Never Again

Chapter 4

"Sy, may naghahanap sayo!"

I dropped my headphones and rolled my eyes heavenwards. Pag sila Jelai ito malilintikan ko talaga sila. If not, then who could it be? Bumaba ako galing sa kwarto at nadatnan si Chile na naglalaro ng Animal Crossing sa sala. Napairap ako ulit sa kawalan, kaya pala hindi nakapaghugas. What a lazy bum.

It's already Five PM in the afternoon and the clouds are acting mad. After opening the door, natanaw ko si Mat na nakatayo sa labas ng gate namin. What is he doing here? I don't know why I felt nervous all of a sudden.

"Naparito ka?" I looked around behind him, baka sumama sila Jelai at pakana nila ito.

"Ano kasi..." He scratched his flushed ears and fished out something in his back pocket. "Isasauli ko lang, you dropped this the other day..." He showed me my familiar pastel handkerchief. Oh right, I remember, akala ko namisplace ko 'to.

What should I say? "Uh, thank you?" Napakamot ako sa aking noo. Well, this is awkward.

The skies started to rumble that made the both of us looked up in the gloomy heavens. Nagsimula nang magpatakan ang mga ulan.

"Ah, shit..." I heard Mat cursed silently. Ngayon ko lang din napansin na wala siyang dalang payong.

"Why are you two standing there? Sy, papasukin mo ang bisita mo. Lalakas pa ang ulan!" Mom called from the window with her brows arching. Nagkatinginan kami ni Mat at sabay na napatawa ng bahagya.

"Pasok ka muna..." I muttered, opening the gate. Iginiya ko siya papunta sa pintuan, the skies roared again. I don't know what to feel at the moment, first time kong magkakabisita ng lalake na hindi kilala ni mama.

Mostly from student council lang talaga ang pumupunta rito. Including the boys.

"Ma, si Ate hindi pa nilalabhan ang panty niya!" Chile shouted while playing animal crossing the moment we entered our living room.

"Gago!" I didn't think twice and threw her the nearest pillow I saw. My face was furiously blushing. Ang baho talaga ng bunganga niya! Mas lalo akong namula sa hiya nang marinig ang mahinang tawa ni Mat galing sa aking likod.

"Oooh, it's kuya bike!" Chile exclaimed and waved her hand to Mat who's smiling from ear to ear. "Maaa! Jowa ni ate nandito—"

"Hindi ah!" Mat and I denied in unison. Chile laughed hysterically again after seeing our uncanny reaction. Ang dami ko nang kahihiyan sa harap ni Mat!

"Chile, nakakahiya ka talaga," Mama came out from the kitchen, holding a spatula that was about to land on my sister's butt. "Maghugas ka muna, pabayaan mo sila, ikaw talaga." Nakita ko ang pagkurot ni Mama sa kaniyang teynga at sabay na silang pumunta sa kusina, leaving us behind.

"U-upo ka muna?" I pointed the chair. He nodded and sat comfortably on our couch.

Umupo na rin ako sa kaniyang tabi, atleast a meter away. "Your Mom seems nice..." He complimented after the long tortorous of silence.

I cleared my throat, placing both of my hands on my legs. "She's always like that," Mabuti nalang at wala si Papa. Even though he's not my real father, he's still my role father. Talagang tatanungin niya si Mat ng samu't saring mga tanong. I couldn't handle that if ever. Too embarassing.

"I guess mamaya pa ako makakauwi..." Mat trailed off, gazing outside the window. The heavy rain was still pouring outside. I doubt it will stop soon.

Nagkasalubong ang aming mga tingin, I blatantly averted my eyes, I gulped hard to ease my trembling nerves. Of course I will react like this! Una, nasa bahay namin siya. Pangalawa, we're not close. Pangatlo, his presence is too heavy to ignore.

Dumungaw si Mama sa amin. She was looking at us funnily. She must have noticed the awkward tension between us.

