Chapter Six
Why Does She Wears A Mask
She kept licking the ice cream in her cone habang ako ay nakatitig lang sa kaniya at sa ice cream na hawak ko. It's melting, I wanted to throw it away yet I know it will offend her effort. I shrugged and just ate it.
As much as I wanted to ask her a lot of things such as where she have been the whole day making her to skip her classes. What is she doing here in the park near at my house holding two cones of ice cream? Why.. why does she seems so gloomy?
"How's school?" She asked in a different tone that I am not used to. A serious tone. "The same." I answered and finished the ice cream. Now my hands are sticky as hell.
I took a look at her, she's staring at the sky, specifically at the moon pero ako, nakatitig lang ako sa kaniya. Sitting beside me, wearing a floral dress, wavy black hair with little braids on it, eyes locked on the moon. She really indeed looks that innocent, idealistic, and fragile lady.
"How's Anna Karenina?" She asked out of nowhere na ikinatingin ko sa buwan. Hmm. As far as I know, I'm almost finishing it. "Almost done." I answered.
"How about the poem for the contest?" She asked once again making me remember that blank paper I had. "Nothing's new. Still blank." I answered at hinihintay ko na mag-react siya yet I didn't receive anything. She stays calm, silent and gazing the moon that deep.
"The game poem?" She asked again. Why does she kept asking things in a serious tone? "Nothing." I lied. I finished it. It's just that I don't have the courage to say it infront of her.
Bumalik ulit kami sa pagiging tahimik. It's windy, starting to get cold and quiet. Ilang minuto kaming nasa ganoong pwesto, no one dares to break the silent. Dry leaves and sounds of crickets at night are the sounds that my ears are only receiving.
"Write me a story." She said out of nowhere na ikinatitig ko sa kaniya. I stare at her for minutes without uttering anything. I never stare someone like this before. Ganitong katagal at ganitong kalalim.
"Why?" Imbes na 'no' ang i-sagot ko tulad ng unang offer niya, that's the word that came out from my mouth. I really don't know why she is asking me to write her a story. Why would I write a story for her and for what reasons?
The way she asked me to write her a story. The way she offered her hand when I felt uneasy writing the poem. The way she asked me those questions on that rooftop. Parang kilalang-kilala na niya ako in terms of writing.
She didn't answered and all I can see is her eyes, her teary eyes that wanted to burst something na hindi niya magawa. I opened my mouth and wanted to ask her something that very night yet I can't find the confidence to ask her. I just stayed quiet where in fact I shouldn't.
"Biro lang haha. Anyways, have you seen the poster on the cinema near the crestmoon beach?" She suddenly switched into a jolly tone yet still, I can hear those little cracks on her voice. Once again, she's back to herself, just the way I met her. Joyous. I stare at her once again bago sumagot at tumingin ulit sa buwan.
"What poster?" I questioned.
Why are you pretending?
"Showing ang Anna Karenina, July 16th, 7 o'clock in the evening." She answered. I'm not a big fan of movie adaptation ng mga famous novels. For sure, they will change some scenes or even the ending of it and most of the expectations are not met.
"So?" I uttered. Ano naman ang nakain ng Crestmoon Cinema para maglabas ng hinding updated na pelikula? I sighed and wondering what time is it by now. Maybe it's six in the evening, or maybe going seven by it's dark.
"Let's watch it. Together." She suggested na hindi ko na ikinagulat pa. She wouldn't bring it up kung hindi niya ako aayain.
Normally, I dislike movies, I never been through a cinema due to its crowdness but now, hindi ko na naman alam ang nakain ko. Is it because of the melted vanilla flavoured ice cream that I force to finish? Or the plain lunch that I didn't finished kakaisip ko kanina sa kaniya?
"Alright." There, once again, I agreed. She smiles, the usual smile that she wears all the time, how her honey eyes vanishes, that wide curve on her lips and the sound of her giggles.
Now, she isn't pretending.
"It's a date! You said yes huh! No more buts." My forehead began to crumples habang dahan-dahan na napatingin ako sa kaniya. Did my ears heard the right word? Date?
"Date?" I asked in a calm tone habang siya ay ngiting-ngiti, embracing her success on the trap she made for me.
"Yes! A date, July 16th, 7 o'clock sharp!" She said and started to get up at maligayang naglalakad sa harapan ko, back and forth, laughing, giggling and smiling. I didn't went against that date she is pretaining to. Hinayaan ko lang siya, I just let her sway under the moon, smiling just because we are having a date that I never even imagine to happen.
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