Chapter 25
It was like I was counting every minute that passed. I paid attention on the lectures but my eyes would always land on my wrist watch almost every minute. Tila ba hinihintay na pumatak 'yong oras na pwede na akong umalis at magtungo sa kung saan kami magkikita ni Sir.
I never felt like this before. Ngayon lang ulit ako na-excite sa mangyayari. The feeling was so strange but in a good way.
So this is what it feels like to be in love...
"Sabay ba tayo magdi-dinner ngayon?" I heard Clarisse asked when we were finally going out of the classroom. Mabilis akong napalingon sa kanya. She was on her phone so she probably hasn't seen my reaction.
"Sorry. Pass," Lio answered. "May pupuntahan ako eh."
"Ikaw, Hope?" Clarisse asked. She already put her phone inside her pocket and she looked at me like she was already expecting what I was gonna say.
But fudge.
They know I don't have much friends. If I tell them I have dinner plans, they'll surely ask sino ang kasama ko or worse, Clarisse might want to go with me. But I can't spoil the night. Sir and I already made plans.
"Pass rin," I replied. I just chose not to tell why. I guess it's safe that way. Buti na lang hindi na rin siya nagtanong.
I went to my car and just stayed there. Medyo maaga pa kasi and I still have to tell my sisters I'll be late later, which reminds me that I have to make up an excuse as to why I'll be late. For sure they'll ask me things and I'm still not ready to spill everything that's going on between me and Sir.
Sabihin ko bang 'me time'? Alam naman nilang mahilig akong gumala nang mag-isa. But during the night? I doubt they'll believe it.
Should I tell them I'm with my high school friends? Ugh, they obviously know each of them. Baka mabuko pa 'ko kapag 'yan ang sinabi ko.
Kung sabihin ko namang I'll be with my band mates, baka mabuko rin ako. They might see them around and wonder why I'm not with them.
I didn't know it'll be this hard to think of a good excuse.
Maybe I should just stick with the 'me time'. I'll just tell them I wanna try it during the night.
Okay, whatever.
So I texted my sisters first and quickly got an 'Okay' reply from Love. Si Faith naman nireplyan lang ako ng: Me time? Sure ba yan? With a creepy emoticon. I just chose not to reply.
It's still a few minutes before his out so I waited some more. Naglaro na lang ako sa phone while waiting for him. And I almost jumped on my seat when my phone suddenly began vibrating.
He's calling.
"Hi," he greeted. I could hear the joy in his voice. It made me smile. "I'm already going out of the building. Ikaw, san ka ngayon?"
"At the parking. Dito sa Soc Sci building," I replied.
"I see." I could hear some students in the background greeting him na sinasagot niya naman. "Should I send you the address of the restaurant?"
"Yeah sure."
"Okay. I'll see you there. Ingat sa pag-drive," he murmured.
"You too."
He sent me the address of the resto pero hindi agad ako umalis. I waited for a few minutes para siya na ang mauna doon.
I was anticipating for this since the moment he asked me. Pero nang papunta na ako doon ay dahan-dahan namang nagpaparamdam iyong kaba sa dibdib ko.
