Love, A (Short Story)

Eleven

Please listen to Titibo-tibo by Moira dela Torre while reading this! ❤️

--
Siberian Husky

"Joke time ba to?" Nainis ako sa tanong ni Donny noong makita niya ako. "Anong nangyari sayo?" He asked again. I fisted my palm dahil sa inis. Isa na lang at susuntukin ko na to! Hindi ko alam pero nao-offend ako sa reaksiyon niya.

"Obvious ba? Kita mo naman, nagpagupit ako." I said then rolled my eyes. Nakakunot pa rin ang noo niya habang sinusuri ang suot ko.

"Dress? Sandals? Curled hair? May costume party ka bang pupuntahan?" Tanong niya ulit.

"Ano bang problema mo? Hindi ba pwedeng nag-ayos lang talaga?!" Inis kong tanong. Hindi naman siya nakasagot at nakatingin lang siya sakin. He was intently looking at me hanggang sa nailang na ako. He's making me uncomfortable!

Mabuti sana kung yung tingin niya eh mukhang na-amaze, eh hindi naman. He looks real pissed. Ano bang problema niya? Wala naman akong ginagawa sa kanya ah?

"Tabi nga," sabi ko at dumiretso ako para maglaro ng basketball. Nag shoot lang ako nang nag shoot at habang nag-eenjoy ako, bigla na lang nakisali yung epal na asungot.

"I can't believe you really reached this point, Alex." He said while throwing his shots. Nakakainis, puro pasok!

"Ano bang sinasabi mo?" Tanong ko habang naglalaro rin.

"You changed yourself just because you want to be liked." He said and threw his last flawless shot.

Tapos na yung game at nung lalagyan ko pa sana ng token ay hinarangan ni Donny yung lagayan nun. Nakaharap siya sakin and he looked like a bad boy coz his arms were crossed.

"Hindi mo naman kailangang baguhin yung sarili mo dahil lang.. dahil lang kay Dominic." He said, annoyance is evident in his face.

"Ginagawa ko to para sa sarili ko, Donny. I want to be better." I answered.

"So you wanna better yourself with what? Changing your entire personality? Ganun ba yun?" Tanong niya. Pakiramdam ko tuloy tinitignan na kami ng mga ibang naglalaro!

My forehead creased, "Bakit ba sobrang affected mo?! I'm not changing myself, I'm just improving who I am. Ako pa rin to--"

"You don't have to improve anything with yourself, Alexandria. Oo, you look pretty today. And I like it when you're this confident but please realize that you don't have to change who you are just to fit in and be liked." Litanya niya.  I didn't expect that from him.

"Kasi kung gusto ka talaga ng isang tao, kahit gaano ka pa ka-unpleasant tignan, magugustuhan ka pa rin niya." He seriously said while looking straight to my eyes. I felt... something.

"And for me? Wala kang kailangang baguhin.  Kasi yung titibo tibong Alex? That's the best version of Alex for me." Dagdag pa niya.

He rendered me speechless. Of all people, hindi ko inakalang si Donny pa yung makaka-appreciate sa kung sino talaga ako.

"Ang dami mong sinabi. Ang dami mo palang opinyon sa buhay ko," Biro ko to brighten up the mood na masyado nang seryoso.

"Psh. Look at those jeje boys, they're all so ready to hit on you." Sabi niya at ngumuso sa likuran ko. Nilingon ko naman yon at nakita ko yung mga lalaking nakatingin sa direksyon namin. I cringed.

"They wish," Donny mumbled at kinuha niya yung sandamakmak na ticket na nakolekta niya at inabot sakin. Pagkakuha ko nun ay hinila niya ako. He placed his arm on my shoulder para akbayan ako. He's too tall! Seriously.

"Hoy, ano ba?" I tried to remove his arm pero ayaw niya.

"You want those creepy dudes na titigan ka? Kunyari boyfriend mo ako para magtigil sila. Mamaya, sundan ka pa niyan e." He said.

Nagpunta kami doon sa claw crane at naglaro ulit. Okay sana yung mga stuffed toys pero hindi ko makuha kaya nafufrustrate lang ako. Ilang ulit ako nag try pero nalaglaglag talaga! Kaasar!

"Aray!" Donny reacted nung hinampas ko siya sa braso dahil sa inis.

"Ang daya nito! Badtrip ah!" I complained.  Tinawanan at inasar lang ako ng epal na si Donny.

Naglaro din kami ng tekken at kung anu-ano pa sa arcade. Nung busy pa ako magalaro ay sabi ni Donny may pupuntahan siya saglit. 

Natapos na yung laro at ubos na yung tokens ko kaya naupo na lang ako at naghintay. I fiddled with my phone for a while pero nagulat ako nung bumalik na si Donny and he was holding this huge siberian husky stuffed toy.

"Oh, sayo na." He said at inabot sakin. I squealed at agad kong kinuha yun because it was too cute!

"Ang cute!" I giggled.

Donny smiled and messed my hair. "Babantayan ka niyan, tapos lalapain niya yung mga aaligid aligid sayo." He kidded. 

And again, I felt something.. something strange. Hindi ko alam. Bakit ganun? Kahit madalas kaming magbangayan, may ganito pa rin akong nararamdaman. Parang.. kilig?