When I Stop Chasing

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Familiar

I'm still standing on the exact spot where Callix hugged me. My mouth was still wide open. But I can no longer see the white Fortuner of Callix on my vision. I can also hear the wild beat of my heart inside my rib cage. I feel like my world stopped the moment he wrapped his arms around me. Hell, Anderson!

Napapitlag ako nang magvibrate ulit ang cellphone ko sa kamay ko. Wala sa sariling ini-swipe ko ang tawag para sagutin iyon at inilagay ito sa aking kanang tenga. Ngunit alam kong lumilipad ang utak ko hanggang ngayon. Para akong nasa cloud 9. Callix just frigging hugged me! That was history! Damn!

"HELLO, OFIA?!"

Bumalik ako sa realidad nang mapakinggan ko ang basag na boses ni Pat. Inilayo ko sa aking tenga ang cellphone dahil pakiramdam ko ay nabasag ang eardrums ko dahil dun. Mabibingi pa ata ako neto. Damn, Patrick!

"Hello, Pat?! Pwede bang wag kang sumigaw? Mabibingi ako eh!" Asik ko at narinig ko ang pagtawa niya sa kabilang linya. I want to go to him right now and slap him for what he did. Sobrang basag ang boses niya at sobrang lakas ng pagkakasigaw niya. Kung hindi ko lang talaga siya kaibigan ay nakatikim na rin 'to sa akin!

"Whatever, Ofia. Tumawag ako kasi may offer itong singer sa atin, yung binayaran natin ng malaki-" Naputol ang tawag sinabi niya dahil may incoming call ako at si Daddy iyon.

"Pat, I'll call you later! Bye!" I end the call and accepted my Dad's call. Ni-isa sa kanila ni Mommy ay hindi ko pa tinetext o tinatawagan simula nung away nila last Friday. Sanay na ako dun pero minsan sa sobrang sanay ka na sa mga bagay bagay ay nakakasawa na rin. Nakakapagod. Huminga muna ako ng malalim bago nagsalita.

"Hello, Dad?" May narinig akong ingay at paghinga.

"Hello,Ofia? I texted you earlier na susunduin kita diyan sa school mo dahil mage-early dinner tayong dalawa. Nandito nako sa parking, asan ka na?" Yun pala ang text niya sa akin kanina, fuck! Pinara ko agad ang jeep na paparating.

"Nakasakay na po ako ng jeep papunta diyan, I'll be there in a few minutes."

I bit my lip as I end the call. Gusto kong sabunutan ang aking buhok. Nilipad na masyado ni Callix ang utak ko. Acads have been fucking with my life right now. Oh well, what a life, Ofiana Margo Fabia.

***

Sometimes you need to be rational over everything. You need to understand everything. Even though you didn't want to hear it, you will just keep your mouth shut and listen to it. Sometimes all you need to do is to be silent. Sometimes you need to see all the positive things in this world. But sometimes, you just can't do it all.

Gustong gusto kong tumayo at lumabas ng restaurant na ito para iwan ang tatay kong nagsasalita ng kung anu-ano.

He's been giving me crap that I don't even need to know. He's been lecturing me about my choices in life. Didn't it occur to him that this is my life and not his? I own this life and he doesn't own it. But the way he talks about things that I should choose or I should do, it feels like he owns me and my precious fucking life. I wanted to say in front of his face na, buhay ko ito at hindi sa kanya. But I couldn't just pull that scenario off dahil nasa isang public place kami.