Lasta Sanco (A Collaborative Novel)

Chapter Twenty

Go out 

"P-pa'no ka n-nakapasok?"

"Ah, tumalon ako sa gate niyo, tapos nung lumabas ka, saka ako pumasok dito, hahaha!"

"H-hindi kita nakita!"

"Nagtago kasi ako sa likod nitong mini sofa niyo.. Look I.. I really wanted to see you." Lumakad naman palapit si Hector dahilan upang mapaatras naman ang dalaga.

"You could've just.. Knock at the gate or waited outside.. After you rang our bell..."

"Yeah right, pero base sa kung pa'no mo ako tinakbuhan kanina? I don't think haharapin mo ako ngayon, so I did this.. that was fun though." Masaya pang tatango-tango ni Hector na animo'y nag-enjoy siya sa trespassing niya.

And as for Ariadne, she can't help but to feel extremely anxious infront of him. Tila maiiyak pa nga siya sa kaba at hiya. Medyo napaatras pa siya muli nang tuluyan nang paglapit ni Hector.

Dahan-dahan tuloy niyang itinaas ang kaniyang mga braso't kamay upang takpan ang mukha niya. She's too embarrassed, she doesn't know what to do anymore.

"S-siguro dapat umuwi ka na--"

"No way! Naligaw pa kaya ako bago ako makarating dito! There's no way I'll go home without even talking to you." May bahid pa nang pagtatampo sa boses niya.

"Eh?" Namumula man sa hiya, sinubukan pa rin tingnan ni Ariadne ang binata na masaya pa ring nakatitig sa kaniya. As if hinihintay lang nitong harapin siya ng maayos ng dalaga. Isang malalim na buntong hininga naman muna ang pinakawalan ni Ariadne bago umayos ng tayo, muling huminga nang malalim at saka tumingala sa binata. "Please go home."

"No way! Ahahaha! I'll never go home!"

"Huh!? What do you mean you'll never go home--"

Ariadne gasp in astonishment, her eyes wided as Hector immediately pulled her too him and hugs her tightly! Hinayaan pa ng binata na malaglag ang dala nitong boquet of roses para lang mayakap ng buong-buo ang dalaga.

Mas lalong nag-init ang pisngi ng dalaga, her heart is beating so fast and so is Hector's. Hindi niya mawari kung ano ba talagang nais ng binata. But it's making her nervous. "Huh?"

Mas lalo pang hinigpitan ni Hector ang kaniyang yakap sa dalaga dahilan upang bahagya na rin itong yumakap pabalik kahit pa hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala sa nangyayari. "A... Anong ginagawa mo? Hector?"

"You don't remember what you did to me when you were drunk, right?" Out of the blue, Hector's voice suddenly became serious while he's holding her head and hugging her more tightly as if he doesn't want to let go anymore.

Nabigla naman si Ariadne sa narinig at muling naguluhan, nais na sana niyang bumitaw sa yakap ngunit sadyang ayaw pa siyang pakawalan ng binata na lalong nagpainit sa kaniyang pisngi. "wha.. what are you talking--"

"You kissed me."

"... Huh?"

"You kissed me, Ariadne." Hector slowly smiled as his cheeks also started to turn bright red.

Lalong nabigla ang dalaga sa narinig. Hindi niya alam kung maniniwala ba siya ba siya o hindi. But knowing him, it can be true. Dahilan tuloy para lalo nang mamula sa hiya ang kaniyang buong mukha. Lalo na nang may binulong pa muli si Hector mismo sa kaniyang tainga.

"You'll take responsibility.. right?"

'*gasp!*'

"W-w-wait.. n-n-no! W-w-wait!"

"Ahahaha!"

Bahagya lamang niluwagan ni Hector ang kaniyang yakap sa dalaga upang maharap niya ito ng maayos. Gulat na gulat ang expression ng dalaga habang nakatitig rin sa kaniya. "Maybe I should kiss you too so you'll remember? Just so you know, I'm not lying."

