Requited

Chapter 3

Bits of moonbeam crossed Rhian’s window. The clock ticked with the smaller hand on 12 and the bigger one on 23. Nakailang gulong na rin siya sa kama at hindi pa rin dinadalaw ng antok.  

“Ano pa tinatayo mo ‘dyan?!” Franco’s mad face spanned her mind again when she closed her eyes.

She got up and sat at the edge of her bed. Bakit ba kasi ganoon ang ginawa ni Franco? Nagtatanaw ba siya ng utang na loob dahil doon sa gamot? Bakit ngayon lang siya bumait? Rhian asked herself such questions and arrived at the conclusion that Franco helped her that night because he’s a good person but he’s just choosing to not tell it or maybe he’s just in oblivion. Oo, baka nga.

The girl dragged herself back to bed and tried to get some sleep again. She closed her eyes and a figure of a shirtless guy in the middle of the rain, aiding her wound and massaged her ankle crossed her mind.

“”Di pa kasi ako nakakapagpasalamat sa kanya ng pormal,” Rhian told herself to clarify her thoughts. Or maybe she just need a glass of milk.

Rhian sat at the dining table, facing the window and fed herself with a milk she made herself, hoping it’ll be converted into sleepiness once she’s done drinking the whole glass. Nangalahati na ang gatas ni Rhian nang may napansin siyang tao ‘di kalayuan sa labas ng bahay nila. Nagsha-shadow boxing sa ilalim ng buwan. It’s a guy, with a familiar height and punching technique.

“’Gabi-gabing na, ah. Nagsasanay ka pa rin?” Rhian offered a glass filled with milk to the guy throwing punches outside.

“Ano yan?” Franco knows it’s a glass with that colloid mixture in it.

“Baka gatas? Tikman mo para mapatunayan mo kung gatas nga.”

Franco rolled his eyes for that awful answer. He turned away and continued on what he was doing- completely ignoring Rhian’s presence.

That made her feel quiet bad. “Biro lang. Baka ‘di ka rin makatulog, kaya ito, pinagtimpla na rin kita.” She raised the glass for the second time.

“Magbibigay nalang dami pang arte.” Franco took the glass from Rhian’s hand and took a sip.

“Ang tamis naman nito. Daming asukal,” the boy complained. But deep in his heart, he wants to say “thanks”.

“Inumin mo nalang kasi.” She rolled her eyes and drunk from her glass.

Rhian made herself more comfortable and sat on a nearby porch, which Franco also did. Now they’re seated next to each other.

“Thank you nga pala sa pagtulong mo sa akin kahapon,” she stared up to look at his reaction.

Franco grinned. “Wala ‘yon. Kawawa ka naman kung iniwan kita doon.”

Rhian stayed silent. Both were again quiet.

“Nga pala, bat gising ka pa?” Franco is just curious.

“Wala,” Rhian paused, “medyo nagpaparamdam kasi yung sugat sa paa ko.” Her grip tightened for that lie.

That made Franco feel both at ease and……. sad. It’s not that he was expecting for a particular answer, but yeah, he was.

His mind was invaded with many thoughts including- well mostly of Rhian, which made him took a few steps outside, jog around the compound to tire himself, hoping the sweat can deliver the drowsiness he sought for the last hours.  

“Gagaling din ‘yan. Ipahinga mo lang, kahit hanggang kailan mo gusto.” The boy smirked after prolonging the hanggang kailan.

Rhian scoffed. “Tapos ano? Aagawin mo posisyon ko sa pinakamagaling? ‘Wag na ‘no.”

“Dahil mas magaling naman talaga ako sa’yo.” Franco stared afar- full of himself.

“A, ibig mo sabihin pinagbibigyan mo lang ako?”

Franco was taken aback by that response and made him ask himself, baka pinagbibigyan ko lang siya? O mas magaling nga talaga siya sa akin?

Rhian stared at Franco’s direction and waited for a few seconds. Ano ba’ng mahirap sa tanong na ‘yon?

Pero… pero bakit parang ang tangos ng ilong ng binata sa ganitong anggulo? Bakit ba ang pupungay ng mga mata niya kahit gabi na? And her stares got lowe-

Naudlot lang ang pagkakabisa niya sa mukha ni Franco nang biglang lumingon ito sa direksyon niya at nagsalita. That definitely shocked her causing her to look away.

“Oo, pinagbibigyan lang kita. Kaya pasalamat ka sa ’kin,” Franco settled for that choice. Hindi niya rin kasi gusto ang ideyang mas magaling nga ang dalaga kaysa sa kanya.

“O edi, thank you~” her tone is definitely insincere.

Franco didn’t mind Rhian’s sarcasm and instead he noticied how distant their heights are and chuckled, “pero totoo, kumain ka ng marami, Rhian. Ang pandak mo na nga, ang gaan mo pa.”

Nanliit ang mata ni Rhian sa narinig at tiningnan ng masama si Franco’ng ngiting-ngiti sa pang-aasar sa kanya.

“’Ni hindi nga ako pinawisan kakabuhat sa’yo.”

Rhian is once again reminded of that scene which she now loathes dahil ayaw siyang patulugin nito.

“Pwede ba, ‘wag mo na ibalik ‘yon. Nagmumukha akong mahina.” This time, she meant it.

“Dahil mahina ka naman talaga.” Franco laughed slightly.

Now she’s pissed. She stood up and readied herself to leave. That one move alarmed Franco. Rhian took a step and another. Natigil lang siya sa paglalakad nang may naramdamang tila bang may kumuryente sa kanya.

Franco lifted himself with his hand still on Rhian’s wrist. Rhian turned around and asked herself how did Franco’s skin on hers made her electrified.

She forced herself not to ask that for now, kailangan na naman kasi niyang tumingala para klarong makita ang galak sa mga mata ng binata.

Tuwang-tuwa kasi ang taong kaharap niya dahil naasar ang dalagita sa kanya.  

“O, aalis ka lang?”

Rhian remained silent and just stared at him- confused, mad and curious where the hell did that sparks came from!

“Good night, Rhian.” Franco gave his sweetest smile to further annoy her.    

Instead of talking back, Rhian swung her hand once to remove Franco’s grasp and rolled her eyes before she continued walking.

He knows he won this time and staring at Rhian’s back made him feel even more victorious, thus explains the smile.

As for Rhian, she’s marching all mad, confused and full of regrets. The young lady heaved a deep breath before making the last step inside the house. Mas hindi ata siya makakatulog nito.

-------

Please share your thoughts by commenting. Thanks! 😘