It All Started With: We're Just Friends

Four

Part 4:

"What are you doing?" Jules asks when she sits beside me. "Nag back read lang ng conversation namin ni Ricci." I answered. "Besh, ang baduy mo." Jules said. "Ano ba? Hayaan mo siya. Ganyan talaga pag inlove di ba nga Jho?" Ate Bea defended me. "Hoy bakit nasama pa ko jan? Nananahimik ako dito eh." Ate Jho said. Natawa naman ako kasi parang aping api yung itsura ni ate Jho. "Pero why ba? You keep on reading your past conversations eh." Jules asks. "He's busy na sa training eh. We don't have the time na to text each other like the usual. Bihira na lang din kami magkita cause he's focused sa games and studies pa." I explained. "Okay lang sayo yon? Like, sometimes nakakatext mo and sometimes not?" Ate Jho asks. "Yes of course. Nag uupdate naman siya like before and after training niya. Kapag matutulog na siya or kapag aalis na siya." I answered. "Well, that's good enough. At least may paramdam pa din di ba." Ate Bea said. "I salute you for that Baby Deanns. Matured ka na talaga." Ate Jho said while patting my head.

One week nang hindi pumapasok ng class si Ricci, and he's excused naman because of whole day trainings. But namimiss ko na talaga siya. Well konting tiis, after din naman ng season nila, kami naman. Baka ganito din mangyari. "Uy. Ano na balita? Kayo na ba?" Julia curiously asked, well more of gathering gossip about us. "He's in training. Hindi kami masyado pang nag-uusap but he makes effort naman to update me from time to time. And nope, we're not yet on that stage." I answered. "Well, goodluck with that! Diyan nagbreak si Jelay and Ricci. Busy-busyhan." Julia said threatening me. What the hell? Ano bang problema nanaman netong babaeng to. Laging bitter. "What's with you? Lagi mong target relationship namin ni Ricci. That will never happen samin!" I answered irritably. "Kasi yang bebe mo! Nangingialam samin ni Mark." Julia said. "Why? Ano ba sinasabi?" I asked. "Bakit daw di namin kayo gayahin. Friends daw muna bago magligawan." she said. "Oh? Wag mo pansinin pinsan mo. Pero may I just ask, bakit parang iritable si Ricci kay Mark? Eh mukha namang magbestfriends sila?" I asked kasi ilang beses ko nang nakikita si Ricci na irritated sa presence ni Mark. "They're bestfriends before but nung niligawan ako ni Mark nung una, against talaga si Ricci. Kasi ayaw niya ng babaero and ayaw niyang related sakin mga friends niya. Eh nahuli ko si Mark before na may kadate somewhere habang nililigawan ako. Ayun, galit na galit si Ricci." That explains why. "Eh ngayon? Bakit nanliligaw nanaman?" I asked. "He changed na daw eh. Tinitignan ko lang naman dude kung sincere na talaga siya this time. But hindi ko pa makita eh. Kaya nagagalit ulit sakin si Cci, hindi na daw ako natuto. Bakit daw di ko pa ayawan." she said. "Eh bakit nga ba? Love mo na ba? Na-fall ka na?" I asked. "Well, yun yung hindi ko pa sure. I'm confused pa eh. Ayokong hindi ko siya nakakausap but hindi ko siya love. Gets mo ba ko?" she asks. "Hay nako babe. Make time for yourself muna. Patigilin mo muna si Mark and mas kilalanin mo muna sarili mo bago ibang tao. Kasi sabi mo nga you're confused right. Edi alone time muna gawin mo." I advised.

Nag stay ako sa dorm dahil wala rin naman akong gagawin, I'm already finished na sa papers na pinapagawa samin. So nag bbrowse lang ako sa Instagram and Twitter updates. Later on, may tumawag sakin. And it's him. I answered right away. "Hey!" I said. "Where are you?" he asked. "Sa dorm lang why?" I answered. "What are you doing? Are you busy?" he asked. "No, nakahiga lang ako sa bed." Namiss ko siya shocks. "Um. Kakauwi ko lang kasi from training. Alis tayo gusto mo? Rest day naman tomorrow from training eh." he said. "Sure. San mo gusto pumunta?" I asked. "Kahit saan. Basta ikaw kasama ko. Open the door na. I'm here outside." Napatayo ako bigla then pag open ko ng door nakatayo siya. Kaya I ended the call na.

He's driving so ako nakaupo sa tabi niya. "How was your training today?" I asked. "Grabe babe, nakakapagod. Kanina pa naman natapos mga 3:30 siguro eh nagpahinga muna ako kaya ngayon lang kita niyaya." It's 6:30 P.M. na if you're wondering. "That's fine. Need mo ng pahinga. Pero okay lang ba sayo mag drive?" I asked. "Yes yes. So where tayo?" he asked. I suggested na mag dinner muna kami somewhere so tinigil niya yung car sa McDonalds. "Pwede bang dito na lang tayo? Hahahaha namiss ko fast food eh." he asked. "Pwede ba sa inyo kumain ng ganyan?" I asked. He nodded.

