The Case of Falling For You

Chapter 11

Since andito na rin ang codal niya, sabay kaming nag-aral. He sat on the floor, ako sa couch. Tahimik lang. Narealize ko, he's memorizing kasi he's gently tapping his fingers sa coffee table. Lagi niyang ginagawa ‘yan kapag may kinaka-cram siya.

I was deep into Article-what-ever of the Revised Penal Code when BRRRRRR nag-vibrate ang phone ko.

I gasped. OMG. OMG. OMG!

"OH MY GOD!" sigaw ko.

"What?" tanong ni André, not even looking up.

Hinampas ko siya. "Nagtext si Pablo!" sabay pakita ng message: Hi, it’s Pablo.

"ANO’NG IREREPLY KO?!" tanong ko, borderline hysterical. Hindi siya sumagot. "André? Ikaw magaling sa ganito, e! HELP!"

Nakita ko siya nag-sigh. Like full sigh. Shoulders dropped and all. "I don’t know how to flirt with old guys, Maricon."

"HATER KA TALAGA." Inirapan ko siya. "He's only seven years older than us! Di naman siya lolo!"

"He’s still old."

"Ugh, inggitera," I whispered, habang pinindot ang reply. My hands were shaking, parang ako si Katniss bago pumasok sa arena.

After a few messages, sobrang distracted ko na. Di na ako makapagbasa. I was waiting every second for the ‘typing…’ bubble!

"Magbasa ka kaya," sabi ni André, nang makita niya akong nakanganga at tulala sa phone.

"Can’t."

"Tapos magrereklamo ka na mababa grade mo?"

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my codal. "Oo na po, Teacher André!" sabay kunwari seryoso.

Pero hindi pa nga ako umaabot sa Article 52.1, nagtext ulit si Pablo: Come by the bar tonight?

"OH MY GOSH…" sabi ko habang nakatitig sa phone.

André looked up. "What now?"

"May pasok pa bukas…" sabi ko, mentally weighing between constitutional law and possibly getting kissed by Pablo.

This was clearly a dilemma of national interest.

I didn’t know if André peeked at my phone again, pero pakiramdam ko talaga may sixth sense siya. Or maybe may hidden CCTV siya sa screen ko.

“Are you even seriously considering it, Maricon?” tanong niya, while staring at me like I’d just confessed na balak kong i-drop lahat ng subjects ko para lang sumali sa reality show.

“Hindi, ah… Syempre, school muna…” sabi ko, trying my best mag-sound convincing kahit yung utak ko ay nagpa-party na with Pablo’s text.

“Good. I thought you’d gone crazy for a second there.”

“Pero punta tayo sa Saturday?” singit ko, medyo pa-cute. Like, just in case gusto rin niya makita kung legit nga bang may happy hour si Pablo o happy trap lang.

“He’s asking you to go there?” tanong niya, and I nodded. Nag-roll eyes siya so hard akala ko maa-out-of-socket. “Bakit. Nagpapataas lang yata ng sales si Pablo sa bar niya.”

Hinampas ko siya sa braso. “Ang hater mo! Sobrang supportive ko sa mga kalandian in life mo. Maging supportive ka naman kaya sa akin minsan!”

Nagkunwari siyang walang naririnig. Deadma king. Kalaban ng progress. I tried to study again, but every time na mag-vibrate phone ko, parang automatic reaction—TINGIN! Tapos balik sa libro, then TINGIN ULIT! Nakaka-frustrate! I wanted to study pero para akong participant sa isang texting Olympics!

“Aalis ka na?” I asked when André stood up na parang gusto nang iwanan ang energy ko sa paligid.

“Let’s go,” sabi niya.

Kumunot noo ko. “Saan?”

“Outside. Leave your phone. ’Di ka makapag-aral, kanina ka pa tingin nang tingin,” sermon niya na parang siya na si Professor Ladezma na nabuhay sa anyo ng masungit kong kaibigan.

Nagpout ako. “Paano kung may important text? Like announcement sa school? Or si Pablo magyaya mag-eloping?”

He raised his phone like Excalibur. “I’ll bring mine. Okay na? May tanong ka pa?”

Umiling ako. Diyos ko, ang sungit niya talaga. Kung may period week din ang lalaki, ito na ang day 2 ni André—ang pinakamasakit, pinaka-emotional na araw! Buti na lang pogi siya, at buti na lang siya lang kaibigan ko ngayon, kundi ewan ko na.

At hindi pa doon nagtatapos ang pagiging paranoid ni André. Nag-check pa siya ng bag ko! As in legit binuklat niya! Hello? Privacy? Data privacy act? Anong silbi ng batas kung may ganitong human surveillance sa bahay?

