Book 1: The Day She Came (UNDERGOING MAJOR REVISION)

Chapter 6 - Realize

"Saan ka pupunta?" I asked him as he came bursting out if the bathroom door.

The grin in his face hinted something good would happen, which–I take–is a good sign.

Nagpaalam siyang kakain sa labas pero alam kong he's gonna have a good time, that sneaky fox. Bigla ko lang napansin na parang gumaan ang pakiramdam ko sa unit namin. Yun bang pakiramdam ko'y naglinis kami matapos ang isang taon; napakaganda sa pakiramdam.

"Is it just me or do I feel better that yesterday?" Carlos said beside me, hands on his hips.

See? Hindi lang ako ang nakakaramdam. Suddenly a thought came to my head. I was this little, sudden realization of things that had just happened. I turned to Carlos wide-eyed. Tinitigan niya naman ako na parang nakakita siya ng multo.

"What?" he asked.

"Did you just see the look on his face?" I said, pointing at the door as if Rion was there.

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. He let out a silent gasp before clasping his mouth. Gulantang na gulantang siya sa napagtanto niya. I mean, sino ba ang hindi magugulantang kapag nakita mo si Rion na nagkakaganoon?

"Anong face?" tanong ni Raph matapos biglang sumulpot.

"Did you see Rion smiling?" Carlos asked.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Raphael. Napatakip siya ng bibig sa gulat dahil may napagtanto siya.

"Hindi lang pala ako ang nakapansin!?" bulalas niya.

For the first time in my life, I've never felt joy. Pakiramdam ko ay nabunutan ako ng tinik sa baga or something. It was like one of my happiest moments in my life. Apparently, sa sobrang saya ko, I decided to celebrate with the others. Bumili kami ng pagkain sa labas at lumantak hanggang bilog na ang mga tiyan namin. God knows how happy I am. He's smiling. He will finally be happy.

Umuwi siya nung lumalim pa ang gabi. However, his eyes were wide, as if he was in shock.

"Hoy! Kamusta?" I asked him.

His butt fell to the couch beside me.

"Hoy! Rion!" I slapped him.

Napakurap siya.

"Ha?" he stupidly responded.

"Ano na ang nangyari?" I asked. I saw Carlos and Raphael look up.

Napaupo lang si Rion. His face became problematic. What did just happen? Did he mess up? Did he embarrass himself? Did he embarrass the girl? Apparently, we knew after a few cans of beer.

Ang totoo palang nangyari ay...

...he ended up saying nothing the whole time dahil kasama ni girl ang kaklase niya. Well what in the actual fuck, Rion.

"Well, what in the actual fuck, Rion? Did you really expect that it'd be your 'we' time?" I said.

"Well, no. I was expecting that she'd bring some friend along because we ain't close. Pero, pucha! Nahihiya ako eh!" he blurted out before sipping from a can.

"Oh God!" napatawa si Carlos. "Dude, halos nineteen ka na. Yet parang junior highschool ka pa mag-isip? Gotdamn, Rion." Carlos laughed.

Sinamaan siya ng tingin ni Rion bago tapunan ng lata ng beer.

"Aray! Putangina mo ka!" bulalas ni Carlos habang hinihimas ang natamaang parte ng ulo niya.

Nagtawanan na lang kami dahil sa mukha ni Carlos na parang nilamukot na papel.

...

The four of us woke up to an October morning. We felt quite unproductive pero we just have go to class. Di naman kasi papasok si Rion kung di kami papasok. At tiyak, papatayin kami ng erpats niya.