Distance Is Just A Number [Taglish]

Chapter 18

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CHAPTER 18

You know that moment described in books where time seemed to stop or the world suddenly stood still? Of all sounds stopping and everything's so silent that you can even hear your own heart beating?

Yep, that happened to me.

Yun ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Sa sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko, hindi makahabol yung lungs ko at biglang ang hirap huminga. Para akong nahulog bigla sa isang napakalalim na hukay with no way out.

Reeve was looking at me expectantly and I know he's waiting for an answer. There was vulnerability in his gaze and that seemed to reach deep inside me, effectively snapping me out of my trance.

"What if I want us to be more than friends? What then, Andreia?"

Pero nanuyo yung lalamunan ko.

Ano nga bang sasabihin ko? Anong isasagot ko sa tanong na yun? Parang napakadali lang sagutin pero sa totoo lang, sobrang hirap.

Pero kung sabihin ko naman yung totoo, it would be me placing my heart on the line. What if he didn't feel the same way? What if yung mga sweet moments na nagpapatalon sa puso ko eh ganun lang talaga si Reeve at wala namang special dun?

Na nag-assume lang pala ako?

I swallowed the lump in my throat. Hindi ako makapagsalita kahit na alam ko na yung sasabihin ko. Reeve didn't deserve my lies. I can lie to myself but not to him. Rule number 2, di ba?

"Honestly? I don't know."

"Don't know what?" Rinig ko sa boses niya yung kaba. Alam ko naman din na nanginginig yung sakin. Napasulyap din ako sa mata niya at nakita ko na parang nasaktan siya. Pero nung kumurap ako, wala na yung expression na yun.

"I valued our friendship so much that when I started feeling something else for you, I pushed it away and told myself to stop. I can't let feelings get in the way of friendship—"

Biglang tumayo si Reeve at nagulat naman ako. I lifted my head to look at him but only for a few seconds because I can't stand the intensity of his gaze. Mali ba yung sagot ko? Sinira ko na ba yung years ng friendship naming dalawa? A friendship that survived and even thrived even over the long distance?

Way to go, Andreia.

You just laid your heart out there in the open where anyone can trample on it. Never wear your heart out on your sleeve, right? Yumuko na lang ako ulit. Ang tagal na hindi nagsalita ni Reeve. Siguro joke lang yung tanong niya. Maybe it was actually a rhetorical question. Tapos eto naman ako parang tanga na sumagot ng buong katotohanan.

I felt his hand on mine and he pulled me to my feet.

He placed his hand under my chin and tilted my head upwards so I could look directly into his compelling blue eyes. He looked into mine as though searching for something. He must've found what he was searching for because he smiled.

"I'm confused as hell with what I'm feeling for you too. But I guess we'd figure this out together," Reeve told me. When he spoke again, his voice was full of emotion.

Natigilan ako nung nagsink-in sakin yung sinabi niya. He said he was also feeling something for me! I closed my eyes as my brain turned to mush and my entire body became jelly in his arms. Kasabay naman nun, napuno ng luha yung mata ko. I tried to look up and blink them away but they were stubborn and a tear fell down my cheek.