Playdate

34

"I'm sorry you had to bear with the pain all alone. But I'm here now. You can share the pain with me."

Dalawang beses akong kumurap dahil sa sinabi niya. What the hell is he saying now?

"Did things not work out with you and my sister that is why you're telling me this now?"

Natigilan siya dahil sa sinabi ko. He still has that reaction nang i-mention ko si Ate. Ilang segundo rin ay nagsalita rin siya, "It's because we're friends. I'm worried about you because we are friends."

I almost fell for that.

Really? Friends? We're still friends? He literally told me years ago that he cannot stay friends with me because it's either 'I changed' or 'my mask fell off'.

At hindi niya talaga sinagot ang tanong ko tungkol kay Ate! He just mentioned that we're friends! Feeling close amp!

"Okay, shut it," matigas na sabi ko. Sobrang dami kong katanungan pero bakit kapag kaharap ko na siya, nababakante na ang isip ko? Bakit parang ayaw kong malaman? "Sa susunod na lang tayo mag-usap. Pagod na talaga ako. And thanks for letting me stay here."

"Kia naman," sabi ni Haki. "I know I'm being very insensitive, but I really want to talk to you now. Please talk to me. Please listen to me."

"E ayoko nga na magsalita," I said through gritted teeth at nagtaklob ng kumot. "Tinatamad akong makipag-usap sa'yo."

Hindi niya pinansin ang sinabi ko.

"Kia, do you still want to leave the island?" sabi niya. "Even if I turn the island into a place where you want to be?"

Nanatili akong nakapikit sa ilalim ng kumot habang nakikinig sa kanya. What does he mean by that? How can someone turn a whole island to a different place?

"You know what, stop it," sabi ko. "You're really being a pain in the ass. Aalis rin ako bukas, kaya huwag mo na akong guluhin."

"Please stay," sabi niya sa akin. "I know you hate me, but I'm just thinking about your safety. We still don't know kung sino ang pumasok sa bahay mo."

Because we're friends.

Hindi naman ako makatanggi, gaya ng sabi ko kanina. I still don't know kung saan ako pupunta kung sakali. Nahihiya naman akong humingi ng tulong sa iba...

"Fine," sabi ko at sumilip mula sa ilalim ng kumot. "Ano namang kapalit?"

I slapped myself mentally for saying that. Bakit naman ako hihingi pa ng kondisyon para lang manatili ako dito sa bahay niya? It's not like I forced him to take me in! At saka baka kung ano pang hingiin na kapalit nito.

"Kapalit?" tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. "Can't we really do things for other people without expecting anything in return?"

That's easy for you to say. You're rich, you have everything, after all. Wala ka na namang kailangang iba. Wala namang maibibigay ang mga tao na wala pa sa'yo.

But I'm a bit thankful that he still has that mindset even after all these years. That is what made me fall for him... how he treats people equally at kung gaano siya ka-simple...

No! Don't even think about it! Always keep in mind about how he looked down on your feelings, Kia.

"May naisip na akong kapalit," he said while grinning, kaya naman medyo kinabahan ako sa paraan ng pagtingin niya sa akin.

"Bakit ganyan ka makatingin?" singhal ko at umiwas ng tingin. Why the hell am I looking away?

"Wala lang. Baka kung anong iniisip mo," sabi niya at tinusok-tusok pa ako sa tagiliran na akala mo ay magkaclose kami. "And don't even think about dirty thoughts now. I won't make you do things you don't want to do, and I won't do things that you don't like."