The Gap Between Us (SSG SERIES #1)

Chapter 7: Between Us

Eliezer Fernandez

"Hindi kami ni Natalia. Okay?"

Iyon ang totoo, but it seems like I can't keep up with it. I think they already know something. Something I've been hiding for a while. I shouldn't have let my guard down.

"You like her?"

I do. I really do. Pero hindi ko sinagot kung ano ang nasa isip ko. I avoided the question. I chose to play safe than taking the risk. Kasi alam ko, matagal na. Iba ang gusto ni Natalia.

Nang tawagin ako ni Natalia mula sa labas ay hindi ko alam kung magiginhawaan ba ako dahil nakatakas ako sa mga tanong nila Stacey, o kakabahan kasi andiyan ka nanaman.

"Took you long enough. Tara na! Nagutom ako!" sabi nito at hinila ako patungong cafeteria. I let her pull me wherever she wants to go. Even if she didn't, I'll still follow her, though.

I don't really remember when did I first felt this feeling, but I do remember one day I felt that I don't want her out of my side, ever. But in the mean time, alam kong may nagustuhan na siyang iba, kaya kung sasabihin ko 'to ngayon, baka ang tanging relasyon ko sakaniya, mawala pa.

"You're surprisingly quiet today. May sinabi ba 'yung mga kaklase mo kanina?" tanong nito habang nanguya. Napangiwi naman ako at mahina siyang binatukan.

"Table manners po. Babae ka 'di ba?" pag sesermon ko dito. We always eat together, go home together and do crazy things together. But after all this time, I still don't know what's between us.

Tell me, do I stand a chance?

Stacey's

One of the reasons I hate weekends, is I won't see him for a couple of days, plus, it's boring. Being alone with my annoying little brother in this house, this couldn't get any worse. Actually, wala siyang ginawa. Ang tahimik niya, and that's what makes him annoying. He's only a year younger than me, kaya walang galang ang isang 'to sa akin.

"Eien, wala ka bang balak mag girlfriend?" I asked out of nowhere. He didn't bother looking at me and proceeded to play on his phone.

"Ikaw may boyfriend ka ba?" he asked me back. Ngayon ay ibinaba niya ang phone niya at bored na tumingin sa akin. God, this kid has a talent for annoying people.

"Wala." I answered briefly.

"Ikaw nga wala pa. How can a 15 year old have one?" pamimilosopo nito. Umalis ako sa living room bago ko pa mabato kung ano ang mahablot ko palipad sa pag mumukha niya.  I shouldn't have asked in the first place.

Kami lang dalawa ng kapatid ko ang nandito. Mom and Dad are often out for some business or whatever, kaya no choice kundi kausapin paminsan minsan si Eien, kapatid ko pa din ang bwisit na 'yun kahit papano.

I was scrolling through twitter nang mag flash sa screen ko ang pangalan ni Coleen. I answered her call.

"I have a favor to ask and you can't say no," bungad neto. Napairap ako sa hangin at hinayaan ang susunod na sasabihin niya.

"May book sale sa NBS, can you puh-lease go? I can't right now. Grounded ako." mahina ang pagkakasabi niya ng mga huling salita. Coleen and I love books, so it's not a problem to me and I agreed. Baka makakita ako ng bagong manga na pwede kong basahin.

"You better pay this time." pag babanta ko dito. Um-oo naman siya at nangakong ililibre pa ako sa Lunes.

I realized that I'm still on my pajamas and haven't eaten lunch yet. I can have my lunch at the mall, and let Eien starve to deat. But I won't because I will be the one responsible for his death and I'm not an evil sister.