Vulnerable

Chapter 3: Persuade

Chapter 3: Persuade

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Kylie's POV

"Uhm, I just want to ask----" I hestitated, "----d-do you l-love her?"

Napabalik siya at tinapat yung ears niya sa akin, "Ha, ano?"

Tsk, ang bingi naman nitong lalaking to eh.

I sighed, "The thing you feel for Jess, is it already love? Do you love her?"

He stopped for a while. I tried to observe him but he's just staring blankly. Hay...

I nudged him, "Hey, you're spacing out!"

Napapikit siya at tinignan ako, "Nag-iisip ako. Pinapakiramdaman ko. Pabigla-bigla ka kasi ng tanong."

I sighed again. Hindi ko din lam kung anong pumasok o pumapasok sa isip ko pero kagabi ko pa talaga iniisip ito.

"Just...just try to evaluate your feelings for her," I pleadeed. "Hindi ko naman sasabihin sa kanya--"

"Sa totoo lang, matagal na 'to. Matagal ko na siyang gusto. At siguro hindi na lang to simpleng pagkagusto. Maybe I do love her," pag-amin niya. "Sino ba naman kasing hindi maiin love kay Jess?"

Mas nanigas ako doon. He's right, who wouldn't? She's a catch.

"Kaya nga siguro hirap akong umamin sa kanya kasi gusto ko, kapag umamin ako, handa talaga ako. Gusto ko kapag niligawan ko siya, mabibigay ko yung lahat ko. I just want the best for her."

I almost gasped. In my eighteen years of existence, yan na siguro yung pinakanakakatouch na nasabi niya. Now I can say that he really do love Jess.

Pero nang dahil sa mga sinabi niya, napaisip ako. Did Josh felt that way too? Before asking me if he could court me, was he thinking of those things too? Was he really ready that time?

I don't know. I never asked him. Or maybe, I do know the answers but I'm just afraid to admit that the moment he asked me if he could court me, I just gave in that easily.

"Ikaw?"

I went back to reality, "H-ha?"

"Ikaw ba mahal mo si Josh?" tanong niya.

I was taken back by his question, "What kind of question is that, huh?"

"Sagutin mo lang," he hissed. "Ako nga sinagot yung tanong mo."

Napatingin ako ng deretcho, sa kawalan, "I do. Maybe I really do. I really do."

Hindi ko naman siguro mafifeel itong mga nararamdaman ko kung hindi ko siya mahal. Alam ko sa sarili kong mga bata pa lang kami, siya na yung crush ko. Yes, it all started with a simple "crush". Pero habang nagtatagal, mas lalo ko siyang nagugustuhan. Siya na kasi yung lalaking halos lahat ng characteristics na hinahanap ko ay nasa kanya na talaga.

He nodded, "Alam ko yung sagot pero gusto ko lang makasiguro."

Napatingin ako kay Toff, "What do you mean?"

He shrugged, "Basta-----Teka nga, bakit mo pala natanong?"

I stopped for a while. I don't know if this is right. Pero kapag naaalala ko lahat, the way Jesse and Josh treat each other, I can't help but think of this. I will just try.

"Well, naisip ko lang naman ito kagabi," medyo nauutal na sabi ko.

"Ano na naman yan?" tanong niya na halatang naiinip na dahil napatingin na siya sa watch niya.

"I think it's time. If you really do love my girl best friend, Jesse, you should at least try to court her now--" he tried to talk but I continued, "--Kasi kung iisipin, feeling ko matagal mo na siyang love and look, grade 12 na tayo and you're already 19 and next year, college na tayo. Don't you think it's time?"