“Lakad lang tayo?” I asked when we reached the lobby at hindi man lang siya nag-abala na pumunta sa parking. Pinili niya pang masunog ang calories namin.

He nodded. “There’s a coffee shop near here, about 20 minutes walk,” he said, then tumingin sa akin. “Mabigat ba? You want me to carry those?”

Umiling ako. Kahit totoo namang mabigat, ayoko na magmukhang damsel in distress. Besides, may bitbit din siyang codal, so quits lang kami. Pero noted sa puso ko, ‘yung concern niya. Bonus pogi points.

Tahimik siya the whole walk. Like, tahimik ta-himik. Parang pinatay ang volume ng buong mundo pero may built-in sadness filter. I wanted to poke him and go, “Hoy, sinong nanapak sa’yo?” pero baka kasi may pinagdadaanan talaga siya. We all have our emo episodes, ‘di ba?

But lowkey, I missed the happy André. The one who made dumb comments sa middle ng lecture or randomly quoted Santiago cases like pick-up lines.

Pagdating namin sa coffee shop, puno. As in siksikan. Feeling ko nasa concert ako ng mga caffeine addicts. Nag-antay pa kami ng ilang minutes bago may nag-stand up at literal kaming nagmusical chairs para makaupo.

“Ako na oorder,” sabi ko kasi grabe na ang pagiging stone cold niya today.

“I got this,” sagot niya. Pshh. Hindi ba siya pwedeng ngumiti man lang ng konti? Or mag-wink? Parang ang lamig niya today, baka may sipon.

So ayan, I set up our study things habang hinihintay ko siya. In fairness, dala ko ‘yung bookstand ko pero mas gusto ko talaga ‘yung kay André kasi may page holder. My stand? Trash. Waste of money. Puro aesthetic, walang function.

Pagbalik niya, he placed my drink in front of me. “Caramel Macchiato with double shot espresso,” sabi niya, as if binasa niya ‘yung soul ko. ‘Yung pagka-bossy niya sa coffee order ko? Iconic. Parang galit siya sa tamis pero galit din siya kapag kulang sa caffeine.

I was happily sipping habang siya naman ay memorizing na, with his signature light drum sa table gamit ang daliri. Like a jazz musician na nag-aabang ng bar exam.

I tried to study too, but OMG the noise. Ang ingay! May tumatawa, may nagpi-picture, may nagpa-facemask session ata sa kabilang table!

Napatingin sa akin si André. I looked back. His eyes asked, “Ano na naman?”

“Ang ingay,” reklamo ko.

He reached for his bag and handed me his earpods. “Is it okay if I choose the song?” tanong niya.

I nodded. Honestly, kahit death metal pa ‘yan, okay na basta mawala lang ‘yung background noise ng dalawang babae sa tabi naming nagmi-midnight chismisan.

Sinuot ko ‘yung earpods. He was fiddling with his phone, then—

WUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH

Napakunot noo ako. What the heck is this? Am I in an arena? May live concert ba dito? Tinanggal ko agad ‘yung earpods.

“Ano’ng klaseng tugtog ’to?!” tanong ko. May moment na parang naramdaman kong may spotlight sa ulo ko.

“8D,” sagot niya. “I’ll turn the volume max para hindi ka ma-distract sa ingay.”

He placed his phone on the table and just smiled like a smug genius. Gusto ko pa sanang mag-comment, pero no complaints. The song was surprisingly relaxing. May surround sound feel, like bumibiyahe ‘yung boses sa tenga ko!

Habang tuloy ang buhay niya sa pagbabasa, ako naman—mid-song craving kicked in. Tumayo ako and fell in line, bought a slice of chocolate cake. Kailangan ko ng sugar support sa emotional trauma ko lately.

“Ano ‘to?” tanong niya nang makita ang plate.

“Thanks,” sabi ko, inabot ko sa kanya. “You’re like my savior.”

Ngumiti siya, finally. Parang nakita ko na ulit ‘yung André na kilala ko.

“It’s nothing,” sagot niya.

“It’s not nothing,” sabi ko, seryoso this time. “Do you know how many assholes there are in the world? Thanks for not being one of them.”

Tahimik siya, pero ngumiti. One of those real smiles, ‘yung hindi pilit. ‘Yung tipong warm and safe. And for a moment, I forgot na may Pablo nga pala sa picture.

“Thanks, Maricon,” sagot niya habang kinukuha ‘yung cake.

I smiled back. “No problem, André.”

He might be the crankiest study buddy ever, pero he’s officially my law school best friend. And the way he treats people, especially me—even in my most pabebe, unhinged state—made me wonder…

Who needs Pablo when André brings cake and 8D music?