He's My Cousin!

[Ch.20] He's back!

[Ch.20] He's back.

// Ayanna's Point of View

Ngayong araw na'to uuwi si Ian mula sa Los Angeles. I was obviously not excited. Ok, sige, kahit papaano naman naexcite ako. Ian was nice to me all along. Natatandaan ko dati, nung hindi pa bumabalik sa buhay ko si Trick, si Ian iyong nasa tabi ko. Siya yung nagpaparamdam sa akin na espesyal ako. Siya lang yung dahilan kung bakit ako kinikilig at masaya, kaso matagal na nang huli kong maramdaman sa kanya yun.

"Copine!" bigla siyang tumabi sa akin at tinignan ako. Syempre, it was Knave. "Ano?" Hindi niya ako sinagot, humiga lang siya sa sofa at umunan sa lap ko. Hindi nga siya kasya sa sofa eh, ang tangkad kasi.

"Ano na namang drama mo?" pinaglaruan ko yung buhok niya gamit ang kanan kong kamay. Ilang minuto kong ginawa iyon habang nakapikit siya. I was just looking intently at his pulchritudinous face. His long eye lashes, his lips that has its own charisma every time it curves to a smile... He was indeed mesmerizing.

"You know what, I actually thought of making you fall for me," he broke the silence. W-what? Nagulat ako sa sinabi niyang iyon kaya naitulak ko siya. Dahilan para umalis na lang siya sa pagkakahiga sa lap ko. I was not expecting him to say that. Never did I think those words would even come from him.

"Wha-what do you mean?" I stammered. My heart was beating so fast! Hindi iyon dahil kinikilig ako or what, hindi ko lang talaga lubos maintindihan kung.. kung bakit niya gustong mangyari iyon. He was looking directly to me, still with that mysterious aura that he had ever since I first time saw him.

"I want to get you out of here," hinawakan niya ang dalawang balikat ko. "I want you out of here, Celine." Binitiwan na niya ang balikat ko and he looked away.

"Out of where?" I managed to ask though I could not really understand what was he talking about.

"Out of the pain. I knew it, you love him. You love Paolo. I want you to forget him and fall for me instead!" That scenario couldn't clearly sink into my mind. Yes, I do like Knave! But not in a romantic way and I know he feels the same way towards me.

Bahagya akong ngumiti, "you need not to do that, Knave. Hindi mo kailangang gawin yan para lang hindi ako masaktan. Alam ko rin namang masasaktan ako kahit magtagumpay ka riyan sa gusto mo. You don't love me, I know that, wag mo ng pahirapan yung sarili ko. Kaya ko 'to."

"But I can teach myself to love you. Just tell me, I can love you." I smiled bitterly as he was saying those words. He doesn't know what really love is. It's not something you can learn, it's not something you can stop. Cause once you fall into its traps, everything is inevitable. Falling in love is beyond our control.

Hindi ako naniniwala na kaya niya akong mahalin kung gugustuhin niya... because if the human brain really has its capacity to do such thing... I shouldn't have fall for Kuya Paolo, I should have been loving Ian instead. But you see, it's the other way around right now.

"You're not that hard to fall in love with," he said as he claimed for my hand. He held tighter. Tears began to rush from my eyes. I didn't really intend to cry at that moment, I wanted to be strong but I just couldn't feel anything but pity for myself, for my situation. Hinawakan niya ang pisngi ko at ginamit ang hinlalaki niya upang tanggalin ang mga luha na tumulo rito. "Don't cry, copine, I'm sorry. Ju-just forget about that. I'm really sorry."