My Little Sun

9: I got a love letter

I came into the classroom and everyone's eyes were on me.

"What?"

Joanna, our class mayor, gave me a pink envelope. "May dumaan dito kanina. Ipinabibigay sayo."

Siniko naman ako ni Albert. "Uy ikaw ah. Tahimik ka lang pero may admirer ka pala."

Hay. As if interesado ako sa ganyang bagay.

I opened the letter and indeed, it's from a girl named Erika. Wait— she's not the Erika that I know, right?

"Magkita daw kayo mamaya after dismissal." Sabi ni Joanna pagkatapos niyang kunin at basahin ang sulat mula sakin. "Pupuntahan mo?"

I sat on my chair. "Yeah. Ayoko siyang paasahin sa wala."

"Whoo! Ang cool mo talaga, Tristan!" Sigaw ni Albert.

"Tch. Tumigil ka na." I got my book for the next class and started studying.

Before going to the meeting place, I called Aelia.

"Tree? Napatawag ka?" Halata sa background sounds na nasa baseball field siya.

"May club activities kayo ngayon?"

"Ah—oo eh. Bakit?"

"Ah. I'm just letting you know na nakatanggap ako ng love letter."

"And?"

And? Tch. "I'm on my way to meet her now."

"Oh?" She laughed— sounds like a fake one. "Eh bakit mo to sinasabi sakin?"

"Ha. I'm just making you aware na marami ring nagkakagusto sakin."

"Ha? Hoy—"

"Umuwi kang mag-isa ngayon." And I ended the call. Why the heck did I say that? Hay.

I arrived at the place a little bit late. Erika's seating on a bench, waiting patiently. Ha. Kailan pa naging pasensyosa ang babaeng to?

She's that Erika. "What is it this time?" I said.

She laughed. "What's with that look, Tristan? Aren't you glad? Someone like me has a crush on you."

"Ha?"

She sighed. "Okay. Alam ko namang you'll date me no matter what."

"What do you mean?" May pinaplano na naman bang masama ang babaeng to? Tch. Ni minsan hindi na siya nagbago.

"If you won't date me, I'll just tell my parents to close the baseball club and you know what will happen after that." She smiled at me— a threatening one. "You don't want your best friend to be hurt right?" 

I laughed sarcastically. "Do you really think I'd give in to that threat?"

"Seryoso ako, Tristan. With a single snap of my fingers, that club will be gone forever!"

"Just to let you know, that club gave a lot of honor to the school. And I'm pretty sure that your parents won't sacrifice an excellent club just because their spoiled brat daughter said so." I paused and studied her pissed off face. "Bakit mo ba to ginagawa ha? I don't think it's because you have a crush on me."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but yes. I do like you this much, Tristan. But that Aelia— why is she always on the way?!"

She's crying and I'm not insensitive enough to think that it's just an act. This is her genuine side. This is the real Erika.

"What happened to you, Erika? Bakit grabe ang galit mo kay Aelia?"

"She's annoying. Mula pa noong elementary, she's always surrounded by a lot of people— getting all their attention. Tch. Akala mo kung sino. Even my dad decided to give her a scholarship when her parents died. She's always trying to be on top. And now, even the guy that I like—tch."

"I'm gonna say this, not to be mean to you but I guess, Aelia's not the problem here. You have a better life compared to her. You have friends. A lot of guys are trying to win you over. Your parents are supporting you. Can't you see that?" I gave her a pat on her shoulder. "You have great things to be grateful for. You don't need to compete with anyone."

She continued to cry— covering her eyes this time.

"So...about your confession, I'm—"

"Stop it." She said. "Alam ko na ang sasabihin mo. Tch. Nakakainis!"

And that ended our talk.

The next day, I invited Aelia to a ramen house. And she's been staring at me since she started eating.

"What?"

"Hm. Wala lang. Kakainin mo pa ba yang kimchi?"

"Ah. Hindi na."

"Okay." She got the kimchi on my plate and ate it. Yung kimchi ba talaga yung dahilan?

"Hey. Aren't you curious?" I asked.

"About what?"

"My admirer. I met her yesterday."

"And?"

"I rejected her."

"Ah. Don't tell me sinabi mong may girlfriend ka na?"

"Ha. Hindi ako gaya mo noh."

"Eh anong sabi mo?"

"Na may gusto na akong iba."

She looked at me and our eyes met. She immediately looked away. "Oh?" she said and continued eating her ramen.

"Ayaw mong malaman kung sino?"

"Bakit? May plano kang sabihin sakin kung sino?"

"Nevermind." I transferred all the kimchi and pickled radish on her plate. "Ubusin mo yan."

"Ha?! Oy— Tree—"

"Ubusin mo yan o ikaw ang magbabayad ng kinain natin."

"Ha?! Hay..."

I smiled, listening to her complaints while eating all the kimchi and radish I gave her.