Taken For Granted

CHAPTER 13: Stubborn

I find my own mood confusing at times. My actions, even. Ang bilis bang nawala ng galit ko? Actually, sabi ko nga hindi naman ako nagalit, right? I know na, dapat, I am still not talking to him or interacting in whatever way. Pero, siguro this is how it is. I feel safe with him around, I feel happy. Para bang there is a voice saying that I should be happy, na dapat hindi ko pairalin ang isip ko sa ganito. Na, I should listen to what my heart says kapag kasama ko siya.

Stubborn? Yes, I guess I am stubborn.

Maybe some find it weird and uncomfortable if they'll be in this same setting. Hey, just to be clear with everybody, I am not malandi naman, diba? I am keeping the thoughts and feelings sa sarili ko at the moment. Alam ko naman na mali, sa ngayon, at kahit kailan iba ang maggiging dating sa mga tao. Why? Syempre I'd seem to be the villain here. First is, because he has a girlfriend. Second is that, the girlfriend is my bestfriend. Haaaayst. How hard can it be? Although he's the one na nag-confess, it made me confuse. Obviously. Uuuughhh! Pero bakit parang wala lang ngayon sa kanya?

I guess I will just seize the moment as it happens. Besides, this is a forbidden feeling sa ngayon. Yes, sa ngayon. Because I am still open for a possibility. Naiinis ba kayo sa akin? Don't worry. I am hating myself now, too. HAHA. What kind of friend am I, diba?

"Hey. Tulala ka jan. You alright?" Pagtapik sa akin ni Ian.

And I came back to earth. Chos!

"What? Uhm. I was just thinking of something."

"Okay. Sabi mo eh. We're here na. Tara."

Eh? I looked around  Oo nga ano? Nasa village na kami. Psh  Sayang! -_-

Oh, joooooke!

Pero totoo nga. Haha. Aminin, ganyan din naman kayo minsan kapag gusto niyo o si crush ang nakakasama. Yiieee. Hahahaha. Oo na, sige I'd stop now.

Hmm. I'll shoosh him na siguro. Shoosh, as in 'shoopi'. Papaalisin ko na siya, ganon. Am I mean? After niya akong ihatid at bitbitin yung dala ko, papalayasin ko lang? Hmm.

"Sige na. I'd go ahead. Hinatid lang talaga kita eh. Text mo na lang din si Nina."

Ay? Inunahan ako?

"Oh. Sure sure. Ingat ka!" I said, then smiled. Kainis eh papaalisin ko na nga inunahan ako. Pwedeng i-replay ang scene? Hmp.

Sorry. Umiiral ang kabaliwan at kamalditahan ko.

Yung sinakyan namin na tricycle, yun din ang sasakyan niya pauwi. Papunta sa sakayan ng jeep, actually. Ako kasi, mga 15minutes away lang from the mall. 30minutes from school. Siya, maybe at most, 30minutes from my place hanggang sa kanila.But, napaisip ako bigla.

"Ah. Wait! Ian, wait lang."

"Manong, sige na po  you can go. Eto po ang bayad."

Umalis na si manong driver.

Ian was a little bit confused. So am I. Kanina gusto ko na palayasin eh. Then, what now? Hayst!

"Tara ano. Pasok ka muna. Tsaka, papahatid na lang kita kay kuya Jun. Kasi, ano gabi na. Natatakot ako if mag-isa ka. You know, mahirap na, baka mapagtripan ka sa daan. Basta. C'mon in. Kuya's there." Sabi ko.

Aigoo. What am I doing?

He followed me inside, anyways.

Upon entering. Nandun si kuya Baste sa sala. Nanonodod ng TV.

"Hey sis! Nakabili ka nung paborito ko? [at nung napalingon siya sa gawi namin] Oy, hi Ian! What brought you here?" - kuya

"Not what. I did bring him here."

"Okay. But, not talking to you, Maddie." - kuya

And Ian laughed. Wow ha? Thank you, ano? Psh.

