Univeristy Confessions 2

[SSF] I LOVE YOU TOO, BABY KO.

I LOVE YOU TOO, BABY KO.

I was beginning to regret having worn my favorite red off-shoulder blouse and pleated skirt inside the movie house because I was shivering in the cold. But I took the huge risk because I knew perfectly how my favorite pair of clothing will impress my boyfriend. He loved it whenever I showed a little more skin but if and only if he was with me. I love how he compliments me, he never fails to make me feel as if I were the most beautiful woman on earth.

The movie hasn't begun, and the cold was already enveloping us. We found good premiere seats. His hand was holding mine. The feeling of having him all to myself in the dark tickled me. It didn't occur to me that he was smelling the side of my neck as he murmured "Bango naman ng baby ko.. I love you!" Another smile curled my lips. "Wala bang I love you too?" He teased. So I answered back, "I love you too, baby"

After a few subtle kisses on the cheek, his mobile phone beeped. He quickly checked who it was and buried his eyes on the message. I saw him reply to the text as if he was being chased after. "Uy, bili ako ng food gusto mo? Kelangan ko na din kasing mag load may kailangan akong reply-an. Limang piso na lang ata laman nito" He whispered. "La akong bulsa. By, hawakan mo muna 'tong cellphone, baka mawala ko lang. You know how careless I am" I nodded and kept the phone safely in my hands. He slightly pinched my cheek, said I love you again under his breath and took off.

The movie still hasn't started. I closed my eyes and gave a hearty yawn. I almost felt asleep when I felt his phone vibrate violently. The name Megan was blinking. Who's Megan? I thought myself. Even before I could press accept, the phone stopped vibrating and displayed 1 missed call. The message icon was also blinking, meaning Andrei's inbox was full. I had to delete old messages to pave way for incoming texts. So I did, five messages came in immediately, all of which were from "Megan." Without hesitation, I opened them one by one.

"Ha? Anong wag muna ako mag text? Kelangan nating mag-usap ngayon."

"Nasan ka ba?"

"Can I text u na?"

"Text moko if the coast is clear"

"R u still with her?"

I felt my heart did a somersault in complete confusion. What did the message mean? Who was that HER Andrei was still with? I felt cold sweat forming around my forehead and nose. I took a deep breath. I pretended to be Andrei and replied casually to the text messages. She replied in a matter of seconds.

"O? Baket ka ba text ng text? May problema ba? Musta?"

"Hi, Andrei ano ng balita sayo? Bat ngayon ka lang nag reply? Kanina pa ko nagpaparamdam. Kasama mo pa ba si Kath?"

I thought I was stabbed right in the chest when I saw my name in Megan's text message. But I continued replying in Andrei's phone.

"Oo, bumili lang ako ng food. Iniwan ko si Kath sa loob ng sinehan. Bakit ba kasi?"

"Di mo pa kasi iwan yang babaeng yan eh, hihihi. Luv, tuloy ba tayo bukas?"

"Ah? Ewan ko, ikaw ang bahala. San ba tayo bukas?"

"Diba sabi mo pupunta tayo ng Laguna?"

"Ako nagsabi nun? Ah oo nga pala, I promised you that. E ano bang plano mo?"

"Ano? Ikaw nga ang nagplano eh! Bat parang binabalik mo sakin ang tanong? Nakalimuta mo na ba? 4months na tayo bukas! Dapat astig ang out-of-town natin! Swimming tayo siguro tapos dinner... Alam mo na siguro ang ibig kong sabihin luv!"

I lay motionless. The movie began. I felt my head spin violently. My vision was now blurred because of the big teardrops gathering in my eyes. But I blinked them away and replied as I could. I knew Andrei was on his way back to the cinema any minute now.

"Oo sige na basta sabi mo, yun ang gagawin natin! Ang bilis ng panahon no? 4 months na tayo. Parang kelan lang... O sige pano ba ang plano bukas? Sabihin mo lang sakin HONEY."

"Hmm.. Basta bring ur car nalang! Tawagan moko sa bahay tonight so we can talk ha? Love u!"

I tried to reply I love you too, but the phone displayed 'Check Operator Service'

The whole world must've stopped before my very eyes. There was nothing more I could feel except for the tears rolling down my cheeks and the freeze that was now killing me inch by inch. I stared at the big screen while my thoughts drifted away. I couldn't find the right words to describe how I felt that moment; images of another girl and my Baby deeply in love with each other flashed in my head.

And all this time, I was sharing Andrei with someone else.. That all this time there was another woman whom he had his right arm around... The tears were all coming out now. Emptiness devoured me that instant..

From a distance I noticed a familiar face walking up the stairs towards my seat. I cleared my throat, cleaned my face, and took several deep breaths. Andrei was on his way to our seats on the center bunk.

"I love you, baby!" Andrei kissed me on the nose. "Sorry Kath. Tagal ko no? Dami kasi nakalipila dun sa binilihan ko. Sorry baby" he put down the plastic bags and he held my hand tight. He kissed me softly on the lips and whispered passionately, "I love you"

"Kath! I love you!"

I didn't have the strength to answer back.

He went on. "Oo nga pala, simula bukas, may fieldwork kami. Baka next week na ang balik ko. Hindi ko pa sure kung saan yung site, baka walang signal dun. But I'll try texting you whenever I can, okay? I love you, baby ko!

I wanted to shout at him, scream at the top of my lungs, but no sound came out. I couldn't make myself say anything. I turned mute... my body was as numb as ever.

"O? Wala ka na naman bang I love you too dyan? Dapat lagi kang nag-I-I love you too!" He laughed. "Mukha ka pang malungkot e special day mo ngayon."

I felt something vibrating on my lap again. It was Andrei's phone. Another message. Andrei saw it blinking and immediately read the message at a distance. But I was able to read what it said.

"Kelan ka pa natuto mag text in small letters? Tsaka baket HONEY na ang tawag mo sakin? Hindi na ba luv? Bago na ba? Haha."

There was a long, long akward pause. I thought the world has just stopped revolving.

My lips were sealed and the tears were already flowing freely. I could no longer control them. Andrei looked straight at me, with his jaw half-open. His eyes were round and bigger than usual, full of questions and fear. We just stared at each other not knowing what to say. I felt the whole world sink and disappear leaving only the two of us alone in the dark.

After a few seconds of silence that felt like forever, I swallowed the big lump in my throat with all my strength and bitterly whispered...

I LOVE YOU TOO, BABY KO...