When the food arrives, nakatitig lang ako kay Ricci for two minutes and mukha namang napansin niya ko. "Kumain ka na. Busog ka na ba agad sakin?" Pagbibiro niya. "Baliw. Namiss lang kita." I murmured. "Sus! Pwede ka naman kasi manood ng training pag vacant mo." he said. "Daming papers eh. Need tapusin." I answered. Meanwhile, may tumawag sa kanya. "Hi, Ricci. Pwede mag papicture?" the girl asked. He stood up then nagpapicture na rin. After that, bumulong siya sakin. "Mga tao talaga no, kahit kumakain yung idol nila or kung sino man aabalahin talaga makapag papicture lang." Tumawa ko. "Ganon talaga. Ricci Rivero yan eh." I said.

After dinner, vinisit ulit namin yung place na kitang kita mo lahat ng city lights na pwede mong makita. Nakaupo ako sa bench and siya naman nakahiga while his head is on my lap. "Babe kelan mo ko sasagutin?" He suddenly asked. "Hm. I'm not yet sure. Di ko nga alam kung sasagutin kita eh." I teased. "Weh?!" He's shocked kasi napaupo pa siya. "I'm just kidding!" sabi ko habang tumatawa. "You make me nervous. Wag ganon. Love mo ba ko? Kasi ako sobra." hirit naman niya. "Pano pag hindi kita love?" I asked. "Ano lang? Love na love na love?" he asked din habang nakangisi. "Yes. Pero hindi pa kita sasagutin. Mag effort ka muna ng konti pa." I requested. "Oo naman. Hindi naman ako nagmamadali. Wala lang akong matanong sayo." He said habang tumatawa.

We were there watching the lights turned red and green and yellow, hearing the vehicles horn and seizing the moment of the two of us. Pag tungo ko, nakita kong nakapikit si Ricci. He's sleeping. Sobrang pagod talaga. Pinilit pa kong makita. I traced his eyes, nose, the lips (ugh. hahaha), his cheeks and lahat ang perfect. I brushed his hair but na feel kong medyo mainit yung forehead niya. Kaya chineck ko yung forehead ko pero mas mainit yung kanya. Mukhang nilalagnat ang bebe boy. So ginising ko siya and he opens his eyes naman.

Ako na nag drive and si Ricci natutulog. Hindi ko alam kung uuwi ko ba siya sa bahay nila, wala naman na kasing clinic sa school. I tried calling Kuya Prince but he's not answering his phone. So si Rasheed tinawagan ko, "Rasheed! Deanna to. San ka?" I asked. "Dito lang sa bahay. Why?" he said on the other line. "Si Ricci kasi nilalagnat, eh baka closed na yung clinic sa school uuwi ko na lang sana dyan sa inyo." I said. "Sige sige. Nandito naman sila mom." I ended the call.

Nang makarating na kami sa bahay nila, Kuya Rasheed opens the door for Ricci. Nag stop ako sa gate nila kasi bigla akong nahiya. Syempre, first time akong papasok sa bahay nila. "Oh? Deanna. Pumasok ka na dito. Nahiya ka pa eh." Rasheed said habang si Ricci tumingin lang sakin tsaka pumasok ng bahay nila.

Pagkapasok ko ng house nila, bineso agad ako ng mom niya. "Good evening po, Tita." I said. Tapos pinaupo nila ko sa living room and si Ricci tumabi sakin. "Babe sorry kung ikaw pa nagdrive ah." He said habang nakalean sa shoulder ko. "No, it's fine. Magpagaling ka na para makapaglaro ka on Saturday." I said habang inaalalayan ko likod niya. "Pero manonood ka ah?" He asked. "Yes. Hahabol ako. May meeting lang kami." I said. Then pinaakyat na siya ng mom niya sa kwarto para makapag pahinga pa and bumaba kahit papano yung lagnat. "Ano pano ka uuwi?" Rasheed asks me. "Wag ka na umuwi Ate Jina." Sabi ng bunso nilang kapatid. Jina tawag niya sakin, kasi yun daw pagkakarining niya nung una. Hindi niya na binago Jina pa din daw. "Baby hindi pwedeng hindi ako umuwi eh. May pasok ako bukas." He hugs me tight tsaka kiniss sa cheeks.

Hinatid na lang ako ni Rasheed kasi yun yung sabi sakanya ng mom niya. Nag thank you ako tsaka umakyat ng dorm. Tinext ko si Ricci.

To: 💙🦅

Cci, dito na ko sa bahay. Thank you kasi though you're busy and pagod you find time pa rin to be with me. 💙 pagaling ka na! Wag ka kasi muna lumaboy. Haha