10 Ways To Make Him Fall In Love

Chapter 16

I woke up the next day with the thought of his letter. I know, kahit itago niya pa ang sarili niya aka Sherlock, si Neville iyon. 

I was surprised to see na hindi lang basta isang libro ang binigay niya sa akin, kung hindi set ng Game of Thrones. I was wondering kung paano niya nalaman that I want to collect those when suddenly I remembered that I just told my brother about it the other week. Syempre, bilang si madaldal na Henroe, siguro nga nadulas siya habang nagkukuwento ng kung ano tungkol sa akin.

Henroe may not be the sweetest brother in the world, but he is a brother that shows sweetness in his own ways. Sometimes I get mad at him for making a fool out of my other friends but then he would say that those who drifted away from me were those who didn't deserve me. He always says that I am too good for anyone. None of his friends, besides his band, could ever say hi or get to stand near me. His band, and only his band, can hug me or talk to me like I am, too, their sister.

Well, of course, aside from Nev.

Umakyat ako na ako sa kwarto at dinisplay ang set ng libro. I should thank him. Pero paano? Kapag nagtext ako, hindi mukhang sincere; kung phone call, masyadong impersonal; and if maghihintay naman ako until tomorrow dahil may band rehearsal na naman sila dito, he would think I didn't appreciate the gift. 

Hay bahala na.  

I stand up and get dress because I have to be at school in 30 minutes.

Pagkababa ko sa school, I know something's weird. From the looks of the girls-- their giggles, their faces flushing red, I know something's up in this place. I don't mind them, though. Nagpatuloy ako maglakad papunta sa room when I see my classmate in journalism, Sidney, runs toward me with excitement.

"Alam mo na ba?" she asks.

"Alam na ba what?" I see her narrow her eyes when she saw confusion all over my face. "Mayroon ba 'yang kinalaman sa kanina pang mga hagikgikan ng girls?" 

"Absolutely! Halika! Punta na tayo sa room, baka padating na si ma'am." Hinatak niya ang kamay ko at dali dali akong sinama papunta sa room. Habang naglalakad kami ay bigla niyang binaba ang kamay ko at hinarap ako.

Nilagay niya ang kanyang mga kamay sa magkabilang balikat ko at saka niyakap ako. "Congratulations, babe," kinalas niya ang pagkakayap sakin at kinindatan ako. "You just made yourself famous."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

She sighs as if I  am an idiot. "Lumabas na yung issue ng newspaper with Neville's feature on it. Everyone loves it!" she exclaims. I feel relieved because the students liked my work. However, 

the look on Sidney's face as if she hasn't finished her sentence yet and has to say something that'll probably upset me or what somehow makes me upset.

"But what, Sid?" I start for her. I know she's probably hesitating to say it.

"But... all the girls are waiting for you sa room kasi they said your questions about him aren't enough to fill in their curiosities and they are hoping na you know answers to some of their questions since he's friends with your brother."

I expected that, though. It's not new that girls ask me some things about him because they thought I'm having a conversation with him just like how a little sister converse with her brother's bandmate and friend. 

"It's okay, Sid. I'm sure I don't know the answers to all of them." I laugh, not showing the nervousness creeping through.

Once I told the girls that the only answers I know are to those questions asked in the feature, nakahinga na ako ng maluwag knowing I can text my brother about this.

Me: Can you keep your band, like, in a cave? Just until I finish school.

Henroe: What?

Me: Girls are bombarding me questions again about Nev even though they know it's pointless since I know nothing about him.

Henroe: Awww, stress na baby sis ko. Don't worry, they'll get over him soon. Mag-aral ka na diyan, see you later!

Me: Okay...

I didn't ask him if he's with Nev and I know I shouldn't because I just made it clear to myself that I won't be thanking him for the books through text but I just want to know though.

Me: u with Nev?

After a couple of minutes, my phone beeps and I immediately open the message.

Henroe: Nope, nagtext siya sakin he said he didn't feel like going to school so he didn't.

Henroe: Why?

Me: Ah wala. It's just that he's not here today so akala ko magkasama kayo.

I still want to text my brother and ask him why Neville doesn't feel like coming to school today but I don't want how it makes me think I feel like. It seems like I'm so eager to know his whereabouts when I shouldn't be even minding him. I want to ask him if he's sick and who's taking care of him and he needs someone to help him with the homework. I want to ask my brother so bad that it aches to control the muscles of my fingers to type the words I don't want to escape from me. 

So I turn my phone off and wait until the bell rings.

It's almost five o'clock in the afternoon, nagsisimula na ring lumubog ang araw upang palitan ng buwan sa kanyang pwesto. Naglalakad ako papuntang parking lot dahil doon naghihintay sakin ang driver nang makita ko si Neville sa gate palabas ng parking lot.

He's wearing a hoodie and pants but I swear to god I've never seen anybody look as lean as him. I wouldn't say his thin pero hindi ko rin masasabi na ma-muscle siya to the point na pag naglakad kaming dalawa, magmumukha siyang bodyguard ko. He's just as fine as I imagine him to be. 

Naglakad ako papalapit sa kanya dahil wala namang ibang madadaanan. So maybe I just have to thank him now. Mabilis siyang tumayo mula sa pagkakasandal niya sa gate at sinalubong ako.

I'm about to thank him for the books nang magsalita siya.

"Heard you did a good job in the feature, huh?" he is staring at me. Oh God he is staring at me.

"Good, yeah. Great, nah."

"Sabi ko lang naman good." He grins. 

"May point." We start to walk, yakap ko ang iilang mga librong kinuha ko sa locker kanina, at tahimik kaming naglakad palabas ng gate patungong parking lot.

The silence becomes awkward kaya binasag ko ito. "Thank you nga pala sa books. You know you don't have to, pero dahil nasa akin na sila, I wouldn't pretend like I don't need them when in fact I do." I say. I turn to face him and he smiles at me, mouthing welcome.

Because of that, I don't find the silence after that conversation deafening. Hence, I'm pulled in to the world where his smile is on replay and the only action I see in the world is his lips mouthing the word welcome. 

Nang makita ko ang sasakyan namin, we smile at each other and he says goodbye, kissing me on the forehead so quick I didn't even know if that was just my imagination. Only I felt it. I felt his warm lips land on my forehead. And just like that, the words unvoiced between us felt like music notes blending with the air. I feel like the next days I'll be spending with him are going to be hard. But I know I'll live through it. I know.