Opposite

Chapter 21

"Good morning."

What was good in the morning? Tyson had started to thought what was really good when he saw this person in the very first minutes of his morning.

He was about to act rude again when he remembered of Harlow; they were not okay yet, and if he would try to execute his emotion, they might not talk again anymore.

"Good morning din," he said, trying not to show off his attitude.

"Gising na ba si Harlow?" Farris asked.

Tyson looked at him from the head to the feet. The man was wearing a white plain long sleeve partnered and tucked in with his black slacks. He was so decent, which really matched the culture of his village. Aside from that, he was holding a basket of fruit and a simple bouquet of flowers.

Tyson raised his eyebrows. He thought that Farris was an effortless man, in all fairness. Effortless sa pagiging guwapo, effortless din sa pag-eeffort. Because of that, he could not prevent himself from being jealous and insecure, though he knew he was much better.

Farris asked the same question again when Tyson didn't answer him. For the second time around, he finally had received a response.

After Tyson replied to him, pinapasok din siya nito sa loob ng bahay. He put down the basket of fruits on the table placed at the center, then sat on the sofa, still holding the bouquet.

Tyson, however, went to the room not to wake up Harlow, but to make sure she wasn't waking up yet. When he was sure she was still taking a good sleep, he proceeded to the sala.

"Ginising ko na siya," he said, "pero ayaw niyang magising."

Farris looked at him in disappointment. He was sad to know it from him, seemingly.

"Ayos lang, hintayin ko na lang siguro siyang magising."

"Hindi kasi nagigising 'yon nang maaga, tanghali na 'yon nagigising." Obviously, he was telling a lie.

"Ah, gano'n ba?"

He nodded. "Ikaw rin baka mainip ka."

"Hindi, ayos lang talaga. Basta hintayin ko na lang siya kung anong oras siya magising."

"Eh, baka malanta 'yang mga bulaklak mo?" Tyson asked. "Sayang naman, bro."

Farris smiled. "Matibay ang mga bulaklak na ito, kakapitad lang sa hardin namin, kaya hindi ito basta-basta nalalanta."

"Ay, weh?"

Farris nodded.

"Sana all."

A pucker formed between Farris' eyebrows. He was out of the trend on the Earth, obviously he wasn't used to hear the words "sana all."

Tyson, on the other side, giggled seeing his reaction. Mayamaya ay nagpaalam muna siya sa kaniya na lalabas muna siya saglit para magkape.

The moment he stepped out his foot to the outside, he wandered his eyes up above and gladly looked at the pink skies and clouds like cotton candies.

The cold air breeze touched his skin as he felt the warm aroma of his coffee. For him, it was the best contradiction ever. It was as overwhelming as the warm on cold nights.

Pero habang nasa labas ay hindi pa rin maalis ang isipan niya sa mga puwedeng mangyari sa loob. He thought if Farris was courting Harlow already, pero halata naman kaya hindi na niya kailangang magduda. This was one of the reasons why he hated himself, lagi na lamang siyang nauunahan ng iba sa lahat ng bagay, sa kamatayan lang yata siya nauna.

But seriously he liked Harlow, but he didn't want to do a move. Torpe nga kung matatawag. But, he was just afraid of what would going to happen if he confessed to her. Isa pa, he was sure they did not have the same feelings. So, why waste a time?

Why can't it be?

Why can't it be the two of us?

Why can't we be lovers?

Only friends

A song started running inside his head. Early in the morning and here he was, full of unsaid emotions. Gusto niya mang umamin, hindi niya magawa dahil baka pati friendship nilang dalawa ay masira.

You came along

At the wrong place, at the wrong time

Or was it me?

Maling lugar nga ba? Maling panahon nga ba? Was it wrong they met in the Heallven after life? Or, was it just him who was a wrong person for Harlow?

"Maybe she's for Farris," he whispered in the mid-air before he sipped again his coffee.

Kung bakit ba naman kasi sa dinami-rami ng babae na puwede niyang makilala o matagpuan sa Heallven, si Harlow pa?

Siguro nga tama ang sinasabi ng iba: "You can't stop the feelings you have for someone. You can't lie to yourself either. Your heart knows the truth all too well."

"Feelings are things you have no control over. So, you can't control who you fall for. When you fall for someone, you feel every single emotion. You feel total happiness, sadness, excitement, love, hate, heartbreak, and so much more. When you fall in love, you have to ask yourself: 'Is this person worth it?' Worth all the emotion. Worth the risk of heartbreak. Worth everything."

Truly, emotion is unstoppable.

Before Tyson could drink up all his coffee, he decided to go inside again. He was hoping Harlow didn't wake up yet so she could not see Farris. He thought he was selfish for this, but what could he do?

When he was near to the door and was about to open it, he heard soft chuckles inside. Inilapat niya ang kaniyang tainga sa may pinto upang marinig nang maigi ang nasa loob.

He wasn't mistaken, may mga nagtatawanan nga sa loob.

