Before Series #1 : Before Midnight

Chapter 07

Chapter 07

Shit! I literally forgot about later. Bago ko pa i-message ulit si Sylas nagmadali na muna akong pumunta sa susunod na klase ko. What am I thinking to sit in front of Building 1? E sa Building 2 pa ang susunod na klase ko, sana doon na lang ako tumambay.

Lakad-takbo na ang ginawa ko para makarating sa classroom and luckily wala pa ang prof namin. Umupo na ko at kinuha ang phone sa bag para i-message si Sylas. Mas kailangan kong unahin yung plano namin ni Jace dahil kanina pa namin plinano yun.

To: Sylas
Sy, hindi pala ko available later. I already had plans with Jace. Next time na lang okay? I'm sorry.

Pagsend ko ng message sa kanya, tinago ko na din ang phone ko dahil dumating na ang prof namin at nagsimula na siyang magklase. Class passed, he dismissed us and I quickly got up off my chair and leave the room. Sa may ARKI sign kami ni Jace magkikita kaya lakad-takbo na naman ang ginawa ko dahil kanina pa ang tapos ng klase niya. Hindi ko na din nacheck kung nagreply na ba si Sylas dahil hindi ko pa kinukuha ang phone ko sa bag.

"Hey, ready?" Tanong ko nang makita siyang nakaupo sa may concrete. "Did you wait long? Nag-overtime pa kasi yung prof namin." Tatlong oras na nga ang klase niya pero parang hindi pa din sapat yung oras niya na yon sa klase at nakakapag-overtime pa talaga siya. Hayyy!

"Okay lang, hindi naman ako nainip." Sagot niya. Maglalakad na sana kami papuntang sasakyan niya nang marinig ko ang pagtawag ni Sylas sa pangalan ko.

"Allison!"

"Sy... Sylas. I send you a message earlier right?" I asked nervously. Ayoko nga kasi talagang nagsasama sa iisang lugar ang dalawang lalakeng nasa harap ko ngayon at hindi ako kumportable dahil hindi nawawala yung kaba sa loob ko na baka mamaya mag-away na lang sila bigla sa harapan ko.

"Yes and I received it but too late you said kakain tayo pagtapos ng klase mo and I already came here to pick you up." He said not breaking his stare to me. Pinagsingkitan ko naman siya ng mata sa kung paano niya sinabi yun sa harap ko nang hindi man lang nahihiya kay Jace.

"Oh did you two have plans?" Jace asked when Sylas and I are still not speaking a word.

"Yes."

"No!" I exclaimed. "I already message you that me and Jace have plans for today." Inis na sabi ko kay Sylas nang hindi pinuputol ang titig ko sa kanya. This is really getting out of hand.

"Okay lang Alli, next time na lang tayo lumabas. Unahin mo muna yung plano niyo ni Sylas." Jace said and gave me a nod before leaving me with this jerk in front of me!

"What the hell was that Sy!? Ano na naman bang pakulo 'to?" I almost feel my throat hurting when I shouted at him.

"You said we're going to—"

"I said that, yes, because I forgot about my plans with Jace. But I also said that next time na lang tayo lumabas kasi may plano nga ako kasama si Jace. Ano bang mahirap intindihin—"

"Kasi nagseselos ako! Hindi lang dahil sa kaibigan mo siya. Nagseselos ako kasi gusto kita. Gusto kita Alli." He said and turn his gaze away from me. I feel my knees weakened by what he said.

"W-what di-did you... say?" I said almost a whisper. I don't even know if he heard it.

"I like you a lot. This starts when we were in highschool, back then I know I'm not supposed to do any thing about this because you're my bestfriend Alli, ayoko masira pagkakaibigan natin pero wala namang mali mag-take ng risk diba? May plano ako e, kailangan mo lang mag-intay. This isn't the confession I planned out but Jace came into your life. I got so damn jealous and threatened na baka maunahan niya ko sayo. So that's your confession, I blew it didn't I?" He said and stared at me for a while before leaving me there.

