Suddenly

CHAPTER NINE

"Why not go there, tell her you love her, and ask her to marry you? Do that before I leave the country. I want to be your best man." It's Bernard. Nandito ang pinsan niya for them to discuss something about the company.

"What are you talking about?" he asked him without looking at the man for a very obvious reason.

"Drop that crap, Noah. Hindi ko alam kung paano ka nakakatiis na 'wag siyang yakapin at halikan sa araw-araw na magkasama kayo." Sa narinig nag-angat siya ng mukha upang tingnan ang pinsang nagsalita.

"She's different..."

"That's the point. She's different from your past women. And that made you love her."

"You're talking as if you really know what I feel for her."

"It's very obvious. Manhid lang ang hindi makakahalata."

"Really?" sarkastiko niyang sagot dito. He doesn't like the thought na pinangungunahan siya ni Bernard.

"So, when will you tell her?"

"Why do you need to know?"

"I want to."

"What if I don't want to tell you?"

"What's eating you?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, Noah..."

"Bernard, kailan ka pa naging concern sa nararamdaman ko para sa isang babae? You don't do this before. And I hate to tell you that you're annoying me."

"You were just jealous."

"What?! For Pete's sake Bernard..."

"Kung hindi ka pa magtatapat sa kaniya, uunahan na kita." With what he heard parang gusto niyang suntukin ang sariling pinsan. He knew it. With the way his cousin looks at and treats his EA, he knew he has something for her. Could it be true? Nagseselos nga ba siya?

"Go and do what you want Bernard." He said that in a very calm voice pero gusto niyang magwala. A while ago, his cousin told him that May is in-love. Kanino in-love ang kaniyang EA? Kay Bernard? He wanted to curse.

"At hindi ka ba magsisisi kung makikita mo siyang ako ang kasama instead na ikaw?" para talagang gusto na niyang suntukin ang kaharap.

"Why would I?"

"Kailan ka pa naging ipokrito?"

"What's your problem?"

"I don't have any problem, Noah. You have."

"Let's cut this..."

"I like your EA." Napatingin siya sa pinsan. And yes, he'll admit. With his cousin's confession, he felt jealous. No, he's very much jealous. "Wala ka bang sasabihin?"

"You like her." Inulit niya ang sinabi nito.

"I don't, actually. I love her." Nagsukatan sila ng tingin ni Bernard. His cousin is in-love with May and May's in-love with his cousin. Something hit his heart. He doesn't know what that was. He doesn't know he's capable of feeling something like that... is it pain?

"So, you do." That's all he can say.

"Yes. I love her but she's in-love with somebody else."

"What?!" napanganga yata siya sa sinabi ng pinsan.

"She's in-love with the man she met six years ago in a fast food. The man she's always with everyday for six years. And that man is you, Noah." Kung kanina gusto niyang sapakin si Bernard, parang gusto niya itong yakapin ngayon. May's in-love with him? Ang sarap ng pakiramdam niya. "Tititigan mo na lang ba ako dito?"