The Passenger Seat

16

I still couldn't get over what Nick just did. I kept on remembering how close his face was to mine, and although I got nervous, I felt tingly inside. The kind of feeling that made me all excited about what he was about to do next. 

"HUY!" 

I snapped out of my reminiscing. Kanina pa pala ako parang robot kung kumilos kaya napagtripan ni Rica na gulatin ako. 

"Ano bang iniisip mo diyan? Kinikilig ka pa rin ba?" malokong pagkakasabi sa akin ni Rica habang siya naman ay binibilang yung perang nakolekta namin buong araw. 

Success naman yung booth namin. Lalo na after nung ginawang eksena ni Nick. Lahat sila ay sobrang kinilig at sinabing parang galing lang daw kami sa isang pelikula. 

"Bakit naman kasi biglang gumaganun na lang si Nick?! SIno ba namang mag eexpect na gagawin niya iyon?!"

Ginulogulo ko na yung buhok ko. It was so hard to figure out what he was thinking! When did he suddenly have the gutts to hold me that close?! It's not like he's been upfront with me all the time! 

"HAHAHA, Unti unti mo na ding nakikilala yung isa pang side ni Nick!" sabi ni Rica. 

Tinignan ko naman siya, waiting for her to explain further. 

"Oh? Huwag mong sabihing iniisip mo na purely gentleman lang iyang si Nick?" 

I looked at her, not really knowing what she was talking about. 

"And if I did...?" 

Humagalpak siya sa kakatawa. May iba tuloy na napatingin dahil bigla nalang humalakhak itong si Rica. 

Was I wrong? Meron bang alter ego itong si Nick na hinding hindi pa niya naipapakita? 

"Nako, you're going to be in for a treat! Nick is still Nick, but there's this side of him that's completely different but exciting to see!!" sabi ni Rica with so much excitement and enthusiasm. 

Mas lalo tuloy akong kinabahan mamaya sa paghatid niya sa akin papauwi! What if that Nick is what I'll have to face when I see him later? I also keep wondering if the old Nick is going to come back at all! 

"Ready to go?" 

Napatalon tuoy ako sa kinauupuan ko nang namalayan kong nakatayo na pala si Nick sa likod ko. Tumango na lang ako at kabadong sumama sa kanya. 

Habang naglalakad kami, hindi ko napigilang mapatunganga kay Nick. Is he the Nick that I always appreciated to have around? Or is he the Nick that caught me off guard but in a way got me feeling all tingly inside?

"Sorry about earlier." sabi niya, breaking the silence that was between us, "but I don't regret doing it either."

Napahawak naman ako bigla sa mga pisngi ko nang maramdaman ko silang mamula at talagang may nagtatangkakang pumorma na ngiti sa mga labi ko. Shet, ano ba itong kagaguhang bigla biglaan ko na lang nararamdaman?! It's just Nick, for pete's sake!

"I'm not meeting up with Jenna, by the way." 

I looked at him, curious kung bakit niya pa talaga kailangang sabihan ako tungkol doon. 

"I mean, I wouldn't mind if you did though." sabi ko. 

I tried to make it sound sincere. 

It's true though. My past is none of my business. I am currently a close friend of his, and I really do appreciate him. Kung mahal pa niya yung ex niya, why should I be a bother and get in the way, di ba? 

"You wouldn't?" 

Tumango naman ako ng dahan dahan, wondering if I made a mistake, dahil nung sinabi ko iyon ay parang hindi siya natuwa. 

"I mean, if you still really love her, why would I mind, di ba?" 

Mas lalong pumait yung mukha niya. I then suddenly panicked inside. Was it something I said? Is it bad that I'm giving him my full support? I always hope for the best when it comes to my friends though. 

Nick has become a special friend o min ever since Mike left. Although hindi kami umaabot to the point na may late night talks kami ni Nick, I can always count on him when I was in trouble. He is always there to support me and I just want to do the same for him.

"Am I supposed to? Shouldn't friends want what makes their friend happy in life?" follow up kong tanong sa kanya. He can make his own choices and I don't think I should hold him back on opportunities he obviously wants to take. 

"Yeah, but like, would you actually want me to meet up with her? In my apartment? Just the two of us?" 

"Yeah, you guys are just going to talk, right?"

"Well...I'm not sure. Jenna can be pretty aggressive." 

Ilang segundo yata bago nagprocess sa isip ko yung pinagsasabi niya. Nanlaki agad yung mga mata ko at kung ano anong imahe yung pumasok sa isip ko! 

"A-ah. EWAN! Ikaw bahala!" binilisan ko tuloy yung paglalakad ko papunta ng parking lot. I hear him laugh as I walk away from him. He kept on telling me to come back or slow down but I just kept saying "Bahala ka diyan Nicholas!" back at him. 

"You can't tell me that you don't think she can be a bit too blunt and would do anything she wants. Lalo na after that scene she made before ours!" sabi niya nang pareho na kaming nasa kotse niya.

"STOOOOP!! I don't even want to keep thinking about what happened earlier!" sagot ko sabay takip ng mga tenga ko. 

Naalala ko nanaman kasi yung alter ego ni Nick na lumabas kanina. Sobrang nakakapanibago! 

"Did you like that little alter ego of mine earlier?"

Tinignan ko siya ng masama, yung tipong kaunti na lang ay baka masakal ko na siya kahit na nagdadrive na siya. 

He just laughed it off while I sat in the passenger seat with my arms crossed. 

I get it, my reactions were probably funny for him. Sobrang nahihiya nga ako at ganun ako ka inosente kung makareact! Pero hindi ko naman kasalanan na ganun ako! I was never the type na laging nakakalapit sa mukha ng isang lalaki!

Nakarating na kami sa bahay, my parents' car already parked in the garage. I unbuckled my seatbelt, somewhat pissed about him making fun of me the whole time. 

But he held my arm, and when I looked at him, he had this sincere face on. 

"Sorry, but I just couldn't help it." sabi niya, "I like your little reactions earlier. Cute nga eh."

Nag cringe ako nang marinig ko siyang magtagalog! Like it was fine, pero talagang hindi parte ng karakter ni Nick ang lagin nagtatagalog, lalo na nung sinabi niya yung 'Cute nga eh'

"Oo na. It's fine. It's whatever." sabi ko naman sa kanya. 

It really was. At least he apologized in the end, kesa naman tuloy tuloy pa rin siya ng panlalait sa pagka inosente ng isip ko. 

I opened the door and I was about to close it after I said goodbye.

"I'm not going back to my apartment by the way. Not tonight." bigla niyang sabi.

Kinunutan ko naman siya ng noo, but he just smiled rather than further explaining. Tumango na lang ako at sinara yung pintuan. 

As he was about to drive, he opened his window

"I really mean it, Mia!" sabi niya and he quickly drove away. 

He really meant what?