Of all the things

Chapter Thirteen

I want to...

Hailey's

THEO and I easily got used to our new dynamics as two people who are trying to make this relationship work. Halos magdadalawang buwan na kaming ganito. Okay naman ang lahat, ang hindi ko lang alam ay kung napapansin ba ni Theo ang mga bagay na nagbago nga sa aming dalawa. We are both in our last year of studies, ako as a business student, siya naman as a pre- law student. Gusto kong tanungin sa kanya kung ano ba ang plano niya pagkatapos ng graduation, pero nakakaramdam naman ako ng hiya, but I really wanna know about his plans, or if I am included in that, siguro nga, tulad ng sinabi ni Kuya Heath sa akin noong isang gabi ay fishing ako kay Theo. Gustong – gusto kong nakakarinig ng compliment mula sa kanya, he really pampers me, that's why I keep telling other people – my friends for example, that it's not hard to fall in love with him.

I know that I am getting there, or maybe I'm already there, I just need to make sure about it. I found myself giggling at the thought that I might be already in love with Theo. How lucky could I get right? Falling in love with your best friend is the best feeling. Imagine having someone that genuinely cares for you, that will love you despite of it all – that's what I have with Theo.

"Hello, Hailey, aren't you going home?" I looked up and saw one of my classmates from a minor subject – si Denise. Hindi naman kami talaga magkaibigan pero isa siya sa mga kabatian ko. I worked with her in a organization too, isa siya sa maaasahang member ng org na iyon and I love working with her. We're not friends, but we always greet each other.

"Hininintay ko lang iyong sundo ko. Ikaw?"

"Yeah, I'm going home na rin. Pupunta ka ba sa parking lot?"

Naisip kong doon na nga rin mag-abang. Usually naman kasi doon ko talaga inaabangan ang driver ko. I smiled and nodded at Denise. I gathered all my things and came with her. Nagkukwentuhan pa nga kami habang naglalakad. She was telling me about her thesis and how her defense went, according to her, nahirapan raw siya, nahirapan rin naman ako, mabuti at nakapasa ako tulad niya.

"Sinong susundo sa'yo? A boyfriend, perhaps? Naririnig ko kasi mula sa mga admirers mo na meron ka raw palaging kasama. I was sure it is your best friend. Nasabi mo sa akin minsan na you have a boy best friend, right?"

"Well, he is my best friend, technically, but we're at this stage where we are trying new things, I mean, we want to take things to another level." Napahagikgik ako.

"I wish I could giggle like that too." Napatingin ako sa kanya. "Remember the boy I was telling you about the last time we talked?" I'm not really sure, halos dalawang buwan na rin naman mula noong huli kaming mag – usap. "I'm friends with her sister, and he was the one who asked for my number, we were texting and he asked for a date – one date – but I know he dated Toni – one of her sister's friends too---"

"Wait, aren't you friends with Toni too?"

"Nope. Hindi ko siya kilala. Kinuwento naman sa akin lahat ng kapatid niya at tanggap ko naman iyon kasi since high school gusto ko na talaga siya, and then finally, we went on a date, I thought we could have fun. He's good looking, smart at masarap siyang kausap, kaya lang tuwing tutunog ang phone niya, he stops whatever he's doing and just message whoever it was in his phone. Medyo offending siya sa akin, pero ang nakakaloka, when he received a call, he cut short our date and left me hanging!"

"What?! That's terrible!" Sigaw ko. Kahit gawin sa akin ni Theo iyon, mao-offend talaga ako!

"A week after he went out with me, he went out with Rita."