Bow & Tuxedo (Opposites Attract #1)

Chapter 19

Nineteen

MAKALIPAS ANG ilang minuto ay natapos na 'rin si Warren sa paggawa ng kanilang agahan. Kasalukuyan ngayon nilang kinakain ang gawang french toast nito at hindi napigilan ni David na mapaungol sa sarap.

"Wow! Man, that toast was great Marunong ka pala magluto eh," David said after he swallowed the last bite of his toast.

"I told you, aren't I? I'm very well-rounded," Warren replied with a smug grin.

David rolled his eyes at Warren playfully. "Anyabang ah."

"It's not arrogance if I'm just merely telling you the truth."

"Please, no one would believe you if you said your personality was nothing but self-effacing."

Warren tilted his head sideways. "And here I thought you're a changed man. Didn't you say that you were wrong for judging me hastily?"

David made a face, and then he licked his bottom lip afterwards. "Smart-ass."

Warren just a beamed at him and didn't make an effort to say something back. He decided to focus on his meal once again.

"So... Who taught you how to cook?" David asked after a moment of silence.

Natigilan naman si Warren kaunti, at agad napansin ni David ang reaksyon niya. Akmang babawiin na sana ni David ang tanong niya dahil baka ayaw pag-usapan ni Warren ang tungkol sa bagay na ito pero naunahan na siya ng lalaki.

"My mom," maikling tugon nito. "She taught me almost everything I should know about living independently."

David smiled at him. "Well, she's a great teacher and a cook. I'll give her that."

Hindi naman napigilan ni Warren ang paglapat ng isang maliit na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi. "She is. She's great—no, she's amazing."

Hindi naman pinalampas ni David ang pagkakataon na iyon na makilala pa lalo si Warren sa kadahilanang positibo naman ang naging reaksyon nito.

"Tell me more about her."

Nagtagpo ang mata nilang dalawa at bakas ang pagkalito sa mga mata ni Warren—tila naguguluhan sa nangyayari ngayon.

David saw it and quickly uttered, "Are you not comfortable with this topic? You don't have to answer it if you're not feeling it."

David half-expected that Warren would agree with him, but what he saw next was the complete opposite.

Warren shook his head lightly. "No, it's not like that. I just couldn't remember the last time someone asked me about my deceased mother."

Another question—a bit personal—was about to roll off David's tongue, but he held himself back. And he couldn't be more thankful to himself for the restraint that he managed to display.

He's quite sure Warren would not like it if David asked him, 'How about your father? Is he not doing this kind of stuff with you? Like that's his wife, right? Surely, he must be reminiscing about the memories they shared together?'

Out of nowhere, David felt his skin crawl as it dawned on him. If he's not wrong about this one, something must've happened between Warren's parents prior to his mother's death. It's a dangerous curiosity—one that could lead to a lot of problems and unresolved traumas—and David wasn't sure if he wanted to be a part of any of that.

Unable to make a definitive decision, David just kept his mouth shut. He picked up his glass and chugged the water down to his throat. He ignored the nudging feeling he had at the back of his mind that urged him to be nosy.