Pursuing Our Freedom| ✓

Kabanata 19

How You Get The Girl — Taylor Swift

Kabanata 19

"I wasn't angry," I confessed, timidly. "I'm also deeply sorry for avoiding you."

It was irrational for me to do it without telling him the reason. He didn't do anything wrong. Mali ako sa biglaang iwas ko sa kanya.

Pero madalas ay sinusunod ko talaga si mommy. No matter how questionable her demands were, all I can do is follow. Pero parang hindi ko kaya gawin ito ngayon.

"You don't have to say sorry. Aminin mo lang, may nagawa ba akong mali?" he asked, concern laced in his tone.

"Wala nga po..." I sighed. "It's just my mom thinks..."

"Hindi ka pa pwede mag-boyfriend? That's okay, I'm really willing to wait. Okay lang sa akin kung after college o kung kailan ka na pwede, hindi naman ako nagmamadali..." he shrugged, like it didn't matter to him.

My eyebrows furrowed.

"No po, bakit po tayo napunta sa usapan na ganiyan?"

He chuckles, chagrined. "Ewan ko? Your Mom is strict, so I thought having boy friends is bothering her..."

"Not really..." I replied, absentmindedly. "I never had any boyfriends or boy as friends. You're the first one."

I was never good at socializing, kaya naman doble ang hirap para sa akin na kumausap ng mga lalaki. Girls are not even talking to me if not needed, ang mga lalaki pa kaya? Pero lahat naman ay halos mababait sa akin. Maybe they just don't know how to approach me and I don't know how to approach them either, hindi kami magtagpo sa gitna.

"My mom thinks..." I swallowed hard before continuing. "You're using me to get another girl..."

"Huh?" napabalikwas siya. "Sino naman?"

"Caitlyn N-natividad?" I squirmed, feeling bad that I had to say her name. Ayoko naman talaga na madamay ang pangalan niya.

"Cait..." banayad niyang ulit sa pangalan na binanggit ko. His forehead creased, parang may malalim siyang iniisip.

"Wait, are you friends with Cait?" recognition was seen in his face.

"H-hindi po, her aunt is just my mother's friend..." sagot ko.

Bumuntong hininga si Iscalade

"I'm not using you to get close to Caitlyn, Philo." Iscalade glanced at me, malambot ngunit sa seryosong paraan dumapo ang tingin niya sa akin.

"Do you want me to talk to your Mom? Ayoko isipin niya na ginagamit kita."

"Is she really your ex?" tanong ko, fidgeting my fingers.

"She is," mahina niyang tugon. "We dated during junior highschool, for two years..."

"Ang aga niyo po palang lumandi..." I blurted out, binibilang sa utak ko kung ilan taon pa lang si Iscalade no'ng nagkaroon siya ng girlfriend.

I know that it is normal for others to date even in junior highschool. Pero no'ng mga panahon na 'yon, I was busy summarizing the chapters of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Paano kaya sila nagkaroon ng oras para magmahal? At paano sila pinayagan na magkaroon ng syota?

Nanglaki naman ang mga mata niya at mahinang tumawa.

"You could say that..." his eyes casted downwards. "I was serious about her, though. Alam kong bata pa kami kaya siguro akala ko siya na rin talaga."

"What happened?" I asked, curiously.

"Life happened." Ngumisi siya sa akin. "We are still young, Philo. Love shouldn't be our priority, and she made me realized that. Okay naman kami, we're still friends..."