Fixing You

Late Night Calls

Chapter Two

DRIFT

"And. You can call me Drift."

"And. You can call me Drift."

"And. You can call me Drift."

Ginulo-gulo ko ang buhok ko dahil sa pagkayamot. Geez. I was so lame. Parang pa-cool ang dating. Ang pangit!

Hindi ko maalis sa isipan ang nangyari kanina. What happened there was just... was just... wow. Just like the girl I met. Parang ang bilis ng mga pangyayari kanina that I couldn't even keep track of what I was saying. Of what I was doing. Minutes that passed were like seconds and when she left, I was left unsatisfied. I want to know her more. I want to know why it feels so good being with her. Na para bang a lifetime could pass by us but I would never get a fill of her.

Mheagan Leigh Rodriguez. I looked at her school ID that I found in her wallet. Dahil sa kakatitig ko sa kanya kanina, agad kong napansing may nahulog sa bag niya nung may kinuha siya mula roon. Napasandal ako sa backseat ng kotse at pinikit ang mga mata. Ang plano ko lang naman talaga nung una ay isauli lang ang wallet sa kanya and then I would quickly run off para makauwi na sa bahay. Hindi ko inasahang I would do all that. Why would I suddenly treat kids to lunch anyway? Para pa akong naging stalker. There was absolutely no reason to do that. Wrong. There was an excellent reason. Her.

What I didn't understand was the effect she had on me. Hindi ako baguhan. I've had girlfriends before but the attraction with them wasn't as intense as I had with her. It wasn't even just physical. I enjoyed teasing her and tried to draw out interesting sides of her so I could get to know her better. To see if I still like her kapag nagtataray siya. Kapag nahihiya siya. At kapag natataranta siya.

"O, ano na Yano? Girlfriend mo na ba?" Dinig kong sabi ni Mang Caloy.

"Wh-what?" Napadilat ako. Ano bang pinagsasasabi ni Mang Caloy?

"Naku, e ano ba't sayang lang pala ang ginawa kong paghintay sa iyo ng mahigit sa isang oras. Ang hina mo pala, Yano!" Tumawa pa si Mang Caloy na parang nangungutya.

Napangiti na lamang ako. We'll see about that.

_____________________________________

MHEAGAN

Nagpabiling-biling ako sa kama. Ano bang nangyayari saki't hindi ako makatulog? Tinakuban ko ng unan ang ulo ko at humiling na sana'y makatulog na. Ngunit wala pa rin. Naku, wala na 'to. Zombie na ako bukas. Bumuntong-hininga ako at padarag na bumangon sa kama. Pumunta ako sa sala at binuksan ang tv. Tulala akong nilipat-lipat ang channel hanggang sa mapunta ako sa Star Movies. Malapit na sana akong makatulog ulit nang tumunog ang cellphone kong nasa coffee table. 10:20 na ah? Sino pa bang tatawag ngayon? Inabot ko ang phone ko at tiningnan ang caller id. Hala. Unknown number. I chose not to answer the call. Malamang kung si mama 'to, international number naman ang makikita sa caller id.

"Reject." Sabay pindot ko sa button pero tanga na ata talaga 'tong daliri ko at ang accept button pa ang napindot. "Hala. Na-accept?" I sighed in defeat and held the phone near my ear.

"Hey." Natigilan ako nang marinig ko ang boses ng caller. Him?

"Ah. H-hello?" I set the television to mute.

"Hmmm. You didn't ask." I can hear the smile in his voice.

"A-anong---?"

"You didn't ask who I was. So you recognized me?"

Natigilan ako at ramdam kong unti-unting uminit ang pisngi ko. Sheez. He got me.

"How'd you get my number anyways? This is getting creepy, you know." Sabi ko para maiba ang usapan.