Going the Distance (Book #1 of Distance series)

Interlude: Lost In Her

Pagkagaling ng garahe ay agad na bumalik si Andy kasama si Alvin sa patio kung saan naiwang nagkukuwentuhan ang dalawang magkababayan. Pansin pa niyang medyo nagulat si Sophie nang makita siyang biglang papalapit sa kanila. He sits in his place next to hers. "You look pale," he tells her.

"You were fast," answers Sophie.

"We need to. Because I missed you that fast," pabiro niyang sabi kahit nagsasabi naman talaga siya nang totoo. At the moment, this is the only way he could think of to deliver it without sounding cheesy. It's as though he does not want to miss the sight of her, of what she does, or what she is up to. Just like what happened back in the apartment the morning before they left for Cambridgeshire.

Sandali itong nawala sa kanyang paninigin matapos silang mag-almusal. Natagpuan na lamang niya itong nasa kuwarto at naabutang nililigpit ang nakakalat niyang mga gamit pampinta. "You can work more comfortably with all your stuffs in order. I was done with washing your brushes too," sabi nito sa kanya. He smiles as he remembers how she still had the time to organize his work table, which he doesn't bother to clean regularly.

"Alvin just showed me some old, unused frames. He gave them all to me," he says to her ecstatically. Magagamit niya kasi ang mga iyon sa mga susunod niyang artwork. Tunay na magagandang klase ang mga frame na iyon. Malaki ang naitulong nito sa kanya dahil nakatipid siya, lalo at nandito si Sophie na imposibleng hindi niya pagkagastusan kahit papaano.

He wants to take her to the best restaurants in town because he knows she enjoys this a lot. Sa mga kuwento pa lamang nito sa chat kung saan halos kada linggo ay may napupuntahan itong bagong kainan. Ang mga kaganapang iyon ay ibinabahagi ni Sophie sa kanya. Pinadadalhan siya nito ng mga larawan at minsan nama'y nagvi-videochat sila.

"Well, that's nice," payak nitong sagot sa kabila ng masaya niyang balita rito. She keeps eye contact with him but her gaze becomes glazed in just a few moments.

"Is there something wrong?"

Iling lamang ang sagot ni Sophie sa kanya. He's starting to wonder what could've possibly changed her mood. Is she bored? Pero paanong mangyayaring naiinip siya kung ang huling kita niya kanina bago niya samahan si Alvin sa garahe ay nagtatawanan pa sila ni Aurora.

Maybe she's thinking about her online bakeshop, isip-isip niya. Gusto sana niyang magsalita pero parang hindi naman niya ito madistorbo sa ginagawa sa cellphone.

Edging closer to her, he gently places his hand over hers. He catches her glance over their hands for a split second, but she takes her eyes off right away along with her hand to get back on doodling on her phone pad.

"You guys need anything?" tanong ni Alvin.

Bumaling si Andy kay Sophie. "Are you good?"

"I am," tipid na naman nitong sagot.

"You sure you're alright?"

Tumango ito nang hindi tumitingin sa kanya.

"We're cool, Alvin, thank you," wika niya rito.

"I'll have to leave you guys for a while to take a call, okay?" Alvin flashes them a lackluster smile before he leaves.

Andy lazily reclines on the couch and stretches both of his arms, with his one arm going over Sophie's shoulder. Abruptly, she sits up straight to avoid being touched, which Andy quite notices.

"I'll have to help Aurora tidy the table and wash the dishes in the kitchen." Agad itong tumayo upang ligpitin ang kalat sa coffee table. "You don't have too, hun," sabi pa ni Aurora kay Sophie. Sumagot ito gamit ang sariling wika at ipinagpatuloy ang ginagawang pagliligpit. Hinintay na lamang niya ito habang nililibang ang sarili sa kanyang cellphone. Hindi na rin kasi niya nauunawaan ang pinag-uusapan ng dalawa.