Totoo naman yun. I guess I started to like her when suddenly she became part of this routine that I didn't plan to have. When I finally realized that her absence felt more empty than I thought it would.
Then I saw Agnes turn around slowly to face me and she has this very wide smile on her face. Bakit ganyan siya makangiti? Ano nanamang problema nito? Ano nanaman kayang iniisip -- Shet.
"Ahhh. Dun pala."sabi niya na may halong pang-aasar.
"Wait okay. That's not what I meant."
"O eh di what do you mean?"sabi niya habang ngiting-ngiti siya.
"Na ano..." Shet Patricia, think of something.
"Ano?"sabi niya sabay natatawa siya. Shet. Mag-isip ka Pat.
Then bigla na lang tumingin sa 'kin si Agnes ng derecho. And I lost all my thoughts.
Paano naman ako makakaisip ng excuse kung ganyan tumingin si Agnes? I mean, how could I even come up with a lie na hindi ko siya gusto when her eyes are like truth potions making me want to just say everything?
"I give up. Oo na."
"Anong oo na?"
"Oo na, I meant what I said."
"Na gusto mo ako?"sabi niya sabay ngumiti siya.
"Don't be too full of yourself. Bet lang kita pag tumutugtog ka." Natatawa kong sagot sa kanya kasi nakita kong namumula siya. "Kinikilig ka naman dyan."
"Ganto pala feeling ng ma-crush back."sabi niya.
"Gagu. Wag nga ako."
"Bakit kapag ako na nagsasabing gusto kita hindi ka naniniwala?"
"Alam mo, you're always so polite that you always try to turn down people in the nicest way. You didn't have to --"
"O bakit? Magaling kang musician and film composer, you are strong-willed, you're smart."sabi niya. "Bawal bang magka-crush sayo?"
"Wag mo ko pinapaasa Reoma ihuhulog kita."
"Hulog na nga eh."
"Gagu."
"Why aren't you taking me seriously?"sabi niya habang natatawa siya.
"Ituwid mo muna R mo."sabi ko sa kanya.
"Gagu ka ba?"sabi niya. Natawa tuloy lalo ako. Sobrang tawang-tawa nanaman ako sa reaction niya kaya hindi nanaman ako makatigil sa kakatawa. Natatawa lang din si Agnes sa 'kin.
Have you ever experienced that? The feeling na you can't stop laughing. Yung matatawa ka na lang ulit kasi naririnig mong tumatawa din siya. Just like the whole world is lighter than what it seems. Agnes's laughter made me realize that the world is so much better with it.
