Green is My Favorite Color

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Post-Its No More

Nilingon ako ni Mauwi at sinigawan nang makita ang ginawa ko. "Hoy! Gaga ka talaga eh noh? Gusto mo ba talagang masunog tayo?! Sina-" naputol ang sasabihin niya nang iharap ko sa kaniya ang papel na hawak ko. "Ano 'yan?" takang tanong niya.

"Look! It's a heat-activated ink! May hidden messages sa post-its!" Nanlaki din ang mga mata niya sa gulat at saka inagaw ang post it sa 'kin.

Binasa niya iyon. "I'm sorry for running away that night. Wait, ito ba yung first?" tiningnan ko ang pagkakasulat ng I'm sorry and expectantly nodded. She continued. "I knew you were hurt but I never had the courage to help when it's my fault. I'm a coward and I'll never forgive myself if anything bad ever happened to you. Please forgive me." Napanganga kaming pareho. "O.M.G. Yung iba amin na, dali!"

Mas excited pa sa 'kin ang loka! Agad kong iniabot ang pangalawang post-it sa kaniya. Isa-isa niyang nilapit ang mga iyon sa apoy at binalik sa 'kin. Isa-isa ko din iyong binasa ng malakas, sapat lang upang marinig naming dalawa.

The 2nd post-it says, "I stalked you and I shouldn't have. I was waiting to catch you alone so I could show myself, talk to you, and ask for forgiveness but I never had the chance so I'm sending you this note. Please see me at the school garden at 9:00 pm tomorrow." Bumilis ang takbo ng puso ko after I read that last sentence.

Napatingin ako kay Mauwi, stunned and astounded as she also is.

"Wow," she uttered.

 I hesitantly looked down to read the next message. "Please meet me at the school garden, 9:00 pm tomorrow." I looked at the three other post its and they're all saying the same thing. I felt a sudden blast of emotions-of excitement, of regret, of happiness, of apology. 

Napahiga ako sa bed at tumingin sa kawalan. At that moment I just didn't know how to react. 

So he was sincere, after all. And the fact that he waited for 5 nights just to talk and apologize. And that I only found out now that he stopped. Man. How do you expect me to react on that?

12/23/10 10:00 am

Bago umuwi para sa holiday ay naggift-shopping muna kami ni Mauwi sa mall. Of course we went separately dahil kailangan din naming bumili para sa isa't isa. We just met sa bus station upang magkasamang sumakay pauwi ng Nueva Ecija.

"So, anong binili mo para kay tita?" tanong niya.

I seriously can't decide kanina kung anong kukunin para sa kanilang lahat at tanong lang ako nang tanong sa saleslady kung anong magandang panregalo.

"Marami akong inisip na bilhin and after a long time, I settled with a pair of shoes." Bigla itong ngumiti nang nakakaloko saka tumawa and before I realized what I've done, it's too late. "Yah! Fine, I got you each a pair of shoes!" She can't stop laughing at how easy she got me.

She really knows me. Dahil nga I suck at decision-making, I came up with this technique noong high school. Isang klase lang ng Christmas gifts ang binibili ko para sa lahat at iba-ibang style lang. I remember it was Senior High noong mabuko ni Mauwi ang technique kong 'to and she can't stop laughing about how wise it is and at the same time dumb. Last year, I gave each of them a watch and a year before that, a bag.

"Sana pala hindi na tayo naghiwalay magshopping kung malalaman ko din kaagad. Tinulungan pa siguro kitang maghanap ng ibibigay mo sa'kin."

We continued talking and dissing each other on the ride back home and in the remaining hours, we slept.