Chapter 26
1033 Words
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. I lost grip of the bag of popcorn and watched in horror as it plummeted to the floor in slow motion, like the last ounce of dignity I had left. Nooo! Pero wala na, too late. Nabuksan 'yung bag. Kalat na. Parang puso kong hindi handa sa nangyayari.
I blinked. Several times. Parang ginugulo ako ng multo, or baka ito na 'yung sinasabi nilang academic hallucinations from lack of sleep. Finals week did that to you.
But no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that Andrè Ladezma wasn’t real—that the guy I emailed a barely coherent confession to wasn’t here in my living room—he was still here.
Tall. Stupidly attractive. Holding a carry-on. Looking very real.
"Did you... did you miss your flight to go here?" I croaked, like a frog na may sore throat.
He didn’t even flinch.
He stayed right there.
And the worst part? Kahit malayo siya, he was still making me feel things I had no business feeling while looking like a basang sisiw who rolled out of bed.
"Yes," he said.
"Because...?"
"You don’t email something like that and expect me to get on a 14-hour flight,” he said, taking one step forward na para bang may imaginary violin sa background. “I need clarifications, Maricon.”
Lord, bakit ngayon?! I panicked. My hands were shaking as I reached for the nearest glass of water. Tanggal mask. s**t. Of all days, ngayon pa talaga!
Wala akong makeup. Sticky pa ‘yung face ko from the moisturizing mask I forgot to rinse. My hair was in a bun na parang sinabunutan ng hangin. Oversized white shirt. Boyleg shorts. Basically, ‘yung itsura mong hindi mo ipapakita kahit sa crush mong tricycle driver nung high school.
“Wait, mag-aayos lang ako—”
“We have to talk now.”
“Five minutes—”
“Maricon, I ditched my flight for you.”
BOOM. Parang may sumabog sa utak ko.
Napahinto ako sa pagtayo. Natigilan. Did he just say—?
I stared at him. His face was serious. TOO serious. And let me tell you, Andrè Ladezma was NEVER serious. Kaya nakakagulat. At nakakainis. Kasi bakit siya ganyan ngayon?!?
“B-bakit hindi ka na lang nagreply sa email?”
“My hands were shaking when I read the email. I couldn’t type, Maricon.”
HEIN?! Putangina, bakit ganun kalakas? Para bang may nanalo sa Lotto!
He took another step. Lord...
“C-call?”
“I did. Your phone’s dead.”
Shet. Oo nga. Naka-deadbat ako kasi naglaro ako ng Farmville for stress relief.
I looked at myself and felt a full-on breakdown coming. Hindi ko in-expect na makikita ko siya ngayon! I thought may two-month grace period pa ako! I wasn’t mentally or emotionally or physically prepared!
“Andrè…” I said. “Okay, we’ll talk... but can you give me five minutes para mag-ayos lang ako?”
Kumunot ang noo niya. “You look fine.”
“I look like s**t!”
Tumayo ako, dumerecho sa kwarto ko with the speed of light. I grabbed the first decent clothes I could find—maong shorts, plain black shirt. Wiped my face, brushed my hair, dabbed some lip tint like my life depended on it.
Nang lumabas ako, ayun siya. Nakaupo sa couch like this was HIS living room. Nakatingin lang. Parang siya pa 'yung may karapatang manghusga. Unbelievable.
"Can we talk now?" tanong niya.
I nodded and slowly sat beside him. Unfortunately, my tiny couch offered zero emotional distance. I was about five inches away from his entire presence.
Tahimik.
Dead air. Uncomfortable air. Awkward air. Aircon lang ang kalmado.
“Paano mo nabasa ‘yung email?” I asked.
“I was checking the details of my flight.”
Tangina naman, email gods, bakit ngayon pa?!
“What the hell was that, Maricon?”
Okay, deep breath.
“That was… me asking if…”
My tongue refused to cooperate.
“If I like you?” he offered. Confidently. As if may script siya at ako 'yung nasa blind audition.
I turned to him, shocked. HUY. Ako ‘yung dapat mang-bulat!
He was looking straight at me. This smug idiot.
“Yeah. Do you?”
He c****d his head. “What do you think?”
I clenched my fists. Okay. Think. Think. This was just another late-night convo. Hypothetical. No stakes. Except my entire heart.
“I think… malandi ka lang talaga.”
He grinned. Like the evil he was.
“Maricon, when was the last time you saw me flirt?”
“Kahapon!”
“With whom?”
“Lily.”
“She’s like my sister.”
“Ew! Bakit ka close sa kanya then?!”
“Because… she’s family. Also…” he looked at me meaningfully, “she’s a lesbian.”
I blinked.
He added, “We both like women. Just... not in the same way.”
I squinted at him. “But she’s—”
“Hot?” he finished. “Yeah, because apparently, all lesbians should have buzz cuts and wear combat boots? Stop stereotyping, Maricon.”
Hinampas ko siya ng throw pillow. “Wala akong sinabing ganyan!”
He laughed. Laughed! Putangina ng tawa niya, nakakakilig pa rin!
“You’re jealous,” he smirked.
“I AM NOT!”
“Sure ka?”
I kept hitting him with the pillow. I looked insane. He looked... amused. And like he was falling in love with me. Damn him.
Nang napagod ako, I saw him staring at me again.
“Pagod ka na? Pwede na tayong mag-usap ulit?”
I glared. He poured me water like he wasn’t being a life-ruiner.
“Do you like me?” he asked.
“Do you like me?”
He raised a brow. “What do you think?”
I bit my lip. “I think… you like me as a friend.”
He laughed again. “I’m amazed at how hard you’re working to convince yourself we’re just friends.”
“But we are just friends!”
“Maybe for you.”
“Andrè!”
“Maricon.”
“Do you seriously like me?!”
- Writer
