Chapter Three

Narating namin ang McDonald's ng mga seven twenty o'clock. Sinabihan ko s'yang male-late kaming dalawa sa school pero 'di s'ya nakinig. Sinabi n'ya lang sa akin na nagugutom na s'ya at kung ano ang gusto kong kainin habang nakatingin sa menu.

'Kahit ano na lang sa akin.' Sagot ko na may pag-aalinlangan.

'You sure? Baka may gusto kang kanainin.' He made sure.

'W-wala naman.' I bit my lip at umiwas ng tingin sa kanya. 'Kahit ano na lang.'

He nodded. 'Hanap ka na lang ng mauupoan  natin.'

I am about to get my wallet but he stopped me. 'Ako na ang magbabayad. My treat.' All he said. Tumango na lang ako at umiwas sa pagtingin n'ya sa akin.

'Sige.' I paused and shifted from where I am standing. 'Ummm... I'll go find us a seat.' Umalis na ako at humanap ng maupoan.

I found a seat beside the glass window. Umupo ako at binuksan ang cellphone ko. Agad kong tinawagan si Ivy. And thank God she answered right away.

'Nasaan ka?' Pagbubungad sa akin ni Ivy.

'Mcdo.' I answered curtly.

'Late na kayo, ah.' She giggled.

'First date?' She added in a teasing tone.

'Gusto mong mahampas pagdating namin d'yan sa school. Makikita mo. Mahahampas kita.'

'Ito naman 'di mabiro.'

'This is all your fault. I can't be myself with him. Tapos kanina sa kotse—' She squealed, making my ears hurt.

'OMG! May nangyari na!?' Kahit kailan 'tong babaeng 'to, oo.

'Baka sa'yo may mangyari pag dumating na kami d'yan.' Inis kong saad.

'Hindi talaga mabiro.' Tumawa lang s'ya na ikina-irap ko. 'So what happened?'

'Nothing happened.'

'But there is. Right? Right?' She said as she stretch out the word "right". 'Ano nangyari?'

'He put on my seatbelt.' I said in finality. Kasi alam kong she won't drop the subject.

'Oh. 'Yon lang? Nilagay n'ya lang ang seatbelt sa'yo? Walang halikan na naganap. Smooching smooching? Just putting on your seatbelt?'

'Wala. But it was uncomfortable and awkward.' I said in frustrated tone. I buried my head on the table.

'Well, mukhang nagustuhan mo naman.'

'Oh, I didn't. It was really uncomfortable.'

'What's uncomfortable?' Narinig ko mula sa gilid ko. Napa-angat ako ng ulo at tumngin sa left ko.

'Uh-oh. Is that boyfie.' Pang-aasar ni Ivy.

'He's not!'

'I'm not?' Narinig ko pang nalilitong tanong ni IJ. 'You feel uncomfortable around me? Did I do something wrong to make you uncomfortable?'

'No, not you, IJ. I was talking to Ivy.' Bilis kong sinabi kay IJ as I tried not to look at him.

'Then who are you uncomfortable with?' He asked as I watched him sat down across me. He stared at me intently that I had to look away from him.

'No one.' Agad kong sagot. 'Bye, Ivy.' Sinabi sa kabilang linya.

'Bye, cupcakes. Basta ninang ako, ah.' Sabi n'ya sabay tawa. In-end ko agad ang call at ibinulsa ang cellphone.

IJ cleared his throat. Napatingin ako sa kanya saglit at umiwas din nang makitang tinititigan n'ya ako.

We fell into an awkward silence. Maya maya dumating na 'yong mga pagkain. We both have the same food. A burger and coffee. I hastily took mine, unwrapping the burger and took a small bite.

He cleared his throat again. 'So...' He cleared it again. 'If you want something else, I'll go order it.'

Umiling ako. 'I'm fine with this.' I mumbled after gulped down the food.

'Okay.' Mahina n'yang saad.

And again, we fell into this deafening and awkward silence. Napabuntong-hininga ako at tumingin sa kanya only to see him looking at me too. I looked down at my coffee and took it in between my lips. I took a few sips and placed my cup on the table. Kumagat ako ulit sa burger ko, munching after.

'Bakit mo iniiwasan tingin ko?' I choked pagkatapos kong marinig ang tanong n'ya. 'You okay? Shit. Wait, I'll get water.' Mabilis s'yang umalis para kumuha ng tubig. By the time he came back, buti na lang 'di pa ako namatah due to choking. Agad kong ininom ang tubig and mumbled a, 'Thanks.'

'Sa susunod dahan dahan lang sa pagkain.' Panenermon n'ya. 'What if namatay ka kanina? Ano na lang mangyayari sa mga taong mahal mo at nagmamahal sa'yo?' Dagdag n'ya pa as he rubbed my back.

