Past Life

Chapter 24-Date

I look my watch, 9:00am. Hanggang 9:00 pm na lang. I promise to myself that I will make this day a memorable one.

"Pocketbook, takas tayo. Punta tayo sa amusement park o kaya gusto mo sa disco o kaya sa sine o kaya sa mall. Tingin mo? O kaya sa.."

"O kaya sa clinic."

"Oo maganda mag-enjoy sa clinic. What!? Clinic?" I looked at him at parang namumula siya.

"Pocketbook anong nangyayari sa'yo? Halaka dadalin kita sa cli.. Pocketbook? Gising! Rake!" Did he just lose his consciousness? What happened?

Dali-dali akong pumunta sa clinic at tinawag yung nurse. I'm totally worried. Maling potion ba yung ininom namin? Wala namang death potion ah. What if.. Just what if. I got the wrong potion. What if.

Dinala namin si Pocketbook sa clinic at chineck siya nung nurse. I'm holding my hands tight. I'm worried.

"Nurse, bakit po siya nahimatay?"

"You don't need to worry. Hindi naman siya malala." Hindi siya malala? Eh 5 minutes na siyang tulog eh! 5 minutes! And I just have 12 hours so that 5 minutes is as precious as gold!

Someone cleared his throat. 

Si Rake. Nagising na siya. If you can just see how relieve I am.

"Oh my gosh Rake! Ano bang nangyari sa'yo?"

"Hindi ko alam Cyker."

"Mr. Meander, eto ba ang unang beses na nangyari sa'yo to?" Tanong nung nurse.

"Hindi po. Nangyari na po ito sa akin nung na-allergy ako. Pero hindi naman po ako kumain ng blueberries ngayon." WHAT!?!

"A..allergic ka sa blue..berries?" Gosh! So it's my fault?

"Oo. But don't worry, I'm OK now." Guilt is swallong me whole.

"Sorry Rake."

"For what? Wala kang kasalanan." Malaki ang kasalanan ko.

"For forcing you to eat in that place." For hating you.. sooner. "Hindi ka sana nagkaganyan."

"Ang drama mo hindi mo bagay."

"Ehem." That's when I remember, kasama pa pala namin yung nurse. "I bet umuwi ka muna Mr. Meander at magpahinga. I'll give a slip para makalabas kayo. Samahan mo na siya Miss Arkhams. Excuse me." Umalis saglit yung nurse. Tinignan ko si Pocketbook at naguiguilty talaga ako. Pero there's a part of me that is really disappointed. I thought I can make this day a great one. Mamaya lang iba na ang magiging tingin ko sa kanya. Cause just for once, I want to admit that.. that I like him. I want to act and make him feel that, I like him.

"Magready ka na dyan Pocketbook. Ihahatid na kita sa bahay niyo. Sorry talaga." And this day will end just like this.

"It's not your fault. Wag ka ngang busangot dyan. So ano? Takas tayo. Punta tayo sa amusement park o kaya gusto mo sa disco o kaya sa sine o kaya sa mall." Napatulala ako sa kanya. In return, he also stares at me.

"Are you asking me on a date?" I asked him.

"Oh wait. So you consider that question as that?"

"You are asking me out. So what do you call it?"

"So pagmay nagtanong sa'yo ng ganong klaseng tanong it means niyayaya kanyang magdate?"

"Yes."

"I just copy your question earlier. So it means nung tinanong mo ko nun, niyaya mo kong magdate?"

Napatigil ako sa sinabi niya. It takes me a long time to think. Oo nga noh. Bad trip! Nacorner ako. I look at him and I see his smirk. Gosh! Hinding hindi ako aamin!

"Yes, oh I mean no! Yes. No. No!! Of course not I was just kinda bored." Pawis na naman ang kamay ko. Isang patunay na nagsisinungaling ako. Pero nakita ko na maslumapad lang yung ngisi niya.

"Really but—"

"Mr. Meander, here's your slip."

I LOVE YOU NURSE! SAVIOR KA TALAGA!

"You may go now. Take good care of him Miss Arkhams."

Lumabas na kami ng school. I went inside my car at nung una, ayaw pa akong pasakayin ni Pocketbook dahil yung kotse na lang namin yung gamitin nya. Sayang daw ang gas. Pero nagpumilit ako. Duh!? Mamayang 9:00 pm, I will hate him so gugustuhin ko pa bang sumakay sa kotse nya? And for sure he will hate me too so baka siya na mismo ang magtaboy sa akin at iwan ako sa kalye.

Sinundan ko lang yung kotse niya and a thought strucks me. Nahimatay lang siya kanina diba? Bakit hind ko siya pinagpahinga! You're a selfish idiot, Cyker! Huminto ako sa parking lot na hinintuan niya. Aba! Susugurin ko siya! Bakit hindi niya pinaalala sa'kin na kailangan pa pala niyang magpahinga. Bumaba ako sa kotse ko at hinarap agad siya.

"Pocketbook!? Are you insane? Nahimatay ka lang kanina and you should rest! Let's go home!" At tila ba napanganga siya sa sinabi ko. Is there something wrong? Normal lang na mag-alala ako.

"Ngayon mo lang sasabihin yan kung kalian nandito na tayo? I'm feeling fine. No need to worry about. Let's just go inside. Atsaka isa pa, you're the first one to ask me on this date. Right?"

"Right. Pero still, you need some rest."

"So you just admit that you ask me on a date?" I looked at him. Nakangiti na naman siya ng nakakaloko. Inamin ko ba?

"And when did I admit that, aber?"

"When you answer my last question."