Life Series #1: Onto Better Things

Chapter 10

"Just pick a movie, for goodness sake!"

Inis na inis na ako kay Mark. We're here at the backseat of his car with his laptop infront of us. We're trying to find a good movie to watch but we have been debating for half an hour already.

"Eh kasi nga dapat 'yung hindi pa natin napanood pareho!" He argued back. He's scrolling through his Netflix.

This has been our routine everytime we get off work. We would clock out and spend time either watching movies in his car or find a good cafe to eat. Today was movie day but we we're wasting time arguing.

"I feel like we've watched every movie here," kunot-noo siyang nakatingin pa rin sa laptop niya. We we're sitting too close to each other, our shoulders brushing everytime we move. I wonder if his getting goosebumps the same way as me, if his aware of me as I am aware of him.

Napabuntong-hininga ako. I took the laptop from him and started scrolling. "Oh, eto. We're gonna start with series na nga lang."

"'It's Okay Not To Be Okay?" He said as he was reading the title of the series I started playing.

"I heard it's good," I told him as he settled the laptop infront of us again. He then got himself comfortable beside me, he's very close now. Isang lingon lang magkaka-bangga na ulo namin. I tried very hard not too shiver, baka kasi maramdaman niya.

"Why are you so stiff?" He asked me. I immediately forced myself to relax and leaned back. The moment my back hit the seat, he put his head on my shoulder. I froze again.

What is he doing?

I couldn't even concentrate on what we we're watching. All I could think of is how he was leaning against me. Meanwhile, Mark was watching with gusto. Tumatawa pa nga siya everytime a funny scene comes on. He's so unbothered about me. Ako lang ata ang hindi mapakali.

The first episode was done before I knew it. He looked up at me with his head still on my shoulder.

"Tin......" His voice was soft. Mukhang naglalambing. I didn't look at him. I don't think my heart can take that. I glued my eyes on the screen of the laptop.

"Hmm?" I answered.

"One more episode or bukas na?"

"Bukas na. I'm tired," pagdadahilan ko. I'm not even tired, I just wanna get away from him to breathe.

"Okay," he said but he didn't sit straight. He was still leaning at me.

"Tara na," I gently moved my shoulders where his head is.

"But I love it here. Let's stay like this," he said with that soft voice again. Mas lalo niyang siniksik sarili niya sa akin.

God, he's killing me!

I didn't know what to reply. I stayed quiet. He chuckled.

"Sige na nga. Alam ko na malapit mo na akong sapakin," he said as he sat up straight. He reached for his laptop and turned it off.

He really thinks I hate the skinship. He still thinks I don't like him that way when in fact, I was falling hard. Wala naman akong planong ipaalam sa kanya ang totoo.

"Hey, I have a question," biglang sabi ni Mark. He has his back to me. I couldn't see his face.

"Yeah?"

"Uhm... Ano kasi..." he was stuttering. Kinamot niya ulo niya. I could see how red his ears are.

"What, Mark?"