Chasing Love (Completed)

Chapter 21 - Stairs

Kung akala kong nakalimutan na ni Liam ang sinabi niya sa akin nung isang gabi nagkamali ako. Earlier I received a text from an anonymous number. Meet me at the stairs ang sabi.

There are so many stairs in our school but I know exactly what stairs that message is talking about. I was right when I saw Liam sitting in one of the steps there. Of course it's the stairs going to the gym.

Like I said before, walang dumadaan dito. And he chose this.

I saw him sitting at the top stairs looking at his phone.

"Seryoso ka talaga ah." Sabi ko habang palapit.

He lifted his head and smiled. "Dumating ka naman."

"Gusto ko lang makita kung sino 'yung nagtext sa akin. Akala ko pa naman may admirer na ako." Ngumuso ako. "And nakita ko na so aalis na ako."

"After what I've been through to get your number? I don't think so."

"Paano ba?" Tumawa ako.

Naririnig ko ang mga tumatambay pa lower floor ng building. Mga magbabarkadang nagtatawanan at nagsisigawan.

Sana lang wala sa kanilang makaisip na umakyat dito.

"I got it from Valdez pero hindi ko sasabihin kung paano."

I groaned. Si Seb nanaman? Ano bang nagawa kong kasalanan sa kanya at ginagawa niya 'to sa akin? Baka naman ipangblackmail niya later ang mga information na alam niya.

"Word of advice? Don't trust Sebastian."

Trusting him have got me into trouble several times when we were a kid. Pero siya pa rin ang paboritong pamangkin ni Mama kaya no choice ako kung hindi ang makisama sa kanya.

He's not bad but not good too. Alam ko lang ang dapat kong sabihin sa kanya at hindi. But considering he had helped me countless times and he is my cousin.. he had become tolerable.

"Pero close kayo diba?" His brow creased.

"Close sa close yes."

"Close. Hmm.." He nodded and pretended he understand.

"I just remembered I didn't answer your question last time. About Sebastian?"

Kung may gusto ba ako kay Seb?

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Ngumuso ako. "Hindi ko lang maisip. What makes you think I like him?"

"I don't know. Madalas kayong magkasama tapos palagi ka rin nakangiti. And you two looked pretty close. The way you talk, parang ang casual lang. I kind of envy him because he can talk to you whenever he like."

"But we don't have a secret place." I meant it as a joke pero hindi ganon ang dating sa kanya.

"Because you don't need to." Yumuko siya and his hair fell almost covering his eyes.

His hair is kinda long for a basketball player na palaging tumatakbo. But I like it. Naalala ko one time nung napagtripan nilang magpasemi kalbo nila Seb. There were three of them at nakalimutan ko na kung sino 'yung isa pero mukha silang itlog lalo na pag magkakasama sila and I always laughed at them and teased him. Ever since hindi na talaga siya nagpagupit ng maiksi.

Ngumisi naman ako and what I said next made him raised his head. "Sebastian is my cousin. And it's kind of weird if I like him. So no. 100% no."

Napatayo siya. "Magpinsan kayo ni Valdez?"

"Yes. Kapatid ni Mama ang Mama niya. If that's a better explanation." Ngiti ko.

His mouth fell open and is looking intently at me.

"Bakit ba gulat na gulat ka? Hindi ka naniniwala?" Tumawa ako.

Tapos nanliit ang mata niya. "Joke ba 'yan?"

"Trust me. If I can un-cousin him, gagawin ko." If un-cousin is even a word.

"You don't look like each other. I mean of course pero magpinsan talaga kayo?"

"Oo nga ang kulit!" Natatawa ako sa kanya. His reaction is gold.

"Sobrang close niyo. I was never close to my cousin like that."

"You probably don't have any cousin your age that hangs around your house almost everyday when you were a kid."

Umiling siya at nakikita kong gulat pa rin siya sa nalaman niya.

I can't blame him. No one knows. Walang nagtatanong. Though baka 'yung mga taong nakakakita sa amin may same assumption rin. Yuck!

"Akala ko nanliligaw siya or something." His voice is low now.

"Kung nililigawan niya ako do you think ibibigay niya ang number ko sayo?" Tumaas ang kilay ko.

Shaking his head he said. "You have no idea."

Now I wonder what did he do for Seb to make him give my number. And to think na hindi niya sinabi sa akin!

Magtatanong na sana ako kung wala lang akong narinig na palapit na boses. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa at parang nagulat dahil walang dapat pumunta dito!

Nanlaki ang mata ko while he bend to pick up his bag and put it on his shoulder. Then without any word pulled me after him.

He was running like a player does. And since I have shorter legs halos mahulog ako sa hagdan dahil hila hila niya ako.

He stopped at the 3rd floor and turned right to where the classrooms are. Wala nang tao pag ganitong oras besides sa janitor na naglilinis. Huminto siya sa may isang corner malapit sa elevator while we catch our breaths. Or rather as I catch my breath. He seems to be doing fine and.. smiling.

I looked away. When he smiles like that his dimple shows and I'm always fighting the urge to poke it.

"Woah. That was-"

"Disaster?" I suggested.

"Fun." He grinned.

It is anything but fun to me. Imagine kung magpagulong gulong ako sa hagdan kung fun pa ba!

"I think we can't keep meeting there anymore."

Then to my surprise bigla siyang tumawa. Sinandal niya ang ulo sa may pader habang tumatawa.

"Huy okay ka lang?"

"Come to think of it, hindi kaya janitor lang 'yun?"

Sumimangot ako. "Sana chineck mo muna bago mo ako hinila."

"Sorry."

But his voice is nothing near being apologetic. Parang natutuwa pa nga siya. Lahat ba ng player talagang ganito? Natutuwa sa mga situation kung saan hindi ka dapat natutuwa? Kasama ba 'yun sa practice nila?

"But it was fun right?" He said.

Umiling ako.

"Come on! It was fun. Kala mo ba hindi ko nakita ngumiti ka kanina?"

I did? Kailan niya iyon napansin?

"Hindi ako ngumiti." Sabi ko. Then his lips curved up into a satisfying smile.

"Wag kang ngumiti. Kasalanan mo kaya 'to!"

Pinagdikit naman niya ang labi niya at yumuko.

Fine. Maybe I could use a little fun in this boring life. I will admit earlier was fun. I've never run that fast in my entire life. And never had to because all my life hindi ko naman kailangan magtago para lang makipagusap sa isang guy.

And well, I'm doing it and had a little fun. Konti lang talaga. And I know for sure that this will not be the last.