Kung hindi rin siya nagkakamali, gising na si Harlow at kausap na nito si Farris. His insecurity got even worse. He couldn't remember himself making Harlow happy as much as Farris was doing. Panay inis lamang yata ang naidulot niya sa dalaga.

He opposed himself already. He wasn't better than Farris, thus, Farris was much better than him.

Was he giving up?

He opened the door and there he saw Harlow sitting beside Farris. The lady was holding the bouquet already. They seemed so happy, pero bigla lamang nabago iyon nang pumasok siya.

The two looked at him, and there was silence...

"Sorry," Tyson said, "nasira ko yata moments ninyo."

Humigop siya ng kape sa huling pagkakataon, saka dumiretso sa kusina para ibalik amg tasa. When he was done, he was about to go to the room when Harlow came.

"Good morning," she said in a serious manner.

"Morning."

"Kakagising ko lang, actually," she said. "Tapos nadatnan ko si Farris sa sala, walang kasama, kasi tulog pa sina Ate Lully at Kuya Lupio."

"Then?"

"Hindi mo man lang sinamahan? Hindi mo rin man lang pinagtimpla ng kape? Is that how you treat your visitor?"

"He's not my visitor anyways," he said. "Bisita mo siya kaya ikaw ang may responsibility sa kaniya."

"Well if that's your say, bakit hindi mo man lang ako ginising kanina para hindi siya naghintay?"

"Ginising kita."

"No, you didn't."

"Ginising kita sabi."

"Magigising ako agad kung may gumising talaga sa'kin."

"Okay."

Tyson proceeded to the room to avoid debating with her. Hindi na rin siya sinundan ng dalaga at dahil baka makahalata pa si Farris.

Tyson closed the door, while Harlow came back to the sala to entertain Farris. Pagkabalik niya roon ay tinanong agad siya ng binata kung anong nangyari, and she said "none."

Pagkalipas ng oras ay nagising na rin naman ang mag-asawang Lully at Lupio. When they saw Farris, they greeted him first and then they went outside to go back to work.

After some time, lumabas na rin si Tyson sa kuwarto para tumulong din sa mga tao sa Willow. Dinaanan niya ang dalawa nang walang paalam.

Rude he might be.

As he was walking by, he noticed a woman carrying a huge number of books, so he went to her and helped her.

"Let me carry some of them," he said.

The woman looked at him and smiled. "Maraming salamat."

And so, he carried some of the books. "Saan ito dadalhin?" he asked.

"Sa silid-aklatan," sagot ng babae.

"Ah, malayo ba?"

"Hindi naman."

"Oh, okay."

They continued walking with silence and a bit of awkwardness. Tyson planned to talk again but he just observed the lady.

The woman wasn't beautiful in the classical way, no flowing golden curls or ivory skin; no piercing eyes of green. She was shorter than average and certainly larger than a catwalk model, but in her ordinariness she was stunning. There was a shyness to her, hesitation in her body movements and a softness in her voice. 

After some time, they had reached the library. After they fixed the books back in the shelves, they exited the place already.

"Maraming salamat talaga sa pagtulong," sabi ng dalaga.

"No worries," Tyson said. "What's your name by the way?"

"Ako nga pala si Amora."

"Amora... what a nice name."

"Salamat," Amora smiled. "Ikaw, anong pangalan mo?"

"I'm Tyson."

When they were than introducing themselves to each other, they continued walking. Tyson was about to say goodbye to Amora, but when he knew she wasn't done yet of bringing back the books in the library, he decided to help still.

Ilang oras din ang lumipas bago sila matapos. They stayed at the library after to have some small talks. Doon napag-alaman ni Tyson na isa palang librarian si Amora sa silid-aklatan ng Willow.

When they were done, Tyson decided to bring her home since it was getting dark already on the outside.

"Ayos lang ako," Amora said, "kaya ko namang umuwi nang mag-isa at baka makaabala pa ako sa iyo. Ligtas din naman dito sa Willow, walang masamang mangyayari sa akin."

"But it's better to make sure you are safe."

"Pangako, ayos lang talaga ako."

"Okay, sige, sabi mo eh. Pero mag-iingat ka sa pag-uwi mo, ha?"

"Oo naman, maraming salamat ulit," Amora smiled.

"No worries, I hope we can meet again."

"Panigurado namang magkikita tayo ulit kasi pareho lang tayong nasa Willow. Saan ka nga ba rito?"

"Well I'm currently living at Kuya Lupio's house."

"Ah, si Kuya Lupio?" she said smilingly. "Kilala ko siya."

"Talaga?"

"Oo, malapit ang loob ko sa kaniya dahil napakabait niya. Dumadalaw rin ako minsan sa kanila ni Ate Lully, baka madatnan kita ro'n minsan."

"Good to hear that," he smiled.

"Oh siya, mauna na ako sa'yo, ha?"

"Okay, be safe!"

Amora was about to leave when someone came on her way so she was stopped.

"Wow, dating?"