Dito na nataranta ang dalaga na talagang halos nais nang kumawala sa bisig ni Hector na agad din naman nitong ikinatawa. "T-teka lang! No!"

Sa huli ay pinakawalan naman na ni Hector ang dalaga na mabilis nalang umatras palayo sa kaniya habang namumula. "N-no way..." Tanging ani nalang niya sa sarili at sinusubukang takpan ang muka with her lower arm.

"Ahaha! Sorry for the long hug, I've always wanted to hug you."

"H-huh?"

Hector admired Ariadne's reaction for a second. He can't help but to smile so gently in front of her. He realized it now, Ariadne has a crush on him for so long. And he hates himself for not noticing it.

Unti-unti naman na ding sumeryoso ang binata sa harapan ni Ariadne na agad ipinagtaka ng dalaga at the same time, nagbigay kaba sa kaniyang naglilikot na puso.

"Ariadne... I don't have to reject you.. Because I won't."

"E-eh?"

"I love everything about you, I can't stop thinking how amazing you are, how cool you are and how feminine you are at the same time. You're so unique."

"Huh?"

"I know that you know I've been with other girls before, those girls who fell in love with me first.. I had them because I thought having a lover could fulfill my status as man. Yes I did loved them but.. not like this."

"A-anong s-sinabi mo?"

"And they're the ones who left me first.. They loved me because of my looks, but not because of who I am."

"Eh?"

"Well I.. Kind of did the same." Tila napapakamot pa na ulo ni Hector na animo'y nahihiya sa kaniyang sinabi.

"I've always been looking for love, but I realize I shouldn't look for it.. I should just let myself feel it." Hector said while looking straight at Ariadne's eyes getting teary.

"Ariadne.. I've never felt something like this before.. I've never felt this fuzzy feeling in my chest, I've never felt nervous around a girl before.. I've never felt extremely happy everytime I see you.. And I never felt worried everytime I can't find the girl I like.. You're making me feel things I've never felt before.." Hector is dead serious right now, hindi manlang niya inalis ang diretso at intense niyang titig sa mga mata ng dalaga. Though he's starting to feel so nervous now.

"You made me realize.. that I all my past relationships... I didn't loved them like this, I just.. cared for them for I thought they could be the one for me. So.. so I let myself go with the flow in those relationships.. that obviously didn't work well." Natawa nalang na ani ni Hector at nag-taas balikat. Wala na rin masabi pang iba si Ariadne so all she could do is to stare and listen to him wholeheartedly.

"Ariadne... I was surprised to know that you like me for so long.. I'm sorry for not being able to see you, to see your feelings for me. I've always admired you before specially in our college years, that's why I told you how I'm so amazed by you."

"I-I see.."

"Ahaha!" Hector laughs while still looking straight at her. He can't help but to admire her whole being.

"Ariadne..." Hector called in a very serious tone again. Tila naalerto naman din ang dalaga. They're staring at each other's eyes with passion.

"I love you I really and I badly do.. I would love to be with you.. Please go out with me."

From that moment, hindi na napigilan pa ni Ariadne ang tuluyang umiyak. Sunod-sunod ang mabilis na pagtulo nang mga luha niya na agad nagpataranta si binata. "Eh? Ariadne!?"

Agad naman siyang lumapit at hinawakan ang pisngi ng dalaga at pinunasan ang tumutulo nitong luha gamit ang kaniyang hinlalaki.

Sunod-sunod na pagtulo ng luha ng dalaga at kahit pa pigilan niya ang sarili na makalikha ng ingay dahil sa tindi nang kaniyang pagiyak, ay hindi na rin niya masyadong magawa.

Bagay na ikinatawa naman ni Hector, thinking that the girl is so cute even if she's crying so bad.

"I guess I'll take that as a yes? Hm?"

Ariadne.. slowly nodded. Making Hector smile widely.