I fell in love

Chapter 1

Ilang beses na akong nag pabalik-balik ng lakad. Hindi ko alam kung pano ako haharap kay Althea ngayon. Nakabihis na ko and all pero naririto pa rin ako.

Kasi naman, eh. Paano ako mag tataray ngayon sa kanya kung ganon ka awkward yung unang pag kikita namin?

Nawala tuloy sa isip ko yung pinractice ko kanina sa cr kung pano ako mag susungit.

"Ehem," eksaheradang pag tikhim ko.

I'll try to practice again.

"Bakit ka dito tumuloy? Pwede ka naman mag hotel na lang. mayaman ka di ba?" I laughed sarcastically, "O baka naman gusto mong makasama yung boyfriend ko?" Umirap ako sa hangin.

"FYI, hindi ako yung tipo ng babae na sasama sa isang tao kung hindi ko kamag-anak o hindi ko pa asawa." Itinaas ko pa yung isang kilay ko na parang akala mo, e, may kausap talaga 'ko. Totoo naman kasi. Kung gusto ako makasama ni Luke sa iisang bubong, pakasalan niya ko.

"Alam mo, matagal na ko nag titimpi sayo, eh! Bestfriend ka lang, huy! Girlfriend ako." Muli akong nag isip ng pwedeng sabihin... ah, tama! "Baka naman gusto mong agawin yung boyfriend ko?" Naniningkit pa yung dalawang mata ko nang sabihin ko 'yon.

Perfect! Pwede na ko bumaba ngayon.

Dahan-dahan akong bumaba at hindi nag likha ng kahit na katiting na ingay. Titignan ko kung anong ginagawa niya sa baba.

Wala siya dito sa sala, that means na sa kusina siya or na sa banyo. Hmm..

"Hi," she smiled at me, "kanina pa kita hinihintay." There is something in her eyes na parang nangungusap.

I don’t know if she’s been quietly studying me all this time, memorizing the way I move, the tone of my voice, the layers I try so hard to keep hidden.

Or maybe that’s just how she is.

Intense.

Intense, but for some reasons, it was light.

The kind of person who doesn’t just look at you but sees straight through you. No, it wasn’t just a look. It was a stare.

Bigla akong kinabahan sa paraan ng pag titig niya sakin, really, Mariz? Ngayon ka pa talaga kinabahan?

Nawala ng parang bula yung mga pinractice ko kanina. Naman, oh! Bakit ba kasi ang ganda ng ngiti niya?

"Sorry, medyo matagal talaga ko mag ayos." I showed her my sweetest smile.

I can see amusement in her eyes, and damn, it reflects mine.

Everything is so weird.

Everything feels weird.

We started eating and none of us dared to talk. Ewan ko ba, parang may kung ano sa atmosphere na hindi ko maipaliwanag.

She cleared her throat. "I, uhm, ahh... this, is so awkward." She raked her hands up to her hair. She both look amazing and frustrated.

It made me lose my train of thought for a second.

Oh my God! Kanina pa ako puri nang puri. Hindi naman 'to yung naisipan kong gawin, ah? Bakit ganito yung kinalalabasan?

It was as if I had something to say but completely forgot what it was the moment she looked at me like that.

There was something curious in her gaze, like she was trying to figure me out, piece by piece. And for a moment, I didn’t know if I wanted to look away or lean in closer.

"Hindi pa pala ako nag papakilala," she stood up. "I'm Althea, bestfriend ko si Luke." She awkwardly flashed her smile.

"Yeah, Sorry hindi kita masyado kinakausap kapag katawagan mo si Luke sa phone. Nakakahiya kasi..." pag sisinungaling ko. Of course, it was a lie. Nagseselos ako kaya hindi ako humaharap sa kanya. Puro bati lang ang ginagawa ko.