Head Over Heels For Ezzio (Villaverde Series #1)

Chapter 12

Paris

Kumalat ang video. I already expected it to happen but I just couldn't help but be appalled by how fast the social media platforms worked. Isang post lang, kalat na agad. And to think na Friday pa lang ngayon! Hindi man lang naabutan ng ilang araw.

Ezzio muttered a soft curse.

"That ass, though," I heard him say, grinning playfully while biting his lip. Nang-aasar na naman ang gago!

Nanlisik ang mga mata ko at tiningnan siya ng masama. He was chuckling quietly with his eyes fixed on the phone. Ngunit liningon din niya ako nang mapansin niyang tinitingnan ko siya. But instead of stopping, he just gave me a smirk.

"Oh, come on, Paris," iniharap niya sa'kin ang phone. "You look good here. Ako na mismo nagsasabi kaya dapat maniwala ka."

He laughed at his cockiness while I cringed for the nth time as I saw myself on his phone. Yep. Ang video iyon. At talagang tinitingnan 'yon ni Ezzio habang kasama ako. I'm pretty sure he's just doing that to annoy me!

Just when I thought the whole campus had forgotten about me already, 'tsaka naman kumalat ang video na 'to. So, the glances and stares were back. And this time, it's as if they look at me like I'm a different person. Dahil rin sa video'ng iyon, mas nagtaka na ang mga tao sa kung anong meron sa amin ni Z. The comments on the video were insinuating that there really was something going on. Ina-assume na rin nila na gusto na rin ako ni Ezzio. Even Venny concluded the same thing. As usual, halos hindi niya ako tinigilan sa mga tanong niya tungkol sa mga nangyari sa gabing iyon. I couldn't believe it. The dance probably put ideas in their heads, and their stares were as curious as ever. Lalo na kapag nakikita nila akong kasama si Ezzio tuwing lunchtime. Gaya na lang ngayon.

I looked the other way when I couldn't take the shame anymore. Ramdam ko ang pamumula ng magkabilang pisngi. Hiyang-hiya ako. Bakit ngayon ko lang 'to naramdaman at hindi roon sa mismong gabi na ginawa ko 'yon?

"I-exit mo na 'yan," inis kong sabi. Tumawa naman siya. He leaned against the backrest of the chair.

"Why are you so embarrassed? Nandoon rin naman ako sa video pero hindi ako nahihiya," sabi niya. I scoffed.

"E, kasi nga likas nang makapal 'yang mukha mo."

Hindi ko alam kung anong meron sa sinabi ko na naghudyat ng pagtataka sa mukha niya. He touched his chin and looked at me with his eyes turned into slits. "Alam mo, for someone who likes me, masyado kang mataray sa'kin."

I stopped. Oo nga, no? Parang walang oras na hindi ko siya tinatarayan. E, paano ba naman kasi? Hindi ko naman talaga siya gusto?

Pero hindi nga? Masyado ba akong mataray sa kanya? Should I stop? Or at least tone it down a bit? In order to make my 'feelings' for him seem more believable?

Alright. Alam kong mali na itong ginagawa ko. I know I was going overboard this time. But like I said, I wanted more of what Ezzio's giving me. There's really something about him that fuels my courage and do something different. So, what if I pretend to be head over heels for Ezzio just a little bit more? Alam ko ang selfish na pero... tatapusin ko rin naman ito. Hindi nga lang... ngayon.

I cleared my throat. "Ganoon na talaga ang ugali ko," I said. Itinaas ko ang isang kilay. "B-bakit? Turn off ba iyon sa'yo?"

Naramdaman ko uli ang pamumula ng mga pisngi. I don't even know why I'm caring too much about hat he thinks. Hindi siya sumagot agad. Tila ba pinag-iisipan niya ng mabuti. He stared at me for a while before pursing his lips. Umiling siya.