The Free Fall

13

(a/n: my port for Chase)

Tinamad akong pumasok kaya nagpalate na lang ako. Pagpasok kong kwarto si Zeke agad ang nakita ko, matamlay at namamaga ang mata.

I feel so bad pero kailangan.

Hindi niya ako pinansin kahit tumagal tingin ko sa kanya. Kahit magkatabi kami, wala siyang kibo. Akala mo nakikinig sa klase kahit hindi naman. Pinabayaan ko na lang siya, baka umasa pa siyang konti kapag pinansin ko pa. It's better na he heals.

"Lunch?" Nakangiting tanong ni Chase sa'kin.

I smiled back and nodded, he ordered for me without asking kung anong gusto ko.

"Who's Colleen?" Tanong ko pagdating niya sa table.

"Childhood friend nga diba?" Sagot niya habang nilalapag sa table mga binili niya, ang dami.

"Why did she transfer?"

"She finds her old school toxic that's why she transferred here. Her mom asked me to accompany her from time to time."

"Do you like her?"

"What? No!" Diretsong sagot niya.

Umiwas ako ng tingin at di napigilang ngumiti. Napasinghap ako bago humarap ulit sa kanya.

"Dati?"

"No, I never liked her. She's like a sister to me."

"Close family niyo?"

"Yeah, very." He chuckled.

Tanginang tawa yan. I studied him habang kumakain, sobrang proportionate ng mukha niya, ang tangos ng ilong, makapal ang kilay pero maganda, at maganda ang shape ng labi. He caught me staring at his lips kaya tumawa siya, napaiwas naman ako. I feel my cheeks burning.

"Stop fantasizing about me." Pagbibiro niya.

"Kapal mo naman."

"I'm just courting you and you're already thinking of kissing me?" Mas tumawa siya.

Kapal naman talaga ng mukha ano. Eh kung halikan ko kaya talaga 'to? Chz.

"I'm kidding." He smiled at me and pinched my cheek.

"Saya mo naman kapag kasama si Colleen, grabe ngiti mo." Pagbabalik ko sa topic.

"Why do you want to talk about her so much?" Tiningnan niya ako.

"Wala lang, I'm just curious."

"Her mom and my mom were bestfriends back in highschool. We were born 2 weeks apart and we've spent family gatherings together. Parang connected na families namin."

I nodded, "How come you never liked her?"

"She's like a sister to me, I told you already."

"But she looks at you differently."

"I know."