"She said na gabi na daw. Actually, hatid ko lang siya dito sana. Since, gabi na nga. Then, uuwi na ako. Eh, ipapahatid niya na lang daw ako." - Ian

"Ah. Yeah right. Gabi na naman nga kasi. Salamat sa paghatid sa kapatid ko. Ikaw, hatid ka na lang  nga namin. Mahirap na baka mapagtripan ka sa daan. Mag-commute lang, right? Kung medyo naconfuse ka kanina sa naging reaction niya, hayaan mo na si Maddie. Ganyan talaga yan minsan. Worried. OA kasi yan eh" - kuya

And the evil brother laughed. Grrr. Yes, kuya. Thank you [insert sarcasm here]! Okay na eh, may OA pa. Hayst. Can't you just be nice?

"She said exactly the same. Baka daw mapagtripan ako. I guess, I'm here for a reason. [laughs]" - Ian

"Yes, maybe. Haha. You should eat first before you go. [turned to me] Maddie, dalhin mo na yang binili mong cakes sa kitchen. Prepare it and a pitcher of mandarin juice for Ian and I, please. He's your visitor, anyway." - kuya

"He is MY visitor. But I am not your utusan. Ugh. Why do elder siblings be like that?"

"You can't do anything about it. Kahit mainis ka, susunod at susunod ka pa din because you love kuya. You one stubborn baby girl. So, go on. Wag ka na mag-speech jan. I said 'please' anyway." - kuya

"Eeewwww!"  And I went to do what kuya asked me to do.

Pero, yes. Kuya is always like that kasi. Sweet ba? Infairness, may 'please' naman diba? Love ko yun! Kapag naman kasi ako nakiusap sa kanya, he would never think twice because, as he said... I am the baby girl. Hah! The perks of being the bunso and unica hija!!!

So, yes. I prepared what I have bought. And the juice. And pagbalik ko, ayun nagtatawanan sila. Yung totoo? Ano, invisible ako? Di man lang ako tulungan. -_-

Ay! Magkasama kasi sila Ian and kuya sa Dance Troupe ng Therese. That's why they are close na din, tho not super close. Yung tama lang. HAHAHA! Wala lang. Baka kasi nagtataka kayo, diba. Remember, one year lang gap namin. 2nd year, Business major yan si Sebastian Lauchengco!

"Oy. Sam. [gets the tray from me and puts it on the table] Thanks for these." - Ian

"I told you susunod din siya. [laughs in praise for himself]" - kuya

I rolled my eyes. Sometimes nakakainis din ang maging bunso dahil sa ganyan. The elder sibling will always make fun of you. Mambibwiset kumbaga.  Pero, the rest are real happy times. Hahaha

5 minutes later, Ian is finished.

Bakit ba ang bilis niya kumaen?!

I called kuya Jun and asked him na ihatid si Ian pauwi. He said okay. Syempre si kuya, since makulit siya, sasama daw siya maghatid. At ako, dahil gabi na and I have classes tomorrow, Tuesday, which will start at 8 o'clock in the morning...maiiwan at matutulog na.

They head out. Ihahatid using the car syempre. Service car namin yun. Kaya lang pasaway nga ako gusto ko mag-commute. Masaya kaya! Oh. Nga pala, 10pm na po.

"Bye, Samantha. Thanks! See you tomorrow at school."  - Ian

"Okay. Bye, then. See you. Ingat! [turned to kuya] Hey bro, ingat kayo ha! Call me in case something happens. Which, I hope wala naman."

"Yes, baby girl." - kuya

"Thank you. And, thanks to you too, Ian. Sa paghatid."

Sumakay na sila sa car. Before tuluyang umalis, nagbaba ng window si kuya.

"You, Maddie. Go upstairs, fix yourself, and go to sleep. It's already late." - kuya

"After niyo makaalis, kuya."

"No! Now. Go, now." - kuya

"Yes, kuya. Ingat kayo! Okay?"

I won't argue anymore. I went inside and do as what I've been told.

It's an 'okay' day for me anyway.