My Greatest What If - Moira Gokongwei (Published)

Chapter 12

Gio's kiss wasn't demanding. It was gentle, subtle, and so persuasive that I returned it timidly. I felt her hand cup my face while her arm possessively went around my waist to pull me closer.

"Teka lang—" I gently pushed her off me.

"Oh, God, please don't tell me that after that speech, you still want us to be just friends?"

"Paano kung—"

"Paano kung ano? Whatever your misgivings are, I am confident that I can ease them. Pera? Walang problema. Pag-aaral mo? Sagot ko na. 'Yung stepmom mo? Mas mayaman ako sa kanya—"

"G, ganito kasi—"

"Ano na naman?" She groaned. "Baby, if you're worried about what the future holds, ako na ang bahala H'wag na kasing kung anu-ano ang iniisip."

Wait lang, paano naman 'yung ex mo? my mind protested.

I let out a sigh. "What about Leslie?"

"She's not my kid, I don't worry about her present and her future at all."

"Gio—"

"Look..." She momentarily closed her eyes. "More than anything, you and I are friends and I am not going to use a friend to get over an ex."

I arched a brow at her.

"Noon una, oo, hindi pa naman tayo magkaibigan n'un, eh. I was looking for someone to play as my girlfriend and you answered to the ad. Pero, bago itong nararamdaman ko para sa'yo, naging kaibigan muna kita. Sa tingin mo talaga ay gagamitin kita?"

"So, ano 'yung pag-iyak-iyak mo n'ung nakita natin si Leslie n'ung una tayong nag-meet?"

She didn't reply.

"See? Tama ako. May crush ka sa akin, tanggap ko 'yun tutal may crush din naman ako sa'yo. But let's not venture into that path na alam nating may isang masasaktan sa ating dalawa—"

"I cried because I was afraid that you will end up like her..." she quietly said.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"That you might look for things that I couldn't give just like Leslie did. I was afraid that you will eventually crave a conventional relationship. 'Yung relasyon sa isang taong hindi mo ikakahiya dahil lalaki s'ya at babae ka. I was afraid that you'll start wanting children and I couldn't give you that—"

I squeezed her hand. "Kung papasok ako sa relasyong ganito it's because alam ko ang pinasok ko kaya hindi ko hahanapin ang mga 'yun..."

She didn't say anything and just brought my hand to her lips.

"Pero, I don't think I am ready for what you want, G," I said.

I saw how her shoulders drooped. "What made you say that?"

"Kasi kailangan ko munang ayusin ang buhay ko..."

"Hindi mo ba pwedeng ayusin 'yun habang parte ka ng buhay ko?"

"Magkaibigan naman tayo so parte na ako ng buhay mo."

"Nag-kiss na tayo, pwedeng panagutan mo naman 'yun?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Grabe..."

"Be responsible for your words and actions, Moira. You cannot tell me that our feelings are mutual, kiss me back, and then demand that we remain friends. So, para matapos na 'to kasi sumasakit na ang ulo ko, gusto mo ba ako?"

"Anong kinalaman n'un—"

"Just answer the question."

"Sinabi ko na naman sa'yo, 'di ba?"