Something More

Chapter 030

"I don't get you.. seriously..." I sobbed. "Hindi kita maitindihan.. sabi mo.. sabi mo.. hindi kita maitindihan Xander!" sinuntok-suntok ko siya sa dibdib niya, and continued to cry. Nang susuntok ulit ako, he caught my arm and nahinto ako. I stared at him, and he's looking back at me... with those such sincere brown eyes. Sa mga matang iyon.. na lagi kong tinitigan when we were still young.. hanggang sa I fell for him.

"Audrey.. tama na." he pulled me, and lumanding ako sa dibdib niya. I can't help but to cry and to cry. Hinahaplos-haplos niya lang yung buhok ko and he whispered, "ssshh.."

"Xander... Xander..."

"Audrey, you're my best friend, and.. the first girl I ever loved. You'll always be in my heart. Audrey, kung alam mo lang kung gaano kita kamahal.. pero it's too late now. I have Elaine, and you're with Jared. He loves you. Audrey, I never stopped loving you, okay? Remember that. Kahit anong mangyari nandito ka pa rin sa puso ko. I love you."

And after that, a tear fell on his cheek. And that's when I knew he was saying the truth. I stared at him again, and hes stares back. Habang nagkakatitigan kami... memories flashed inside of our heads, and we both knew the feelings were there. They've never been gone, they just hide at times because we hide them... and now, now... those feeling we thought na we successfully natago.. it came out again. And it's beyond our expectation. It came out at the wrong place and at the wrong time. Time wouldn't permit us to be together. Maybe we weren't made for each other. Maybe...

"I love you, Audrey.." and that moment, parang huminto ang mundo as he slowly leans in to me... and our lips touched, a warm, passionate feeling... a moment to remember..

Pero.. it wouldn't last forever.

[hr]

Nasa car na kami on our way back home, and tahimik ang ride. Nakatingin lang ako sa bintana, touching my lips, as I reminisce about last night. Hindi ako makatulog kakaisip sa kanya. That was my first kiss, and I'm glad it turned out good. Or not really good. Kahit nga si Jared, na boyfriend ko, hindi ako nagpapahalik eh... I'm seriously dead.

I heard him sigh heavily. Lumingon ako sa kanya and he was half-smiling. "Ano.. uh, eh.. Audrey.. about last night... um.."

"Kakalimutan ko na lang? Act like nothing happened?" I said.

He sighed again, then tumingin nang saglit sa akin then focused on the road again. "Yes."

I tried to smile. Hindi ko alam.. pero sa nangyari kagabi, parang nakumpleto ako. And I was.. contented. Saka, I know matatanggap ko rin na hindi talaga kami para sa isa't-isa.

"Hey Xander, um, kelan mo pa ako nagustuhan?" I asked and chuckled. "Kung gusto mo lang sumagot pero kung ayaw mo..."

"Hindi, hindi.. okay lang. Ah, hmm.. I think nung Grade Six tayo. Yeah, grade six nga, nung 12th birthday mo."

"Oh? Nung nag-party tayo doon sa bahay namin? Yung naka-pink gown ako? Wow, ang tagal na nun ah."

"Hahaha. Yeah. Eh ikaw naman?"

Ngumiti ako. "Nung second year, I think. Remember nung foundation day? When you spilled ice cream on my shirt? Yun ata."

"Hahaha, naalala ko yan. Kaya pala namumula ka noon. Hahaha."

"Makatawa 'to oh.. eh kasi naman, ang gwapo mo kasi... I mean, errr..."

"I know, I'm attractive. Hah," tapos kinindatan niya ako. I laughed. Natutuwa ako, parang ganito rin kami dati. Parang walang nangyari sa amin... and I'm glad.

"Ano Xander, may tanong ako sa'yo." I said. 

"Ano?" sabi niya. I cleared my throat.

"Bakit mo ko nagustuhan? What's with me? I mean... basta. If you know what I'm talking about. Just wondering."

He smiled. "You want the truth? Because you're the ugliest girl I've ever seen. You're so unique."

"Haha, sarcasm here. Weh? Bakit nga?" sabi ko.

He smiled. Tapos parang napapaisip siya. "Hey Audrey... why do you love water?"

"Okay, so anong connect nito? Vice Ganda ka? Vice? Or Boy Pickup?"

He laughed. "Haha, adik. Just answer the question."

"Hmm... ang hirap naman ng tanong mo, parang math.. haha. Hmm, do I need a reason to love water?"

"Do I need a reason to love you?" bigla niyang tanong sa akin. I was caught off guard, kasi 'di ko in-expect yun eh. 

"Ahhh ehhh... oo nga naman..."

"Hahaha. I just love you, and I don't need a reason. I just love you."

And naging awkward na naman. Okaaaaay. Ano ba naman 'to. Nanahimik na naman kami at napatingin ako sa labas. Malapit na kami. Waaa, just take me home. Awkwardness, leave me alone.

"Hahaha. Ito talaga, ikakasal ka na no."

His smile faded. Oops, dapat 'di ko na sinabi yun eh. Naging lalong awkward tuloy. Ano ba yan.

"Yeah..." he said. I just nodded. 

Hinintay lang namin na matapos ang ride na ito. And it's really a long, long, long ride to home. Nang makauwi na kami, before I waved goodbye to him... doon ko winish na sana 'di na lang pala natapos ang ride na iyon.

Because it might be the last time I could hear his laughter again.