A Summer to Forever

14

I looked at him while I was crossing the street to go inside the house. He was looking back at me.

"Kanina ka pa dyan?" I asked.

"Hindi naman, kalalabas ko lang. Pauwi na rin ako."

"Ah, okay. Sige. Good night!" I said with a smile. As I was about to enter the house, I heard him say something.

"Kayo ba?"

I stopped. I was surprised with what he just said. I wanted to answer, but couldn't find my voice.

"Uhm, sige. Una na ako." RJ said and I heard his footsteps getting farther away.

I still stood there, resting my back on the gate while I was thinking of what just happened. I heard RJ's gate from the other house close already.

"Hindi naman kami ni Baste, pero bakit 'di ko masagot si RJ?" I thought to myself. 

I started walking towards the house when I felt the weather become too chilly. I found Tito Allan and Sam talking over something while eating dinner.

"Meng, 'di ka na kakain?" Tito Allan asked me.

"Hindi na po, Tito. Busog pa po ako, eh." I smiled.

"O siya, magpahinga ka na hija, mukhang pagod ka na, eh."

"Thank you po tito. Good night!" I answered and went upstairs to my room.

As I finished taking a long, hot shower, I went to my bed and started scrolling through Facebook. I still get notifications from my recent profile picture change. Was this the reason why RJ asked me about Baste and I being together? My phone rang. It was Baste.

"Hi Mengmeng! Kakauwi ko lang," I felt his smile on the other line.

"Wow, ang bilis mo ah! Bakit ka pala tumawag?"

"Walang traffic, eh. At sabi mo 'di ba mag-text ako 'pag nakauwi na ko?"

"Text ang sabi ko, hindi tawag," I laughed.

"Eh, na-miss ko na boses mo..."

I paused. "Uhm... Okay?"

"Anong ginagawa mo ngayon?"

"Wala naman, nagpapahinga lang." This is starting to get awkward.

"Saan ka pala bukas? Sa shop ulit ng tito mo?"

"Hindi ko lang sure, kung magising siguro ako." I'm starting to feel annoyed at him since he's being to clingy.

There was a pause on the other line. "Anyway, matulog ka na. Mukhang pagod ka na, eh."

"Sorry, medyo inaantok na kasi ako, eh."

"Good night, Mengmeng!"

"Good night, Batot! Thank you ulit for today." I hung up the phone before he could say another word.

What was that about? It's weird that Baste's being sweet to me. I mean, we're really good friends but I'm not used to him treating me like that. I'm used to him being mean to me and laughing at me. Was he starting to like me? But we've only seen each other again for only a few days. As I was starting to hide under my blanket, I heard a knock on my door. It was Sam so I let him in.

"Matutulog ka na ba?"

"Dapat."

"'Wag ka muna matulog, Menggay!"

"Ay nako lalo akong matutulog 'pag 'yan ang tinawag mo sa'kin."

He laughed, "O sige hindi na."

"Bakit ka ba pumunta dito?"