MY PRETEND BOYFRIEND

Chapter 37

After class, David took Sophia to Cat’s Café para mag-relax at uminom ng refreshments. Sinabi niyang laktawan muna ang music club training, pero mukhang mas malala pa ang nangyari dahil sa mga tao sa paligid. Lahat ng sulok ay may mga matang nakatingin at bulung-bulungan tungkol sa kanilang dalawa.

“Stop reading,” sabi ni David habang nakatingin sa phone ni Sophia.

“They keep on talking about me whether it's on i********: or f*******:! Paano ko hindi babasahin? Puro tayo ang pinopost nila. Wala ka bang pakialam dito? Do you even have feelings?” tanong ni Sophia habang inangat ang ulo niya, tinitingnan ang tan skin ni David.

“What do I have to feel?” tanong ni David, na may halong inis pero kalmado pa rin ang boses.

“...The feeling of wanting to kiss you right now?” dagdag niya, na ikinagulat ni Sophia.

“Damn! You should care about the others too!” sagot ni Sophia na halatang naiirita na.

“I like you, not the others. I only care for you, not them,” sagot ni David habang nanatiling kalmado.

“Eh kung may makakita sa’tin?”

“I don’t care. I don’t see anyone else, I only see you,” sagot ni David na parang walang pakialam sa mundo.

“Loko ka talaga,” sagot ni Sophia, halatang naiinis pero tila kinikilig sa loob.

Habang nag-uusap sila, patuloy pa rin si David sa paglalagay ng apple jelly sa drink ni Sophia.

“I don’t like jelly. Take it back,” reklamo ni Sophia.

“This is good for your health. Apple is full of vitamins,” sagot ni David na parang seryoso.

“It’s an artificial apple jelly, you idiot,” sagot ni Sophia sabay irap.

Habang naglalagay si David ng whipped cream sa kanyang drink, bigla na lang niyang kinuha ang baso ni Sophia at uminom.

“Akala ko ba mahal mo ako?” tanong ni Sophia, kunwaring naiinis pero nagpipigil ng tawa.

“I’m worried about your health. Having too much whipped cream is bad for you,” sagot ni David na may halong pagiging protective.

“Bakit? Worried ka na tataba ako o ano?”

“No. I’m afraid you’ll enjoy it alone,” sagot ni David habang nakangisi, tila nanunukso.

Nag-roll ng eyes si Sophia, pero halatang nahuhulog na siya lalo kay David. Sa bawat sinasabi nito, tila mas nakikilala niya ang totoong David—ang taong nasa likod ng popularidad at ng pader na itinayo niya para protektahan ang sarili.

“Kapag may nakikita akong masarap na pagkain, gusto ko laging i-share sa’yo. Kapag pumupunta ako sa magandang lugar, gusto kitang dalhin doon. At kapag naririnig ko ang paborito kong kanta, gusto kong mapakinggan mo rin,” sabi ni David na may kasamang sincerity sa kanyang boses.

“...Normal lang naman ‘yon, di ba? When you find something good, you share it with others,” sagot ni Sophia, pilit pinipigilan ang kilig.

“Want to share or want to show off? Kung show off, I’ll do it to my friends. Pero kung share, sa’yo lang,” sagot ni David habang seryoso ang tingin kay Sophia.

Biglang natahimik si Sophia.

“Except for my close friends, ikaw lang ang nakakakita ng totoong ako. Kung gaano ako ka-annoying, kung gaano ka-bad ang taste ko. Sa’yo lang ako nagiging ganito,” dagdag ni David.

“Then... close friend mo na ako ngayon?” tanong ni Sophia, tila nagiging awkward ang boses.

“It’s not like that. Other people try to climb the walls I built. Pero ikaw? I opened the door for you, and you just walked in. You didn’t even notice,” sabi ni David habang nakangiti.

Natigilan si Sophia. Sa sobrang bilis ng t***k ng puso niya, halos hindi na niya alam ang sasabihin.

Sophia couldn't help but let doubt creep into her mind. Since when? she thought. Since when was I in his sight? Under the faculty building? Sa music club? Kailan niya ako napansin?

"Since when ka nagsimulang mag-care sa'kin?" tanong ni Sophia kay David, her tone filled with curiosity and uncertainty.

"Hindi ko alam. Bigla na lang akong nagising na gusto na kita," David replied with a playful grin. "Ginayuma mo ba ako?"

“Ewan ko sa’yo, David. Feel ko ginagago mo na lang ako eh,” sagot ni Sophia, rolling her eyes.

David didn’t answer; he just kept staring at her intently.

“Baka naman pinagti-tripan mo lang ako kasama ng mga tropa mo,” she said, her suspicion growing.

“...”

"Do you really like me?" she asked again, her voice a mix of frustration and doubt.

"Umm," he muttered, giving her a nod.

"Then bakit? Bakit mo ako gusto?"

"Ang saya mo kasi asarin," he teased with a sly smile.

"..."

"David, seryoso ka ba?"

"..."

No words, as usual. Sophia felt her irritation grow. Gusto ko na talaga siyang pakainin ng lahat ng apple jelly para matahimik siya. His annoying personality was sometimes too much for her to handle, not to mention how his texts were full of typos, and yet, here he was, constantly provoking her.

"David..."

"You used to ask me bakit ko piniling mag-Political Science kahit obvious na mas mahal ko ang music," he suddenly said, effortlessly changing the topic.

Sophia blinked, caught off guard by the shift. As usual, David was unpredictable, and yet, she wasn’t used to it.

"Sinabi mo kasi na ayaw mong pag-aralan ang favorite thing mo kasi natatakot kang dumating ang araw na kamuhian mo ito. Tama ba?" tanong ni David, his gaze unwavering.

"Yun lang yun," Sophia replied, shrugging. "Kasama lang yun sa bahagi ng buhay ko. Music is my favorite thing in the world, mahal na mahal ko siya. Pero ang Political Science, hindi ko kailangang mahalin. Kailangan ko lang maintindihan at tanggapin kasi ito ang pinili kong field para sa buhay at kinabukasan ko."

David nodded thoughtfully. "You're not so different from it. In fact, I think I didn’t fall in love with you at first sight. Gusto lang kitang matutunan, maintindihan, at tanggapin. Parang estudyante lang na nakilala ang isang taong special at may maraming tanong sa isip niya."

Sophia froze as David continued, his voice softer yet resolute.

"Ang pagmamahal, hindi kailangan laging may dahilan. Kapag mahal mo ang isang tao, nararamdaman mo iyon nang walang kundisyon. Walang paliwanag, simpleng pag-ibig lang. Ikaw lang ang dahilan."

For the first time, Sophia heard David speak in long sentences, and every word touched her deeply. Everything he said replayed in her mind like a melody she didn’t want to forget. The air around them felt fresh, like the first time she experienced something truly meaningful.

They let the silence settle between them, the ambient noises filling the space. After a while, David broke the stillness.

"Did you like Benjamin since you met him?"

"I guess so," Sophia replied softly.

"Don’t you get bored? When you love someone, someday, love runs out."

"..."

"Let’s try," he said, leaning closer. "Let’s try to learn each other."

"..."

"You don’t need to like me that much. Just open up your heart for me."

"..."

And with that, Sophia felt something stir within her, unsure whether it was doubt, curiosity, or something much deeper.