Waiting To Hear You Say "I Love You"

Chapter 54 --- Guilt

Chapter 54

Guilt

It was part of the song. Samuelson’s I love you was part of the song. Umirit ang mga babae dahil sa kilig pero hindi dahil sa pagsabi nito ng tatlong salitang iyon, kundi dahil kay Samuelson mismo. The girls around them thought that he looks cool as he said those words as if confessing but they all knew that it was just part of the song.

Pero iba ang dating no’n kay Samantha. He didn’t sang it anyway. He said it. Magkaiba ang dating ng mga salitang iyon kapag kinanta at kapag sinabi ng direkta. He’s even looking at her straight to the eyes. Paanong hindi siya makakaramdaman ng iba? She felt something different in her chest yet something familiar. Something she thinks she felt before but failed to pinpoint when or to whom she felt it. She doesn’t even know if she’s just assuming things or Samuelson just purely sang the song.

Their professor was the one who spoiled the fun, as the students there described it (Samantha considered it saving though), and told them to thank Lolo Sen and to line up outside. Walang ibang choice ang mga estudyante kundi ang sumunod sa kanilang propesor.

Akala ni Samantha ay ligtas na siya. Pero hanggang sa makabalik sila sa mga cabin nila ay tinutudyo pa rin siya ng kanyang mga kaklase. Tinadtad rin siya ng mga ito ng sunud-sunod na mga tanong tungkol sa kanila ni Samuelson. There was no story to tell for her but to her classmates, there definitely is.

Napipilitan niyang ikinuwento kung paano niya nakilala si Samuelson, less the thing about Felix and Amethyst’s family background and what happened between her and Felix at the party. Ingat na ingat siya sa pagkukwento. She tried her hardest not to even mention Felix’s name.

Sinagot niya lahat ng tanong ng mga kaklase niya. There’s just one question that she couldn’t answer.

“Edi, wala ngang namamagitan sa inyo ni Felix? Hindi naging kayo?”

Her mouth hang open as she let her brain process the question. Pero kahit anong gawin niyang isip ay hindi niya alam ang sagot.

“Oo nga pala. ‘Di ba nag-date pa nga kayo noon?” her another classmate asked.

She looked at every girl looking at her etched with anticipation. Lahat ay halatang gustong malaman ang sasabihin niya.

She sighed and managed to fake a smile. “Walang ‘kami’. Ang totoo nan, may girlfriend siya ngayon,” she monotonously said. “Si Queenie,” she added.

She knew Queenie is not Felix’s girlfriend yet. “Pero don na rin papunta yon,” she bitterly said to herself.

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Night came and Samantha is still awake. Tulog na tulog na ang mga kasama niya sa cabin na iyon pero siya ay gising na gising pa. Being unable to have a good night sleep, she decided to stealthily go outside and breathe some fresh air. Ang hindi niya inaasahan ay ang makikita niya si Samuelson na parang maglalakad na papalayo sa cabin nila kung hindi lang nito narinig ang pagbubukas niya ng pinto.

He looks like a thief caught on act.

He smiled awkwardly as she did the same.

“Couldn’t sleep?” pagtatanong nito pagkatapos ay umayos ng tayo.

“Oo, eh,” she answered. “Ikaw? Bakit nandito ka?”

Samuelson looked away as he started scratching his nape. “Gusto kitang makita.”

Samantha caught her heart beating fast again. Mukhang hindi na siya masasanay sa ginagawa ni Samuelson sa puso niya.

Naramdaman ni Samuelson na iba ang naging epekto ng sinabi niya sa dalaga. Maybe he made it awkward or too sweet, but whatever it is, he wanted the conversation going. “Gusto mong magpahangin muna? Sasamahan kita,” he offered and wished for the best. He felt his heart melt at the sight of her smile.