I Think He Knows

5th

 | CHAPTER 05 |

IRIS

My brows shot up as I intensively look towards this man's gaze.

"What?" I deadpanned, the look on his face seemed like he wanted me to nurse his aching arms.

"Masakit ba?" tanong ko ulit. Dumarami ang lumalabas sa bibig ng dahil sa isang 'to e. I shouldn't be talking as much as this. I slightly bent down so I could be on his level since kanina pa siya nakaluhod at mataman akong tinititigan. Ano ba kasi 'yon?

I was about to reach his arm when he suddenly stood up. Awtomatiko naman akong napasunod kaya mas naging malapit pa ang agwat namin sa isa't isa. "Thank you." aniya. Halata ko na kung gaano ka-sinsero 'yon. Akala ko matatapakan ko pa ego niya e, I expected less from him. Buti na lang at hindi siya masyadong mapagmataas ngayon gaya ng kanina. Tss.

"I owe you a drink, I guess," nahihiya pang anyaya niya. Wala akong ideya kung saan nanggaling bigla 'yon, pero mukhang seryoso siya.

"No," I saw how his face turned into something I cannot determine. Shocked and quite perplexed.

It cannot be, hindi niya yata alam na magkaiba ang estado namin bagama't magkalapit lang kaming edad. A teacher having a drink with a student? Ano na lang ang iisipin? Siguro ngang maaaring hindi maging tampulan ng usapan o chismis dahil mukha lang kaming magkaibigan or what. But I don't care about that reason, I'm implying to myself rather. Kapag sinabi kong ayokong makihalubilo, mapapanindigan ko 'yon. Lalo na sa agwat ng puwesto na mayroon kami ng kausap ko ngayon.

"You owe me a phone instead." mabilis na dagdag ko. Mukhang nagulat naman siya dahil alam kong akin 'yong tinangay kanina.

"Alam mo?" napangiwi siya sa sariling tanong. Malamang nahihiya na siya. "Of course," I quickly responded. "Akin 'yon e." paniniguro ko pa.