Moving Close to You

Kabanata 8

Kabanata 8- Interview?

Everything went smooth after that. And I felt relieve after clarifying things with Avih. Ayaw ko namang maging weird ang pagitan naming dalawa, and I think okay na 'yon.

The whole night I dwelled myself with studies and reviews. I can have fun, but I also need to think about my future.

My thought was cut off, when I heard my phone buzz. And quickly, I checked who was it from.

Harrison:

• di ako magaling sa math, kaya paki-solve nito plsss
​
•7+6, 2-1, 6+2, 3-2, 10+2, 6+5, 7+2, 18+2,
4-3

Avih?

But I was even more confused when I saw the so called 'problem' that he said he don't know.

At sa lahat pa talaga na pwedeng inisin ay ako pa ang napili niya. I debated with myself, yet I had nothing to do so I solved it.

Aviah:
???•
lahh•
13, 1, 8, 1, 12, 11, 9, 20, 1

Harrison:
• pa convert sa letters pu

Aviah:
mahal kita•

Harrison:
• yiee, mahal din kita avi!😇

Nagulat ako sa response niya, at late ko na napagtantuan na ganon pala ang meaning no'n— argh!

Aviah:
ginagago mo ba ako?•​

Harrison:
• haha joke lang

• anyways, maghanda ka sa
interview bukas ah? :)

Aviah:
ge ge•

Harrison:
• yun lang pu
• good night and sleep well, avi!

'^°

Sa sumunod na araw ay parang hindi ako mapakali. I felt some eagerness inside me, and I don't know why... The only thing I can do is just embrace it.

Buong morning routine ko ay napuno ng kakornihan ang isip ko. I kept looking for a reason why I feel just so... excited all of a sudden.

Pero pinagsisihan ko pang pilit kong alamin ang rason na iyon, nang mapadaan sa aking isipan si Avih. Nawala ang kanina'y aliw sa aking mukha. I really can't find ways to enjoy if... he is the reason.

I can't.

I just really can't.

Naipangako ko na iyon sa sarili ko na magmomove-on na ako, at ayoko nang suwayin pa. Things should remain as it is. Kuntento na ako sa kung ano ang mayro'n kami. And I should be happy about it, right?

Pero hindi...

Sa tuwing siya ang naiisip ko ay gumugulo ang utak ko. He really knows how to get me thinking about him more, even if I don't want to.

It seems he still has my heart yet.

Love is definitely chaotic; I agree to that. It's like sacrificing yourself to something that wasn't even offered to be sacrificed. It's too problematic, yet we want it.

Truly, love was very powerful. It's something that nobody can control. You can never overpower love. You can never control who you love. The only thing you can do is follow it.

But love doesn't always go as it seems. Marami ang nasasaktan dahil sa pag-ibig. Marami ang nangungulila. Marami rin ang nababaliw.

It's hard.

Especially if memories are created with it. It's the only thing that keeps you on holding with the past... It's what keeps you from the neverendless what ifs? If it just didn't end up that way.

But what could have happened if we didn't separate?

“Maaga kang uuwi?” Sydney tilted at my direction, obviously confused when she saw me cleaning my desk early.

Umiling naman ako. “No. Interview sa HUMMS.”

I saw a million sparks of light passed her eyes, when she heard the word 'HUMMS'. Sinabihan ko na siya noon na iinterviewhin ako ni Avih. At ayon na naman ang panunukso niya sa akin.

“Oh, I see.” Tumango tango siya. “Goodluck babeski!”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “I don't need luck. Atsaka interview lang naman e.”

She just sneered at me, kaya binalik ko na lamang ang atensyon ko sa aking mga gamit. Mabilis kong tinapos 'yon, bago muling tiningnan ang babaitang nakaupo sa desk niya.

“Alis na 'ko.” Paalam ko at nagsimulang lumakad.

“Okay, ingat!”

I nodded and went on my way.

Mabilis kong tinahak ang daan patungo sa school garden. We agreed to go somewhere less chaotic and noisy, at napagkasunduan namin na sa garden na lang ng school ako ieenterviewhin.

And I did not fail on expecting that he'd be early, since I saw him sitting down the bench. Mukhang kakarating lang din niya, dahil hindi pa na set ang lahat ng kakailanganin niya. His scripts were a mess on the bench, while he was trying to prevent it from being blown by the wind.

And I can't deny the fact that even if he still looked like a mess, he was still very handsome. Like, how can you be like that?

Natulala ako habang bigla ko na lang natapakan ang nagkalat na bato, dahilan para lumingon siya sa akin. He smiled when he met my eyes.

“Hi,” salubong niya.

“Hi,” nahiya ko namang tugon at lumapit sa pwesto niya.

He cleared the other side of the bench for me to sit in. Walang atubiling umupo ako sa kanya tabi, para tabihan siya.

“Hindi ko akalaing maaga ka pala.” Peke siyang tumawa at pasimple tinago ang mga papel na iyon.

“Ah, akala ko kase baka maaga ang interview.”

“Pero ayos lang!” Tumayo siya. “Kung ready ka naman ay pwede na nating simulan.”

I smiled at him and nodded. “Sige.”

Inayos niya ang recorder sa aking tabi para maging clear raw ang boses ko. He handed out some extra paper and pen, well maybe to take note about some stuffs.

He signaled me that he would play it, and I just nodded at him telling that I'm ready.

“What is your name?” he asked.

“Aviah Isleen Auclair.”

“What strand are you from?”

“STEM.”

He nodded as he took down notes.

A long silence hugged us, before he started to ask me again.

“How long have you known me?”

Medyo nagulat ako dahil mukhang iba na ang tanong niya.

“Almost 15 years.”

“What were we?”

“Friends.”

“What did you like about me, considering that we were friends.”

“Mabait ka, matalino, at friendly.”

“Kaya ba hanggang friends lang tayo?” He murmured. And I was shocked at his remarks.

“H-Ha?”

“Joke hehe,” Umiling iling siya sa akin. “Avi, can you tell me kung ano ang pinakanagustuhan mo sa akin?”

“You. I liked you, because you're you.” I answered, despite feeling uneasy.

He smiled and then turned off his recorder.

Slowly he looked at me, putting a small smile in his face. “What do you mean by 'like'?” he asked. “Do you like me or like me, Avi?”

💌. caszcadie

a/n: sorry for the late ud  (　-̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥᷄◞ω◟-̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥᷅ )