🍁▪🍁▪🍁
I laughed a little when he also told me his middle name. Is that even needed?
"Bakit pati middle name?" I asked while smiling.
He shrugged. "I feel like I needed too," and then he laughed.
I focused on him while he's laughing.
Bakit siya tumatawa? Ang kilala kong Mr. Poop, hindi marunong tumawa o kaya naman ay minsan lang tumawa. Small letters pa ang tawa niya sa chat pero ngayon, parang naka-capslock ang tawa niya!
Isa pa, ang kilala kong Mr. Poop, ayaw na akong kausap. Tinataboy ako. Pero bakit nandito siya sa harap ko ngayon? Why is he laughing together with me? But, it's not I don't want him right now with me. I'm just confused as hell!
"Oh, that's a gift, Seri," itinuro niya ang singsing na hawak ko.
Nanlaki ang mata ko. Alam niya ang nickname ko!
I smiled awkwardly, "I don't know why you're giving me this, but thank you."
He nodded.
"Can I ask?"
He nodded again. Why is he like that? Feeling ko tuloy, ang pag-tango niya ngayon ay 'yong parang like sa chat. He doesn't even like me!
"Are you really Mr. Poop?"
Instead of answering my question, he asked me back. "Pwede ba 'kong lumapit sa'yo?"
Nervously, I nodded. Lumapit nga siya at maingat na hinawakan ang box na singsing na hawak ko at unti-unting nilagay ito sa middle finger ko.
"The last time you talked to me, I was rude, and I'm sorry for that. I also told you to stop texting or bothering me, I'm sorry for that, too."
So, he's really Mr. Poop.
"Why are you here?" I whispered.
"I was invited by Leo. Where is he, by the way?"
Instead of answering him, I asked him another questions.
"Aren't you mad at me? Why are you talking to me? Why are you giving me this ring? Para saan 'to? Why are you here? How did you know that I'm here? Why are you rude last time? Why didn't you let me talk to you? Why you didn't tell me your name the first fime I asked you to? Why are you using 'Tobio Kageyama' as an account and not your real name? Why are you---" hindi ko na natapos dahil pinutol niya na ang pagsasalita ko.
"You have so many questions," he said then laughed.
It's because I'm too curious about you!
Ginulo niya pa ng bahagya ang buhok ko.
Agad akong nakaramdam ng hiya kaya't yumuko ako, making me see the ring that he gave me. It's so perfect on my middle finger. Pero bakit niya nilagay sa middle finger? Bakit 'di na lang sa ring finger? Do'n din naman punta namin, sasagot naman ako ng oo agad. Charot!
"I'm sorry. Konti pa 'yon, marami pa akong tanong," I smiled fakely.
"First of all, we need to rest. Ang haba ng binyahe ko," he sounded so tired.
Kahit naguguluhan sa inaasta niya'y hindi ko mapigilang kabahan at kiligin. I know his name now. I saw his face. He's no longer a stranger. The man who helped me in the club last time were no longer a stranger. Finally.
"Forget all of my questions. I just wanna say thank you. Thank you for helping me last time."
Tinitigan niya lang ako, mukhang nag-iisip kung anong dapat niyang isagot.
I chuckled. "That's it, Mr. Poop. That's all I want to do when we meet, to thank you with all my heart for helping me," I smiled sweetly. "You don't really need to give me this ring, but still, thank---"
"Seri?"
Agad kong nilingon ang pinanggalingan ng boses. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makitang papalapit si Six.
"Six!" I called my friend's name.
"Six?" asked by Mr. Poop.
"He's my friend," I whispered.
"Looks like he's not."
"I told you to get ready with my sermon. Lagpas 30 minutes na, wala ka pa rin sa loob and who you are you, by the way?" agad na nabaling ang tingin ni Six sa lalaking katabi ko.
"Six..." I only said, out of words.
I don't know if I should tell Six that the man beside me is the reason why I rejected him last time. Though, Six and I were now friends and I'm not hoping for his violent reaction.
"Ryle Samonte," Mr. Poop offered his hands.
"Silvester Lopez," Six accepted Mr. Poop's hands and then they shooked their hands.
I saw Six' glaring eyes and Mr. Poop's eyes to each other. If their looks could kill, they're now dead. Oh my gosh. What the hell is happening?
"Who are you?" tanong pa rin ni Six kahit alam niya naman na ang pangalan ni Mr. Poop.
"I'm so tired of hearing 'who are you?' for today," Mr. Poop looked so iritated right now. "I told you, my name's Ryle Samonte, and I'm Seri's... Well I... I helped her last time in the club."
"You're the stranger that Seri's talking to and Seri's lo---"
Tinakpan ko agad ang bibig ni Six. What?! Ibubuking niya ba ako na may pagtingin ako rito sa isa pang lalaking katabi namin?
"Sorry. Lasing si Six kaya madaldal," I explained. "Why don't you go now? Do you need something here?" I asked Mr. Poop. Umiling naman siya. "Then, Six and I are going now,"
Nilayo ko na agad si Six doon. Naka-takip pa rin ang kamay ko sa bibig ni Six, takot na may masabi siyang hindi dapat. Wew. Kinabahan ako roon, ah.
"I'm staying, Miss," I heard Mr. Poop said.
Tinanggal ni Six ang kamay ko mula sa bibig niya. "Did you hear that? He's staying. He needs to rest. I think Isaac needs to know that his friend is here," aniya.
"Don't you dare tell him that I love him," I glared at Six.
"Don't you worry, Seri. Your secret is safe," he said then winked. "You should go, I'll talk to him. I'll accompany him in our room after," dagdag pa niya at tumingin kay Mr. Poop na ngayon ay seryoso nang naka-tingin sa amin.
"What are you gonna tell him, Six?" I asked.
"It's on us, Seri. Go now."
Tinitigan ko pa si Six bago tuluyang humakbang palayo. Dahil may tiwala ako kay Six, dumiretso na nga ako sa kwarto ko.
I'll just pray that he'll not gonna say anything wrong that would make me embarass.
🍁▪🍁▪🍁
BINABASA MO ANG
Loving A Stranger
ספרות נוער[COMPLETED] An Epistolary Is it possible to love someone you don't really know and only met once? You don't know who he is; you don't know exactly what he looks like, but deep inside you know that you love him, is that even called "love" or maybe yo...
