Hello, Not Almost Lover (Hello, #1)

Epilogue

It was already the 30th of October. May inom na naman sina Cayleigh dahil birthday ni Ianne. Buti na lang at Friday na kaya okay lang na magpuyat at maglasing.

"Sana all, may kalandian," Ianne commented while craning her neck. Agad na napalingon sa kanya si Cayleigh. "Saya ka na niyan, girl?"

"Medyo," pagsakay niya sa biro nito.

Ianne slapped her arm in return, a wide grin on her face. "Luh! May ganon! H'wag ka nga, kinikilig ako!"

She remembered how Ianne supported her during their first "date." Kahit madalas ay puro ito kalokohan ay nakatulong talaga ang presence niya noon. She was the one who suggested to write what she wanted to tell him if she couldn't say it directly.

That night, she felt like everything would slip right through her fingers if she wouldn't take the risk. And she was glad she did.

Lord, pahingi ng sign, she silently prayed, at nagulat ito nang bigla siyang kinalabit ni John. He pointed at the stationery shop they were about to pass by. Shet, ito na ba 'yon?

While he was at the counter, she wrote the things she wanted to say to him. Pagkabalik niya ay saktong tapos na siyang magsulat pero biglang tumugtog ang Almost Lover. She stared angrily at the speakers. Dalawang beses na niyang napakikinggan ang kantang 'yon ngayong araw. Napaisip tuloy siya kung nananadya ba ang tadhana.

She decided to write a postscript, hoping that it would somehow lighten the vibe of the note. Halos hindi na siya makahinga noong iniabot niya iyon sa kanya. Hindi na niya hinintay pa ang reaction niya at agad na sumakay sa taxi.

Then this won't be the last time.

His words echoed in her head and a smile escaped her lips. Right. She didn't want that to be the last time, too.

***

They only went out for three times dahil sobrang busy ng October. Halos 3-4 hours na lang ang tulog niya araw-araw dahil sa workload at pagbyahe niya. Still, reading his messages made the days less exhausting.

Sa totoo lang, natatakot pa rin siya, pero ngayon ay mas nangingibabaw ang kasiyahan. She didn't even expect she would feel this way. Akala niya kasi, hindi na niya ulit iyon mararanasan.

When he asked her if he could court her, hindi agad ito nakasagot. She thought courting was already a thing of the past. Madalas kasi, kapag gusto ng dalawang tao ang isa't isa, sila na. Ganoon naman ang nakikita at naririnig niya sa workmates at friends niya.

But he insisted. He said it was the right way.

Hindi siya sanay na binibigyan ng atensyon kaya nakakapanibago. But she was thankful that he wasn't too affectionate. Ayaw niya rin namang nasa kanya lang atensyon nito. That would be too burdensome. She likes how they could still respect each other's personal time and space.

A week ago, nagtanong siya kay Elle kung kailan ba "pwedeng" sagutin ang isang lalaki dahil wala pa namang nanligaw sa kanya dati. Wala siyang alam tungkol doon.

"Huh? Ikaw, kung kailan mo feel," she replied.

"I mean, wala bang time frame, gano'n?"

"Ano ba ang purpose ng courting?" she returned. "Hindi ba para makilala n'yo ang isa't isa? To see if things will work out between you two? Kung sure ka naman na sa feelings mo, then sagutin mo na. Wala naman sa haba 'yan ng panliligaw."

"Girl, huwag muna!" Ianne chimed in.

Napatingin siya rito. "Bakit?"

"Hintayin mo munang mag-November 1 para sakto. Tutal nagsimula naman kayo dahil akala mo siya si ghoster," she chuckled. "Chour lang! Gora na para naman lumayag na ang ship ko, aba!"