American Boy ✔️

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen: Exes

When you start falling, taking an interest in someone and they feel the same thing as you, things usually lead or end up in this word called 'relationship'. It takes a lot of work to build and maintain a relationship with someone who likes you the way you like them. It's a lot, like a lot.

But then at the same time, paano ko naman malalaman kung totoo yun kung hindi pa 'ko nakapasok sa isang relasyon? I admit, marami nang mga lalaking nagkagusto sa'kin kahit noon pa nung nasa elementary pa lang ako. I was happy, I really was. But when I became a freshman in high school, marami nang nagtanong kung pwede ba nila akong ligawan.

My answer has always been the same. No. Hinde. Ayoko. I didn't let them court me at all. Bata pa ako, ayaw ni mommy, at dahil 'di ko rin sila gusto. It takes a long time for me to really grow feelings for someone. Kaya nga 'ko nagkagusto kay Alexander dahil hindi mabilisan yung pagbuo ng nararamdaman ko.

Dahan dahan lang. It was slow, it was a crush then turned into something else. It took me years to finally get into this position when I really like him. It does scare me whenever I think about Silas' words. Na baka doon din ako patungo, na baka mainlove ako sa kanya. And my heart... I don't know what's going to happen to me if I really fell for him.

"Katerina!"

"O-Oh?" nagulat ako kay Genevieve.

"Kanina pa kita tinatawag..."

"Ah, pagod lang kasi ako... alam mo na... kakabasa ng mga libro hanggang umaga..." It was true anyway, pero at the same time nanonood din ako nang mga serye.

"Anyways, I heard some really good tea today~" she smirked sabay lapit sa'kin.

I sighed.

"Ano? May nangyari nanaman bang 'di maganda? This better be good."

"So there's this guy... I think his name was Alexander..."

I roll my eyes back. I don't understand Genevieve, talaga bang 'di niya maalala si Alexander? I know that she doesn't really care about anyone except me and brother but at least man lang matandaan niya kung sino yung mga naging kaklase na'min.

"Really? Alexander... from our class?"

"Ooh! Paano mo nalaman? Kasing grade daw na'tin pero 'di na'tin naging kaklase, hoy!"

"He was our classmate, Genevieve. Since sixth grade. How can you not remember him?"

"Sus, I can only remember the other Alexander that you had a crush on back then."

Mababaliw na yata ako. Wala nang ibang Alexander dahil isa lang naman ang Alexander na'min noon pa. I've never heard of another Alexander in our grade, Genevieve doesn't really give a shit, doesn't she?

"Okay, fine... ano bang narinig mo tungkol sa kanya?"

Kung ano man 'tong 'tea' about kay Alexander, siguradong about 'to sa pamilya niya o sa babaeng may crush nanaman sa kanya. Ilang beses na 'kong nakarinig nang mga ganitong balita galing kanila Yael, Silas, o kay Ryland.

At first, naiinis ako. Pero ngayon, puro crush lang naman. I mean, it's impossible not to have a crush on him with his looks. He matured and his looks are so much better... and worse at the same time. Mas lalo siyang gumwapo at tumangkad.'Di rin nakakatulong yung katawan niya.

"His ex-girlfriend is apparently talking shit about him." My eyes widened in surprise from Genevieve's words.

"Huh?" wala akong ibang masabi dahil sa narinig ko, 'di ako makapaniwala na this time it's about his ex-girlfriend.