T-Shirt Girl (COMPLETED)

TSG 8 - Burn

"I'll lay down on your bed of coals, offer up my heart and soul but in return, I want you to burn. Burn for me..." --Burn, Tina Arena

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Girls are difficult. There's no getting around them. Kahit ano'ng gawin ng lalaki, may makikita at makikita pa ring mali sa kanya ang babae. Hindi niya malaman kung bakit siya iniiwasan ni Jazmin. Sa pagkakatanda naman niya, wala siyang ginawang hindi nito nagustuhan. He's been a very good friend to her. Bakit naman bigla-bigla itong iiwas?

I'm just trying to find myself.

That's what she replied to him when he sent her a text message. Madalas nitong i-reject ang mga tawag niya and she even blocked him on Facebook. Hindi niya alam kung bakit.

Wala na rin ang susi sa may halamanan sa tabi ng pinto ng bahay nito. Kapag magpupunta siya roon, he had no choice but to knock. At hindi sya nito pinagbubuksan. She'd pretend that she's not home by not answering.

Nahuli niya ito minsan.

"I know you're in there, Jazmin. I heard your ringtone," he said. He called her earlier at narinig niya ang malakas nitong ringtone from inside. But it was abruptly cut off. Not in time though. He heard it.

"Go away!"

"Ano na naman ba'ng ginawa ko?"

"Umalis ka na kundi tatawag ako ng pulis!"

"You'd call the cops because I happen to care for you?"

Dead silence.

"Jazmin?"

"Don't call me that!" she suddenly blurted out loud. "Di ba sabi ko sa 'yo, JAE ang itawag mo sa 'kin?"

"Sorry, Jae."

He heard her sigh. "Umalis ka na kasi."

"Bakit mo ba ako pinapaalis?"

"Kasi mas madaling matanggap kung habang maaga pa lang e aalis ka na."

"Jaz—Jae..."

"Please lang." Her voice cracked. "I can't deal with another loss."

"Then don't lose me." He pressed himself against the door and added softly. "Open up, Jae. Let me in."

That did it. Bahagya siyang umurong nang marinig niya ang pagtatanggal nito ng lock sa loob. Binuksan nito ang pintuan. She had been crying again. Hindi yata ito nauubusan ng luha. Her eyes were red and teary. Namumula na rin ang ilong nito kaiiyak.

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Hi."

Naiiyak itong yumakap sa kanya. In many ways, she's like a kid. Stubborn, gusto nasusunod palagi and cries because of the slightest pain. Kailangang-kailangan nito ng alaga, ng kalinga. It's too bad that no one did that for her.

Hindi niya ito masisi kung bakit ang laki ng galit nito sa mga magulang nito. He couldn't blame her for having serious abandonment issues. Life had been tough on her.

He kissed the top of her head. "See? It's not so bad."

Umiling ito. "Y-You should have left."

"I don't want to."

Naramdaman niyang humigpit ang yakap nito sa kanya. "Go away... please..."

He let out a chuckle. "Pinapaalis mo 'ko pero ang higpit naman ng yakap mo?"

"I-I think I'm..." Humugot ito ng malalim na hininga bago nagpatuloy. "...starting to like you."

Like is a lot less than love but it's a few steps closer. Does he like her? So-so. Medyo gusto na hindi. He finds her annoying but he also finds her cute. Mixed feelings kumbaga. Is he better off without her? He couldn't say.