“The one what?”
“C’mon. Don’t play dumb now, Cresia. Sa kanya ka hindi makamove-on?”
With wide eyes, I looked at Zeo. Inalis ko ang kamay nyang nasa bewang ko.
“H-How did you know?”
“I knew it! Masyado kang halata”
Kinagat ko ang labi ko sa sinabi nya. Nakakahiya.
“It’s not what you think. Wala kaming relasyon. Hindi nagkaroon kailanman at hindi magkakaroon kailanman”
“Why? You can tell me kesa ma-bored tayo parehas dito. Might as well get to talk about something”, he faced the railing. Itinukod nya doon ang kanya mga siko at tumingin sa malayo.
“Just like other’s love stories. May gusto syang iba”
He nodded in understanding. “That must be hard”, komento pa nya.
“Masyado lang akong nabaliw sa kanya ng mahabang panahon tapos umasa akong magugustuhan din nya ako pero wala eh, talagang mahal nya ‘yong babae”
“Kilala mo ‘yong babae?”, nagulat pa ako ng maglabas sya ng lighter at sigarilyo. “Do you mind?”
Umiling ko. Naninigarilyo rin naman ako noon. Natigil lang dahil kay Gino. Natawa ako sa naisip.
“What’s funny?”, Zeo asked again.
“Naisip ko lang kung gaano ako Katanga para sa kanya. I know the girl. Hindi ko kaibigan pero kakilala ko. She is the exact opposite of me. No wonder why that stonecold man did not fall for my charms”, sabi ko. Naalala ko noong mga panahong pinilit kong maging katulad ng babaeng gusto nya pero wala namang nangyari.
“So the girl’s ugly?”
“What? Bakit mo nasabi?”
“Well, you said she’s your exact opposite. You’re pretty so the girl you’re talking about should be ugly”, natawa ako sa sinabi nya.
“So you think I’m pretty?”, umikot pa ako na parang galing sa rampa. Ngumisi sya.
“Isasama ba kita dito kung pangit ka? At hahayaan ko bang makabit sa issue ang pangala ko kung pangit ka? You are here because you are pretty, Lucresia Lopez”
Parang may umantig at humaplos na mainit sa puso ko.
“You know, you’re good at comforting people. And mind you, kahit galit at ayaw ko doon sa babae, hindi ako magsisinungaling. Maganda sya”
“Then, what happened?”, he changed his position. He was now leaning his back on the railing. He was coolly puffing his cigarette.
“I gave up. Wala nang pag-asa eh. Isinampal na sa akin na hindi ako ‘yong mahal”
“Eh bakit sya ganun? He watches you like a hawk and I thought he would broke my arm any second when I held your waist. He seemed jealous”
Huamgalpak ako ng tawa sa sinabi nya. Hindi ko alam alin ang nakakatawa pero daig pa nya ang nagsabi ng isang matinding joke. Sumakit ng bahagya ang tyan ko at naluluha na rin.
“That’s so funny. Saan mo nakuha ‘yan?”, humuhupa na ang tawa ko. Nakatingin lang si Zeo sa akin, walang reaksyon. Ni hindi nga ata naoffend sa ginawa kong pagtawa. I cleared my throat and regained myself.
“You are so oblivious of everything around you, Lucresia Lopez”, I glared at him and frowned.
“Come on, Zeo. I know that guy for a long long time, well, no longer than how tat girl knows him but believe me when I say you are so imagining things and those things will never happen”
