Dating Alys Perez (PUBLISHED)

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Okay," sabi ko kay Tripp. "Wag ka ng serious jan," I continued and then winked at him. Bigla naman siyang tumawa, salamat naman! Sobrang serious niya na kasi kanina, kinabahan ako bigla. The last time we had a row, sobrang naiyak ako. Drake is his deal breaker. Ewan ko ba kung bakit! Given na naman na... Oh, well. I keep on going back to that road. Now, kailangan ko ng tumigil sa pag-iisip about dun. Taboo na siya, Alys. You hear? Good.

Tumayo siya and then hinatak niya ako sa entertainment room nila. We sat down while he went to out get our popcorn. Kinuha ko naman yung controller and then I scanned their movies. Hmmm. Di pa showing yung iba dito, a! Pirata talaga 'tong si Tripp!

While I was busy choosing a movie, biglang nagvibrate yung phone ko. And then I saw on the caller ID Cristine's phone. I don't know pero nafeel ko na si Drake yung nasa kabilang line kaya pinatay ko yung phone ko. 

Tonight is about me and Tripp. 

Nilagay ko sa table yung phone ko tapos nagpatuloy na ako sa pamimili ng movie. Sige na nga cartoon na lang! Dun din pala kami mauuwi. Ayoko na kasi ng stressful na movie. Gusto ko lang ng good laugh for tonight. I've had enough drama, time for laughter.

"Ano'ng papanoorin?" asked Tripp.

I pointed using my lips.

Tumaas naman yung kilay niya. "Hotel Transylvania?" I nodded and then he sighed. He blew his bangs off his forehead. "Minsan nakakalimutan ko na in love nga pala ako sa isip bata."

Hinampas ko nga siya! "Kapal mo!"

Tumawa na naman siya tapos sumandal siya sa balikat ko. Tahimik kaming nanonood sa movie pero 'tong si Tripp, nakuha pang mag multi-tasking! He braided my hair tapos pinaglalaruan yung daliri ko! Kanina pa niya binibilang. As if naman bigla na lang magbabago yung bilang nun, no! 10 pa rin yun!

"Stop it." He was tracing circles on my palm. Nakakakiliti kaya! "Tripp!"

He pursed his lips, trying to hide his smile. "Ano?" he said innocently.

I narrowed my eyes and scowled at him. "Nagcoconcentrate ako sa movie, ano ba."

"E di magconcentrate ka," sabi niya. Ang pilosopo rin nito!

Hinatak ko yung kamay ko pabalik tapos kinuha ko yung isa niyang kamay tapos pinatong ko sa isa niyang kamay. "There. Play with your hand, okay?" He kissed my cheek tapos sumandal ulit sa balikat ko.

"Pagod na pagod na pagod na pagod na pagod ako kanina, Zy. Patulog muna, ha?" sabi niya. I adjusted and let him doze off. Kawawa naman 'tong batang, 'to. Araw araw na lang siyang pagod, napapansin ko lang. Ano bang ginagawa niya sa trabaho? Nagbubuhat ba ng hollowblocks 'to?

--

Tuna sandwich or pasta?

I bit my lip while deciding. It's past nine o'clock at gutom na naman ako. Ano bang lulutuin ko? Midnight snack ba 'to? I'm pigging out! Sobrang takaw ko feeling ko buntis ako. Well, impossible naman 'yun unless ako si Virgin Mary.

I was busy circling their kitchen ng mapansin ko na may invitation na nakapatong sa microwave oven nila. Bakit naman nandito 'yun?

Hastily, I opened the envelope and it said na tungkol sa annual reunion ng mga Palma. 

Oh.

I was busy reading the entire text when someone poked me from behind. "Huy," he said. I turned around and saw Tripp looking dazed. "Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

I tried to hide the envelope pero nakita niya. He took it from my hand and stared at it.

He puffed a breath and stared at me. 

"Will you go with me?" he asked.

"H-ha?"

Slowly, he said, "Sabi ko... pwede bang maging date kita sa reunion namin?"

I bit my lip again and asked him, "Akala ko ba ayaw mo?"

He gave me a half shrug and leaned on the marble counter. "Nagkita na naman na kayo ulit ni Drake kaya... wala na rin."

"Pero akala ko ba ayaw mong makausap si Drake?" I asked him. Sobrang bothered ako sa kanila. Sana magkabati na sila. Not for me pero para sa mga sarili nila. Magpinsan sila, e.

He nodded. "Ayoko nga, pero magkikita at magkikita kami. Magpinsan kami," he stated. 

Although I knew it was not the perfect time, I smiled at him and diverted the topic. "So... pasta or sandwich?"

I proceeded to making both of us something to eat while si Tripp, gumawa ng fresh orange juice. Natawa pa nga ako kasi mali yung gamit niya sa juicer, natalsikan tuloy siya! Medyo tanga rin pala 'to! Hahaha!

"Tawa pa," sabi niya habang nagpupunas ng mukha.

I stuck out my tongue. "Moron."

He tsk-ed at me and then umalis siya para magbihis. As I have said, medyo tanga.

After eating, hinatid niya ako sa bahay namin. Good thing the lights are all out. Ayoko ngang magpaliwanag kay Mom and Dad kung bakit nakadamit ako ng lalaki, more so naka boxers ako!

"Good night, Marco."

"Good night, Zy. Tulog ka na," he reminded.

I roger-ed at him and ran towards our house. 

The following day, I woke up with a heavy head. Ah, I think I'm gonna be sick!

I literally rolled out of bed and picked up the phone. My eyes were swirling and I felt really dizzy.

With my eyes half closed, I composed a text saying, "I'm sick. Can't come. Sleep."

I half heartedly scrolled down and when I saw something like Palma on the name, I hit select and send. Oh, screw this headache!

After sending my apologies to Tripp, I crawled back to bed. Inabot ko rin yung remote control nung AC and turned it off. I'm really gonna get frost bite sa sobrang lamig! 

I reached for the comforter and rolled and rolled until I feel like suffocating. Seriously! Bakit sa lahat ng araw na pwede akong magkasakit, ngayon pa?!

I feel like a suman. Nakabilot sa akin yung comforter. Aaaaah, so comfty!

Smiling, I tried to bring myself back to sleep. Yes, Alys. When you wake up, you're gonna feel better, okay?

--

"D-drake?"

My lids were half closed. Who was this guy?

He didn't answer my question, he just kept on checking my temperature. 

I badly wanted to stand up and shoo his hand away from my face but my body felt so limp. I can't even lift a finger. Ah, seriously so annoying.

He stared at me, not saying anything. Or so I thought.

He breathed in and began speaking. "You're sick," he stated. "Alys Perez, the thing I hate the most is making myself pathetic. Do you know that? Of course not. You hardly know anything about me because you refuse to. Why am I even talking?" he paused. "Ah. Because right now is the only time I have where you will listen to me. Every time I try to smack some sense in to you, you shut me out. You're so stubborn.

"Why do you hate me so much? Was that because of what I did four years ago?" he asked.

I really, really wanted to say yes. Why did he leave me? Why? But... there's this part inside me that said no. Don't listen, Alys. You're happy now. Wag mo na siyang pakinggan. He'll ruin everything... like what he did to you before.

"Do you want to know?" he asked, again.

He stared at me and caressed my face. He stood up and got his keys from my nightstand. "Ask me, Alys. You never really did ask so don't hate me for not telling."

And then, I saw his back walking away from me.

Did I just pull his last straw?