Will You Ever Notice? (Bad Girls Series #2)

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"You didn't reply last night," Lael said when I asked him why he didn't message me para maipaalala man lang ang usapan namin.

Tama naman s'ya. After messaging Ynna, hindi ko na binisita ang phone ulit because I was irritated with her. I didn't like the tone of her message. Hindi ko tuloy mapigilang mainis habang naaalala ang sinabi n'ya.

Kunot ang noo ko habang pinagmamasdan ako ni Lael nang may multo ng ngiti sa mga labi n'ya. Bahagya akong napa-irap. Kahit na hindi s'ya magsalita, parang naririnig ko na ang pang-aasar n'ya. And of course, my pride wouldn't let him think that I was lying about being an early person.

"I woke up at 5," I explained kahit na hindi n'ya naman tinatanong.

Napangisi si Lael at hindi nagsalita kaya lalo ko tuloy gustong ipagtanggol ang sarili ko.

I like his tan skin, that suddenly popped in my head. 

He looks like he fit in here. I mean, with his nice hair, perfect-fit uniform, and his playful smirk. This cafe suddenly turned brighter now that he's here or maybe I'm just in a good mood now. Better than how I was feeling earlier... or the other days---or years.

"I really woke up at 5," medyo iritado ko nang sinabi.

Napatawa si Lael at tumango, tinatakpan ang ngiti nang kaunti gamit ang medyo naka-kuyom na kamay, halatang naaaliw talaga sa pang-aasar sa'kin.

It's my pride. Kahit na hindi ko naman talaga kailangang patunayan ang sarili ko, hindi ko pa rin mapigilang ipilit ang totoo. Napasimangot ako.

"I'm not teasing you, why are you getting irritated?" Natatawang tanong n'ya at napabuntong-hininga ako, pa-irap na umiwas ng tingin. "Ganito na lang... bukas, let's meet at 6:30 am. Dito ulit," ngisi n'ya.

Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa kan'ya at bahagyang nagtaas ng kilay. Lael grinned at me. Hindi ko tuloy s'ya maakusahang pinlano n'ya 'yon dahil na-distract ako sa ngisi n'ya sa'kin.

Sumandal ako sa upuan ko at pinagmasdan si Lael. He cleared his throat and took the drink in front of him, pretending to focus his attention on something else. I watched as he held the cup in his hands. The classical music in the cafe is really soothing and calming. Ibinalik ko ang tingin kay Lael. 

"Sige. I'll make sure to arrive earlier than you,"  pinanlisikan ko s'ya ng mga mata.

Slowly, Lael's lips formed a smile before he raised his gaze at me. His eyes glistened with amusement. 

"Sige," he mumbled and I noticed how his gaze on me softened.

Napatuwid ako nang upo bago tumango at kinuha ang inumin ko

His eyes, weirdly, is more beautiful in the morning. Parang mas matingkad at fresh ang kulay. It's slightly covered with his thick eyelashes, making it look more sultry. I like the shade of it, like darker toasted brown or something like that, it's lighter in the sunlight.

Sabay kaming pumasok sa klase. Pero dahil marami kaming kasabay na pumasok, parang wala namang nakapansin na magkasabay kaming dalawa ni Lael.

Maliban kay Ynna na mukhang napagdesisyunang maagang pumasok para sa araw na 'yon.

I was frowning at her when I saw her sitting on my seat, busy with her phone. Nakalugay ang mahaba at unat n'yang buhok, nakabagsak sa likod n'ya nang maayos. Her eyelash extensions look beautiful on her at ang muted deep red lipstick. Nang mag-angat s'ya ng tingin, agad kong nasalubong ang ngiti n'ya sa akin. She stood up. It's almost 8. Bakit ang aga n'ya?