Once Upon a Dream

7:

Arin's PoV

Sumakay na kami sa sasakyan pagkatapos ng ginawang pagkain sa bahay nina Dalton. "Enjoyed the night?" He asked. Hindi nanaman ako sumagot because he's probably talking with Lucia. We've never had private convos before so sure ako doon.

"Yep." Lucy answered energetically. Dalton leaned forward towards the driver and tapped the man's shoulder.

"Kina Lucy muna tayo manong." I breathed secretly. So he's gone to her house already. And from what Tita Anna said from back then, klaseng nagpunta nadin si Lucy kina Dalton ng madaming beses na.

The two talked and talked, sometimes asking me about things ngunit panay 'yes' or 'no' questions lamang. The time went by fast hanggang sa na kina Lucy na kami.

When Lucy got down, everything turned silent. "Sleepy?" He asked as he played with some of my hair strands. Hinayaan ko nalang naman siya since parang mali naman kung lalayo ako di'ba? I just nodded at him.

"Kaya ka pala mahilig sa pudding dahil sa Lolo mo. But I didn't expect him to sell puddings like that." Puna ko. This is one thing which I hate about myself. Oras na buksan ko ang bibig ko, tuloy-tuloy na ang flow doon ng words.

"Yeah, do you know that before Nazil Empire came to what it is now, doon sa pudding nagsimula ang lahat?" Panimula niya na nakapukaw ng atensyon ko. Nilipat ko ang tingin ko sa bintana at bumaling sa kaniya.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Dalton then told me how his Lolo would sell candies from back then, hanggang sa nakahiligan nito ang sweets at nakapagpundar ng maliit na shop. Until naging company na sila, a company that specializes with delicacies. "Ang galing pala." Masaya kong sabi pagkatapos makinig sa kaniya.

"Now you're smiling." Puna nitong nakapagpasimangot muli saakin.

"Bakit? Pangit ba ako ngumiti?" Sabi ko. Or baka may tinga akong naiwan? Mamiii, nakakahiya 'yun!

"Nope. It's just that, nagtanong ako kanina at hindi ka sumagot." My mouth formed an 'o'. So para saakin pala talaga 'yung una n'yang tanong? "I thought that you felt too out of place. I'm sorry."

"Hoy hindi ah. Akala ko lang kasi kanina ay si Luz ang kausap mo." Napatawa s'ya.

"I am not like that." Agad niyang sabi. "Kinabahan ako, I thought that you were angry or something." Sabi nito at napahinga ng tila ba may nawala siyang problemahin.

"Ba't ka naman kakabahan?" I asked. Dalton sighed.

"Well, it's not just me, but to others you really seem hard to approach. Parang may sarili parating mundo. Parang wala kang pakialam saamin."

"Hindi ah!" Napaisip ako. Oo may nagsabi na noon saakin dati, pero grabe naman 'yung may sariling mundo at walang pakialam sa kanila. "I just have some issues pero I swear! I always care about others." Nabobother tuloy ako sa sinabi niyang iyon.

"That sounds heroic." Sabi n'ya. "But spending the night with you is fun, akala ko nga oras na sabihin kong girlfriend kita saamin ay agad-agad kang aalis." Napakunot ako.

"Bakit naman?"

"As I've said, para kang isang taong walang pakialam sa paligid so I was really worried." Paliwanag niya. I smiled.

"I am not like that nga. I really, sincerely care." Tumango sa turan ko si Dalton.

"I feel as if I broke down some of your walls?" Tumango ako.

"Probably."

"And you acted out beautifully tonight." Muli akong nalito sa mga salitang namutawi sa kaniyang bibig. Ano ang akto? "It was as if we really are in a relationship. I thank you for that." He sincerely added. Pakiramdam ko naman ay patuloy-tuloy na napingak ang puso ko. So he still thought that I was just acting.

"Ba't nga pala ako ang pinili mo?" I questioned.

"Apart from you being the only available one at the moment, at bukod sa katotohanang ikaw ang napagdiskitahan ni mom, I think that you are the only person not capable of falling for me..." My eyes flickered on the dark.

"Yeah, probably." Maikli kong tugon. I already fell for him so technically, hindi na uli ako maaaring mahulog sa kaniya. "I have a question Alt." Halos paos ko nang sabi. My heart beating even faster for each and every passing second.

This is so absurd or dala nadin siguro ng pagod at antok ko but I really wanna know one thing. And if he gives the answer that I want to hear, I'll take my chance.

"Ano?" Pumikit ako, huminga at muling nagmulat ulit.

"Do you sincerely like Lucy?" Dalton stared at me for a second. Alam ko na ang sagot ngunit tila ba gusto ng puso kong baliktarin ang katotohanang iyon. He then nodded slowly.

"Oo, I really like Lucy." Konkretong sabi pa niya. Their sportivo stopped. Doon ko napagtantong nasa harap na pala kami ng bahay ko, at doon ko din napagtantong lahat ng ito ay panaginip lamang. I was just imagining things in my head. Walang ibang ibig sabihin ang paghawak-hawak n'ya sa kamay ko.

Ang malambing n'yang boses...

Ang maamo niyang mata...

I gulped. Napakarupok ko. And it hurts me.

I let a tear fall due to my aching heart. "M-May problema ba?" Biglang taranta niyang sabi.

I hugged Dalton. Baka sakaling sa gesturang ito ay mabalik ko na ang lahat ng piraso niyang umugat na sa puso ko. "I sincerely like you too Dalton. And I hope that this will be the last time I'll feel this kind of heart break." Sabi ko. I never knew that a crush could turn to love in just a span of weeks. Pinunasan ko ang ilang luhang pumapatak saaking mga mata. "I'm sorry, goodbye." Huling paalam ko sa kaniya bago lumabas ng sportivo.

Dalton seemed shocked, tila wala itong maigalaw. And who cares about his driver? This will probably the last time we'll see each other again. I just hope that when Monday comes, everything will be the same old classroom days again.

Somehow, I feel like breaking, but the coldness of my hands and feet made me felt alive. Ito nadin siguro ang huling beses na magmamahal ako nang ganito. I hope so.

Naramdaman ko ang pagalis ng sasakyan nina Dalton saaking likuran.

I looked at the wide sky that's full of stars.

Goodbye Love.