Change [Ricci Rivero, Completed]

Kabanata XXXVIII.III

1 HOUR IN, OUT OF 2 HOURS OF WAITING
1:45 PM
WEDNESDAY

Kumunot ang noo ko at siniringan si Ricci while smirtnking. "Akala ko ba we're done and over with sa lahat ng banats na yan, Ricci Paolo?" sabi ko sa kanya. "Well, you're stuck with me kaya you're in for more." he said as he continues to smile bashfully. "Do you have more questions?" tanong niya sakin.

"Curious cat ka ba? Bakit sobrang interesado ka?" tanong ko sa kanya. "You started this question and answer ha, don't put the blame on me. Nagustuhan lang kita. Di mo nga binalik yung feelings eh." sabi niya sakin ng natatawa but I turned serious.

What he said had weight on it and I felt guilty. Di niya parin alam? Is it because we were both drunk when I confessed?

I turned to him again at tried to see the light sa situation. "Bakit hindi mo ako tinigilan kahit pinagtulakan na kita noon?" when I asked this, the atmosphere became a bit awkward ba for the both of us and naging serious. "What do you specifically mean?" he asked, quite seriously.

"I mean, I told you everything con about me. I was boyish. Mas siga pa ako sa lahat, I was sarcastic, I was your total opposite. I told you everything I didn't have."

"And I didn't care. Why would I look for something in you na hindi mo taglay? That wouldn't be love, Alex." My heart was beating so fast. Only Ricci Rivero does this to me. Siya ang may capacitu na makapagparamdam sakin ng sakit at saya ng magkasabay.

"Why do we keep on mentioning love, anyways?" tanong ko sa kanya. "Like palang sabi ko eh." dugtong ko at nagbasa ng notes ko ulit, trying to avoid his dea

"Well that was what I felt for you all along. No judgement." sabi niya sakin. "Di ka talaga nagpapay attention. Sabi sayong  I skipped the attraction stage and didn't care about that." sabi niya sakin nag "tsk tsk tsk" sakin.

Umiling siya at lumipat ng upo. This time he laid his back sa hinaharapan niyang wall kanina at humarap sakin. "Wag mo 'kong tingnan ng ganyan, nahihilo ako." sabi ko sa kanya at nilayo ang tingin.

"Teka, did my charm just work on you?" takang taka niyang tanong sakin since ito ang first time na I blurted out what I was keeping noon sa kanya whenever we're together and he does this. I raised my shoulders at him and it kept him curious.

"Whaaaat? Ano nga? Pabitin nanaman 'to!" gigil niya sakin ang gently kicked me. Di ko parin siya tiningnan and refused to tell him his charm has worked for me everytime.

"Ikaw naman, do you have questions sakin?" tanong ko at dinirect ulit ang tingin sa books ko at binilang ito. "This is your chance, Ricci."

"Tayo nalang ulit?" sabi niya kaagad after what I said. He stopped for a brief moment and realized what he said. Nagulat naman ako at nawala sa bilang ko. "Tangina. Wait lang naman, Cci?" I laughed and he laughed to. "Joke lang. Game na. Uhmmm.." pambawi niya sa nauna niyang sinabi at nagisip.

Nahurt ako dun sa joke. Magaagree na sana ako, kasi binawi!?!? Paki-pektusan ng isa 'to!

"Do you remember that night at your party? Yung alam ng lahat pero wala tayong idea?" tanong niya sakin. "Yeah, the day after ang naaalala ko, but the night before ang hindi."

Bigla akong nagtaka kung bakit. It seemed naman na both of us ay walang naaalala. Hindi niya na nga ulit ako kinausap nung morning diba? Kaya I doubt na he remembers everything, pero if he does? Nakakahiya, sobra. I confessed because of alcohol and he knows na pag alcohol na ang umimik, its real.

