Still Into You

Weird Places

Chapter 16

The next day, nagising si Leanne nang may maamoy na niluluto na obviously, coming from her kitchen. At dahil alam niyang wala naman siyang kasama sa unit niya, napabalikwas agad siya para puntahan ang kung sino mang gumagamit ng pinakamamahal niyang kusina. Leanne didn't bother fixing herself before she went out of her room.

Leanne did smell pancakes.

Saktong pagkalabas niya ng pinto, tumambad sa kanya si Adrian na busy sa pagluluto. Muli na naman niyang naalala kung ano ang mga sinabi niya kay Adrian habang lasing siya. Kagabi niya lang na-recall kung ano ang mga pinagsasabi niya, all thanks to Geraldine.

"Date? Ha? Are you nuts? Pupunta na sana ako eh. Kasooo, my friends are very much important compared to you! Saka why don't you try dating Samantha? Tutal parehas niyo naman akong tinraydor? You deserve that!" she laughed. "You hurt me back then and until now ang sakit sakit. I saw how you betrayed me! Ginago mo 'ko! I hate you! I hate you! And you're expecting me to go out with you after what you've done?! Pero wait, pupunt— ay naputol na 'yong call!"

"Good morning! Sorry if I entered without your permission," Adrian greeted her while smiling brightly.What?"Come here," ipinahila siya ng upuan ni Adrian galing sa dining table. "Judge the pancakes," nakangiti pa ring sabi nito.

Why the hell is he smiling brightly? Dapat galit siya sa'kin because of what I did!

May pag-aalinlangan man, umupo siya at saka tinikman ang pancake. Same taste, it was still the pancake she and Adrian used to eat, it was still the pancake Adrian used to cook when were still yogether, it was still the pancake years ago. It is.

"Uh, anong lasa?" nakangiting tanong ni Adrian sa kanya, but instead of answering, she looked at him habang nakakunot ang noo.

"Why are you doing this?" tanong niya.

Napakunot din naman ang noo ni Adrian sa tanong nbiya. "Huh? What?"

"Look, you know that I ditched you, right? I even called you and said some offensive words," aniya. "and now you're here, inside my unit, you even cooked me a breakfast while smiling so brightly! Dapat galit ka sa'kin!"

"You're point is?"

"You should be angry at this moment!"

Umiling ang lalaki. "Why would I? You told me that I deserved those words so I accepted it. Saka isa pa, I know that I made a mistake before at kahit anong gawin ko, hindi na mababago 'yon, ang pwede ko na na lang gawin, is patunayan sa'yo that I am really serious on pursuing you. Beacuse I still love you. I'm still into you. And I am really sorry because I caused you too much pain. Alam kong hindi ko na pwedeng alisin sa isip mo," Adrian looked into her eyes. "As long as I am breathing, I will prove to you that I am worth it for another chance."

Leanne diverted her gaze. Hindi niya kayang salubungin ang titig ni Adrian sa kanya, naiilang siya. Because she can saw how sincere he is. O sadyang magaling lang siyang magpanggap?

"So, hindi ka talaga galit?" tanong niya.

"No. I can't be angry especially when it comes to you," nakangiting usal ni Adrian habang nakatingin pa rin sa kanya. "How's the pancake?"

"Masarap."

"Talaga?"

"Oo."

"Walang halong biro?"

"Oo."

"So, we can set another date?"

"Oo-- what?!"

"Wala ng bawian ah," nakangising sabi nito.

Napailing na lang siya at nagpatuloy sa pagkain ng pancakes na niluto ni Adrian.

And she can't help it, so she smiled.

  〰〰〰 

"So, saan mong gusto pumunta?" tanong ni Adrian kay Leanne habang nakasakay sila sa motor nito.

"Ikaw nag-ayang mag-date tapos ako tatanungin mo?"

Adrian chuckled. "Sorry na. Ay! Alam ko na."

Bigla namang pinaharurot ni Adrian ang takbo ng motor niya kaya napakapit si Leanne sa bewang nito. Agad naman niyang inalis ito nang nakita niya sa side mirror ang pagngisi ni Adrian sa kanya.

"Ikaw ah, tsuma-tsansing ka," natatawang sabi ni Adrian sa kanya.

"Oy hindi 'no!" pagtanggi niya. Ramdam niya ang pamumula niya ngayon dahil sa pag-init bigla ng pisngi niya sa 'di maipaliwanag na dahilan, napangiti siya bigla.

"Talaga lang ah," binilisan muli niAdrian ang pagmamaneho kaya humawak si Leanne sa bewang ni Adrian at saka kinurot ito.

"Aww, labidabs! Masakit!"

"Magdahan-dahan ka kasi!"

"Yes, boss labs!"

Napailing na lamang siya at hinayaan na si Adrian na pangiti-ngiti habang nagda-drive. Adrian looks so happy with her. Like they used to before. And with that, she smiled too.

Tinahak nila ang isang hindi pamilyar na lugar, maybe sa kanya lang hindi pamilyar ang dinadaanan nila dahil hindi naman siya. Inihinto ni Adrian ang motorsiklo niya sa gitna ng kalsada.

"W-wait, are we in V-vigan?!"

Natawa naman si Adrian sa sinabi niya. "Hindi 'no."

Tumingin si Leanne sa paligid niya, this place looks like the Spanish-themed street in Vigan, ang kaibahan lang--- puro food stalls and food carts ang nandito.

"C'mon Leanne, we have all day staying in this place!" masayang sabi nito. "So, shall we start our food stroll?"

She nodded. Adrian parked his motorcycle in the nearest parking lot and they started their stroll. She looked at Adrian and thought to herself.

You really like bring me in weird places.

"Tara na?" 

She nodded.

Habang naglalakad sila ng sabay, dahan dahan naman kinuha ni Leanne ang kamay ni Adrian, nagulat man si Adrian, agad naman itong napangiti nang ma-realize kung ano ang ginawa niya.

Wala na, finish na. Nahulog na naman ako.

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Note: Hi @burnedpapers_ I really appreciate your comments on the previous chapters, thank you, dear! Luvlots.