That's What They Told Me

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Suspicion

"How's your first day?"

His soothing and relaxing voice has always been a piece of solace for me.

Truth was... I was a tad exhausted. But I didn't want him to worry about it. Simpleng bagay lang naman iyon. Hindi na dapat pang palakihin.

Kakatapos ko lang magpalit ng pambahay. Umupo muna ako sa kutson at niyakap ang unan.

"Ayos lang." I stopped myself from adding more. "Ikaw? Uh. Kamusta sa dati mong school?"

I smiled. Let's rather talk about yours, Zaro. His life in Manila was my most favorite topic. It's more interesting than my life here. O siguro dahil... mas gusto kong pag-usapan ang mga bagay tungkol sa kanya. It's really amusing to hear how his everyday life went. Siguro para sa kanya, hindi interesanteng pag-usapan iyon.

Subalit para sa akin, bawat bagong detalyeng nalalakap ko kung anong klaseng lugar at buhay ang meron si Zaro sa syudad ay nakakamangha para sa akin. Pero sa kaparehong pagkakataon, hindi mawawala ang insecurity sa akin. Wow. Our lives really were different, huh?

Rinig ko ang pagbukas ng kanyang sasakyan sa background. He must be done with his classes so he's on his way to their company now.

"Same old," he answered as if he didn't think about it.

Napalabi ako. "Talaga? Sigurado ako, masaya sila kasi bumalik ka na..."

The moment I heard the engine start was the same moment I heard him sigh.

"I don't like your tone," he commented.

"Huh? Bakit?" lito kong tanong.

Matagal bago siya nakasagot. Maybe he set up his phone to his car?

"Let me visit, Lumi. Or fetch you from your school at least. Let's set a sched for that."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Humigpit ang yakap ko sa unan dahil ito na naman kami. Kahit hindi niya nakikita, umiling ako.

"'Wag na..." mahina kong sabi.

"They won't mind, I told you. It's okay with them."

Hindi ako nakaimik, duda roon. Sumulpot sa isip kung bakit hindi ako pabor sa suhestiyong iyon.

Aaminin ko, noon pa man ay dama ko nang may ideya si Senyorita na may lihim akong pagtingin kay Zaro.

The way she looked at me that night in the dining hall, I know she's insinuating something. Ganoon tuwing namamataan niya kaming magkasama o magkausap man lang ni Zaro. Kaya ang ideyang babyahe siya rito para lang bisitahin o tignan ang kalagayan ko ngayon ay hindi ata kakayanin ng sikmura ko.

I didn't want her to form a wrong image of us. Zaro may promised to wait for me. But we're definitely far from being in a romantic connection. Even though that promise' still existing, I still couldn't grasp the notion of what could happen in the future. It still... felt surreal for me.

"Saka na lang muna siguro," nagdadalawang-isip kong sagot sa kanya.

"Then feed me with updates, please? Iniiwasan mo ang tanong ko."

"A-Anong tanong ba?"

"Anong nangyari sa unang araw ng klase," he sounded more serious right now.

"Ah! Okay... hm... wala pa kami masyadong activities. Nagpakilala lang ang mga prof. Kami rin, introduction. Tapos... uh..."

Wala na akong naidugtong pa. I pursed my lips to the horror that something might slip from my mouth. I didn't want to lie to him. I didn't want to avoid certain areas of how my day went as much as I didn't want to worry him.