Hey Harry!

Chapter 3

Rain Relief

Pauwi na ako noong biglang umulan ng malakas at na stranded ako sa waiting shed malapit sa grade school department. Dito nagpapalipas ng oras ang mga guardians ng mga batang sinusundo nila. 

I sat there at one bench and tried to contemplate on the things that are going on my life. 

I keep saying that I'm an expert on the things that's passing on my pace, but the truth is, I'm always afraid of the things that's out of ordinary. My comfort zone's too small that it couldn't occupy something new in an instant.

I know that I'm slowly falling for Harry since I was a child, but I suppressed it because I always knew that I had so minimal chances of winning. 

Someone as perfect as him is beyond my reach. Someone who's only for my dreams, that I have to keep myself believing that we're enemies just for me to stop liking him. 

I have to divert my admiration into hatred so that I may stop myself from digging my own grave. Besides, my parents are disagreeing to the idea of me having romantic relationships with guys.
They say that it's both a distraction and destruction for me. 

I grew up given with only a limited span of freedom in life. I never lived a luxurious life even when we had more than enough to spend, never tried doing what other cool kids do like drinking alcohols, trying to smoke, vape, or even party outside. 

Temptations were everywhere, but I highly respected my parents therefore I disregarded all of them. I gave myself a daily note that everything they're doing are for my own sake so I should repay them with the least that I can do. Never disappoint them.

Nabulabog ang pagmumuni muni ko noong may isang sasakyan na tumigil sa harap ko. Sa pagkakaalam ko'y ako lamang ang narito at wala nang iba. Siguro may naiwan na gamit dito na kukunin nila, ngunit nagkamali ako nung nakita ko kung sino ang nasa loob nito. 

"Mark?" I absentmindedly asked him.

"What? Just hop in." He laughed at my reaction. But then his chinky eyes reminded me of someone. 

"Oh okay." Pagsuko ko at pumasok narin sa loob. He's a harmless guy, so I guess there's nothing wrong in taking his kind offer.

Hindi nakaligtas sa paningin ko ang salitang range rover sa harap ng sasakyan niya. I think it's the convertible type of range rover. 

"Iba na talaga kapag mayaman 'no?" Pabiro kong sabi sa kanya.

Malamang, kokonti lang naman sa school ang may lakas ng loob ng magdala ng sarili nilang mga sasakyan. Dahil in the first place, wala naman silang madadala dahil wala silang mga sasakyan na kanila.

 "Bakit? Si Harry lang ba may karapatang magkaroon ng sasakyan?" He gave me a smirk as if he's quite offended about my remark. 

"Just sayin', but if that's what you think then I'm not responsible about that." I gave him an equal lopsided smile.

"Nasty girl." He muttered like a whisper.

If Harry looks intense, he's the total opposite of it. He's quite the approachable type, but don't be deceived about it because he's a maldito and snob in the real sense. It's quite hard to explain, but he's a pro in rejecting girls, and I don't exactly know how he does that. It just happens.

Tinuon ko nalang ang paningin ko sa harap at may nakitang mag-lola nahihirapan sa ulan. Sinikap ng lola na matabunan ang batang lalaki mukhang galing pa sa paaralan gamit ang damit at kamay nito. Wala silang payong at pahirapan nilang sinusulong ang bahang abot bukung-bukong. 

"Mark, may payong ka dyan?" Dali dali kong tanong sa kanya. 

"Huh? Meron. Dyan sa harap mo, just open it." 

Agad kong sinunod ang sinabi niya at agad na kinuha iyon. 

"Stop the car Mark."

"What? I mean why?" I can hear him sound frustrated.

"Dyan oh," turo ko sa mag-lola at inihinto niya iyon.

Agad akong lumabas at dumalo sa mag-lola. Tinakbo ko ang distansya at inabot ang payong sa kanila. 

"Naku ineng, hindi ko ito matatanggap dahil hindi ko ito maisasauli sa'yo." Marahan niyang tugon ngunit umiling ako dito.

"Hindi niyo na po kailangang ibalik ito sakin. Ang mahalaga ay hindi magkasakit ang apo niyo dahil may pasok pa po bukas." 

Bigla akong niyakap ng matanda at ngumiti naman sakin ang batang lalaki.

"Maraming salamat ineng. Napakabait mo at alam kong pinagmamalaki ka ng mga magulang mo." Naiiyak niyang sambit at napangiti rin ako dito. 

Di kalauna'y naramdaman ko ang pagkabasa ng balikat ko ngunit agad din iton natabunan. 

Nilingon ko ang nakasimangot ngunit manghang mukha ni Mark sa likod ko. 

"Pinamigay mo yung payong ko." Nakanguso niyang sabi.

"Papalitan ko lang." Sabi ko ngunit ngumisi lamang siya.

"But nevertheless, I'm glad it was given to a rightful hand." He smiled at me genuinely and it warmed my heart. 

I think that the rain was somehow a bit of relief for me.