Little did he know na 'yong tanong n'ya ang rason kung bakit ako na-choke. Napatawa ako ng 'di gaanong malakas.

'Muntikan na ngang mamatay kanina. Tumatawa pa.' Umiling s'ya pero naka-ngiti. 'You really are something.' Umiling ulit s'ya.

'Kumain na tayo. Malapit ng matapos ang first period.' Napatingin ako sa relo ko. Malapit na ngang matapos ang first period. Tumango ako sa sinabi n'ya. 'Dahan dahan sa pagkain. Baka mabulunan ka na naman ulit.' Namula mukha ko at napatango na lang.

We ate silently. Sometimes we talked over random things. Making small laughs here and there. Next thing I know, on the way na kami sa school. As soon as we arrived at school. Pinark n'ya ang kotse sa usual parking spot n'ya.

'Let's go? Baka ma-late pa tayo sa second subject nating dalawa.' Saad n'ya sa akin habang naka-ngiti. I am enthralled by his smile as usual but snapped out of it when I realized I was staring.

'Yeah, let's go.' Saad ko at tumango.

Sabay kaming umalis ng kotse n'ya at sa pagtungo sa classroom namin.

~

'So how was the date, girlfriend?'

Binatukan ko si Ivy nang lingunin ko s'ya sa kinauupoan n'ya.

'Lower your voice. Baka gusto mong may makarinig.' Inis na sabi ko. She smiled toothily at binaling ang tingin sa left side ng room. I groaned, kasi alam ko kung sino tinitingnan n'ya ngayong mga oras na ito.

'He's looking at you.' I blushed and I checked if he was. But he wasn't. This sneaky little bitch.

'I hate you.' I said and glared at her. She grinned and rolled her eyes.

'Tell me. Why do you hate me?'

'Well, first, you ditched me for your boyfriend—'

'He isn't my boyfriend.'

'—second, you let him. HIM. Picked me up for school—'

'Oh, isn't that sweet?'

I rolled my eyes. '—third, because of it, I made a fool out myself. Alam mo bang muntikan na rin akong mamatay kanina?'

'And tell me, please, anong rason kung bakit muntikan ka nang mamatay?' Tinaasan n'ya ako ng kilay. I groaned in annoyance.

'I choked.'

Lumaki ang mga mata n'ya. I stared at her in confusion. Then I realized what I said.

'It isn—' She cut me off by shouting so loud. Buti na lang walang teacher. Mga classmates naman namin ay walang pakealam sa pag sigaw n'ya.

'O to the M to the G!' Pasigaw n'ya. ''Di pa kayo pero naka abot na kayo d'yan. Is he big? Was it good? OMG! Ikaw na ang magaling.' She whispered but loud enough for me to hear.

Namula ang mga pisnge ko sa mga sinabi n'ya. She thought we did "that." There's no way na gagawin namin 'yon. Mabatukan nga itong babaeng 'to.

'Ouch.' Saad n'ya habang hinihipo ang parte kung saan ko s'ya binatukan.

'We. Did. Not. Do. That.' I said to make it clear and I know I'm blushing harder. Tiningnan ko ang pwesto ni IJ, he's talking to a classmate of ours, Nathan. 'I choked on a burger over something he said.'

'He's taking you out on a date?' Her face glowed nang tiningnan ko ang best friend ko. Seriously, kung 'di ko s'ya best friend, baka nahampas ko na 'to ng libro.

'No.' I started writing on my notebook. Kinokopya ko 'yong lesson na na-miss ko kaninang first period. 'No. He isn't taking me out on a date.'

'That suck.' Saad n'ya while checking her polished nails. 'I was hoping for a double date.'

'Well, you aren't having one. So stop hoping' I said irritatedly.

'No need to get pissed. Alam ko na mang gusto mo rin maging ka-date s'ya.'

'Ha ha ha. Tough luck, we will never go out on a date.' I said pointedly. 'Remember, he's been wanting Julie for a long time now. So why bother hoping?'

'You can hope naman. 'Wag lang sobrahan. Ikaw din ang masasaktan.'

She's right though. But I can't help hoping that one day... one day maging kami. Pero hindi naman mangyayari 'yon kasi he will never like me back. I'm just another girl in this school. Just another girl he will think that like him for how he look and the things he could offer with him being the son of the owner of this school.

But no. I don't like him like that. Kahit anong sabihin ko man sa mga tao na gusto ko s'ya bilang s'ya. No one will believe it except those people who knows me enough to say na totoo ang sinasabi ko.

And, I guess, I will only like him from afar.

And, I guess, I will also love him from afar.