That's What They Told Me

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Her

 

I went out of the SUV when we finally arrived in the place. My heart was beating against the walls of my rib cage and there was a flutter of butterflies in my stomach.

Kung paanong napunta ako sa ganitong sitwasyon ay palaisipan pa rin sa akin. Sa sobrang bilis ng mga nangyari, sa isang iglap, hindi ko akalaing posible pala ito.

Hindi man makapaniwala na narito na ako sa ganitong kalagayan, pero ang gabing iyon, malinaw na malinaw pa rin sa akin. It was like a vivid dream, trancelike.

At first, I had no idea what Zaro was talking about that night. Was he drunk? Was he in delusion?

Wow! Delusion? Oh. The guts I had to say that!

Kung meron mang nagdedelusyon sa amin, kumpara kay Senyorito ay mas malaki ang tsansa na ako iyon. Pero hindi. Siniyasat ko ang hitsura niya. At bukod sa basang-basa ito sa ulan, alam kong nasa tamang pag-iisip siya at seryoso. Marahil, iyon na ang pinakasukdulan ng kaseryosohan na nakita ko sa kanya.

"Anong... offer?" I asked reluctantly when the silence stretched more than usual.

Nag-aalala ako. He's cold. He needed to change his clothes as soon as possible so I wanted to wrap it up immediately.

After a while, I felt his thumb gently caressed my skin. Bumaba sa palapulsuhan ang tingin ko, kung saan siya nakahawak, dahil kakaibang kuryente ang nanuot sa buong katawan. Ang lakas na ng kabog ng dibdib ko.

"Earlier, you're enthralled by that certain part of the trip," he asserted so I shifted my eyes to him, confused.

"A-Ano pong ibig niyong sabihin?"

Out of a sudden, he smiled faintly. I was mesmerized by that view. But I didn't expect that I would be thrilled more after the next thing.

"Alam kong gusto mong mag-aral. I can teach you myself but attending school with other students... is different, so..."

"So?" I gasped in extreme anticipation, eyes very focused on him, almost pleading to continue.

His adam's apple moved when he swallowed hard. Mula sa aking palapulsuhan, nilakbay ng kanyang kamay ang distansiya patungo sa aking mukha.

Inangat niya iyon para tignan akong mabuti. Iyon pa lang, ngunit halos maiyak na ako sa sobrang tuwa.

"I've been thinking of enrolling you to my school..."

My jaw almost dropped. Nabibingi na ba ako?

"P-Pwede po iyon?"

"Yeah," he answered. Bahagya niyang inayos ang ilang tikwas ng aking buhok at nilagay sa likod ng tenga ko. "Tulad ng sabi ko, hindi ko alam kung anong kahihinatnan nito. But please, accept my offer..."

Late at night, that's his offer! This abrupt! Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko ngayon. Ang daming katanungan sa utak ko pero sa huli, maligayang tango ang naging sukli ko sa alok ni Senyorito.

We discussed about it the next day. I served him his breakfast. I asked him if it was still okay to attend school out of a sudden. Magtatatlong buwan nang nagsimula ang klase. At isa pa, sa tanang buhay ko ay ito ang unang pagkakataon na makakapasok ako sa eskuwela! Kung sakali! Is it really possible?

"Processing your papers and documents for your enrollment is not the problem," iyon ang naging sagot niya kaya kuryoso akong napatuwid ng upo.

"Ano po pala?"