While hearing is voice sounds like medley, his distance from me inside the elevator feels like home. He's always been my home pero naman, tunaw na tunaw na ako dito. Ever since he changed his seat position, he has been staring at me endlessly habang noong unang mga araw na nagkita kami ulit, ni hindi niya ako madaplisan ng tingin.

"Boring ng question and answer. Ako, hindi mo ba ako tatanungin kung minahal kita?" I blurted out bigla and immediately after I said that, kinuha ko ang bag ko at ang mga libro ko para itago ang mukha ko mula sa kanya. Nataranta ako, sana hindi ko nalang sinabi muna dahil nakamove on na ata yung tao habang ako, hindi pa gaano.

"Cci, wag mo 'kong tingnan!?!?" sigaw ko pa ulit sa kanya. "Do you want me to really ask you or...?" sabi niya ng nagaalinlangan. "Sabihin mo lang, I'll take this chance too. I baaaadly want to know the answer."

"Wag muna, wag muna! Skip! Ibang question nalang!" sigaw ko to shut him up nalang at hindi ko na namalayan. "Then what do you want to know?"

"Ewan ko, bahala ka!" tugon ko rito at nagresist sa force ni Ricci na tinatanggal ang takip sa mukha ko. "Stop it mga, 'lex!" he laughed at me and succeeded to remove it. "Ako nalang nga magtatanong sa sarili ko. Cci, did you love Alex?"

"Siraulo, solo ka? Ako ikaw? Ha? Ako muna?" sabi ko dito at hinampas. He was mocking me at some part and it might sound shitty pero huy kinikilig ako!?!?? Ang hirap magpigil sa mga ganitong sitwasyon kung saan hindi ka dapat masyadong obvious kasi "mag-ex" kayo?!?!?!? "Sige, seryoso na talaga." the tone if his voice lowered and turned serious. Naghalumbaba siya sa harap ko, rested his elbow sa lap nya and leaned near me. "Did you love me? or para mas seryoso, tagalugin natin." sabi niya and adjusted his position. He leaned closer and I felt his forehead lean sa shoulder ko lightly, like a child na malambing.

"Minahal mo ba ako?" sabi niya sakin seriously, expectant sa sasabihin. "I think I already know the answer kasi I remember everything from that night you were drunk and crying sa birthday mo. Nasa wisyo ako talaga nung gabi and just pretended the morning after, but I just wanted to make sure and double check kung hindi alak lang lahat yon." napalingin ako sa sinabi niya and he winked at me. So it means... that he caught me offguard without reservations, umaamin sa kanya about how I feel all along?

My heart almost sank when I heard na naaalala niya lahat nung gabi na yon. Bigla naman sumakit ang ulo ko and magically, my memory was back. I couldn't talk back for a second and my tears started to form dahil sa kaba. Napahawak ako sa ulo ko at tumingin sa kanya as he waits for my answer.

Shit just got real. I remembered everything the moment he told me he remembers what happened, and now I think I'm doomed kasi I just confessed to Ricci Rivero, face to face, upclose and personal with matching iyak iyak pa. "What now?" tanong ko sa kanya, embarassed at nakatakip ang mukha.

"Minahal mo 'ko? I need my answers. Don't keep me waiting. I'm impatient when I'm kinikilig, Alex. Bakit ba parang ang bago sayo nito? Tsaka bakit ba natin to pinagusapan? Bumalik tuloy lahat ng hindi na ata dapat!? Or pwede pa? Hmmm? Ewan!" and then he smiled, like a baby he is, giggling and leaning even more sa balikat ko ang noo niya habang nakatungo. Tumugon naman ako with the words I didn't also expect na manggaling sakin.

"Tangina, cornered na eh naya sige I'll answer. I did and I thiiiiiink.." I paused a little bit at inisip kung itutuloy ko pa. "I think hanggang ngayon. Ikaw ba?"

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last update for tonight! see u tomorrow ❤🌙️ tell me your thoughts! what do you think's next na itatanong nila sa isa't isa? comment kaaaa! 😉