"What the fuck, A. Bakit ako ang nakatag?" Gulong-gulong tanong ni Alex while he's pacing back and forth. Nung una pa'y tawang-tawa ito sa nakita niya pero nang mabasa niya ang comments at mentions sa pangalan niya under that picture, ayan nag-alburoto na.
"I don't know! Ni hindi ko nga alam kung sinong nagtake ng pictures!" Pinagtaasan ko na rin siya ng boses dahil naaasar na rin talaga ako. Nandito kami sa Momento ngayon dahil pinuntahan niya ako right after madismiss ng klase niya.
"If this gets to Lizette, we're both dead! Lalo na 'ko" Hinimas niya ang sentido niya't kalmado akong nilingon. He let out a sigh.
"Sa tingin mo ba makakaligtas din 'to kay Lu— ugh nevermind" I rolled my eyes when I just realized what I was about to say. Ano bang paki ko kung makarating sakanya? I bet he wouldn't even care if he sees it. Edi makita niya kung makita.
"Sana kasi inakyat mo nalang siya sa bahay mo kung gagawin niyo yun diba?" Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata at dali-daling inabot ang batok niya para paluin.
"Yun talaga ang concern mo?!" I paused for a second as I glared at him even more.
"It was just a kiss and they're all making it look like I had sex! At hindi ko naman akalaing hahalikan niya ako!" He immediately turned to look at me. Gulat ang mukha habang nakakunot.
"What do you mean? Hinalikan ka niya bigla? Ginusto mo ba?" He was looking down on me, masama ang tingin at kulang nalang umusok ang ilong niya.
"Why am I supposed to answer that? W-Why—
"Kung ginusto mo then I will not do anything but if it's against your will, pucha kukuhanan ko siya ng dugo sa lahat ng sulok ng ugat niya" He let out a sigh as he looks away then he turns back at me when he regained his strength to speak.
Tahimik lang akong naghintay sa sunod niyang sasabihin. Nakakunot pa rin kasi ang noo niya and he's looking at me like he still wants to scold me. He's just probably refraining himself to do so.
Inangat niya ang dalawang kamay niya as if controlling his breath.
"Inhale" he said as he holds his breath. "Exhale"
"Let's not talk about him" sabi nito at nilayasan ako. Lumabas siya sa kitchen area at naupo doon sa usual spot niya. Sa high stool sa harap ng counter table.
I was just about to sit down when we both heard the door opened abruptly.
"Oh my God, Ara! You won't believe this!"
"Ayan buti naman nandito ka na, bantayan mo kaibigan mo sumasakit ang ulo ko" Alex said when he saw Kat approaching us.
"Oh tapos? Share mo lang?" Sabi niya at nilagpasan si Alex habang iniirapan.
"You're all driving me crazy!" Napahilamos si Alex at mukhang pudpod na pudpod na ang pasensya.
"Magugulat ka talaga dito!" Kat said when she got to me. Nilabas niya ang phone at nagbrowse saglit.
"I can't believe ngayon lang niya naisipang magparamdam after how many years! That guy! Makakatikim talaga sakin ng kutos yun pagbalik niya dito" Pinasadahan ko siya ng tingin dahil sa pagkalito dahil hindi ko alam kung sinong tinutukoy niya but when she played something, I wasn't able to stop myself from getting all nervous.
"Wait lang ulitin natin" sabi niya. I looked at Alex and he was also waiting for what's about to be played. And he was rather amused than nervous. Bwisit ka talaga De Yro, you really like seeing me getting toasted.
"Eto, eto" sabi ni Kat sabay abot sa akin ng phone niya and when I looked at it, it was really Lucas.
He was sitting with his guitar."Remember the first time I kissed your lips"
Inalis ko ang tingin ko sa phone at tinignan si Alex na nanlalaki ang mata. Nakatayo na pala ito at sinisilip yung phone.
"I told myself that there was nothing better than this" Pagpapatuloy ni Lucas sa kanta.
"You looked at me and smiled and I fell so in love"
Kat was also amused pero heto ako at kinakabahan because I feel like I did something wrong. Like I cheated. He was singing the song like he's talking to me. At ginamit niya ang video to get to me.
"Do you remember when I held your hand?
The feeling I was feeling I didn't understand
I put your hand on mine, I thought was yours for life"He closed his eyes after looking straight into the camera.
And the next lines felt like he was whispering his words along with his pain. Or was it just me? Ako lang ba iyong nasasaktan?
"In another life I would be your man
I'll stay by your side and I'll forever hold your hand"And although he was smiling from time to time, his eyes were suggesting otherwise. Hindi. Baka ako lang 'to. Nagagawa niya ngang ngumiti eh. There's just probably something wrong with me that I'm feeling things.
"In another life, I would make you stay
I would hate to say you were the one that got away
The one that got away"Natapos ang kanta and these two were all smiles habang ako ay ni hindi manlang alam kung saan dapat tumingin. That song was nothing right? Baka nagpapapansin lang siya.
"He probably missed singing" komento ni Kat kaya't napatango ako. Right. He just missed singing. Humablot ako ng isang tasa sa taas ng espresso machine at tumalikod sakanila.
"Hindi siguro yun tumutugtog sa school nila kaya naisipan niyang kumanta" dagdag ni Kat. Yeah right.
Sunod kong hinila ang portafilter para lagyan ng kape and I went back infront of the espresso machine. I held the tampers so tight I can see my nerves already showing off my skin.
"Miss na miss nga siguro nya" I heard Alex say. Tinapunan ko siya ng tingin habang pinepress ang tamper. Parang mas masarap daganan ng tamper ang pagmumukha mo ngayon De Yro. Idiniin ko lalo ang tamper sa ground coffee while imagining his face in it.
"But he's still really good, right?"
Hell, yes. He was so good, he's even made me feel the pain of that song.
Mariin kong pinindont ang buttons sa machine para extract na ang kape.
"May balak kang sirain yan?" Tanong ni Alex habang natatawa. Si Kat naman ay napatingin, walang kaide-ideya.
"Anyway, yun lang pinunta ko dito. Aalis na rin ako may kailangan pa akong puntahan" sabi niya at umalis na kaagad. I don't know what these guys are up to these days. Pare-pareho sila laging nagmamadaling umalis. It all started when we all finished our exams.
"Kamusta puso mo, Mojares? Papacheck ba natin kay Oliver o kay Lucas?" Tinignan niya ako nang tuwang-tuwa. Humablot ako ng paper cups saka ko itinapon sakanya. Lintik ka De Yro.
Humagalpak siya sa tawa.
"Hay nako. Now I got something I can use against you" He smiled at me, playfully. As if he has a plan and he's sure I'd lose if he plays it with me.
"Makipaghalikan ka pa ha?" sabi niya ulit saka humagalpak sa tawa.