Mimi Turns Pretty - SOON TO BE PUBLISHED ✅

Chapter 15

Present Day

Nagpaalam na kami sa mga batchmates ko. I give Leigh a tight hug and promised her I'll look for her sa Facebook kapag nakapag-create na ako ng account.

Bitbit na namin ang bags namin papuntang sasakyan when I hear Chase call out my name.

Umikot ako at nakita ko siyang tumatakbo papunta sa amin, "Hey Mia. Wait."

He stops right in front of me and grin, "Can I visit you when we get to Manila?"

I smile, "Sure."

Kinuha niya ang cellphone niya, "Can I have your number?"

Ngumiwi ako, "Ah, hindi ko kabisado number ko eh." I pull out my phone, "Why don't you give me yours instead?"

Medyo kumunot ang noo niya, "Are you sure you're going to call me?"

I grin. Napaka-sigurista.

"Oo nga. I'll call. Promise."

He crosses his arms over his chest, "Talaga?"

"Oo nga daw! Tatawagan ka! Bigay mo na number mo nang makaalis na kami." Napairap ako sa lakas ng boses ni Kuya galing sa likod ko.

I look at Chase pero parang natatawa lang siya, I hand him my phone and he puts his number in.

Iniabot niya iyon ulit sa akin and he whispered, "Call me."

I smile as he walks away. Pumihit ako at pagtingin ko kay Kuya nakataas ang kilay ko. I stomp over to the car and get in the backseat.

"Mag-girlfriend ka na nga Kuya para 'di yung buhay ko ang pinagdidiskitahan mo."

He turns to me, "Ayoko mag-girlfriend dito kasi babalik rin tayo sa US in a few weeks, so anong sense?"

Ollie gets in the car and we start our journey back home.

***

Ang haba ng biyahe namin pero hindi ako makatulog, hindi kagaya ni Kuya kanina pa tulog. I just stare outside and see the cars pass by.

"Okay ka lang diyan, Mi?"

Napatingin ako kay Ollie, "Okay lang naman. Ikaw pagod ka na?"

He smiles, "I'm fine. Gutom ka na?"

Bigla akong nakaramdam ng gutom nang banggitin niya, "Medyo. May madadaanan tayo?"

"There's a gas station near here." Aniya.

"Okay. Mag-drive thru na lang tayo kung okay lang."

He nods, "Sure."

I scoot over sa gitna ng upuan nila ni Kuya, sumandal ako sa upuan ni Kuya para nakaharap ako kay Ollie, "Did you have fun? Sa beach?"

He shrugs, "It was okay."

"May mga nakausap kang batchmates niyo?"

He keeps his eyes on the road, "Oo. Pero karamihan naman sa kanila nakakausap ko pa talaga so it was sort of normal for me to see them. Itong si Marky ang nag-enjoy talaga."

I look over at Kuya at nakanganga pa rin siya. Ngumiwi ako at mahinang nagtanong, "Nakipag-hookup nga siya sa ex niya?"

Ngumiti si Ollie, "Don't tell him I told you."

I bite the inside of my cheek, "Eh ikaw? Wala kang nakitang ex mo doon?"

He sighs, "Wala naman akong naging girlfriend no'ng High School."

I raise an eyebrow.

Wala nga ba? Parang wala nga akong matandaan but I didn't know everything about him back then. Siguro nga wala.

"Bakit wala? Bakit hindi mo sinabayan 'tong best friend mong maging serial dater?"

He grins, "Hindi naman serial dater si Marky no'n, iilan lang rin naging girlfriend niya. Matatagal pa."

Umirap ako dahil hindi niya sinagot ang tanong ko, tinapik ko ang braso niya, "Don't deflect. Ano nga? Bakit 'di ka nagka-girlfriend no'n?"

Huminga siya nang malalim, "May nagustuhan ako pero hindi pwede kaya ayon."

Kumunot ang noo ko, "Paanong hindi pwede? Strict ang parents niya?"

He smiles, "Medyo."

"Nagsabi ka ba? Nagpaalam ka sa parents hindi ka pinayagan?"

He sighs, "What's with all the questions, Mi?"

Lumabi ako, "Bakit? Bawal ba magtanong? Sabi mo gusto mo akong kakwentuhan."

He looks at me and quickly looks back at the road ahead, "Gusto nga. Pero sana tungkol sa New York, kung anong mga nangyari sa 'yo do'n kasi hindi naman tayo nakakapag-usap dati."

Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mata, "So tungkol sa akin lang? Hindi tungkol sa 'yo?"

He laughs lightly, "That's not what I mean."

Huminga ako ng malalim, "So let's talk. Really talk. No deflecting, no answering questions with another question."

There's a smile forming on his lips, "Are you sure?"

Ewan ko kung saan nanggagaling ang lakas ng loob ko pero I say, "Yes."

He breathes in and says, "Let's get something to eat first."

He points to our right at nandoon na nga kami sa gas station.

***

Bumaba ako ng kotse para mag-CR dahil medyo malayo pa daw kami at baka ma-traffic pa. Pagbalik ko ng kotse I see Kuya sitting at the rear passenger seat.

Pumunta ako sa unahan ng kotse para silipin si Ollie, "Bakit lumipat si Kuya?"

Tumingin sa akin si Ollie, "You said you wanted to talk so pinalipat ko siya sa likod. Don't worry, he's still sleeping."

Napalunok ako.

He grins, "Sakay na, Mi. Para makauwi tayo agad."

I get in and put my seatbelt on, I feel Ollie's eyes on me and I look at him. Nakatingin nga.

"What?" I ask.

He smiles, pero parang may kakaiba sa ngiti niya, "Nothing."

He starts the car and we drive off. I suddenly have nothing to say.

I rack my brain for something to say pero wala akong maisip, nginangatngat ko ang kuko ko when he puts my hand down, "Stop biting your nails."

I put my hand down pero imbis na bawiin na niya ang kamay niya his hand lingers a little bit and he puts it back on the steering wheel.

My brain turns into mush.

Tumikhim si Ollie, "Uhm Mi, can you hand me a burger? Medyo gutom na ako eh."

"Ah, sure." I look inside paperbag at kinuha ko ang burger niya mula ro'n. Kinuha ko rin ang fries at ipinatong 'yon sa lap ko.

I opened the burger wrapper at iaabot ko na sana sa kanya pero I think mahihirapan siyang mag-drive while holding it. Tsaka baka maaksidente pa kami so I put the burger in front of his mouth, "Kagat ka na."

Napatingin siya sa akin at medyo nagtititigan na kami when I remember he's driving, "Uhm... Eyes on the road, Ollie."

His mouth twitches but he says nothing, he opens his mouth and takes a bite off the burger. May dressing na napunta sa gilid ng lips niya and without thinking about it I use my thumb to wipe it off. Natigilan ako when I realize how intimate this must feel like, I did the worst thing I could think of and I look up at his eyes.

He's intensely looking at me with his brown eyes.

Napalunok ako.

He licks his lips.

Tumikhim ako, "Uhm. May dumi kasi."

Bumalik ako sa upuan ko and I try to calm the erratic beating of my heart.