BORROWED TIME

62

B E A T R I Z

"Alam niyo, mag-outing kaya tayo? Para makapag-relax naman tayo. Tutal everybody's fine naman na. Dapat i-celebrate natin to. Whay do you think, Bei?"

We're having our breakfast and it was weird because it's a quiet breakfast atleast for me for few days now.

I looked at my brother and just raised my eyebrows.

Napa-iling naman ito.

"How about you, Jho?"

This time, kuya asked Jhoana.

"Hmm, wala naman pong problema sa akin yun, kuya Loel. Kung anong gust niyo. It's fine with me." she answered then she went back eating or should I say, playing with the food on her plate.

"Hayyy. Ano ba naman kayo. Why don't you suggest anything you want to do? Ako lang ba talaga dapat mag-organize nito?" kuya Loel complained.

"Loel, you can organize an outing for us on your own. And the two agreed naman na on whatever plan yoi wanted diba? Ano pa bang inirereklamo mo diyan? You should continue eating. Lalamig na yang pagkain." Dad said and kuya just followed.

"Ahm, excuse me po, tito, tita, busog na po kasi ako. Pwede po bang mauna na po akong umakyat sa taas? Hindi po kasi maganda ang pakiramdam ko. Gusto ko po sanang magpahinga."

Jho stood up and said her good mornings to all of us.

Sinundan ko na lang siya ng tingin hanggang sa makaakyat na siya.

"Ano kayang nangyari kay Jho, is she okay? Bei?"

My mom asked and that made me look at them.

"Huh? Ahmm... Actually... I don't have any idea mom. Maybe she's just tired... Or baka po nag-away na naman po sila ng boyfriend niya. I don't know." I said while shrugging my shoulders.

"Baka nga... Sige na, ubusin mo na yang kinakain mo." mom told me so I just nodded and continued eating kahit na di ko na alam kung anong lasa ng kinakain ko kakaisip sa kung ano nga bang nangyayari kay Jhoana.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Jhow?"

I saw her drinking water in the kitchen.

"Hmm? May kailangan ka?" she asked without making an eye contact with me.

I bit my lower lip then shook my head. Suddenly, I felt shy.

She nodded. And cleaned the glass she used.

"Kung wala ka nang ibang sasabihin, aakyat na ako." she forced a smile that didn't reached her eyes then surpassed me like I was just a molecule in air.

I sighed deeply.

She's been avoiding me for a few days now. And I just couldn't ask her why kasi nga she seemed so reserved and slient when it comes to me.

"Jho, sandali."

I immediately grabbed her wrist even before she can finally leave.

"Ano ba yun?" she said with a little bit of irritation.

"Are you avoiding me?"

"What made you think na I'm avoiding you?"

"Come on, Jho. Don't pretend that you are not trying to avoid me when it's so obvious na iniiwasan mo talaga ako." I answered with a little impatience in my tone.