Between Dusk and Dawn (Love Lies in Ilocos Norte) COMPLETED

I

"Tignan mo ito Rox." inilahad niya ang hawak niyang cellphone sa harap ko.

Isang picture iyon ng babaeng maganda, habang nasa dagat. I can't see anything wrong from what she is showing me, but knowing her, isa na naman iyon sa mga kaaway niya kaya ganyan na lang ang reaksyon niya sa isang litrato.

"She's so pathetic. Showing her body and all." busangot niya paring sabi. "As if naman nakakalibog!"

I laughed at her. Tinignan niya rin ako ng masama. I laughed more.

"Ano namang nakakatawa?" tanong niya.

She's so annoyed her face is turning red every second. I looked at her. Pareho kaming nakaupo, and even if I'm taller than her, magkalebel parin ang mga mata
namin.

I returned my sight at the court in front of us.

"Thel, nabubuhay tayo sa mundo na kung saan may free will ang isang tao, at pwede niyang gawin lahat ng gusto niya as long as kaya niya. Except nalang kung krimen ito siyempre."

"Tsk." was all her reply.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit siya ganyan towards other girls. Kahit hindi naman niya personal na kilala,  kapag ayaw niya, ayaw niya. I was so shocked when she came near me during our first day in first year high school, without telling mean things.

Besides, she tells me her opinion about other girls around us. I don't know if she's jealous or something, kasi hindi naman siya dapat makaramdam ng ganoon.

Her auburn hair matches her eyes, with thick and defined eyebrows, matangos ang ilong and with thin lips. She's also fair and tall.

She came from a wealthy family, her mother being a late model and her father, a businessman. Kadalasan siyang napagkakamalang beauty queen pero hindi pa niya na try ang sumali sa ganoon.

"Xekiel!" sigaw niya.

A tall and masculine boy immediately ran towards us. He passed the ball to one of his friends before he jogged until he reached us.

Iniharap ni Krysthel ang cellphone niya kay Xekiel, probably showing the picture. Dahil wala siyang nakuhang magandang sagot sa akin, which means sangayon, kailangan niyang tanongin ang isa pa niyang kaibigan.

I silently prayed na sang ayonan na siya ni Xekiel. Kung hindi magtatantrums siya.

"Bakit yan?" inosenteng tanong niya habang kinuha ang energy drink na kanina ko pa hawak.

He wiped his sweat and catch his breath bago niya itinuon ang atensyon niya sa pinapakita ni Krysthel. He looked at it like it's some jigsaw puzzle, yun nga lang parang walang makitang mali.

Krysthel shakes her phone. "Tignan mong maigi!" she half shouted.

Some of the people sa kabilang bench ay napatingin na rin.

"I can only see a girl. Sitting and obviously enjoying the beach. Why?" tanong ulit ni Xekiel.

Krysthel rolled her eyes, "What do you think about the girl?" she asked.

Tinignan na naman ito ni Xekiel na parang mahirap na puzzle. "She's sexy." he answered after a while. Kinuha niya ulit ang inumin niya at uminom.  "And also pretty."

Napanganga ni Krysthel, talagang hindi niya ineexpect ang sagot ni Xekiel. I just laughed at them.  Xekiel do not usually praise girls, that explains Krysthel's reaction.

"Bahala na nga kayo!" she shouted then stood up. "Kita nalang tayo bukas."

Before we knew it, she was walking away. Ganyan si Krysthel, may pagka isip bata. She does not act based on her age, at hindi niya talaga gustong gawin.