Beneath The Clandestine Paradise
Kabanata 35
"Malonzo was just a crush. I'm not affected if he has a girlfriend now. Buhay niya 'yon, wala akong masasabi. Besides, you saw him happy with a girl. I'm okay with that." Dahlia said after I told her about it.
"Oh. I just thought about your feelings. Alam ko kung gaano mo siya ka-crush. Nabibigla lang din ako sa mga nangyayari."
Mula rito sa clubhouse, pareho naming pinapanood sina Yary at Rems. Yary is busy helping our workers. Habang si Rems naman ay naglalaro ng tirador na pinagawa niya noong isang araw kay Mang June. We're spending weekends here in the lands.
One week after a date with Grim, gano'n pa rin naman. We talk casually in the classroom. Sa classroom lang naman kaming nag-uusap na dalawa. I'm always excited about going to school which I was not before.
"Teka, Ate, pansin ko lang," nilingon ako ni Dahlia. "Parang araw-araw ka na ritong nagpupunta sa plantasyon, ah? Hmm..."
Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin sa kaniya. She poked my waist.
"Iba na talaga 'yan, Ate! Ikaw unang nagigising lagi sa umaga at hindi 'yung favorite mong school shoes ang ginagamit mo! Do you like him now?!" Pang-aasar niya habang dinudutdot ang mukha sa mukha ko.
Itinulak ko ang noo niya. "Hindi, noh!"
"Ate, kabisado kita. It's kind of obvious. Well, sige, deny it now. I'm sure you'll realize it soon."
I don't know either. I went here because I want to see... Grim. Pero wala siya sa kabilang plantasyon. I've been waiting for him kanina pa pero mukhang hindi ata siya magpapakita ngayon. Si Dym at Zame lang ang nakita ko.
Am I starting to like him? I'm musing on the possibility of a growing fondness for him. My heart has never been smitten with admiration for a man before but I have liked men, and it takes me days to figure out if I have a crush on them. And I know the feeling when I like a man.
Pumayag ako sa date naming dalawa. And why did I? Because I was jealous of them? Because I was envious of Pearl? Which one? Baka naman kaya naiinggit ako kasi nagugustuhan ko na nga ata si Grim...
"Are you done reviewing for finals, Arie?"
I was fixing my things when Grim asked me.
"I'm still reviewing for majors."
I noticed he's not calling me "baby" or "honey" anymore. 'Yon naman ang gusto ko pero kapag nangyayari ang gusto ko, gusto ko na lang na ibalik ulit.
"Grim, sabay na tayo baba. May laro kayo ngayon, 'diba? Manonood ako." Rinig ko si Pearl.
Tatanungin ko pa sana si Grim kung tapos na siya mag-review pero 'wag na lang dahil hinihintay na siya ni Pearl. Though, I am tempted to ask him back, but I know that I must resist the urge because of fear of wanting to prolong our conversation.
Tinanguan ni Grim si Pearl at binalingan ako. "May gagawin ka ba?"
"Gagawin? Wala naman."
"May practice game kami ngayon. Gusto mo manood?" he checked his watch. "Hindi magtatagal ng dalawang oras."
I can see the anticipation in his eyes. I was momentarily stunned by his sudden invitation. Sa isang linggo ay isa o tatlong beses silang nagpa-practice. Hindi ako nanonood dahil hindi na rin naman nanonood si Dahlia.
"Wala naman," I hid the excitement on my tone. "Ngayon na ba?"
"Yeah," ngumisi siya at nilingon si Pearl. "Isasama ko si Arie, Pearl."
BINABASA MO ANG
Beneath The Clandestine Paradise (Chaotic Series #3)
RomancePast. Unrecovered memories. Conundrum histories. They were enemies in public, but married in private. She was always devoted to a Vendivil. And he was always solemnly in love with a Bernardino. To her and to him, only death could rive them. Until de...
