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Chapter Five

NAKANGITING hinaplos ni Emily ang iniscribble niya'ng Snitch sa kanyang diary na tanging si Zeus lang ang laman.

He called her Snitch. Does that mean something?

Tatlong araw na ang lumipas nang mangyari ang insidenteng iyon and since then they never talked about it. He did not call her that anymore but he became more sweet and caring. 'Yong tipo'ng nakakafall na nga itutulak ka pa. His gestures never missed a chance to make her heart melt.

Natigilan siya sa pag-iisip nang kung ano-ano when her phone rang.

Snitch calling . . .

Yes, she did change Zeus' name to  Snitch since that incident happened.

Nakangiting sinagot niya ang tawag.

"Hello."

"Hey," she heard Zeus said on the other line. "Are you going to bed already?"

"Hindi pa naman. Bakit?"

"I just thought you're asleep. It's past 9:00 already."

"Hindi pa naman ako inaantok."

"Really? Or perhaps waiting for my call?" He teased and she's sure as hell that he's smiling from ear to ear.

"Conceited, are we?"

Natawa ito.

"I actually just got home from our practice. Nasa gym ako kanina kaya ngayon lang ako nakatawag sa'yo."

Hindi niya maiwasang kiligin sa sinabi nito. He talks like a boyfriend who makes himself responsible of calling her every night.

Marami pa sila'ng napag-usapa'ng kung ano-ano from books, to politics, and to even the most delicious fishball vendor in town. Just plain random things until he suddenly changed the topic.

"There's something I want to talk to you about," anito.

"Ano 'yon?"

Hindi ito nakasagot agad. All she can hear was his deep sigh.

"It's about that Snitch thing," nanantiyang sagot nito.

Siya naman ang hindi nakaimik. Unti-unti na rin siya'ng kinabahan.

"I really wanted to talk to you about it in person kaya lang kasi," he stopped in mid air and sighed. "K-kaya lang kasi natataranta ako kapag kaharap kita. I-I can't even think straight. Isa pa ayoko na maawkward ka sa'kin at iwasan ako. I don't want you to stay away from me."

It took her a while to process everything he said. The big question was, how in the holy name of the universe did someone as ordinary, plain, nerd, and boring like her make the mighty and king of the campus like Zeus cannot think straight and stutter?

Wala siya'ng nakuhang sagot sa utak niya maliban sa matinding kabog sa puso niya.

"W-Why did . . why did you call me t-that?"

He sighed again deeply.

"I don't know, Emily. These past few days you made me feel so strange. I never felt this way towards anyone before. Akala ko naaaliw lang ako kapag kasama kita because you were too different from the girls I usually hang out with. Akala ko nakucurious lang ako sa'yo kaya gusto kita laging nakakausap. Until I realized you don't just make me smile anymore. You also make me happy. Hindi ko alam kung ano'ng tawag dito kasi ngayon ko lang din 'to naramdaman. Ang alam ko lang mahalag ka sa'kin."

Hindi siya nakaimik sa mga sinabi nito. She can suddenly feel that the world was spinning.

"G-Gusto kita, Emily. Gusto'ng-gusto. I think you're my Snitch.