Dating Alys Perez (PUBLISHED)

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

My eyes blinked three times. I had no reaction but I was flushed... internally at that. The fact that the afternoon wind was blowing against me added to the blissful effect.

"H-ha?" I just had to repeat what he said. Pakiramdam ko, nabingi ako for a moment. 

Nakatingin pa rin siya sa baba at nakalagay pa rin sa loob ng bulsa niya ang parehong kamay niya. I noticed that he lost weight. Sobrang stressed na ba siya sa akin? No, ang assuming ko naman kung iisipin ko 'yun. Maybe it was Fier's doing. Last time, nakita ko na siya ang kasama ni Drake. Siguro nga siya ang dahilan kaya stressed out si Drake.

He looked at me then. This was the Drake I knew, yung walang insecurities, walang second thoughts. What you see is what you get. Kapag mahal ka niya, sasabihin niya. Kaya nga dati it took us months bago ko narinig na sabihin niya na mahal niya ako. Pero hindi ba mas okay yun? Love should take time, hindi yung biglaan na lang. Love built on foundation is meant to pass through storm.

"Can we?" he asked again.

Before I even knew that the words escaped my mouth, I said, "Sige."

And then, he offered his hand to me and we walked hand in hand. 

Tahimik lang kami, no one even bothered talking. Siguro kasi matagal kaming hindi nagkasama. It's been years, right? Kung tutuusin, Drake's just some fond high school memory. Ilang taon lang ba kaming nagkasama? 2 years? Ilang taon kaming hindi nag usap? 4 years. The hate was longer than the fun. Pero ganun yata talaga. There are people who are exception to the rules. Walang time, walang pinagsamahan. Once they made their mark on your life, they will be permanently etched. Magkasakitan man, may magawa man na masama, still, kapag bumalik sila, tatanggapin mo pa rin, e.

"So..." sabi ko. The silence was suffocating. Hindi ko na kaya. I'd rather suffer in awkward conversation than to live in deafening silence. "How was life?"

"Boring."

"Ha? Bakit naman?"

He looked at me and smiled a little. "Wala ka kasi."

Siguro kung may iniinom ako, nabulunan na ako. God, Drake Palma! Wala man lang warning warning?!

"A-ano?"

He, then, chuckled. Damn you, Palma!

"Nothing," sabi niya tapos naglakad na ulit siya. Dahil nga hawak niya yung kamay ko, nahila niya ako. Muntik na akong madapa na naman pero dahil nakahawak ako sa kanya, napasubsob lang ako sa braso niya. Damn, nagwoworkout siguro siya. 

Bakit ba ganito ang iniisip ko? Tss!

"Saan ba tayo pupunta?" I asked him.

He shrugged. Hindi na naman siya nagsalita. Ang tahimik niya pa rin talaga.

"Nagugutom na ako..." I uttered. Hindi pa ako kumakain simula nung umalis ako sa bahay namin. Malapit ng magdilim. Siguro dapat mag dinner na kami. May makakainan ba dito or what?

He stopped and looked at me. "Let's go on a date."

"HA?"

And that was it. Hindi ko na mapigilan mapasigaw. He really knew how to surprise me! Akala ko after all these years, mawawala na yang TDPW na yan! Nandyan pa rin pala!

He smiled, just a little. "I wasn't able to ask you formally before so... yeah. Will you go on a date with me?"

Pano ba 'to? Before going here, I made it my resolve na si Tripp ang pipiliin ko. But being with Drake like this? Hindi ko alam kung paano tumanggi. It was because there's something about Drake na hindi ko kayang iwasan. He's like a magnet. And I was damn attracted.