"Kids, kakain na... dito ka nalang kumain, hijo." She served Mat with her homey smile that made Mat nodded instantly. Close na sila kaagad dahil doon? Mas umuna pa sa paglalakad si Mat, sinundan ko nalang siya. I heard Chile singing some Korean songs like a chimpanzee, Mom didn't even budge to mind her, si Mat naman ay natatawa sa pagkanta ni Chile.

"Bakit ka pala napunta sa labas kanina, Hijo?" Mom asked. Nasa hapagkainan na kami, and here is Mom who's asking questions to Mat like a reporter. Don't tell me naniwala siya kay Chile na jowa ko si Mat?

"Mattias po Tita, isinauli ko lang po ang gamit ni Sy..."

I focused eating, bahala na sila riyan. Ang iniisip ko nalang ay kung kailan matatapos itong ulan para makuwi na 'tong bisita ko. The more he stays here, the more Chile will spread false rumors around the house, or worse sa buong angkan pa.

"Hindi ka naman ata jowa ni Sy?"

Literal akong nabilaukan sa tanong ni Mama. Chile snickered beside me, inapakan ko ang kaniyang paa para matapos na siya kaka ano sa akin.

Mat chuckled lightly, as if he was hearing the question like a joke. "No po," Mat politely denied. Nakahinga ako nang maluwag doon kaso dinagdagan pa ng kupal.

"But if pwede ko siyang ligawan, why not?" He grinned. Silang tatlo ay napatawa sa kaniyang sinabi. Napahapo nalang ako sa aking noo at tahimik na umiling-iling. He's crazy. He's out of his mind.

"Alam mo, you should stay here for the night. Halatang hindi matitigil ang ulan ngayong gabi. Umuwi ka nalang bukas sa umaga." Mama suggested.

How cruel. I wanted to disagree.

"I guess I don't have a choice? Okay lang naman po ata?"

Yeah, right. I am now throwing sarcastic glances at Mat.

"Yey! movie marathon tayong tatlo kuya, ate loves horror movies!" Chile chimed in, muntik na niyang masaboy sa akin ang iniinom na tubig.

"I am not into horror m—"

"Sure, conjuring?" Mat cut off my sentence.

Sure enough, they forced me to watch a horror movie. Chile purposely did it, her hobby is to embarass me in front of Mat. Malaki talaga ang pasasalamat ko na wala si Papa ngayon, he's out of town to manage his small businesses. Kahit ikatlong horror movie na itong pinapanuod namin ay hindi pa rin ako inaantok.

Most days I sleep early, but with Mat around? no. I am really a freak right now, kahit man lang pagpaalam na matulog ay hindi ko masabi. This whole situation is getting so cringe. But my subconsious mind lowkey liked it. Urgh.

"Okay ka lang? You look tense," Sambit ni Mat. Hindi ako lumingon at ipinagpatuloy lang ang panunuod sa TV. Nasa part na kung saan ipinagsaksak ni chucky ang mga bata.

Kumportable kaming nakaupo rito sa sala habang nakapatay ang mga ilaw.

"I'm cool, don't mind me."

"Hindi ka pa ba matutulog?" He asked again. "Si Chile nakatulog na, you still have a training tomorrow..."

Bumaling ako sa humihilik na si Chile. She's knocked out. Nasa tiyan niya ang bowl ng popcorns, nasa gitna siya namin ni Mat.

"Tatapusin ko lang," Sagot ko. Ha, sino ang niloloko mo, Sy? Alas dose na ng gabi.

"Hindi ba magagalit ang boyfriend mo?" He uttered. That caught my whole attention and faced him with my dumbfounded face. Pinagsasabi nito?

"Wala akong boyfriend, Mat. Everyone knows that." The Student Council President is single. Nagawan pa nga ako ng issue dahil diyan.

Tumingin ako ulit sa TV. This horror movie is boring. Mas gusto ko pa manuod ng star wars or Korean Dramas. Hindi ako magsasawang uulit-ulitin ang descendants of the sun.

