Archetype

Chapter 27: HINTS

"Wanna play game?" I was busy with my grilled tuna belly when she spoke. I looked at her, consciously dabbing the napkin on my mouth.

"Game?" I asked. I don't have any single idea on what's running inside her sophisticated mind.

She smiles a little. "We played Q and A already. How about let's exchange facts about each other. The one that not everyone knows."

Seems interesting. I smiled back. "Game!" I enthusiastically answered. It's time to know Isabel Beatriz De Leon more.

"You first?" Her eyes has this glistening aura you can't resist. Way better than these lavish cuisine.

"Ikaw muna." But I need her to start it. I don't know how to play it honestly.

She raised her right brow. "Uhm." She begun. "How do I start this one?" This girl is really cute whenever she unconsciously runs her fingers through her hair, making my stomach flipped upside down. "I had this childhood crush."

There's this slight irritation I felt. "Si Maddie. Alam na yan ng lahat."

"Let me finish first, Jhow." She chirpy demanded. "To be honest? I don't know if it's her." Her voice is getting lower.

"What do you mean?" I pierced my eyes on her.

"I love Maddie." That's the most sincere thing I heard from her since this dinner started and it kills me. "As a friend. As a teammate. As my batchmate." I can see pain from the core of her eyes.

"So you think it's not Maddie?" I'm curious as cat now, hell!

She shook her head. "Yeah, but it can't be. You know, she has my painting on her. Her name starts with 'M'." She make used of her fingers to qoute the word M. "And we went to the same art school."

"Okay? Naguguluhan na ako, Beatriz." I'm starting to get anxious. My heart is dribbling faster and faster.

"Me too, Jho. But, I think it's not really her. At first, yeah, she has this graceful aura the same with the kid I met. They got the same white skin, mataray look yet whenever she smiles, it's one of the sweetest. Parehong-pareho. But, it's not the same feeling." I breathe out as I heard her statement.

"Baka naman nagfade lang yung feelings mo. Kasi diba ang tagal na since you two saw each other again." Am I trying to be a love guru here?

Her face lighten up again. "Maybe. Your turn."

"Since we're talking about childhood here, ganun nalang din sa akin." I smile at her. "I had this first friend. We were 5 years old back then. She always visits our house for us to play. Makulit, madaldal, english ng english at super girly. But she always told me, she rather play guns and cars than barbies because of her brother, and her cousins are mostly boys. Kaya tuwang-tuwa siya if we're playing kasi finally may kalaro na siya ng dolls niya. Nakuha niya ang loob ko pero siya rin ang unang sumira ng tiwala ko." As I recall that memory, I can feel nostalgia all over me.

"She's dumb. So dumb." Bea reacted.

"Hayaan na natin yun. Nakalimutan ko na yun, eh." I bitterly laugh. Bea is now wearing her poker face on. "Ikaw naman."

"Alam mo bang I first saw you here in Davao?" She's saying that while digging the steak on her plate, all eyes are on that thing.

I was astounded. "You what?! Me?!" Shocked is really an understatement with her confession. My eyes widened also.

She nodded even she's not looking at me. "Uh-huh! PRISSA 2013." Oh yeah! I was here to coach my DLSL babies. That was my first time to coach. "You're too quiet as a coach, no? Takot pa nga ako sayo nun kahit halatang antukin ka." She's laughing by now.

"So kilala mo na ako before pa?" Her face turned shocked with what I said.

But she easily get back on track. "Yeah. Crush pa nga kita, eh." She's raising her brows up and down. She looks like a maniac. "You're too scary yet hot at the same time."

I slapped her shouder. Kainis to! But to tell you, guys, my heart is shaking dahil sa kilig. "Ouch, Jhow! You're next na nga. You're so brutal." Reklamo niya.

"May three reasons ako why I decided na magcoach sa dati kong school. First, kasi gusto kong tulungan ang magulang ko sa financial expenses. Alam mo yun, as ate, mafifeel mo yung responsibility to help. Yeah, we're not struggling with money naman pero I felt the urge to do so." Bea gripped my thigh. Maybe her way of comforting me. "Second, kasi I wanna help Jaja and of course yung buong team din." I breathe out. "And lastly, ayoko talagang iwan ang volleyball kasi naging kasangga ko na to since then."

Nakakadalawang facts palang kami when Maddie called na kailangan daw si Bea dun so she decided na ihatid na ako sa taas.

Nadatnan namin si Gizelle na nakahiga and she's busy with her phone.

"Nabili mo yung mga kailangan mo?" I asked her. Her gazes swiftly went to our direction and with her looks I know she's silently teasing me.

"Yeah." She pointed the three big bags from Mango. I nodded. "So, san mo dinala si roomie, BDL?"

Bea made her way to Gizelle's bed at naki-usyoso sa telepono nito kaya umupo na rin ako sa edge ng kama ko. "Just downstairs. Is he courting you?" Bea casually said. I think she's reffering to Gizelle's textmate or what.

"Nope. Just a friend." Bea's mouth formed into 'o', silently muttering a word "oh."

Tumayo na si Bea then like they usually do, she pats Gi's shoulder. "I had to go." And she gave her a beso.

"See you tomorrow, De Leon!" Gizelle shouted as Bea turned her back from her. So, Beatriz raised her hand goodbye.

"Thank you for tonight, Picasso!" Her tone is saccharine. "I enjoyed every bits of it." She whispers and it made me blush.

"Salamat din. Ingat on your way back." It was an awkward grunt.

"Kumusta dinner?" Gizelle asked when Bea reach the exit of our room.

"Okay naman. Masarap pala tuna belly nila, 'no?" I scratched the back of my head. I know I told them I'm not hungry awhile ago.

Gizelle looked at me a with concern in her eyes. Here we go again. "I guess you will really enjoy anything whenever you're with the person special to you."

My heart wanna bang me unconsciously with it's hard heartbeat. It's too loud, too blaring. "Ayaw niyo pa rin ba?" I don't know where I get this bravery. Sana hindi ko pagsisihan sa huli.

And I also know that despite my abstract retort, Gizelle get what I meant. "Hindi sa ganun, Jho. Pero ayoko ko na rin makialam." She sits beside me. "Just know na whatever happens, I will be at your side."

Just like before, parehong-pareho sila ni Jia ng gusto. "And I hope it's better that way. I'm sorry." She gave me a hug before standing up. "I'll be at Ria's. Just let me know if you need something."

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I tried, okay? Hahaha

Forgive me 😢😅

Send me your thoughts, fam! 💙