Just A Little More

Re and Shan

1. Just A Little More

...

"Wake up sleepyhead"

"C'mon, you don't want your friends wait for you? right?" the same familiar voice mumbled once again. I groggily rubbed my eyes, napabangon ako nang mapansing wala ako sa kwarto ko.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" I asked.

"Your aunt told me you're with your friends doing some school stuff and your friends let me in"

"Hindi yan ang ibig kong sabihin. You don't drive miles just to see me"

"Well, I can do that" she said nonchalantly.

Instead of saying anything I just stare at her. She sighed before she continue.

"Did you forget?" she sound disappointed but smile otherwise.

"We will be having a family dinner, I'm here to pick you up"

"It slipped in my mind"

"It's okay. You should get up now"

After I took a shower I went directly where the noises coming from. My classmates and Shan are chatting as if they know each other for so long.

"Andyan na pala si Re! Hoy Re! Hindi mo man lamang samin sinabi na may girlfriend ka pala" Sab shouted. Napailing ako, kahit kailan napaka eskandalosa nya.

"Wag ka mag-alala di ka namin masisi if you swing that way. Nakakabakla naman kasi itong ganda ni Shan"

"Gaga! Bakla ka naman talaga Alfonso" Ally rebutted na ikinatuwa ng lahat.

Shan smiled brightly at me and tapped the chair besides her gesturing na dun ako maupo. I silently obliged.

"Kain na tayo. Ito kasing si Re antagal-tagal"

"Wag kang PG Mark, mahiya ka naman sa bisita"

"No, please don't mind me. Let's eat"

"See? Si Miss Shan na ang nagsabi"

"Hoy Mark wag kang mag-english english dyan. Hindi bagay sayo. Saka na pag kaya mo nang gumawa ng two-hundred minimum words na essay ni Ma'am English"

"Bakit ba napakaepal mo Ally?"

"Tumigil nga kayong dalawa. Magkatuluyan pa kayo kawawa magiging anak nyo" pagpapatigil ni Belle, our class Rep, aangal pa sana ang dalawa pero agad ding nanahimik nang tingnan sila ng masama nito.

We started eating peacefully. And unfortunately peaceful means Ally and Mark arguing, some are eating as if it's their last meal, some are yell-talking. We're just a half of the class but we're already in chaos.

"Shan pagpasensyahan mo na lang sila, magugulo talaga sila pero mababait naman ng kaunti" apologetic na sabi ni Belle.

"They're funny. I like them"

"Hehe, Wag kang ganyan Shan kinikilig kami"

"Kinikilig mo mukha mo Joseph, crush mo lang sya. Pero par, wala ka ng pag-asa. Haha"

"No offense, Re. Pero Shan ano bang nagustuhan mo dito?" Sab pointed me. "Eh napaka snobera nyan"

Shan chuckled softly before saying "I know, I almost thought she's mute when I first met her-

Nainterrupt ang kanilang usapan nang tumunog ang cellphone ko. I pressed the answer button then a familiar voice greeted me in the other line so I excuse myself. When I came back, everyone are almost done. Some are just lazily picking with each other.

"Who was that?" bungad na tanong ni Shan

"Si Tita"

Shan's smile disappear instantly when she heard my answer. Tumayo sya, I look up at her since the difference in height is very evident. I guess she knew me too well kaya alam nya kung kailan ako nagsisinungaling.

"Seriously?"

Biglang natahimik ang kaninang maingay na paligid, hindi iyon pasigaw subalit dama mo ang pagkairita ng kanyang tono.

"Don't make a fuss out of it" kalmadong turan ko.

"Fuss?" she ask in disbelief. " lA while ago you didn't even try to deny how you forgot the dinner but right now you're lying because of a single call"

I tightly shut my eyes. There's something inside of me na hindi ko magawang pangalanan. Gusto nito makawala and I don't have any strength to fight it. Gusto ko itong ilabas before it totally suffocates me.

"So it's about that huh? The dinner? Fine, you wanna hear it? I don't like your family"

She's taken aback in my sudden outburst. I sighed and looked at her again.

"We're both mad. It's better for you to go now"

"Really? Are you freaking kidding me?" she asked in disbelief.

I didn't answer back na nagdagdag sa pagkairita nya. I didn't stop her when she walked away. I can't believed na ang dahilan ng pag-aaway namin ngayon ay isang phone call. It sounds so ridiculous.

Kyna appeared in the doorway na ikinapagtaka ko. Kasama ba sya ni Shan pumunta dito?

"I know. Kasalanan ko" I said to her.

Umiling sya. "No, I understand you. But Re, you're always calm and collected. What happened a moment ago was not so you. Here, sa highway nakapark yung car ko. You should follow her alam mo naman yung kaibigan ko madaling magtampo"

"Hindi na"

Bakas ang pagtataka sa mata niya. I guess hindi niya inaasahan na maririnig iyon sakin.

"If that so, then I'll leave now"

I forgot to asked her what she came here for. Isang buntong hininga ang pinakawalan ko, it's too early for an argument.

"Woah! Ang intense nun ah" madramang sambit ni Sab pagkaalis ni Kyna.

"Grabe ka, Re! Ang sweet sweet ni Shan tas ginaganun mo lang"

"Alam mo ikaw Re bawas bawasan mo pagiging masamang ugali mo. Pag ikaw iniwan nun, ikaw din mawawalan. Swerte mo kaya kay Shan, maganda, mayaman, mabait pa. Chicks na chicks, kung ako lang ikaw naku itatali ko na sya sakin"

"Hoy Markus tigil-tigilan mo yang mga terms mo nakakabastos. Atsaka hindi ikaw si Re kaya never ka nun papatulan. Ewan ko ba din dyan kay Shan bulag ata, di naman kagandahan yang si Re, hindi din mayaman, at mas lalong hindi mabait, walang talent, hindi matalino--

"Matalino sya, gaga!"

"Fine matalino na, wag nyo ngang putulin speech ko. So anyway, still hindi kamahal mahal"

I just shrugged them off at binalikan ang plato ko. I'm too hungry to listen to them.