Down Memory Lane (JaDine AU)

(Epilogue)

AN: again, not much plot. just a peek at what happens next since super bitin yung ending ko lol.

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"Naddie!"

My eyes widen when I heard that. I know that voice. And ever since, siya lang naman tumatawag sa'kin niyan.

My childhood friend, and now, also (medyo naloloka pa ko dito)... my suitor.

That night after receiving my journal from him, nagtext din siya. At first it was a simple 'hi. it's james. got your number from chants.'

Di ako nagreply agad and maya't-maya nagtext naman siya nang, 'nabasa mo na ba?'

Sa totoo lang, di ko alam kung anong isasagot so ayoko pa sanang magreply. Kaso medyo naguilty din ako kasi baka kinakabahan din siya about it. He practically bared everything sa sinulat niya.

So, nagreply na lang ako ng simpleng 'Yes.' I hoped na di na siya magreply uli. Kaya din one word answer lang yung reply ko. But then, he replied almost immediately.

'can I call you?'

Nagulat ako sa reply niya at medyo nagpapanic na. I don't want him to call. Magrereply na sana ako kaso biglang tumatawag na siya. I let my phone ring for a while, pero insistent siya. Hinintay niya talaga. So, after maybe 7 rings, sinagot ko na rin lang, kahit labag sa kalooban ko.

"Hello?" I said tentatively as I answered.

"Hi." Sabi naman niya sa kabila. Then for a moment, tahimik kami parehas.

I was about to say something--anything, cause it was getting awkward, pero nauna magsalita si James.

"So crush mo pala talaga ako noon." Bigla niyang sinabi.

Nagulat ako and di ko rin napigilan yung automatic response ko sa pang-aasar niya.

"Ang kapal ng mukha mo!" I said.

He started laughing and after a while, natawa na rin ako. If he was trying to break the ice, well, it was effective. Bumalik siya sa dati niyang ginagawang pang-aasar, and I couldn't help but go back to the Nadine na defensive when it comes to his teasing.

"Kamusta ka na?" He started asking and somehow, mas comfortable na ko magsalita.

It's still just James. Yung childhood friend ko.

We ended up talking the whole night, just catching up with each other. And nung medyo late na, before we said goodbye, he asked me.

"Pwede bang manligaw?"

Medyo out of the blue siya so natahimik ako. I think he felt my hesitant kasi nagsalita uli siya.

"You already know I like you." Sabi niya. "And you did like me naman before. I know matagal tayong di nagkita or nagkausap, but I still do like you. I want to get to know you again, and syempre gusto ko din makilala mo ako uli. Pero gusto ko na maging clear sa intentions ko as early as now. Di naman sa minamadali kita, but... well, parang ang dami ko na kasing nasayang na oras. So gusto na kitang deretsuhin agad. I still like you. And I want us to eventually be more than just friends."

I think my mind went to shock. Medyo slow yung pag-absorb ko sa lahat ng sinabi niya and I stayed quiet.

"Naddie? Please say something." Sabi naman niya.

The unsure tone in his voice pulled me out of my trance.

"Uhm." Medyo nauutal pa ako. "Uh, sige. Uhm. I'd like us to get to know each other again." Sabi ko naman. He was being very honest with me. So dapat lang na maging honest and straightforward na rin ako. It's not like may tinatago pa ko sa kanya.