decoding the boys ✔️

11 - my responsibility || edited

I called Ahron to explain and she was cool with it. Good thing din na kaibigan pala namin ang kumuha ng picture. Nagulat pala siya sa nakita kaya s-in-end niya ang photo. Thankfully, my bestfriend made things up to clear the issue and the photo was now deleted.

Anyway, we were sure na hindi siya mag-i-ingay about it but we couldn't say the same for the rest na nakakita. So far, wala pa naman kaming nababalitaan na issue anywhere so baka okay naman.

Ahron asked me for details but I told her sa pasukan na lang. Hindi ako makapagkwento dahil baka biglang dumating si Kuya Andrei.

I kinda left them sa raft kasi in the pretense na pagod na ako. They let me. Kuya Andrei let me. Which just fueled my suspicion na baka nakita niya nga ang picture. If he did, he was definitely doing a good job at keeping mum about it.

Kung magtatanong naman siya, I intended to tell the truth. He's reasonable at maiintindihan niya ako for sure. Isa pa, mahuhuli niya rin naman ako. But seeing that he wasn't doing anything, ako rin, walang gagawin. I wouldn't ask kung nakita niya. Mahirap na! Mamaya hindi naman pala.

Nagpapakiramdaman kami ni Kuya hanggang kinabukasan. He kept on glancing my way, observing me. I kept on lifting my brow at him, questioning him. Kunwari 'di ko alam ang mga tingin niya.

Frankly, I didn't like keeping secrets from him-or from any of them. But there was still a tiny part of me that was afraid of what their reaction was going to be. What if they ask me to stop helping at the event?

I didn't want that. Ayokong makaapekto sila sa duties ko as a council member.

The next day, tinodo na namin ang bonding. Nag-fishing kami, snorkeling, at namili ng maraming souvenirs. Now, we were done. Pabalik na kami sa Las Piñas at dito ako sa Aventador ni Kuya Andrei nakasakay. He offered na sumabay ako sa kanya. I thought that was it. Na finally, magtatanong na siya.

But nope, he didn't. Kuya Andrei instead gave me a teasing smile and remained quiet the entire ride back home.

Hindi na ako masyadong nag-isip pa. I was tired and sleepy kaya natulog na lang ako.

***

Monday and Tuesday came and passed without much incident. Puro lectures at dance rehearsals lang. Now, it was the long-awaited Wednesday.

Magkikita na naman kami. Kung alam lang ng Racel na 'to kung paano niya ginugulo ang isip ko. Why was I even allowing him to cloud my mind nga ba? 'Di ko rin alam. Bahala na sila nina Kuya sa issues nila. I wasn't part of it, anyway.

"You'll meet today?" Ahron asked me.

Naglalakad kami sa hallway, palabas na ng building.

"Yeah," sagot ko. "'Di ko nga lang alam how. I wasn't able to get his number."

She lifted a delicate brow. "'Di nakuha o 'di kinuha?" She chuckled. "I'm not surprised. Paano ka ba na-pair up with him?"

Gumagala-gala ang mga mata ko sa paligid. Alisto ako sa mga nakakasalubong namin. Kung talagang may nakakita sa 'min at nag-assume na may something sa 'min ni Racel, dapat may nakukuha na akong weird looks, 'di ba? Or something that would give them off. Pero so far wala naman.

"Dapat si Christelle talaga." Tiningnan ko si Ahron ng ilang segundo. "Nakipagpalit siya, babe."

"Why would he do that?"

I shrugged. "May alam daw siyang venues. 'Di na 'ko umalma - baka sabihin unprofessional pa 'ko. Anyway, did you tell the others?"

She pursed her lips. "No. Mas okay na konti lang tayong nakakaalam."