"Hey, Sy,"

I hummed, waiting for him to say more.

"If I ask you out, papayag ka ba?" He asked, almost a whisper. I caught him staring at me with his soft gaze.

"H-hatdog ka, paano napunta rito ang usapan?" I faked a scoff. Para akong mabubulunan. Tila may nakabara sa aking lalamunan.

He shrugged his shoulder. "I'm just asking."

Good. As if naman talagang manliligaw 'to. Ha-Ha. Pero kung hindi niya liligawan ang isang napakagandang ako, e 'di it's his loss.

He groaned. "Can we watch p**n instead?" Nakangising-aso niyang itinaas-baba ang kaniyang kilay, halatang nang-aasar.

I scooped the popcorn and throw it on his face. "Definitely not, idiot."

Inirapan ko siya habang tahimik siyang tumatawa sa gilid. Talagang nakalimutan ko na na may training pa ako bukas.

***

Naalimpungatan ako dahil may kung sino mang nilalang ang yumogyog sa aking katawan. I still didn't open my eyes, dude I'm still sleepy.

"Sy," Someone whispered. I moaned in frustration and s***k its hands that were trying to wake me up.

"Sy, gumising ka," Pagtatawag nito ulit. The strange part was that his voice sound really familiar. Saan ko ulit iyon narinig?

As if he had read my mind, "Si Mat 'to kaya gumising ka—"

"Okay, fine, dude. Chill." My voice croaked. I almost forgot that Mat's in my Fort. Umupo ako ng maayos dahil sumasakit ang aking likod. Right, I fell asleep after Mat kept on rambling about his club. Hindi ko na nga matandaan ang pinagsasabi niya.

I checked the time in my phone and sighed loudly. "Mat, it's still three in the morning. Bakit ba?"

The light from his phone illuminated his drowsy face. May ipinagpipindot siya sa kaniyang phone bago ito ipinakita sa akin. "Wala nang ulan, and see what's the article all about..." He explained.

I grabbed his phone in annoyance and read what the article is all about. Wala akong maintindihan, It's in english and my mind is still in haywire. It wanted to snooze.

"Ano 'yan?" I yawned, tinakpan ko ang aking bibig para hindi niya mababaho ang aking hininga na parang patay na daga.

"Meteor Shower daw. Let's go and see if it is true..."

Itinapat ko sa kaniya ang ilaw galing sa aking phone. "Nababaliw ka na ba?" I scoffed. Tumayo siya at ininat-inat ang manggas ng kaniyang damit. I carefully stood up, making sure that Chile won't wake up by my movement.

"Ginising mo ako dahil lang doon?"

Naglakad siya papunta sa main door at binuksan ang lock nito. True enough, wala na ngang ulan. The cold wind embraced me, I shivered silently. He excitedly lifted his head like a kid. Hindi pa ba siya nakakakita ng meteor shower?

"Tingnan mo, Sy," He pointed the night sky. I stilled, unable to move. Napako ang aking tingin at namamangha sa aking nakita. Mat wasn't lying about the meteor shower thing!

"Woah..." I gasped in awe. Ang bibilis ng paggalaw ng mga bituin. I couldn't even count all of them. It was swiftly moving in the cold and calm skies.

"Enticing isn't it?" He muttered.

I couldn't agree more. "It's gorgeous."

My Grandma once said that if you ever got a chance to see a shooting star, you can wish and it will be granted. Now is the time to do that. Ipinagsalikop ko ang aking mga kamay, pressing my eyes shut.

I cited my wish inside my mind, hoping it will become real.

"Yeah, it's gorgeous," Narinig kong bulalas ni Mat sa aking tabi.

I opened my eyes and turned around to face him. Our eyes locked as if some heavenly force is chanted on us.

"It's gorgeous..." He repeated, looking at me with his dilated eyes.

Did he meant the meteor shower?

or...

me?