Let Me Chase You

Chapter Seven

Flashback

4 weeks ago...

"I said no, Sandro! Ilang beses ko pa ba uulitin na ayoko na." Sandro tried to stop Serine from leaving. Nasa indoor swimming pool sila ng Southmoor High School. Katatapos lang ni Sandro mag-training nang dumating si Serine.

"Sinubukan ko naman diba? I tried liking you pero hindi ko talaga magawa." Sandro lowered down his head after hearing his ex's words.

"I'm sorry." Serine said.

Sandro smiled bitterly. "But you said you love me."

Serine crossed her arms and snorted. "And you really believed it?"

Sandro was taken aback.

Napahawak si Sandro sa dibdib. Nasasaktan siya ng sobra dahil kay Serine; ibang-iba ang Serine na nasa harapan niya ngayon sa Serine na minahal niya noon.

"I thought you were smart, Sandro. Why would you easily believe my lies?"

'Those were lies?' Sandro thought.

Tumalikod si Serine kay Sandro at tuluyan nang umalis. Gusto itong pigilan ni Sandro pero hindi niya magawa, he didn't want his ex to loathe him even more.

End of flashback.

Wendy's POV

"Sinabi ni Serine 'yun sa 'yo?!" Sandro nodded. Napalakas yata ang pagkakasabi ko kaya nagtinginan sa akin ang lahat ng customers sa coffee shop ngayon pero inalis din nila ang atensyon nila sa akin after ng ilang segundo to continue their own businesses.

"Gosh, was she really that heartless?" I asked him again, kalmado na ang boses ko this time.

Sandro just smiled at me but his eyes looked sad. Naawa ako after niya magkwento ng nangyari sa kanila ni Serine. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Adik yata 'to si Sandro e.

He took a sip of his coffee. "I'm not sure anymore."

I let out a sigh. Change topic na nga! I feel guilty dahil nagtanong pa ako sa kanya tungkol kay Serine. Halatang nasasaktan pa rin siya sa tuwing naaalala niya ang ginawa nito sa kanya. "Anyway,"

I fixed my posture.

"Let's talk about, u-umh, y-you know, u-us?" Stop stuttering, Wendy! "I mean! We are not really in a relationship so naisip kong kailangan natin ng guidelines."

"Guidelines for what?" He asked innocently.

"For us to know our limits!" Hindi na siya nagsalita ulit kaya ipinagpatuloy ko ang page-explain tungkol sa dating guidelines namin.

"So first, no KISSING and no hugging!" I emphasized the word kissing. Baka mapagkamalan na naman niya kasi na ako si Serine, mahirap na.

"But you hugged me yesterday."

"That doesn't count!" I protested.

"Okay, honeybunch." Nagpanting ang tainga ko sa sinabi niya.

"What did you just call me, Sandro Tan?"

Sandro chuckled. "Honeybunch? It's our endearment, isn't it?"

I scoffed. I can't believe na tinawag niya talaga akong honeybunch.

"By the way, how did you come up with that idea?" Sandro asked. Nilabas ko sa bag ko 'yung pack ng juice na Honeybunch ang tawag dahil honey flavored ito at nilapag sa table to answer his question.

Mukhang gustong tumawa ni Sandro habang nakatingin sa pack pero pinipigilan lang niya. Sino ba naman ang hindi matatawa sa kakornihan na 'to!

"Honeybunch sounds cute though. Let's use it." I gaped in disbelief.

Seryoso ba siya na honeybunch talaga ang gagamitin naming endearment?

"Fine!" Um-agree nalang ako sa gusto niya para matapos na.

"Balik tayo sa guidelines," I cleared my throat first. "Pangalawa! After maoperahan ni mommy which is 3 months from now, pwede na tayong 'mag-break.' Ako na magpapaliwanag kay mommy kung bakit tayo nag-break kapag naka-recover na siya, you don't have to worry about it."

"Third guideline! Never tell this to anyone. Pwede nilang malaman na we are dating each other pero hindi nila pwede malaman the real reason why we started dating each other."

Sandro nodded, bored.

"Fourth guideline! Umh, wait, let me think first."

Ano pa bang pwede kong ilagay sa guidelines? Nasabi ko na yata lahat ng importante.

"Fourth guideline," Napatingin ako kay Sandro nang bigla siyang magsalita. "Allow me to do things a boyfriend should do, Wendy. Nothing is going on between us, but we are still dating."

I was flustered for some reason. I tried to laugh it off but I just sounded awkward. "S-sure."

Tama, kailangan may ambag din siya sa guidelines dahil magkasama kami dito.

"That's it," I said as I put my hands together. "May idadagdag ka pa ba?"

Sandro shook his head.

All right. Mukhang goods na lahat.

"Nga pala, Sandro---este, honeybunch?" I have to get used to it kahit ang nakakadiri!

"Bakit hindi pa kita naririnig mag Tagalog? Do you know how to speak the language?"

Sandro chuckled. "I know, of course. I was born here. But my parents, especially my dad, always talks to me in English at home." Kaya naman pala.

"Why? Are you uncomfortable? Do you want me to speak in Tagalog?"

I waved my hands. "No, okay lang! Doon ka kung saan ka comfortable. I don't really mind."

"Okay." Sandro replied.

*

After namin kumain ni Sandro, (na libre niya dahil sa fourth guideline) we went to Southmoor again dahil may pa-meeting ulit si Genoa sa Teatro Club. I can't miss another meeting this time, nakakahiya na kay Genoa at sa iba pang club members.

Fudge.

Bigla kong naalala si Ten. Hindi niya pa pala alam 'yung tungkol dito. Alam ko na magiging reaction niya kapag nalaman niyang I am dating Sandro, pero I can't imagine his reaction kapag nalaman niya ang reason behind this.

Tahimik akong naglalakad sa hallway with Sandro nang makita namin si Ten at Lucas sa labas ng clubroom. Nakaupo ang dalawa sa wooden bench habang nagtatawanan. Napatigil sa pagtawa si Ten nang makita niya kaming dalawa ni Sandro na magkasama.

I'm so sorry, Tyrone. I know nililigawan mo pa ako pero I have to do this for my mom.

Natigilan ako nang hawakan ni Sandro ang kamay ko sa harap ng dalawa.

"Wendy? Bakit magkasama kayo? At bakit---" Sandro cut off his words. "We are dating now." Nakita ko kung paano nag iba ang aura ni Ten. Nakakapanibago.

Ten scoffed. "Totoo ba?" Ten asked in disbelief. Nagpalit palit ang tingin niya sa aming dalawa ni Sandro.

I nodded.

Tumayo si Ten at hinila ang kamay kong hawak ni Sandro. "Saan tayo pupunta, Tyrone?"

"Kailangan natin pag usapan ‘to, Wendy."