Shattered Lanes

Who Do You Like?

[Eve's POV]

"Yung panga mo, Lea, pakipulot."

"Baka matunaw si Cy niyan, Lea."

Napangisi kaming dalawa ni Pierce habang tinutukso namin si Lea. Nakaawang kasi ang mga labi nito habang titig na titig kay Cy sa 'di kalayuan.

"Hindi mo pa ba nasasabi sa kanya? Ilang taon mo na siyang crush, ah." Ani ko.

"Paano ko sasabihin sa kanya? Eh, hindi nga niya ako pinapansin." Nguso niya

"Baka kasi nahihiya rin siya sayo kasi crush ka rin niya." Si Pierce.

"Sa tingin mo ba, gusto rin niya ako?"

Napakagat ako ng labi habang palihim na sumulyap kay Eion. Bahagyang nakakunot ang noo nito habang nakatitig kay Lea.

"Siguro, bakit hindi–"

"Ayy, Lea, huwag kang magpapaniwala diyan. Niloloko ka lang niya, walang alam yan sa mga lalaki."

Napabusangot kaming lahat dahil sa pagsulpot ni Ron. He took a quick glance at Eion before facing Lea with a playful smile.

"Epal mo talaga. Tintanong ko lang kung may chance ba ako kay Cy."

"Ilang taon mo nang crush, it's obvious that he doesn't likes–"

"Isang sabat mo pa, tatamaan ka talaga sa akin." Banta sa kanya ni Pierce dahilan para mabilis niyang tinikom ang kanyang mga labi.

"Come on, Pierce. Masasaktan lang si Lea kung patuloy mo siyang kukunsintihin. She's still 16, I bet she'll find someone else."

Napayuko si Lea dahil sa sinabi ni Eion. Lahat kami ay napatahimik. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa ni Pierce at tanging isang bagay lang ang naglalaro sa isip namin.

He's jealous. Eion is freaking jealous. Hindi niya diretsahang inamin sa amin o narinig man lang sa bibig niya na gusto niya si Lea, but we know it better than anyone else what he truly feels. Matagal na naming napapansin.

Sinubukan namin siyang tuksuhin ni Pierce pero sinuway kami ni Ron. Ron knows Eion better than anyone else. Magkaklase sila nung elementary at sinabihan niya kami na huwag naming ipaalam ang bagay na iyun kay Lea.

Naiintindihan naman namin. Kapag tinukso namin si Lea ay tiyak kong pagtatawanan lang niya kami at sasabihing imposible ang bagay na iyun, maririnig ni Eion at masasaktan si Eion.

"May nanligaw noon sayo diba, Lea? Nung nakaraang summer?" Pierce asked to break the silence.

"Yeah, but I turned him down."

"Agad-agad? Kawawa naman si boy. Ba't naman ni-reject mo siya?"

"Simple, he's not Theo Cyrus De Jesus." Parang mawawalan ako ng hininga dahil sa bahagyang pag-alab ng apoy sa mga mata ni Eion. Bagay na napansin naming lahat maliban kay Lea.

"Torete mo naman, girl." Pilit na sambit namin ni Pierce para lang may masabi.

"Everyone is unique, Ley. You don't expect to find another guy who will look like Cy, dress like him or even talk like him." Turan ni Eion. I want to agree with him, but she's Lea and no one can ever change her views especially when it comes to Cy.

"Exactly my point. Si Cy lang ang lalaking kaya kong mahalin."

.

"You should just let him be, that's his choice." Ani Jacon nung kinuwento ko sa kanya ang tungkol kay Eion at Lea.

"Lea is so naive, bukambibig nito palagi si Cy. Parang ako 'yung nasasaktan para kay Eion. Well, nasasaktan nga ako, how much more ang sakit na nararamdaman niya?" Napanguso ako habang pinapanood siyang hilutin ang mga paa ko na nakapatong sa hita niya.

Nakaupo kaming dalawa sa mahabang bench sa may waiting area ng Lighthouse. Walang masyadong tao, tanging mga regulars lang ang naglalaro. Our position is quite awkward, nahihiya ako dahil sa pasulyap-sulyap ng ibang mga empleyado but Jacob insisted.

"Eion is strong, I can say that. Maybe Eion is worried that his love for Lea would ruin their friendship."

"Yeah, ganoon din ang naisip ko. Eion is tough and all, but he's a broken man. I'm worried about him, Jacob. I don't know when he'll keep this up, it's been four years."

"Hey, don't worry about it. You said yourself that he's tough. He can handle it and if he can't, he knows that he has you and Ron and Pierce." Jacob gave me a tight squeeze on my knee and a warm smile, a smile that can diminish all my doubts.

Napatitig ako sa kanya at wala sa sarili siyang tinanong. "Have you been in love?"

Ngumisi siya at humugot ng malalim na hininga bago dahan-dahang binaba ang mga paa ko dahilan para mapaayos din ako ng upo.

"Well, it can't be called love but I did care for her. She is an ex, a lover I had way back in high school. She comforts me during times I needed someone, but my feelings doesn't go deeper. It's just comfort we shared, nothing else." Tumatango-tango ako habang nakikinig sa kanya. That's the reason why I like him so much. He's just genuine and honest with his words.

"What about you?"

"Hmm? Me?"

"Yeah, have you ever like someone?"

I was tongue-tied when he asked. My mouth was halfway open, wanting to say something but can't. How can I even possibly say that it is him that I like?

"Hey, ayos ka lang?"

"Y-yeah."

He chuckled after seeing the look in my face. I'm f*****g blushing just thinking of how much I like him. Does he even have any idea?

"I guess you still haven't like anyone yet." Napatitig ako sa kanya nung magsalita siya. "Or maybe there are too many names to mention, eh?"

I awkwardly smiled. Pierce and Lea would always scold me for liking every man I just met, but Jacob is different. So different. Like he's one in a million and I don't think I can ever let him go.

"Y-you see, Jacob..." Unti-unting humina ang boses ko at bahagya akong nanginig. Naging seryoso ang mukha niya at lumapit sa akin para mas lalo akong marinig.

"Yeah? Ano 'yun?"

Kagat-labi akong napapikit ng ilang segundo bago ko sinabi sa kanya ang mga salitang nagpapakati sa dila ko.

"I like you, Jacob." Sa sobrang bilis ng pagkakasabi ko ay hindi ko na alam kung naiintindihan niya 'yun. I just found myself running away from the Lighthouse after stealing a kiss from him.