The Risk Of Love

baguio

2

Niana's

I went home late, na-traffic pa ako dahil sinamahan ko pa si Dean. "I'm here!" I yelled when I got to open the door.

"You ate na? Kasabay mo ba si Ading?" she yelled back, I smelled something cooking and headed to the kitchen. Siguro kauuwi lang din ni ma, sanay na naman ako sa late dinner lagi.

"Hindi po, at hindi pa po, I should change clothes first, ma." I said in response without waiting for her reply.

Mom and I were the only nagga-gabayan sa buhay. Dad left when I was 10, he said he needed time and recently about 7 months ago, we just got a news that he was pregnant with some girl. Mom was literally depressed and wanted to end her life. But I needed to be strong for her, I brought her to a psychiatrist ng nasa Manila na kami and a month ago she was finally coping up.

I went upstairs, and jumped in my bed, laying. Inalala ko yung kaninang nangyari samin ni Dylan. Sobrang nahihiya ako sa ginawa ko na nafru-frustrate, bakit kasi hindi ko masabing OO? Hindi naman sa hindi ko siya mahal. I love him as a friend and brother pero I don't even know if lumagpas na ba yun or hanggang dun nalang kahit turing ko sa kanya kapatid.

I still have doubts kung may something sa nararamdaman ko.

Matagal-tagal na din naman ang pinagsamahan namin ni Dylan or Ading as his family calls him, he's the youngest. Nasa iisang neighborhood kami, more specifically, kapit-bahay namin siya. After what happened to my family, we left our own home and stayed at grandmama's sa Mindoro. Hanggang sa lumaki na ako, Mom decided that we should go to Manila dahil nandito ang opportunities, eksakto na mag-high school na ako.

That's the time I met Dylan. At first I naiilang pa ako dahil puro babae ang friends ko sa Mindoro, and it was my first time to befriend a guy na sobrang maloko and makulit. I rememberd firmly that day when he totally pissed me off, it was our first annoying conversation first year high school.

"Ikaw yung next door na nerd!" he pointed at me, he even touched my glasses. "Totoo nga, ang kapal ng salamin mo!"

I was fuming mad at him, how dare he touch my glasses?! "Excuse me, Mr.?! Back the hell off!" pagmamataray ko, pinameywangan ko pa siya dahil inis na inis na ako.

"Sorry Dorkie! Ako si Dylan, Ading nalang. Friends na kasi Maming at Mamita, yung mama mo tawag ko mamita, sabi niya kasi eh. So friends na dapat tayo!" he was full of energy at ang daldal niya.

Inakbayan niya ako at naglahad ng kamay, "Friends?" he said. Nagdadalawang-isip ako noon, baka kasi nanloloko lang siya. But finally I gave in and said, "Friends, Nuebe nalang ang itawag mo sa akin."