Forever Agape [FS#1]

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C h a p t e r  26

Hindi namin sinundan ang tinawag niyang Sandra at nanatili lang kami sa kinauupuan, halata namang ayaw niyang kitain ang ama. Nanatili ang mata namin sa harapan ngunit ang isip ko ay lumilipad pa rin sa kung sino ang tinutukoy ng babeng Mrs. Blancas? I'm certain that I don't know her, I haven't heard that name yet. Why send someone who's a stranger to me?

My eyes drifted to Hell, what the lady said was clear. Mrs. Blancas is with Tito Paul so maybe, Hell knows her? Mukhang napansin niya ang sandaling pagtingin ko kaya naman napunta rin sa akin ang titig nito, napakagat ako sa aking labi at inilipat na lang ang mata sa harapan. Naaalala ko pa lang kung paano kumuyom ang kamay niya ay may humihila na sa aking huwag magtanong.

When the masters of the ceremony climbed up to the stage, everyone became quiet. My eyes went down to our hand, it looks like he doesn't have any plans to let go. Truth shall be told, I don't even mind at all. Ramdam ko ang pagdidikit ng aming balikat, tumuwid pa ako ng upo upang mailayo ang sarili ngunit siya naman ang humilig kaya nagdikit kami ulit. He's really serious when he told me he wants no space between us, eh?

He only let go of me when the doxology starts. In the corner of my eyes, I saw how he bowed his head while both of his hands are intertwined with each other. I can't help but smile at the sight, I closed my eyes too as the prayer started. The singing of the national anthem follows, all of us stood up to pay our respect to the flag and the pledge follows too afterward.

I saw how he crossed his legs as he leaned back to rest his back, his eyes are too focused on the stage as the Dean went up. As for me, I kept my hands to myself after that.

The opening remarks was led by the Dean, he congratulated and thank everyone who participated for this year's SciMath Month. Napuno ng papuri ang kanyang speech na lubos na ikinatuwa ng mga magulang, wika pa nito ay tama ang naging desisyon nilang dito ipasok ang mga anak. I doubt that he just sugarcoat it, I was raised in this school so I know he's telling the truth.

We clapped our hands for him after. When he went down, the guest speaker climbed up. With an inspirational backstory, numbers of achievements, and motivational words, it ended too. Sa totoo lang ay nangangawit na ang pwet ko, nang kinalabit ako ni Aleana at bumulong ay doon lang nabali ang atensyon ko sa harapan.

"Tignan mo si Sari," Tumaas ang kilay ko at sinundan ang kanyang tingin, katabi niya si Henry at nagbubulungan ang dalawa. Isang nakakalokong ngiti ang gumuhit sa labi ko. "I'm torn here, ang kakapal ng mga mukha niyo." Inis pa nitong wika kaya napairap ako.

"You should get one," Biro lang iyon, natawa ako dahil tila niloloko ko rin ang sarili. Wala rin naman akong nobyo, kung tutuusin. She laugh and shook her head, she's always like this, avoiding talks about boys and as such.

"Huwag kayong iiyak sa akin," Umirap siya at humalukipkip pa.

Magsasalita pa sana ako ngunit agad kong naitikom ang bibig nang maramdaman ang paghawak ni Hell sa aking siko, napatingin ako sa kanya at nagtama ang aming mata. Hindi bumuka ang bibig nito ngunit sapat na ang kanyang tingin para muli kong ibalik ang mata sa harapan. He obviously wants me to stay focus, mahina lang naman ang usapan namin ni Aleana. Ngumuso na lang ako.

Humilig ito at yumuko. "Don't pout," Bulong nito, umirap ako at iginilid ang sarili upang mapalayo sa kanya. He chuckled, his hand went to my elbow as he caress it slowly, his touch is warm and I suddenly became fond of it. "You should stay focus, maganda ang sinasabi niya..."

Marahan niya akong hinila, kulang na lang ay alisin niya ang handrest ng upuan para mawala ang dibisyon sa pagitan naming dalawa. His hand snaked on my waist, tila awtomatikong namahinga ang kamay ko sa kanyang binti. Nanatili akong nakanguso, 'di pa rin tanggap ang pagpapatahimik niya. He laugh a little, God, that's beautiful.