Adore You

Chapter 8

"Welcome back!" I awkwardly said habang sinalubong siya. Tinignan ko ang mga taong pasunod sa kaniya at mabuti naman at wala yung babaeng palaging galit.

"Yung girlfriend mo?" Nagtataka kong tanong. I shifted a bit kasi kanina pa ako balisa. My hands were trembling at atat na atat ako sa mga tanong ko sa kaniya. He eyed me seriously at parang 'di makapaniwala sa tanong ko.

"You look pale." Puna niya at tumawa lang ako. Tinignan ko ang agos ng estudyante at bahagyang nahilo dahil sa rami at init. "I don't have a girlfriend." Dagdag niya at dinama ang noo ko.

Nagulat ako sa biglaang paglapat ng kamay niya. "I feel fine. Gutom na ako. I want to eat something." Nataranta ako kaya hinawi ang kamay niya. Mayroon pa siyang sinabi pero nahihirapan ako na intindihin iyo. I narrowed my eyes at him because my aching head is making talking a big disability.

Pumikit lang ako ng mariin at tumango kahit na wala namang maintindihan. Naramdaman ko ang bahagyang paghawak niya sa likod ko at giniya ako palayo sa tao. I let him dahil lumala ang hilo ko. Yumuko ako ng bahagya.

This is really pathetic.I tried to focus on my vision and it was failing me badly. Lumabo ang paningin ko at gumuhit ulit ang sakit.

"Coraline." Tawag ni Finn sa pangalan ko. We were in a shade. Nakaupo kami sa ilalim ng puno at umaliwalas ng kaunti ang pakiramdam ko. The wind blew and it made it easier for me to breathe.

"Yes?" Napapaos kong sabi. Tinignan niya ako ng mariin at inihilig ako sa dibdib niya. Kalaunan ay hinwakan ni Finn ang braso ko para maging komportable. If this was a normal day for me I would be fidgeting out of his hold but today I feel drained.

I thought about a lot of things since he went to Bicol. That he's nice and undeniably handsome. Muntik na akong tumawa sa kabaliwan. Pero tuwing naaalala ang tungkol sa aksidente at namatay niyang kapatid palagay kong wala akong karapatan na hawakan siya.

I imagine his brother. He's probably up in heaven peering over his older brother. Checking if he's fine. Maybe his features are like Finn's, stoic and cold. Maybe his personality is cheerful unlike his brother, but I'll never know. I don't have the right to know.

Pilit kong tinanggal ang mapait na nararamdaman. Hinayaan ko nalang ang sarili na ihilig ang bigat sa dibdib ni Finn. Patuloy ang pag-ihip ng hangin. I can't help but stare at the moving leaves and the shadow of the tree. We were too quiet that the only thing I could hear is our steady breathing.

"You're really pale." He repeated his comment earlier. Bahagya ko siyang tiningala at ngumiti ng bahagya.

"I probably have dark circles under my eyes too?" Pabiro kong sabi pero hindi na siya nagkumento.

"It's just too stressful today." Dagdag ko pa. Not just today I bet tomorrow will be far worse. Our closeness is sparking up awkwardness in my system again. Pero pinagbigyan ko ang sarili ko.

"We better get you food. Sabi mo kanina nagugutom ka na. Probably one of the reasons you're feelig unwell." He said gently and I groaned.

"But I like it here! Kaunti lang ang tao. We don't receive stares." I complained kaya tumawa siya ng bahagya. I tried to hide my smile too.

"Gusto ko rin naman dito." Sabi niya.

"'Yon naman pala! Then let's stay here, please?"

"Can't do that. Get up." Utos niya pero hindi ako umalis sa pagkahilig sa kaniya. Umirap ako.

"I don't want to go to crowded places. I don't like people murmurring about you and me. Especially here. Ang raming nakakakilala sa'yo and your girlfriend. I'm probably ruining your shot. Sorry about that."

"What are you talking about? Like I told you, Tanya isn't my girlfriend. I don't have one." Mabagal ako na tumayo at hinarap siya. I raised my brow at kahit na hindi naniniwala pinabayaan ko na.

"The reason people are staring at us isn't about me being with you. It's mostly because you're pretty." Dirediretso niyang sabi.

Natigilan ako. I wanted to smile and giggle like a lovesick fool but I didn't. His comment sparked up excitement pero may hindi talaga ako matulak palabas ng sistema ko. The more I get to know him the more I want to hide what I was suppose to say. I'm guilty at bawat araw na lumilipas lumalala ito. 

I could just do that. Pretend that I had nothing to do with it. But a mental image of my sister being hopeful that I keep true to my promise breaks me. He'll probably hate me to the core. I probably won't ever get close to him like this, ever. Ngumiti ako para sa bagong sakit na rarating.

"Fine. Pero ikaw magbabayad." Nanginginig kong sabi.

Tumawa siya at tumango nalang sa gusto ko. Yumuko ako at mariin na pinigilan ang kaduwagan. I looked at him. His eyes looking at me full of comfort and familiarity.

"Then samahan mo ako bukas? I want to take you somewhere." Nagaalinlangan kong sabi.

He smiled at me more. "Whatever you want, Coraline."

This is the last day he'll have that expression when he's with me. Finn will undeniably walk away. After tomorrow I'm afraid that I might take my small happiness away. Ang hirap hirap na kasi.

Tumayo siya at sumunod ako. "It's a shame that everything had to end before it even started." Bulong ko. I would never wish for anything else if you forgive my sister kahit hindi na ako.

Nagulat ako nang nilingon ako ni Finn. Binalik niya ang kamay sa likod ko habang naglalakad kami. "Stay close." He whispered gently even when I remained very stiff at his sudden movement.

A/N:
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