala na siya sa tabi ko!
BINABASA MO ANG
Double Take
RomanceEverything started when the notorious troublemaker Benj Ferrera came back to school after months of being hospitalized due to a car accident and met his number one hater, Rael Villarin, who had been hired by his mother to be his tutor for the school...