Unbinding Ties of Sloth

Kabanata 31

Dinalahit ng ubo si Paco. Kaya sinipa ko siya sa paa so he will play along. Marunong naman siguro siyang umarte, no?

"What!" Gulat na tanong ni Venus sa pasabog ko.

"Connor?" She was asking for confirmation from him. He turns his hand, making our palms touched as his fingers intertwined with mine. Bigla tuloy akong napalingon sa kanya in slow-motion at napatitig sa mga mata niya. This is the second time that a weird and unfamiliar feeling surged inside me.

Na-conscious din ako dahil may gripo sa kamay ko. Pasmado. Ew kaya. Ano kaya ang magiging reaction niya once he finds out? Matu-turn off kaya siya?

Well, I don't mind. If he easily gets turned off, it only means one thing. Mababaw siya. Mababaw 'yong feelings. Nawala tuloy ako pansamatala sa plano kong takutin ang babaeng nasa harapan ko na ngayon ay tila inoorasyunan na ako at isinusumpa sa kailaliman ng isip nito.

The way she squinted her upturned eyes, it was as if she's already chanting a "mantra, mantra, mantras" on me. Ang sama din ng tingin niya sa kamay naming magkasalikop sa ibabaw ng mesa.

Matangkad ka man sa aking paningin, nalalamangan pa din. Mainggit ka. Anang isip ko.

Now, I know! She likes Paco. But Paco doesn't like her. It's a one-sided love. Aware kaya ang babaeng ito na hindi mutual 'yong feelings?

I felt a bit of pity for her. Since having an unrequited love is hard for sure. Ready na akong maawa sa kanya kung hindi lang siya nagsalitang muli.

"Anong kalokohan 'to? Seriously? Pinatulan mo?" Eksaheradang tanong nito.

"You heard it right. We're uh... we're partners." Nag-aalangang sagot ni Paco. Napalingon ako sa kanya. Teka! Kinakabahan ba siya?

"Look at her. Ni hindi siya umabot sa balikat mo."

"Height doesn't matter." Saad ni Paco.

"And I guess, she's way older than you. Looking at her, I bet she doesn't even-"

"Age is just a number." Putol ko sa sinasabi nito.

"You two are too different from each other."

"Opposite attracts." Magkapanabay naming komento kaya nagkatitigan kami ulit. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

His eyes are filled with amusement. So, he's enjoying our charade. Kung makahawak nga sa kamay ko parang ayaw na akong bitawan.

I leaned on him and whispered in his ear. "Masarap ba sa feeling hawakan 'yong kamay ko, Ginoo?" His hazel eyes turned a bit darker, looking at me intently as if reading my soul.

"Dreams do come true, Binibini." bulong niya pabalik, making my world stops and stares for a while.

"You can thank me later for fulfilling one of your fantasies." Bulong ko ulit.

"What fantasy?"

"Holding hands with your crush." Sagot ko.

Just a wild guess again. But basing from his expression, para siyang batang nahuling nakatingin sa crush niya. Bingo! Natatawa tuloy ako at the back of my mind.