A LOVE FOUND

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE LIKES

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE LIKES

"May regalo ka na ba kina Noah?" Umiling ako kay Avril bilang sagot.

"Maaga daw ang labasan ngayon, bili tayo ng regalo nila?" Napalingon ako sa kaniya.

"Alam mo ba kung anong gusto nila?" Tumango siya kaya tumango rin ako.

"Sige, bili tayo."

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Agad na nagtayuan ang lahat pagkalabas ni Miss Vida ng classroom namin.

"Avs," tawag ko kay Avril. Nakita ko kasi sa twitter niya na Avs ang username niya kaya Avs na lang ang itatawag ko sa kaniya. Masyadong mahaba ang Avril, nakakatamad.

"Oh?"

"Sasaglit lang ako sa office, sasama ka ba o hintayin mo na lang ako sa gate?"

"Sama ako."

"Baby Girl!" Napairap ako nang biglang bumungad ang mukha ni Noah sa pintuan ng classroom namin habang palabas kami.

"Saan punta niyo?" Agad lumingon sakin si Avril na parang humihingi ng tulong.

"Uuwi, san pa ba?" Pero binigyan lang kami ni Noah ng tingin na parang hindi siya naniniwala sa sagot ko.

"Ano ba Noah? Umuwi ka na nga sa inyo!" Pagtataboy ko sa kaniya. Ngumuso siya at muling lumingon kay Avril.

"Isa." Pagsisimula ko ng bilang. Lalong humaba ang nguso niya.

"Dalawa."

"Heto na nga uuwi na, sungit!" Mahinang napatawa si Avril. Napairap ako.

"Bye, baby girl!" He waved his hand.

"What are you two really?" Tanong ko kay Avril nang makalayo na si Noah.

"What?" Namumula niyang tanong pabalik. Ginaya ko ang maarte niyang pagsasabi ng 'what'.

"You two are flirting in front of my face and it's annoying! Add the fact that he keeps on calling you baby girl," I looked at her and she's blushing. I rolled my eyes.

"It's not like you're still a baby for him to call you baby girl, hindi rin naman kayo magkapatid. It's obvious that baby girl is an endearment for you. Huwag mo sabihing manhid ka kaya hindi mo mahalata?" Tumigil siya sa paglalakad at humarap sakin. Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay at tinuro.

"Kung may manhid man dito, ikaw yon!" Napamaang ako sa kanya. What?

"Don't you really know that Nicholas Monteveda has a crush on you? We're classmates since nursery and eversince he started pissing you off, I can already tell that he likes you very much." I was about to say something pero she gestured me not to.

"And there's James Villazarde who keeps on sending you his drawings and keeps on asking how are you and keeps on looking at you almost everyday and I heard he even brings you home. Take note kung gaano kalayo ang bahay mo. Have you noticed those things? Are you aware gaano kahaba ang buhok mo? I bet not kaya hindi ako papayag na ako ang manhid sa ating dalawa!"

My power of reasoning left me and the only thing I've got to say is,

"Ang dami mong sinabi, tara na."

"Saan punta niyo?" I frozed when I heard his voice. Biglang inubo si Avril kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

"Hi Anthony, punta kaming mall para bumili ng regalo sa triplets. How about you? May regalo ka na?" Si Avril ang sumagot sa kaniya habang nagkukunwari ako na busy sa phone. I don't know why but I don't know how to talk to him. Gaaad, nakakahiya ang nangyari sa bahay. Idagdag pa ang mga pinagsasabi ni Avril kanina.

"Tara na Avs," aya ko kay Avril at tumalikod na.

"Wait!" Napalingon ako kay James nang maramdaman ko ang paghawak niya sa braso ko.

"Can I come? We can use my car para di hassle mag-commute." I was about to refuse but Avril and her shameless attitude talked first.

"Sure, tara na!" Wala akong nagawa kundi pilit na ngumiti kay James nang ngitian niya ako.

Kagaya ng dati ay sa passenger's seat ako nakaupo at si Avril ang nasa backseat. She even teased me na bagay sakin ang umupo dito dahil bagay akong girlfriend ni James.

"You must be really close with the triplets, mag-aabala ka pang bumili ng regalo para sa birthday nila." He broke the silence.

"Well, it's a must kung a-attend ka." Maikling sagot ko sa kaniya. I keep looking outside the windows.

"And you can actually choose not to attend."

With my brows crossed I answered him, "I am attending their birthday every year since they were five."

"Right! I guess it was their eight birthday na hindi um-attend si Cath and they throw tantrums especially Nicholas." Avril laughed a little by the thought. Wala ng umimik sa amin pagkatapos.

Tumigil ang kotse ni James sa tapat ng mall.

"Ipa-park ko lang 'tong sasakyan, you guys can enter first."

"Okay."

Dumiretso agad kami ni Avril sa department store.

"Noah is addicted to cars. We can buy anything na may design na car or car miniature." Tumango si Avril sa sinabi ko.

"How about Neo?"

"Neo is very inclined to music, I'm planning to buy him a new bluetooth headset or any music instruments." Sinilip ko ang ginagawa niya sa phone niya and she's taking notes of what I'm saying.

"As for Nicholas, I don't know what to give him." Napaangat siya ng tingin sakin at nagtataka akong tiningnan.

"What?" Mataray na tanong ko sa kaniya. She's looking at me like I said something bad or something wrong.

"He will be very very hurt." What she said confused me. Bakit naman masasaktan si Nicholas?

"Kasi?"

"You don't know what he likes."

"I know what he likes," I defend myself. Totoo naman, I know what he likes kaya lang, "I don't know what he likes best." Nagkibit-balikat siya.

"Edi ibalot mo na lang sarili mo." I rolled my eyes. Kahit kailan, walang kwenta.

"He likes car miniature also, he likes statement shirts, white shoes - he likes almost everything!  He loves reading, too. But what should I give him? Ikaw ba, ano ibibigay mo sa kaniya?"

"Sketch pad or coloring materials."

"Why?" I asked her and she looked at me with disbelief.

"Don't you know that he likes drawing too? And he's quite good. He likes to draw the nature but I saw him drawing you most of the time. Are you sure you don't know?"

I felt a twinge of guilt and it started to eat me whole.