Book 1: The Day She Came (UNDERGOING MAJOR REVISION)

Chapter 7 - Why Though?

Now that was weird. Di ko inaasahang tatawagan niya ako kagabi.

Rion is a nice guy; now that I've known him a bit. During my junior highschool days, I used to think he was some sort of silent devil. Pero ewan! It's like he is contrary to what I believed him to be.

Puno siya ng surpresa. Kahit na he's a man of few words, his actions speak loudly. He's a gentleman in his own way, I admit that. Pero nagtataka lang ako kung bakit hindi siya makatingin sa akin.

Well, the obvious reasons come to my head. I'll spare the details. Pero what if there's more than what meets the eye? Minsan napapaisip na lang ako.

November came with a storm. Literally.

Suspended ang klase kaya nakatengga na naman ako dito sa bahay. The storm wrapped around Iridescent Homes like the shawarma wrap to its contents. Damn! Nakakagutom.

"Ate!" I called.

She grunted.

"Order tayo ng pagkain!" I said.

"Hazel, umuulan. Anong ineexpect mo sa magdedeliver? Di magkakasakit?" Ate replied.

She's right.

"Manghalungkat na lang tayo sa ref. Nagugutom na rin ako." she said before she stood and left.

Agad naman akong sumunod. We managed to find a whole pack of sliced potatoes, bread, some jam saka isang litrong softdrink sa ref. Nagluto si ate ng fries habang ako na ang gumawa ng sandwich.

It's a silent life here in Iridescent Hills. Kaya lang, napakalayo sa university. So, I have to stay at my aunt's place in the city proper. If only either Mom or Dad was here to drive, I don't have to move to my aunt's.

Ate and I ate our snacks habang nanood ng pelikula sa TV. The rain had perfectly set the mood to watch a movie. The rest of the day became unproductive. Wala kaming ginawa ni Ate kung hindi ay magwalis-walisan at kumain ng kumain habang nagchichismisan.

"So tell me about this–boy." she asked before taking a bite from a bar of Snickers.

Medyo na caught off guard ako sa tanong ni Ate. It was so sudden that I barely had time to react. The sound of pounding rain filled the short silence between us matapos siyang magtanong.

"Aba'y natahimik?" she teased.

I scoffed. "Di naman, Ate." I bit off the bar of Snickers I held. "It's just that– ", I chewed. " –I'm still surprised by your knack for throwing surprise questions." I added.

Tinawanan lang ako ni Ate. She must've realized that fact about her. Magugulat at magugulat ka na lang sa mga tinatapon niyang tanong sa iyo.

"Anyway, he's from school. Sa kabilang wing." I said.

"Oooh..." Ate said, slowly nodding.

Kumikinang na naman ang mga mata niya. I know that weird glimmer in her eyes. Kapag nakikita ko 'yan, alam kong interesado siyang making, especially kung chismis galing sa akin. Hindi naman sa chismosa si Ate pero, that's how she is.

"Ano pa? Ano pa?" ani ya sabay usog para makalapit ng konti sa akin.

"Hmmm..." I thought. "Well, he's tall. Pretty tall." ani ko habang nakaiwas ng tingin

"Dark and handsome?" I heard her say.

"Hindi naman siya dark. Kind of like somewhere between moreno saka fair. Like, light moreno or something. Hindi naman gaanong handsome." ani ko habang patagilid na nakatingin sa kanyang ngising animo'y sabik siya sa susunod kong sasabihin.