PATCHOULI
Titus Maxim just stared at me. I don't know how to hold my smile anymore. Nakatitig lang talag siya na parang bigla ko siyang nahypnotize.
Nawala ang aking ngiti. " Well...this is awkward." bulong ko.
Wala na talaga akong maisip na paraan para makausap siya. He avoids my messages. He avoids our friends. It was as if he didn't want to have any connection with me, at all. Like he wanted to end everything.
And it saddened me.
Nasasaktan din ako kasi bigla na lang siyang bumitaw. I realized his presence made me feel alive again. And being with him make me feel that I am me.
" Why are you doing this, Patchouli Sloane? Why are you really here?" tanong niya at mas lalong lumapit sa akin. I swallowed hard because I felt like my heart was already in my throat.
Ibinuka ko ang aking bibig upang magsalita pero hindi ko mahanap iyong salita. Dati sobrang tapang ko sa harap niya pero ngayon ay parang dinadaga ako.
" I love you, Titus Maxim." I confessed. His lips parted and his eyes widened. Tipid akong ngumiti.
" I'm sorry if it took me this long to realize that I was falling for you. I'm sorry that I was in denial. You can't blame me. I've been in love with your brother for years and it wasn't easy. Alam mo iyon. But when you started perstering the hell out of me, you became my drug that gave me that euphoric feeling. Ibinalik mo iyong dating sigla ko. You brought me back using your silly and idiotic ways."
Mas lalo akong lumapit sa kaniya. " You got me there but I was in denial. I always denied my feelings kasi hindi ko matanggap na sa'yo ako babagsak. I made myself believe that I was still in love with Wolfe and that I was still hurting when in fact, I was already falling for your charms. Ang lakas mo ding gago ka ano?" mahina akong tumawa.
" Tinatanong mo ako kung bakit ano narito?" tumaas ang aking kilay pagkatapos ay ngumiti sa kaniya. " I am here to prove my undying love for you. And apologize for taking you for granted. You don't deserve that. Kaya bumabawi ako ngayon."
Hindi pa rin nagsasalita si Titus. Slowly, I felt myself breaking again. Sana nga hindi pa huli ang lahat. Sana ako pa rin.
Bagsak ang aking balikat. " You really want to get rid of me?" pagod kong sabi.
" Hindi ka man lang nagsalita. But at least I tried my best, right? I told you I love you. I apologized. I even made an effort to--
" Shut up. You talk too much Patchouli Sloane." putol niya sa akin at hinawakan ako sa braso. Sinundan ko ng tingin iyon at pinigilan ang aking pagngiti.
" Stop smiling." suway niya. Kinagat ko ang aking labi pero hindi ko pa rin mapigilan ang aking pagngisi.
" Kinikilig ka?" Sinundot ko iyong tagiliran niya.
" No." he denied but his cheeks were already red.
" Ganyan ka pala kapag kinikilig?" I teased. He scowled and pulled me closer to him.
" Shut up or else..."
" Or else what?" nakangisi kong tanong.
" I'll make you speechless." pinanlakihan niya ako ng mata.
Luh, parang gago.
" Go on." I urged him. Taas noo pa ako pero nagulat ako nang hawakan niya ang aking pisngi at pinatakan niya ako ng halik sa labi.
" TITUS MAXIM!"
Then he laughed.
