Cinderella is Gay (EDITING)

💫 XXVIII 💫

Chapter Twenty-Eight:
Realize

***

NOW
January 2018

YOHAN'S POINT OF VIEW

I ENDED up eating my own words. Ilang beses kong pinigilan ang sarili ko na lumabas ng kwarto pero wala pa rin palang silbi. Lumabas pa rin ako at pinuntahan si Phil na magi-isang oras na akong hinihintay.

His smile was so wide when he saw me walking towards him. At ang traydor kong puso, ayu'n, sobrang bilis na naman ng tibok.

Anak ng kamatis, ganito na lang ba palagi? Pwede bang ma-lessen naman ng kahit konti ang epekto ni Phil sa'kin? Kahit konting-konti lang.

"You came," natutuwang sabi n'ya.

"Only to tell you na umalis ka na. Mag-dinner ka na kung saan mo gustong mag-dinner," istriktong sabi ko saka nilampasan s'ya. But he just followed me, still wearing a huge grin on his face. "Where are you going?"

"Ikaw, sa'n ka ba pupunta?"

"Magdi-dinner."

"Oh? What a coincidence. Ako rin eh, magdi-dinner. Sabay na tayo?"

"No," matigas kong sagot. "Maraming restaurant sa paligid at ayokong kasama ka."

"Ouch. Nakaka-hurt ka naman ng feelings."

"Kung gusto mo, ikaw ang papipiliin ko ng restaurant, 'tapos ako na ang maga-adjust. Ako na lang ang hahanap ng ibang makakainan na malayo sa'yo."

"I don't need to do that because I want to have dinner with you."

"Eh, ayoko nga, 'di ba? Bakit ba ang tigas ng ulo mo? I don't want to be with you. Ayokong makipag-share ng space at hangin sa'yo."

"Funny because hindi lang hangin ang pinagsaluhan natin kahapon," he teased and gave me a malicious look. "Pati laway, pinagsaluhan natin."

My eyes widened as I gave him a horrified look.

"What the fuck?! Nakakadiri ka!"

"O, ba't naman nakakadiri? Sarap na sarap nga tayo kahapon, 'di ba?"

"I thought I made it clear na ayoko ng pag-usapan 'yon? Because it was a huge mistake!"

"A sweet mistake." He corrected me, and damn, I badly wanted to wipe that huge grin off his face. Naiirita ako na natu-turn on at the same time.

"Phil!" I groaned in frustration. "Is it really your hobby to annoy me? Because you're doing a perfectly impressive job pissing me off."

"Sorry, hindi naman 'yon ang intention ko. Gusto ko lang namang makipag-dinner sa'yo. That simple."

Hindi nga kasi simple ang gusto n'yang mangyari! Bakit ba hindi n'ya maintindihan 'yon? Kung s'ya, parang wala na lang ang past namin, sa'kin, may epekto pa. Ako na ang hindi maka-move on, ako na ang effected. Sue me! I've been hurt, and it wasn't easy to mend a wounded heart. I was still in the process of healing myself after our love ruined me, but he came back... And maybe he was back to ruin me again.

"Fine. Dinner," I said nonchalantly. "You want to have dinner with me? Sige, gawin natin."

"Yohan..." Na-sense siguro n'ya that there was something wrong with my tone.

"Gusto mong maging magkaibigan tayo while we're here in Siargao, 'di ba? Fine. Kalimutan natin ang past and just enjoy this beautiful island together. 'Tapos pagbalik natin ng Manila, let's go back to our normal lives na parang walang problema. Masaya 'yon, 'di ba?"