Capricorn

Five

True to his words, he was already at the gate when I went there despite being early for fifteen more minutes. Nakasandal siya sa gilid ng gate at nagce-cellphone. He looks masungit because he's frowning. Walang bag na nakasabit sa balikat niya for some reason. So that's what I asked him when I got closer enough.

"You don't have a bag?"

"It's on my car."

I stop in front of him and look up. Sinalubong niya ang tingin ko at bahagya akong tinaasan ng kilay. I tilt my head and mimic his brow raising. Kumibot ang labi niya hanggang sa namuo ang maliit na ngisi doon. I smiled too to mirror him.

"Hey, gorgeous."

Ngumuso ako. "Another title of a book?"

I won't fall for this again! Hindi na mauulit ang nakakahiyang pagsagot ko kahapon–

"No. I meant you. You're gorgeous."

Mabilis na uminit ang pisngi ko. Ngumuso ako at umiwas ng tingin para itago ang pamumula at nahihiyang ekspresyon. That caught me off guard!

"T-Tara na nga!" Kunnwari ay pagsusungit ko para pagtakpan ang bahagyang kiliti sa sikmura.

Tinalikuran ko na siya bago pa niya makita ang itsura ko. Nauna na akong lumabas sa school. I heard him chuckle on my back then I felt his hand on my wrist. Instead of going across the street, he pulled me on the parking lot just outside the school.

"Where are we going? Akala ko doon tayo?" Tanong ko sabay turo sa pinagkakaguluhang kwek-kwek stall.

Nakalapit kami sa isang itim na Mercedes Benz. Binuksan niya ang pinto ng passenger seat at pinasakay ako doon habang nakaharang ang kamay sa frame sa itaas in case na mauntog ako. Nagtataka man pero sumunod na lang ako. Hindi niya kaagad sinara ang pinto at yumuko para kunin ang bag ko at isuot sa akin ang seatbelt. The he lean down on me like he's gonna pep talk me.

"I don't want to risk your stomach, princess. You're gonna eat something for the first time. Hindi pwedeng kumain ka na lang basta basta sa gilid gilid. You might have a stomachache."

Ngumuso ako. He's like my Kuya pala.

"Then how am I going to eat kwek-kwek?" Nakangusong tanong ko.

Hinawi niya ang takas na buhok na bumaba sa gilid ng mukha ko at inilagay 'yon sa tenga ko. Nailukot ko ang ilong nang bahagya niyang pisilin ang dulo nito.

"My condo is near. We're gonna cook your kwek-kwek."

Namilog ang mata ko. Bago pa ako makapagreact at naisara niya na ang pinto. Halos hindi naman ako magkanda-ugaga habang pinapanood ang pag-ikot niya patungong driver seat pagtapos ilagay ang bag ko sa back seat. Binukan niya ang sasakyan.

"We, as in I'm included?" Hindi pa siya nakakaupo ay nagtanong na ako. "Do you know how to cook it? Have you cooked it before? What about the ingredients? How are we going to–"

"Easy," Humalakhak siya. "I'm not running away, Natalie. We have ten minutes to reach my condo. I'll answer your questions along the way."

Napaayos ako ng upo. He chuckled and bit his lower lip as he turned on the engine of his car. Eksperto niyang minaobra ang sasakyan paalis ng parking lot.

I watch him closely while driving. He looks cool. My driver didn't look like this when he was driving. What's the difference? Parehas naman silang nagda-drive, but Dark looks cool!

Maybe because he's handsome?

"Baka matunaw ako niyan?" He teasingly said when we stopped on a red light.