Back From Beginning #WATTYS2020 (Next Cycle Playlist #1)

XXXI

Back From Beginning
Chapter Thirty-One

Kinaumagahan ay maaga akong nagising dahil sa alarm ko. I don't want to see Noah today kaya pupunta ako sa school nang mas maaga sa oras ng orientation schedule ko.

Medyo natulala pa ako sa baso ng tubig na nasa harapan ko habang kumakain, but I was woken up by my phone ringing.

Sinagot ko ang tawag nang nakitang si Kim iyon.

"Kimeki!" I happily shrieked as I got excited with her call.

"Babaeng 'to! Hindi mo sinabing uuwi ka dito ngayong Christmas!"

Nagtaka ako sa sinabi niya. Wala naman akong naaalalang may usapan kami nina Des na uuwi ako sa Christmas.

"R-Really?"

"Oo! Binalita sa mga online articles na pupunta kayo sa China ni Noah but Noah called tita saying na uuwi ka daw. Cover up storylang 'yung China vacation issue."

She went on with her happy news habang nastuck siguro ang utak ko sa fact na hindi man lang pinaalam sa akin ni Noah na uuwi ako.

Nagulat ako nang bumukas ang pintuan ng kwarto ni Noah at lumabas siya. By instinct, I immediately said goodbye to Kim and dropped the call.

"Julia..."

I felt different and awkward with the way he called me but I still tried to answer back.

"Bakit?"

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I was a bit drunk tapos nakita kong wala ka pa pala dito sa bahay, so I'm sorry about the way I acted last night."

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin sa kanya. I knew it...

"And I know, the things about the showbiz and stuff is making us both exhausted physically and mentally, soI booked you a flight back to Bicol after your orientation. Take this vacation as a time to rest from the showbiz world. I don't want to see you breaking down because of this... you know, I'm worried about you as a friend."

Nalaglag ang panga ko sa sinabi niya. Is this him, finally putting a label on our relationship?

I faked a laugh and jokingly slapped his arm.

"Natural lang maging concerned ang friend sa friend, bakit parang hiyang hiya ka!"

Hindi ko mapigilan ang pagtawa ko sa sinabi ko. I know I'm faking it way too much but I just can't stop.

"Ngayon ko nga lang palang nasabing magkaibigan tayo ano?" medyo natawa na rin siya sa sinabi niya.

I rolled my eyes a thousand times para lang hindi tumulo ang mga nagbabadyang luha. I don't even understand why I feel like this right now.

"Okay, let me say it properly." he cleared his throat and faced me properly.

"Huh?" wala sa sarili kong sagot sa kanya.

"Friends?" inabot niya sa akin ang kamay niya kaya medyo nagtaka ako.

I looked back at him and saw how sincere his eyes were. Pinakiramdaman ko ang sarili ko bago nagbuntung hininga.