Run After

XII

CHAPTER 12

"I miss you, Lae," ani Arman pagkasagot ko ng video call niya.

I saw him lying on his bed, he looked tired. Aw, my baby's tired, char.

"I miss you more, Teacher Valeda!" I pouted. "Kumusta ka dyan? Kumain ka na ba?" Tanong ko at nilapag muna ang cellphone sa kama at inayos ang nagkalat na libro, notebooks, ballpen at laptop.

Mamaya ko na lang gagawin 'yung power point, maaga pa naman. Bebe time muna, chos!

"Lae, busy ka ba? Ibaba ko muna 'to kung may ginagawa-"

Mabilis kong kinuha ulit ang cellphone at hinarap sa mukha ko nang marinig ang sinabi niya. "Huh?! Hindi, ah! Wala akong ginagawa!" I lied.

Pinang singkitan niya ako ng mata, I smiled cutely at him. He looked handsome even he looked exhausted, gets mo?

"Let me see," paninigurado niya.

Umismid ako at back camera para ipakita sa kanya ang kama ko. I knew he would ask me for this kaya niligpit ko na agad ang mga gamit ko. Mautak 'to, oy!

"O, 'di ba? Sabi sa'yo sir, e," pagyayabang ko at pinindot na ang front cam.

He chuckled and moved to the other side of his bed. I really miss him! Lalo na noong nakita kong tumugtog si Euan kanina, it really reminded me of him!

"Of course, I already ate my dinner. I'm fine here, don't worry. How about my girl? How are you, hmm? Kumain ka na ba?" He said huskily.

Napakurap kurap ako sa tinawag niya sa'kin. I do, father. CHAROT.

Tumango tango ako nang parang bata. "Of course," I mimicked him.

Masaya kong kinwento sa kanya ang nangyari these past few days except sa pagkakaayos namin noong tatlo. Ayos na nga ba, Helaena Raquel?

Kinwento rin niya kung gaano siya kapagod at kasaya sa pag-aaral. He did tell me about his hang-outs with his friends, anything. Aniya'y ngayon lang siya nakatawag ulit dahil natapos niya ng maaga ang mga projects nila.

Travis Arman F. Valeda, BSED-ENG student at UP Diliman. My long time crush since I was young. I met him at church, he's a sacristan. O, 'di ba? I'm choir, he's sacristan, we're both serving God! He's so POGI.

Presence of God inside. Siya pa nagsabi sa akin nyan!

He's two year older than me so when I confessed my feelings when I was grade 6, he rejected me. But later years on, he said that he'll court me! Ayaw niya pa sa akin noong una pero ano siya ngayon? Kaya ang masasabi ko na lang, kung ayaw e'di pilitin, chos! Ang harot mo ngayong araw, Helaena!

Until now he's courting me. I know he's a good man, I know he can wait. I planned everything already, I'll give him my 'Yes' as I graduated college. For me it's good, sa tingin ko pareho na kaming handa sa oras na 'yon, diretso kasal na rin! Charot with silent c!

"Kumusta si tito? Kailan ang uwi?" He asked.

I squirmed at my bed. "I'm sure he's fine. Hindi ko rin alam kung kailan ang uwi noon, siguro sa pasko ulit, I don't know," I shrugged.

"Nakaka video call n'yo ba siya?"

My father is a seaman in an international cruise ships. Umuuwi siya after 6 months or so. Minsan lang 'yon napapatawag dahil busy o tumatawag naman kaso siguro sakto lang talagang wala ako rito sa bahay.

"Hindi pa, baka busy e," sagot ko.

I urged him to go to sleep because he really looked tired and sleepy. Kaunti na lang at pipikit na ang mata pero gusto pa rin akong kausap besides kailangan ko na rin ituloy ang power point ko dahil bukas na ang presentation no'n.