Chapter 12
Allergy
"You sure 'bout this?" Winter asked me after I told her about my plan over the phone.
"Yes! Well, you know I'm still hesitant about it pero hindi ako matatahimik nito kung aayaw ako. I'll meet him." I answered. I bit my bottom lip. "Para na rin sa ikatatahimik nating lahat."
"Saan kayo magkikita?"
"Hindi ko alam. Nasa ibang bansa pa kasi siya eh, yan yung sabi niya."
"Okay. Mabuti yang desisyon mo para malinaw na ang lahat. Gusto mo samahan na kita?"
"Hindi, ayos lang." Mabilis kong pigil sa kanya. "Kaya ko na to. Salamat."
"Sige, ikaw bahala. Basta tumawag ka lang kung may kailangan ka."
"Thanks."
"Kailan ka makipagkita sa kanya?"
"Itetext ko pa siya."
"Alright. I'm only one call away if you need me, 'kay?"
"Thanks Winter." Tumango-tango pa ako as if naman makikita niya.
Nagpaalam na si Winter dahil may date daw sila ng boyfriend niya. Well, it's Sunday, so surely it's their day. Bukas naman ay family vacation nila.
I went back to bed. Nareplyan ko na si Axl kanina na pumapayag akong nakipagkita sa kanya pero nasa ibang bansa pa raw siya para sa business. Hindi niya sinabi kung kailan ang uwi niya pero tingin ko ay matatagalan pa siya roon.
From Axl: I decided to come here because I thought you were going to ignore me.
Yan ang reply niya sa akin. Kanina lang daw siya naka-alis. Kung nagreply lang daw ako ng mas maaga ay possibleng hindi raw siya matuloy. Well, it took me a lot of convincing para replyan siya.
Makipagkita ako sa kanya hindi para marinig ang sakaling rejection niya kundi ibalik ang kanyang longsleeve. I turned my gaze to my closet where I hung his shirt outside the door. Yeah, thats it. It's because of his shirt only.
"Argh! Anu ba. Makipagkita ka sa kanya para maging malinaw lahat hindi para sa damit lang!" Bulyaw ko sa sarili.
"Nagtataka lang ako," biglang sambit ni Clara. She's resting inside my office, on the couch, Friday afternoon.
I turned my direction to her with a big question mark on my face.
"I haven't seen Shane for quite a while now since he showed up last weekend here."
My brows arched. "You missed him?" Hindi ko maiwasang makaramdam ng pagkairita sa sinabi niya.
"No," she chuckled. Bumangon siya saka umayos sa pagkaka-upo. "I mean, it usually didn't took him four days or so for not showing up here. Nakakapanibago lang."
"So, you're missing him," I said without looking at her. Tuloy-tuloy lang akong nagguhit ng isang design sa sketchbook. "Why don't you ask him? You have his contact right?" I asked with a stern voice.
She went silence. Lumingon ako sa kanya dahil dun at hindi ko maiwasang matawa sa itsura niya. Tuwid siyang nakaupo habang nakayuko. Her hands were intertwined tightly on her lap as if someone were scolding her habang nakatitig sa akin.
