Dear Sebastian

chapter eight

Dear Sebastian

Are you tired? 24/7 ka nang non stop na tumatakbo sa isip ko. This is insane.

Love

ALEX

**********
After the autumn spring come...
ALEX

Pagkababa ko sa kotse eh mabilis akong tumakbo sa kuwarto ko sa MountainView, I pull out a chair at inabot ang glass case na nag lalaman ng orange and red tip roses. My Mom help me look for someone who can preserve the flowers kasama ng note na nakalakip sa paanan nito.

The lid pop at dahan dahan kong kinuha ang note and I flip it. A shining SL engraved was embossed at the back of the note.

Pumatak ang luhang kanina ko pa pinipigilan, why? Am I that guillible? Isa ito sa cherish memories namin ni Quin, my first and last flowers na nang galing sa kanya and it was all a lie. Bakit di niya sinabi.

Naabutan ako ng Mommy ko sa ganung position.

"Sweetheart are you okay" she asked umiling ako "what's wrong?"

"This" inabot ko sa kanya ang note.

"Oh this is Quin's after prom note in the bouquet he gave you tama ba?" Malumanay niyang tanong.

"Yun nga Mom eh after ilang taon malalaman kong di kay Quin galing to" muli kong tinitigan ang note

"Kanino galing?" Takang tanong ng Mommy

I flip the card and show her the embossed SL logo "sa kanya, kay Sebastian"

Monday Morning
ALEX

Mimi and I are cramming di tumunog ang alarm clock and we are running late. We decided na car nalang ni Mimi ang dalhin since ubusan na ng parking sa SJU

"Mauna ka ng bumaba sa lobby ako na kukuha ng kotse sa parking" nakangiti niyang saad parang tanga late na nga masaya pa.

Pagbaba ko ng condo at pag labas ng lobby eh a glittering red Audi R8 stop infront of me.

"Tagal mo bumaba, we're running late" masayang bungad ni Sebastian and naiwan akong naka nganga.

A minute or so lumabas ang torquise colored compact SUV ni Mimi "Enjoy lovebirds see you at school"

Anak ng patola na kutchaba pa ata si Miranda nanliit ang chinita kong mata ng tingnan si Basti.

"Hop in Love, late na" nakangiti niyang paanyaya

Napailing na sumakay ako sa kotse niya.

"This is new?" I asked

"A gift from my Lolo" he said casually like it is something that usually happen "this is your coffee" sabay abot niya sa akin ang isang black coffee tumbler.

I sip "yum my favorite" masaya kong saad and he just smile.

Tahimik kaming nag drive papuntang school walang music, when we hit a red light nag neutral siya at tahimik niyang kinuha ang aking kamay. Bigla akong kinabahan, butterflies are all over my stomach abot hanggang lalamunan. When the red turned to green, he use my hand to changed the shift gear pambihira para akong nasa loob ng isang pelikula yung puso ko.

"Love..." tawag niya at napatingin ako sa kanya, he continue looking at the road driving just in one hand as he hold my hand sa isa niyang kamay "ok lang ba na yun ang tawag ko sayo" he continue.

Juskolord yung puso ko sasabog na hindi ko na to kaya "Basti saang Koreanovela mo ba nakita tong pinag gagawa mo ngayon? Kasi sa pelikula ko lang to nakikita" tanong ko.

He burst out laughing "Masyadong corny ba?" Kamot batok niyang tanong

"Masyadong nakakakilig walang hiya ka" natatawa kong sagot.

Di namin namalayan na dumating na kaming school. He park in his usual slot, Sebastian himself can draw a crowd dagdag mo ba ang isang brand new luxury car sa equation eh halos lahat ng estudyante eh nakaabang sa pagbaba niya, bigla akong kinabahan.

"Basti..." tawag ko sa kanya as he is pulling his ipad at the back.

"Yes Love?" Sagot niya

"Nahihiya akong lumabas" bulong ko

"Don't mind them akong bahala sa'yo ha" assurance niya.

Pinatay niya na ang makina ng sasakyan and on cue dumating sila Rafa and Miggy

"Whoah nice ride Basti" bungad ni Miggy as Basti close his door umikot siya sa bandang door ko without replying to Miguel and open my door he gave me his hand and I reach for it.

"Lacsamana three pointssss!!!" Sigaw ni Rafa "Grabe naman po Sir Basti winner na sa life winner pa sa lovelife" buska niya

"Fuck off Rafa!!" Biglang dumating si Mimi "Bes, iPad mo nabitbit ko"

"Omgee thanks Bes" kuha ko sa ipad as I put it in my bag "you have so much explaining to do Anna Miranda" banta ko

"Laters Lexie late nako" biglang paalam niya

"Miranda you want me to take you?" Offer ni Raphael na sinagot ni Mimi ng dirty finger Baste and Miggy burst out laughing.

"Love let's go" yaya ni Sebastian

"Wow sana all" asar ni Miggy as he reach out for my hand and started to walk towards our class.

Wow is that Sebastian with a girl

Sino kasama niya

Swerte ni girl

Girlfriend niya yan?

Akala ko ba si Chloe

Is that Alex?

Mga salitang naririnig ko as we walk hand and hand.

"Basti!!" Chloe call him, we stop on our track to listen tiningnan niya ang magkahawak naming kamay and Basti's other hand that carries our iPad.

I silently sip my coffee sa tumbler na bigay ni Basti, di rin ito nakaligtas sa paningin ni Claudette pasimple niya akong tinapunan ng matalim na tingin.

"I thought no one drinks on your coffee tumbler" sumbat niya, na pa stop ako sa pag inom and look at the tumbler closely an "SL" gold emblem was engrave in the black mask.

"Except my girlfriend" he casually answer.

"G-girlfriend?" Chloe stammer

"Yes Alessandra my girlfriend" sagot niya na muntik ko ng ika choke sa iniinom kong kape.

"Huy Basti kabahan ka nga" bulong ko sa kanya.

He laugh it off and pull me into an embrace.

"Why did you call me Chlo?" He asked instead.

"Next game will be at Xavierville" balita niya "double time lahat for practice" she stated as she walk out without waiting for our reply. Nag kibit balikat lang si Basti pero bigla akong nanlamig. A game between Xavierville and SJU is one for the books, those two school is the biggest rivalry since time imemorial which means that even alumnis come to watch the game too, a full house is expected in which also means a complete attendance from my families. Both the Sorianos and the Yeos will sure be there. Am I ready to introduce Basti? Am I ready to face Quin? OMG!! I suddenly stop walking.

"Love what's wrong?" Tanong ni Sebastian

"Basti next game you are going to die"

"Why" he asked laughing.

"You are going to meet Tyler" I whisper and it dawn on us that the next game will not just big because of rival school rather it is one for the books because it is meet the parents and I don't even know if I am ready.