One of the Boys 1 & 2 (Published by Pop Fiction)

Chapter Seventeen

Present

Humgruffin

What the hell was going on?!

I woke up with Apa beside me. I was lying on his bed, my head on his left arm, while his other arm was on my stomach. I didn't know how I got here, but dude, I was lucky.

I stared at him, traling my finger on his forehead, nose, jaw, lips and chin, and back to his jaw and lips. I gently ran my hand through his hair. I was sure I'd wake him up if I moved my left hand, so I didn't. I noticed how long his hair was, and smiled when I saw his 'poodle hairstyle.' Nagpahaba ulit siya ng buhok? Wow.

When I finally decided to get out of his bed, I slowly sat and removed the blanket. I was about to stand up, but he grabbed my hand. I looked at him, his eyes were still closed.

"Were you awake the entire-"

"Yeah." Dahan-dahan siyang dumilat. Mabilis siyang lumapit sa'kin at pinaamoy sa'kin yung hininga niyang amoy toothpaste. "See?" I tried so hard not to get affected.

I watched him closely. Bakit hindi ko napansin na kaka-shave niya lang? I knew how late my reaction would be, but I still rolled my eyes. "Kadiri ka."

With his bedroom voice, he laughed loudly. "Talaga? If my memory serves me right, kanina mo pa ako pinagnanasahan."

"Okay, poodle." I got distracted when he grinned. My forehead creased and I rolled my eyes at him again. "I mean, Dr. Hizon. Sorry to disappoint you, but unfortunately, your memory didn't serve you right." I acted like what he said was a lie, but the truth was, it wasn't. I didn't want to burst his ego when it was already bursting.

He smirked. "My memory always serves me right."

I groaned. "Whatever."

Tinawanan lang niya ako. He stood up, wore his slippers, and told me to eat my breakfast. Obviously, kanina pa siya gising dahil ang dami na niyang nagawa. Naunahan pa nga raw ako nila Snow and White kumain. He told me I hadn't changed-- I was still a sleepyhead.

I played with Snow and White before I washed my hands and sat in front of him. Tinanong ko siya kung bakit ako napunta dito, pero hindi siya sumagot ng matino.

"You flew," he said with a poker face.

"Ano ba." I sighed.

He laughed at my reaction. Noong una raw, sa dorm niya ako hinatid, pero hindi raw ako magising-gising. Ayaw niya pumasok sa loob dahil ayaw niyang pag chismisan kaming dalawa.

Hindi niya rin sinabihan sila Abby, Zoe, at Dyma dahil alam niyang ayoko ng maraming tanong lalo na't naka-polo shirt lang ako kagabi (hanggang ngayon) kaya binuhat niya ako from his car to the condo's parking lot to the elevator to his unit.

"...and I didn't want to wake you up. You were too physically and emotionally drained."

"But..."

"Don't worry, we were alone in the elevator." That 'alone' word from him made me cringe.

Hindi ko siya tinanong kung ba't kami magkatabi dahil alam ko naman na walang nangyari, pero sinabi niya pa rin. "And about you and me... on the same bed. You were having a nightmare." Hindi ko maalala, but I usually had bad dreams. Ginigising pa nga ako nila Dyma minsan.

"Did I say anything?"

He looked tense. "You were calling me."

"That's it?"

He was staring at his food. "You were begging me not to leave you." Silence. Silence. Silence. The silence went on, until I was done eating.

I excused myself and stood up, because I needed to go the bathroom. "And now, I really, really need you to leave." His eyes were on my legs and then I realized I was still wearing his polo shirt.