Barely Captivated

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Nakasandal pa din ako sa balikat niya.

We sat in silence. Not a single word exchanged. Hiyaan niya lang din ako na manatili ang ulo ko sakaniyang balikat.

Sa kabila ng lahat ng ingay, iyong mga pag uusap ng estudyante na dumadaan, the rush of footsteps, the hum of pressure that clung to everything—I found peace. It was strange how quietness, in the right presence, could feel like home.

I felt my chest slowly begin to relax, like something inside me was unclenching without me realizing it. Each time Theodore lightly tapped my hand resting on my thigh, warmth spread through me like a slow ripple in calm water. He didn’t say anything, but I could feel it with every small, deliberate touch.

Na sinasabi niya sa akin na magpahinga lang ako. Na deserve ko ang pahinga.

I let out a slow, quiet sigh. Iyong maingat. I didn’t want to move too much, afraid I’d break whatever fragile calm had settled between us.

I closed my eyes for a second. Mygod, napagod nga ata talaga ako.

Hindi ko namamalayan pero halos wala na pala akong pahinga nitong mga nakaraang linggo. Laging may kailangang habulin, tapusin, at gawin. Para tuloy akong robot na naka-program para lang mag-survive araw-araw. Ganito ba talaga kapag malapit na ang graduation?

Napapaisip tuloy ako. Kung ganito ka-abala sa grade 12, paano pa kaya sa college? That thought alone made my heart race. Nakakakaba naman!

Bumukas ang mata ko sa pagkakapikit. I roam my eyes around only to see that few people were staring at us. Agad akong napaayos ng upo dahil sa pag aalala na kung anong isipin nila sa aming dalawa.

“Hey…” Theodore’s voice broke through, gentle and low. “You look exhausted. Are you… even resting?”

I gave him a small smile. “Oo naman.. ikaw ba? Nagpapahinga ka din ba?”

Hindi ko binanggit sakaniya iyong picture na sinend sa akin ni Reace, na nakatulog siya habang gumagawa ng capstone nila. I wonder how tired he was feeling? Gusto kong tanungin kung kumakain ba siya at kung nakakatulog ba siya ng maayos. Pero nanatiling tikom ang bibig ko.

He nodded. Hindi na siya ulit nag salita. Nakatingin lang siya sa akin at parang kinakabisado ang bawat parte ng mukha ko.

“Bakit ka pala nandito?” I asked, the thought suddenly hitting me. He was supposed to be busy. He had no reason to be here right now. Madami pa siyang ginagawa!

“Why shouldn't I be?” sagot niya, nakasimangot ng bahagya. Parang batang nagtatampo. “Dumaan ako sa room niyo kanina, pero hindi kita nakita doon. So I came here, hoping I’d find you. Umiiwas ka ba sa akin?”

Natigilan ako. What?

Hindi ko inakala na ganito pala iniisip niya. Akala niya… iniiwasan ko siya?

"W-What? No! I didn’t know you looked for me. At saka, hindi ko alam na pupunta ka pala sa room namin. Kung alam ko lang… I would’ve stayed. Kahit gaano pa kagulo doon—"

“Hindi ka rin nagrereply sa chats ko,” sabay putol niya sa sasabihin ko. “I thought… something happened.”

“Nag-cha-chat ka sa akin?” I asked, visibly confused. “Seryoso ka?”

He nodded, nakasimangot siya dahilan para gusto ko siyang lamutakin. How can someone a 6 footer tall, so effortlessly handsome, still manage to look this... cute? “Yeah. Every day. You didn’t reply. Not even once.”

I frowned. My heart suddenly started beating faster. I grabbed my phone and open messenger. Hindi ko pinansin ang message ng iba, agad akong pumunta sa convo namin ni Theodore na hindi pa masyadong natabunan ng ibang messages. My fingers trembled slightly as I opened our chat.