Into the Spotlight

Chapter 13

"Huh?" 'Yon na lang ang natanong niya.

I don't want to assume that he's acting clingy just to make up with me because he's constantly avoiding my questions and diverting the topic to me. But honestly, I can't think of any reason kung bakit ang clingy niya ngayon.

I shook my head and sighed. "Wala, wala. Nevermind."

"Ah." he only nodded his head at patuloy sa pagtingin-tingin sa mga nakasabit na picture frames. That's what's odd about him today. He keeps on acting as if ngayon lang siya nakapasok sa bahay.

Bigla siyang lumingon sa akin. Biglaan kaya medyo nagulat pa ako. "Let's go out tomorrow!"

"Ha?" takang tanong ko. "Tayo, aalis? Saan tayo pupunta?"

"Depends on the amount of homework you have." he said then shrugged.

Napaisip naman ako at binilang sa ulo ko kung ilan ang homework na kailangan kong tapusin. "Isang essay lang na nakalahati ko na kanina. I can do that overnight by the way. Besides, we aren't allowed to take home school works on weekends kaya sabi ng prof namin ay sa Wednesday pa ang pasahan."

"Sky Ranch."

My eyes widened as I tried to process what he just said in my mind. I mean I'm okay with going to Tagaytay but the thought of us being alone somehow makes me feel awkward, I don't know why. Hindi naman ako ganito before. Actually, nagroadtrip na kami sa Tagaytay nang kaming dalawa lang just this year. How odd. Maybe because he's courting someone already tapos ako ang niyayaya niya.

"Oh." I tried to act cool with the plan. "So.. Sino-sino, tayo lang ba? Don't you want the others to come?"

Mukha siyang nag-alinlangan pero nilabas na rin niya ang phone niya mula sa kanyang bulsa. "Pwede. I can call Chris and Earl, you can call the girls?"

"I'll talk to them later!" Agap ko. Naalala ko kasi na kailangan kong kausapin si Ryan nang masinsinan because to be honest, something seems wrong here.

I watched him as he got his phone from his pocket and started dialling a number. Probably Chris' number.

"Hello." kunot-noo niyang bungad. "We're going to Sky Ranch tomorrow. Ploy is asking me to invite you as well."

Agad ko siyang siniko at pinandilatan ng mata. "Tell them that you want them to come, too!"

"Ow! Oo na!" he whined. "Do you want to come? Yes. Of course. Uh, isn't that obvious? You can't come? And Earl, too? Oh, so you're together. That's too bad. Okay next time. I'm hanging up now, bye bro."

After hanging up, he tossed his phone on the table and shrugged. Sumandal siya sa sofa at tumingin sa akin. "I tried. Earl is asking for Chris' help in a project tomorrow."

I can't understand what Chris is saying because all I hear are muffled words but it's pretty obvious the he and Earl can't come. So my only hopes are Ryan, Jian and Pat. Mamaya ko na lang sila kakausapin.

"By the way." napatingin ako sa kanya nang bigla siyang magsalita. "Are you done with that project?"

Saglit pa akong nag-loading sa tanong niya then I suddenly remembered that project. "Ah, yeah."

"And who helped you with that?" he asked, raising a brow. When I told you he's being clingy, this is what I meant. "You're not that good in drawing."

Napanganga ako at nahampas siya nang mahina, nanlalaki pa ang mga mata ko. "Anak ng— nakaka-offend ka, ah!"

"Ow, hahaha!" he was just laughing and avoiding me while I kept on throwing him some punches. "I'm not lying! You said that yourself, have you already forgotten?"