Sexy Virus (Phoenix #1)

Chapter 45

Chapter 45 - Past

"Salamat sa paghatid Yoyo!" sabi ko kay Clark pagdating namin sa Saunder, I'm thinking if I should kiss his cheek but we both freeze. "What did I call you?"

"What did you just call me?" his eyes are wide, gulat na gulat sa tawag ko sa kanya.

Habang ako, nagtataka. "Tinawag kitang, Yoyo?" Natawa ako. "Where did that come from? Sa Yosef? Clark Yosef?"

Hinawakan ni Clark ang parehong kamay ko. "Hel..."

"Bakit?" I'm a bit surprised. It's definitely the first time he calls me that; the nickname Phoenix gave me. 

He doesn't answer, tinitigan lang akng mabuti, habang mukha siyang constipated. 

"May sasabihin ka ba? Ma-le-late tayong pareho n'yan."

"Why did you call me Yoyo?" He finally blurts out. 

"Hindi ko din alam eh." Nagkibit-balikat ako at tumawa, "Basta na lang lumabas sa bibig ko. Pero cute 'di ba? Yoyo..."

Sumeryoso lang lalo ang mukha niya. 

"Ayaw mo ba ng Yoyo? Sige hindi na—"

His expression softens, "Wiswis, do... do you remember me now?"

"Wiswis?" Natawa ulit ako. "Sino si Wiswis—"

"Ayoko ng Clark! Ang hirap bigkasin." Nakasimangot na sabi no'ng batang babae. She's sniffing hard, dahil kakagaling lang sa iyak. "Yoyo na lang itatawag ko sayo."

"Yoyo? Ayoko!" tannggi naman no'ng batang lalaki. 

"Yoyo na lang tutal bagay naman sayo eh, si Clark Yosef ka naman!"

"Don't call me that! Tch, you think your name is pretty? Well, it's not! Heloise? It's weird!"

"Mas weird ang pangalan mo 'no!"

"No! Your name is weirder!"

"Nye nye! Yoyo na lang tatawag ko sayo, wala ka nang magagawa!"

Lalong sumama ang mukha no'ng batang lalaki. "Then... Then... I'll call you... I'll call you... I'll call you Wiswis!"

"Wiswis?"

"Yeah, Wiswis! Mukha ka naman ibon e! Palagi ka nakanguso, tch. Lawiswis!"

A blurry image of young boy flashes in my mind, and voices so loud and clear in my ears. Kaninong mga boses 'yon? At bakit nando'n si Clark? Sino si Wiswis? 

It can't be me, can it? Imposible. 

Hindi naman kami magkakababata ni Clark. Nitong high school ko lang siya nakilala. Surely, maalala ko namnan siya kung nagkakilala na kami dati 'di ba? 

Then again, there's a huge chunk in my elementary years na hindi ko maalala. Like a missing puzzle piece, na takot akong hanapin at buuin. 

Was he... somehow a part of my past I can't remember?

"Heloise." Clark calls, and I flinch in my seat. 

"Clark..."

He reaches for my cheeks and caresses them gently, "Stop thinking. Never mind what I said. It's nothing."

"P-pero—"