Diary of an Introvert

10: At the Anime Store

A week after that vacation, naging busy na naman ako sa work at wala na akong narinig pa mula kay Aki.

My messages were not even seen. Maybe he really doesn't care anymore. I thought but, I would be happy if what I'm thinking now is wrong.

Anyways, today is Saturday. I'm with my best friend, Eric, roaming around the mall when we passed by an anime store.

Both of us love anime...but not to the point of buying collections as the others do. Pero wala namang masama sa pagwiwindow shopping noh?

We went in and saw this pile of anime posters! 😍 I got excited. Too excited that I left Eric behind. (Haha sorry friend)

I saw One Piece and I thought of Natalie, my other kabarkada.

I kept on searching till I got the Re: Zero poster---the name "Aki" popped in my head.

Picturan ko kaya at e-send sa kanya?

Pero baka isipin niyang bother ako.

Pero parati ko naman ginagawa yun ah. Wala naman sigurong masama.

Hay...bahala na.

I took a picture of it and sent it to him, secretly hoping that he will reply and we will have a long conversation again.

"Teacher Cee!!!"

Nabulabog ang sistema ko ng nakita ko ang tumawag sakin. My gaaash! Student ko pala!

He smiled at me and stared at Eric.

Parang alam ko na ang itatanong nito.

"Is he your boyfriend, teacher?" My cute student asked.

"Ah---no," I said, making a smile at him.

Inakbayan ako ni Eric and talked to my student. "No, I'm her boyfriend."

The heck? Gaga talaga to.

With no further ado, siniko ko na ang tagiliran niya.

I smiled again at my student. "Don't mind us. Go to your mom, now."

"Okay. Bye, teach!"

"Bye!"

At sa wakas, umalis na rin siya.

"At bakit mo naman ako denideny sa mga students mo?" Pang-aasar ni Eric.

"Baliw ka talaga! Sipain kita diyan eh! Hay!"

"Hahahahhaha!"

Baklang to?! Tinawanan lang ako! Hmph!

Yes po mga kababayan. Ang best friend kong to ay nagdadalaga na po---hindi lang halata.

Sa totoo lang, minsan ko na rin siyang na-consider na candidate as a boyfriend pero...yeah. Heto na nga ang nangyari sa akin.

But still, I love this guy more than a friend. He's like a brother to me. That won't change.

"Cee. Parang ang gwapo ng isang yun oh." Sabi niya habang nakatitig sa labas ng Penshoppe.

"San?"

I followed his gaze. "Saan diyan, friend?"

"Yung naka-black."

"Wow naman! Ang dami kayang naka-black!"

"Gaga! Tignan mo yung naka-pulang sombrero. Ang gwapo."

"Ha? Matignan nga." I examined the features of that guy at parang pamilyar siya sakin.

Wait---isn't he---Calvin?

I automatically hid behind the shelf containing miniature anime characters.

"Anyare sayo?"

"Ha? Ah---wala." I looked at them again.

Kung nandito si Calvin, siguro nandito rin si Aki? Nakita niya kaya yung message ko? 

Hay!!! Cee! Umalis ka nalang diyan! Kung anu ano na naman ang iniisip mo! Tch.

"Eric, alis na tayo."

"What? Now na? Gusto ko pang isukat ang Harry Potter costume na to eh." Reklamo niya.

Urrgh!

"Sa susunod mo na isukat okay?" I said with my pleading eyes.

"Alam mo hindi kita maintindihan."

"Eric..."

"Okay. Fine. Aalis na tayo, okay?"

"Salamat." 

Nang papalabas na kami ng store, may nabangga akong isang babae.

"Naku miss sorry." Sabi ko.

"Okay lang---teka, ikaw si Eucee di ba?" She asked.

Ha?

I looked at her.

Naku lagot! Isa siya sa mga kabarkada nila!!!!

"It's nice to see you here, Eucee. Si Aki nandoon sa Penshoppe kasama sina Cal, Mari at Bren."

"Ah, ganun ba?" Sabi ko. Like---what should I say?!

She continued. "Kung gusto mo pwede kang sumama samin mamaya. Magku-coffee kami. Isama mo na rin tong friend mo."

I can see in the eyes of this maharot na bakla na gusto niya yung idea pero...

"Ah, sa susunod nalang siguro. May pupuntahan pa kasi kami eh."

I felt Eric glaring at me.

"Okay. Sige. Mauna na ako. Bye." She said.

Hinila ko si Eric papalabas ng mall.

"Hoy gaga. Ano yun ha?" Bwelta niya sakin.

"Nandito kasi siya."

"Sino?"

"Si Aki."

"Yung crush mo na gusto mong kalimutan? Eh ano naman ngayon?"

"Kabarkada niya yun friend! Yung nabangga natin."

"And? Huwag mong sabihin na crush mo pa rin yun?"

Natahimik ako.

Siguro those days na hindi ko siya nakikita at nakakausap made me think that I'm over with him...pero nang nakita ko ulit siya sa resort, bumalik lang lahat sa dati.

Gusto ko mang mas mapalapit sa kanya kahit bilang kaibigan lang, mas pinili ko pa ring umiwas.

I don't want to expect anything.

Ayoko lang umasa.

Ayoko lang masaktan ulit.

While walking home...

I checked my phone and turned on my data.

No notification.

He's online.

But my message was not seen.

Again.

***to be continued***