Almost, But Not Quite (COMPLETED)

Chapter 22

#ABNQ22 Chapter 22

"What's this?" I asked when suddenly, a paper bag was placed in front of me. Pagtingin ko sa likod kung sino iyong nagbigay, nakita ko si Psalm. He was looking at me, wearing that smile na parang unsure pa siya kung ano ang sasabihin or gagawin niya.

I arched my brow. "Bakit?" tanong ko.

"Thank you gift," simpleng sabi niya.

"For?"

"Helping me yesterday."

"With the fake du—"

Bigla niyang tinakpan iyong bibig ko bago ko pa naman matapos sabihin iyong fake ducks. Seriously! Sobrang big deal ba talaga ng totoong katauhan nung mga ungrateful na ducks na 'yun?!

Agad ko siyang kinunutan ng noo kaya tinanggal niya iyong kamay niya sa ibabaw ng bibig ko.

"Sorry," he said. "People might tell Saint."

"Are you serious?" sabi ko kasi parang sobrang weird niya na lang talaga.

He nodded. Akala ko magsasalita na siya, pero naupo siya sa tabi ko. Ewan ko. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng something weird nung tabihan niya ako... Maybe because I thought this wouldn't happen ever again. Kasi mabait si Psalm. Kasi sabi nila, 'wag mong galitin ang mabait na tao kasi hindi mo alam kung ano ang mangyayari.

And for some reasons, he got angry with me.

"When we were younger, Saint had a pet goldfish," he began. Agad na napa-kunot ang noo ko. Saint seriously has the knack to find strange pets! "One summer, they all went to Madrid for Abuela's birthday. I was left here since I had to do something. Saint tasked me to care for his pet, but I forgot... so long story short, I killed a goldfish," pag-amin niya na parang sobrang seryosong krimen iyong nagawa niya.

I profusely pursed my lips because I thought it would be utterly offensive kapag tinawanan ko iyong problema niya.

"I still feel guilty after 10 years," pagpapatuloy niya. "So, do you promise not to tell a soul?"

Tinignan ko siya. He seemed rather serious about this matter, so I nodded and did this zipping action. "Okay," sabi ko. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

He smiled. Iyong totoong smile. Hindi iyong smile niya na nagiging dahilan para ma-trigger ako dahil feeling ko pina-plastic niya lang ako. "Thanks, Joey."

I smiled back. "No problem," sabi ko. "Does this mean that we're friends again?" seryosong tanong ko sa kanya. We're really nearing the end of our college lives, and it would be really sucky if we're gonna tiptoe around each other. I mean, paano namin ma-e-enjoy iyong remaining months kung mukhang tanga kaming nagpa-plastican?

"Yeah, of course," sabi niya.

"For real?" paninigurado ko.

Psalm bit his lower lip, and slowly nodded. "Sure, friends," he answered.

I arched my brow. "So, as a friend, pwede mo ba akong samahan sa weekend?" I asked.

He nodded. "Sure," sagot niya kahit hindi ko pa sinasabi kung saan.

"Mall. Hahanap lang ako ng isusuot para sa ball," sabi ko sa kanya.

"Won't Kitty and Anj get mad?" tanong niya. Shit, oo nga pala. Palagi nga palang sila iyong kasama ko kapag naghahanap kami ng susuotin. Palagi kasing may mga ball or event na requirement sa degree namin... But I needed this para malaman ko if okay na ba talaga kami ni Psalm.