About You

X.

"Mga pre, sure na tayo sa  Safe Haven bukas, dun preferred ni Heart, she asked if we can do it for only 2-3 hours. May appointment pa daw kasi sya after." Llydon slouched on our couch while scrolling his phone.

"Noted. I already checked the place. Maganda sya, hindi masyadong crowded so I guess we're good."  We all nodded at Maxwell's statement.

After a few seconds Iris snapped his fingers in front of me. "Sure ka na bang sasama samin bukas?" I blinked twice. Sasama ba talaga ako? I cleared my throat before answering "Yeah."

Nagkatinginan sila bago sabay sabay na bumuntong hininga "So, you're going to hide yourself tomorrow?"

"Oo. I want to be there and hear what Heart has to say but, I'll keep my promise not to show myself to her." Maxwell pat my shoulder as well as Iris.

We continued discussing our plans for tomorrow. And yes, pupunta ako sa shoot bukas. Sana lang hindi ko yon pagsisihan. Nasa gitna kami ng pagche-check ng trimmed clips ni Heart ng dumating si Renea.

"Kuya I'm home! Oh, you have visitors." She's about to walk out when her eyes caught the video we're watching. "O to the M to the G! Is that Ate Heart?!"

Agad na pumagitna ang kapatid ko kina Llyndon at Max. She even held the laptop on her lap. "What's the meaning of this? What are you guys up to? Huh?"

With his infamous wiggling eyebrows, Iris answered my sis "We're making a film documentation of Heart's life. Cool ayt?"

Renea's eyes widen, even her lips formed a huge O upon hearing Iris. "OH EM! Seryoso?!" bumaling naman sya sa akin. "Kuya! Bat di mo sinabi?!"

I glared at her. "It's none of your business." Nea pouted at inirapan ako pabalik. "Mean. Anyway, I want to come on your shoots, sama nyo ko ha." Ngiting-ngiti nyang sabi sa mga kaibigan ko.

"Uhh ano kasi-"

"Hindi pwede." I interrupted Maxwell.  Of course Nea started to bitch out.

"Bakit hindi pwede?! Sasama lang ako. Manunuod lang. I promise di ako manggugulo. So please bring me to your shoots, huh Kuya?"

Umiling ako, "No."

"Kuyaaaa!"

"Nea stop. I said di pwede."

"Bakit hindi pwede? Di naman ako mangugulo sa inyo ahh!" I just don't want to make things awkward for Heart.

"Basta. Huwag ka na makulit okay?" Renea gave me a death glare.

"Fine! Damot mo psh!" she stood up and when she passed by me, sinipa nya ang paa ko! What the?!

"Aray! RENEA!" Nea stuck her tongue out bago dali-daling pumunta sa kwarto nya. On cue, nagsitawanan ang barkada ko.

"Hahaha iba din talaga kapatid mo no? Medyo mapanakit." Nag make face na lang ako kay Llyndon. Shit. Ang sakit ng sipa ni Nea!

"May lahi atang kabayo yong si Nea e!" nag-apir pa sina Max at Iris.

"Shut up."

The next day, nauna na kaming tatlo nina Iris at Max sa Safe Haven. We started to set things up while waiting for Llyndon na sumusundo kay Heart.

"Leoel, san ka pupwesto pare?" tanong sa akin ni Max while scanning the place. Like what he said before, konti lang ang tao dito.

I prefer to stay close but hidden so that I can hear Heart's interview. "I'm fine there." Itinuro ko ang isang table for two that was covered by a huge palm plant, at least on this view of the café.

"Nice, nice so dito namin pauupuin so Heart sa likod mo. Siguro naman di na nya mapapansin na ikaw yang nasa likod nya. Basta huwag ka lang maingay."I simply nodded.

I went to my seat and wait. All I have to do is to stay still and listen carefully.

"Good morning Heart! Thank you for coming kahit na busy ka." rinig kong bati ni Iris. She's here.

"No problem. But is it okay kung dalian lang natin? I still have something to do after."

"Sure sure, dito tayo." I drank my milk tea while listening to their conversation.

"Uhm eto nga pala yung magiging content ng interview ngayon, if there's something you're... not comfortable with. Feel free to tell us." Awkwardness is obvious in his voice.

Heart's laughter makes me feel soft. "I know what you're thinking. Don't worry I'll be fine."

Ayt. This interview will be all about 'Heartless Heart.' And we all know that that book reflects the pain I brought her.

"Okay? So... Let's start?"

"Good morning Heart. Last time we talked about everything about you and you brought us to the places that inspires you to write. We enjoyed it by the way." panimula ni Llyndon.

"Yes, yes, I also enjoy sharing it to you guys."

"So after hearing almost everything about your personal life, let's now talk about your debut book 'Heartless Heart.'" I slouched a bit and readied myself to listen to Heart.

"Okay."

"So can you tell us the inspiration, the story behind 'Heartless Heart'?" Ito na ang hinihintay ko.

"Hmmm...Heartless Heart. Heartless Heart is all about pain, my pain, heartbreaks and heartaches caused by someone." And that someone is me. "Haha it's actually just a typical broken love story if you'd asked me. But what makes it special, hmm maybe because it's my story?" She let out a one innocent laugh.

"I told you on the first interview that, I started embracing writing as passion when I was a junior high school student. And actually, by that time I met someone who encouraged me to do so. Let's just call him Mr. C." It's me Cahel.

"He annoyed me the first time we met at the library and honestly I don't want to cross paths with him ever again. But destiny found its way to annoy me even more."

I heard Llyndon cleared his throat.
"How'd you say so that destiny found its way to annoy you? Did you meet him again?"

"Yes. The next day, we agreed to meet each other, but don't get me wrong. He's  just going to return me the  notebook I left on the library the day before. It's a notebook full of my own written poems. As expected, he annoyed me again. He acted as if we're close hahaha silly I don't even want him to be my friend but eventually he became one. And since then he never stopped getting into my nerves!" Napangiti ako sa sinabi nya. I remembered those days na wala akong ibang ginawa kung hindi bwisitin sya.

"Day after day lagi nya akong kinukulit. Nabasa nya kasi yung poems ko and since then lagi nya akong iniencourage to pass it on our  campus newspaper saying that it's good. At first ayoko. I hate rejection. Isa pa I don't have enough confidence with my works, and also with myself. Pero dahil sobrang kulit nya, I gave in. And to my surprise, the editor-in-chief actually liked it. I was like really? They praised me, and Mr. C. He said he's proud of me and he's happy for me. For the first time in my life, someone's proud of me other than my parents. And it overwhelmed me big time. I know iniisip ng iba that I'm being OA. But for someone like me who doesn't believe in themselves, it's actually a big deal. And for the first time in my life, I trusted someone other than my parents."

I smiled bitterly. And for the first time in my life, I fell in love.

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