I still can't feel anything in my body, I just know that my legs are weak and I can't breathe properly but the moment I realize everything, I look around but Sylas is already gone in my sight.

Hindi ko alam paano pa 'ko nakapag-drive ng maayos pauwi ng bahay kanina, nakita ko na lang ang sarili kong nakahinto na sa harap ng garahe namin. Bumaba na 'ko at dire-diretsong naglakad hanggang sa kwarto ko. I sat in my bed and get my phone from my bag. Just when I saw Sylas' messages earlier.

From: Sylas
Unfair, sabi mo tayo kakain e. Pupunta ko jan.

From: Sylas
Alli, I'm sorry. I should've not said those things to you in that way. I got mad I didn't mean to high my voice like that.

From: Sylas
Also, I'm sorry for leaving you there. I didn't know what to do after saying those things. I panicked kaya umalis ako.

From: Sylas
Can we talk? Pwede ba 'ko pumunta d'yan?

'No.'

To: Sylas
No, I need some time to think.

From: Sylas
Of course, alright. I'll give you time Alli.

After that night, kumain lang ako ng dinner at naghilamos bago matulog. I don't feel doing anything luckily natapos ko na lahat ng schoolworks kaya humiga na ko sa kama para matulog but an hour passed already nakatulala lang ako sa kisame. Bumaba ako sa kusina para uminom ng gatas baka sakaling antukin na 'ko pero bago pa man ako makadiretso sa kusina, nakita kong nasa living room si Mama.

"Ma?" Tawag ko habang naglalakad palapit sa kanya.

"Oh sweetheart. Why are you still up?" Tanong niya nang makalapit ako sa kanya.

"I can't sleep Ma, I keep on thinking about what Sylas told me earlier. He said something I don't know if I should have or should have not know." I said while I lean my head on her shoulder.

"What did he say sweetheart?" Mama asked and I told her everything about Sylas' surprising confession earlier.

"Oh Allison baby." She said and caress my back. "Matagal ko ng sinasabi sa batang yun na umamin na sayo at huwag ng patagalin pa pero tignan mo nga ang nangyare." Mama said that made me look at her.

"What? Alam niyo yung tungkol dito Ma?" I don't know what to feel or react to that.

"Yes I know, even when you were in highschool alam ko ng hindi lang ikaw ang nagkakagusto kay Sylas because I know that he likes you too. And he confirmed that to me on your highschool graduation because I made him to. That's when he told me about his plan. At first, hindi pa ko sumang-ayon sa plano niya at sinabihan siyang umamin na lang sayo but I realize na nagpapaka-old school siya so I let him wait. That's all I know sweetheart besides the fact that I ask him week by week kung ginawa niya na ba o hindi pa." She explained.

I tried asking her questions about it but she just said, "Sylas' the one who you need to talk to Alli, not me. And I know na gugustuhin mo din na sa kanya marinig ang mga sagot sa tanong mo."

After that, hindi na ko nakainom ng gatas at dumiretso na sa kwarto. 3 am na nang makatulog ako at alam kong malaking eyebags ang dadalhin ko sa school bukas.

Hingal na hingal akong nakarating sa room at nakahinga lang ako ng maluwag nang makitang wala pang prof ang nasa loob. Hindi na 'ko nakapag-ayos ng mabuti sa bahay, ni nawalan na din ako ng oras kumain at buti na lang binaunan ako ng toast bread ni Mama para kainin ko daw pagkarating ko sa school pero hindi ko na nasunod yun dahil kinain ko yun sa sasakyan habang nagd-drive ako at dahil na din sa sobrang gutom ko baka mag-collapse pa ko sa kotse bago makarating sa school.

While listening to our professor in front of the class, my phone suddenly rang. Shit!

"Phone's off!" Sir said and continue his class. Shit naman! Pinatay ko na agad ang phone ko bago ko pa makita kung sino ang tumawag at sinilent ito.

Pagtapos ng klase, nag-ayos na ko ng gamit at lumabas ng room. Kukunin ko na sana ang phone ko sa bag nang makita ko si Sylas, standing at the end of the hallway, now walking towards me.

"Alli."

——————————————————————