Damned Hearts #Wattys2016

Damned Hearts 11

11

I got myself busy searching for dystopian novels online the whole weekend.

Dinalaw ko kanina ang library dito sa bahay ngunit wala akong nahanap. I don't know what's got into Mrs. Andres' mind. Why dystopian novel? Why would she want us to make a book report about unpleasant settings? I just couldn't.

Habang naghahanap ay naalala ko na namang si Gavin ang ka-group ko sa term paper.

Isinubsob ko ang aking mukha sa keyboard ng aking macbook. Gusto kong umiyak ngayon at humagulgol sa inis.

How will I interact with him? It's been three long weeks and I never thought life would backstab me this fast.

"Cassiedy, kung balak mong matulog sa ibabaw ng macbook mo, huwag mo nang ituloy. Baka pagalitan ka ng ate mo niyan..." I heard someone giggled.

Nilingon ko iyon. It's Kuya Vince. My unnie's husband.

Bitbit niya ang aking pamangkin ngunit pinakawalan niya rin ito at naglakad palapit sa akin.

Nag-ayos ako sa pagkakaupo. Isinara ko ang macbook at bumaling kay Kuya Vince.

Ngumuso ako sa kanya. He's about to laugh at me. I know exactly that look. Umiling siya sa akin.

"Come on, Sid... What is it? What's bothering you?" He asked. He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Kailan ka pa naging psychic, Kuya Vince?" panunuya ko.

I rolled my eyes. Naningkit ang mga mata niya sa akin habang niluluwagan niya ang kanyang kurbata. So he just got out from work?

"You can't hide it, Sid. Pareho kayo ng Ate Paris mo. Your eyes are not good actors." Umiling siya.

Ngumuso ako. Napahilamos ako ng mukha ng wala sa oras. God, was I really that obvious? Buong weekend na akong problemado dahil sa term paper na iyan.

"Sabihin mo na."

Nag-angat ako sa kanya ng tingin. Mukhang determinado talaga siyang alamin ang nasa loob ko. Tumaas ang isa kong kilay.

"Ano namang alam mo sa pag-aadvise, Kuya Vince? Aber?" I teased him. I crossed my arms.

"Try me then..." panghahamon niya.

Napailing ako at napangisi.

I'm just so glad I'm this close to my unnie's husband. He's a cool guy and I couldn't imagine if my Ate Paris married another man. Siguro ay hindi kami ganito ka-close kung iba.

But should I really tell him? Hay! Fine!

"How do you act civil with someone who doesn't really like you in the first place?" dire-diretso kong sabi.

"What? Tagalugin mo nga." Halos tumawa na siya.

"Kuya naman, e!" I groaned. Lalo siyang tumawa.

"In the first place, that someone, doesn't like you. Why would you bother to act civil?" He smartly answered.

Napaisip ako sa sagot niya. May punto siya roon. But I have reasons why I need to act civil.

"We're groupmates. Partners, to be exact. Dalawa lang kami sa group. At sa ayaw at sa gusto naming dalawa, we need to act civil. How do I do that when that person doesn't like me. Like I'm an allergy to him."

"Him?" Kumunot ang noo ni Kuya Vince.

I pursed my lips. Tumango ako sa kanya.

"It's a "him"? Is he gay? I would totally understand if he doesn't like you coz he's gay. Insecurity can eat you up sometimes." He giggled.