He Stole My Last Kiss

Move Nine

The First Confession
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

A short one...

"So, kayo na?" mahinang tanong ni Cait sa akin. Alam kong gusto niyang sumigaw at tumili pero nasa library kami kaya hindi kami p'wedeng mag-ingay. Oh well.

Tinignan ko siya tapos binalik ko ang atensyon ko sa librong binabasa ko. "Nope. It was just a peacetime."

Cait chuckled softly. "Naniniwala ka ba d'yan, Vanny? Don't you feel something for him?"

"Wala, Cait. Alam mo naman kami ni Zane, diba? Kahit lagi kaming nag-aaway, ganun kami umakto."

"Yeah, but you guys never kiss so casually!"

"Shhh!" suway sa'min ng isang estudyante at nahihiyang umiwas kami ng tingin ni Cait. I glared at my friend but she just sheepishly smiled.

"Ang ingay niyo kasi," natatawang singit ni Patricia at umupo sa tabi ni Cait. She smiled at me and showed me the Book Thief, a history fiction I asked her to find for my class. "I found this. Makapal, pero maganda daw."

"Thanks," sabi ko at kinuha 'yun mula sakanya para i-browse.

"Si Zane ba pinag-uusapan ninyo?" tanong ni Patricia at nakita kong tumango si Cait. "So, Vanny, kayo na?"

I sighed. "No," sagot ko at blankong tinignan sila. "Peacetime, ladies."

"Hmmm," sabi ni Patricia tapos medyo lumapit. "The kissing isn't normal."

"Sabi sa'yo, e," giit ni Cait na nakangisi na ngayon.

Napailing ako. "You know what? Magluluto si Angelo mamaya. Why don't the two of you come over and ask Zane for yourself?"

"Okay," mabilis na sagot ni Cait at agad binuksan ang phone niya. "I'm inviting Miko, by the way."

Patricia smiled. "Carmy isn't busy tonight, too. I'm sure."

Napailing nalang ako. I can't wait for them to ask Zane, dahil alam kong kay Zane lang sila maniniwala na wala ngang namamagitan sa aming dalawa. It's annoying na 'di nila pinapaniwalaan, pero kapag si Zane hindi na sila masyadong nagtatanong. But with the way Cait typed on her phone, and the fact na tinatawagan ni Patricia si Carmy—I had a feeling na ibang klaseng interrogation ang magaganap mamaya.

I shrugged. Who cares? I know the truth. Hindi kami ni Zane. I have nothing to worry about.

=•=

"What the fuck, Cait? Miko, control your girl!" inis na sigaw ni Zane at natatawang pinanood kong guluhin siya ni Cait. Zane was walking faster away from my best friend, habang si Cait naman ay wala pading tigil sa panggulo kay Zane.

"Cait! Huwag mong guluhin si Zane!" sigaw naman ni Miko at hinabol ang girlfriend niyang hinahabol parin si Zane. Oh gosh, this is so funny!

Carmy laughed beside me. "You know, kung ganito ang dinners niyo all the time, baka mas dalasan ko na ang pagsama sainyo."

"Ikaw lang naman ang hindi dumadalo," sabi ko at pinanood ko si kuya Vin at si Patricia na nag-uusap sa isang gilid. "Don't you think they should date? Ang sweet nila."

Carmy nudged me. "I think you and Zane should date."

Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata. "Shh! That's not gonna happen. Baka magpatayan lang kami, e."

"Speaking of the devil, here he—"

"Nessa!"

"—comes," pagtapos ni Carmy.

Natawa ako at hinarap si Zane na halatang naiinis parin. "Yes?"

"Brat!" he hissed. "Your friend won't stop bugging me! Keep her away!"

"Nagtatanong lang ako!" singit naman ni Cait na nasa tabi na ni Zane, Miko following behind. "Yes or no lang naman! Ano ba problema mo?!"

Zane looked so harassed at what Cait said. "Bakit ba napaka-pakialamera mo? Miko, 'yang girlfriend mo!"

"Tama na 'yan!" sigaw ni Angelo mula sa kitchen. "Kain na!"

Like magic, umayos ang lahat at sabay-sabay kaming tumungo sa kitchen. We had to borrow chairs and tables from downstairs para magkasya kaming lahat. Napatili kami ni Carmy nang makita ang table na punong-puno ng iba't ibang klase ng pagkain. We all sat and, of course, Zane was beside me. Mahinang tinadyakan ako ni Cait sa ilalim ng lamesa pero inilingan ko nalang siya at hindi pinansin.

Patricia led the prayer and when we said our blessings, agad kaming nagunahan sa pagkain.

"Zane, paabot naman nung chicken," sabi ko at tinuro 'yung spicy.

"Ang tamad," asar niya pero kumuha din naman ng tatlong drumsticks para sa'kin. Napailing nalang ako.

"Hey, Zane," tawag ni kuya Vin at kumunot ang noo ko nung biglang tumahimik ang lahat. I looked at Cait and she shrugged, smiling slyly.

"Yup?" Kinuha ni Zane 'yung kamay ko at nabigla ako ng kinagatan niya 'yung hinahawakan kong chicken.

"Zane, you jerk!" tili ko at nilayo sakanya 'yung pagkain ko.

He rolled his eyes. "Brat," asik niya bago tignan ulit si kuya Vin. "What's up, Vin?"

Sumimangot si kuya. "Ano'ng meron sainyo ni Vanny? Kayo na ba?"

"Seriously?" I groaned.

"No," sagot ni Zane.

"See?! I told all of you na walang namamagitan sa'min and we're just—"

"Nililigawan ko pa."

"—friends and..." I blinked furiously before slowly turning to face Zane. "Ha? A-ano?"

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. "Bingi ka na ba ngayon?"

"P-pero—"

"Nililigawan mo na si Vanny?" ulit ni kuya at maski ako ay hinintay ang sagot ni Zane.

He shrugged. "Yup," sagot niya at kinuha ulit ang kamay ko para kumagat sa chicken. When he swallowed, he winked at me and I was numb. "Nililigawan ko ang bratinella ng buhay ko."

Damn Cait and her loud squeal.

Damn Zane and his statement.

Damn Vanny and her giddy heart.