14 | Bahala
___________
“Salamat nga pala do’n sa ginawa mo.”
“Saan?”
“Sa pagrekomenda mo sa’king maging tutor ng kapatid ni Andrei.”
“It’s nothing. Alam ko lang na magaling ka kaya . . .”
Walking close to her, feeling her without an ounce of hostility. I didn’t know it mattered so much to me until today.
“Sorry.”
Tumikhim ako at sinulyapan siya. “Sorry for what?”
“Sa lahat.”
I snickered. “You should be more sincere than that.”
Mahina siyang tumawa at bumaling sa akin. “That’s the sincerest I could be, Villaraza.”
The wind blew and her hair billowed. I stared at her like she answered every question I had in this lifetime.
I . . . liked her.
When she was enraged, when she hated my name, I was there. Clueless, helpless, and unaware of what was to come.
Fuck. She wasn’t my type! How could that happen?
“Okay ka lang?”
Marahas ko siyang nilingon na agad ko ring pinagsisihan. “Yeah.”
“At dahil may part-time job ako dahil sa’yo, ililibre kita. Saan mo gustong kumain?”
“Nah. I’m fine. I told you. I recommended you because you’re good. Hindi mo ‘ko kailangang ilibre.”
“Nagpapasalamat lang naman ako.”
“Why do you always feel burdened when I do things for you?”
Hindi agad natapos ang argumento namin. She was adamant to treat me. Ipinagyabang niya pang sa kahit anong kainan daw niya ako idadala. Of course, I wasn’t naïve enough to believe her. She’s poor and she needed money more than I did.
Pagkarating sa bahay ay inihulog ko ang sarili sa kama at tumitig sa kisame.
Janette, what the hell did you to me?
This shouldn’t be. My mind didn’t find it reasonable. Ako, may gusto sa babaeng ‘yon? She was uncontrollable and she hated me. How in the world did I fall for her shits?
Pero kahit anong nakikipag-away ko sa sarili ko, wala. Bobo pa rin.
“O, ba’t nandito ka?”
Mabilis kong kinuha ang mga dala niya. “Ihahatid na kita.”
“Huwag na—”
Of course, I knew she wouldn’t agree. Kaya mabilis ko siyang tinalikuran at dinala ang mga gamit niya sa sasakyan. Narinig ko ang buntong-hininga niya kaya hindi ko napigilang mapangiti.
She just finished her shift. I always worried about her going home. Kahit matapang siya, may mas matatapang pa rin sa kanyang kayang gumawa ng masasamang bagay.
“Kanina ka pa?” she asked when I opened the door for her.
“Yeah.”
She stared at me. “Bakit? Hindi mo ‘ko obligasyon, Villaraza.”
“If I want you to be my obligation, gugustuhin mo ba?”
Her lips parted. I suddenly couldn’t feel my face.
Way to go, Iñaki. You’re really a moron.
“G-get in,” bulong ko at yumuko.
Nagdadalawang-isip pa siya pero nang nagkatinginan kami, mabilis siyang pumasok sa passenger’s seat.
Fuck. What did I get myself into?
Habang nasa daan ay wala kaming imikan. I tried to talk but my tongue was numb. My heart was in a mess!
Why was I here? Why did I want to see her face? Why was I losing my mind!
“Baka matsismis tayo nito.”
Sinulyapan ko siya saka ngumisi. “Let’s give them something to talk about.”
She spoke! Shit. Akala ko mapapanis ang laway ko.
“Ikaw, sanay ka sa spotlight. Ako, hindi.”
“’Spotlight’?”
I couldn’t see her but I knew she rolled her eyes. “Gusto mo lang talaga i-compliment.”
“It’s not a compliment if it’s the truth.” Binalingan ko siya at aroganteng tinaasan ng kilay. “You’re just being honest.”
She scoffed. “Ewan ko sa’yo. Ang hangin mo talaga.”
Tumawa ako.
I liked us being like this. We were at peace in each other’s company. No ill feelings. And no one thinking about how we dealt with each other in the past.
“Thank you,” aniya pagkasara niya ng pinto. “Pero sana ‘wag mo na ‘kong sunduin ulit. Naabala ka pa. ‘Tsaka kaya ko naman mag-commute. Wala kang dapat ipag-alala.”
“This is not abala. I mean, I can help you naman. So why not, ‘di ba?”
Ngumiwi siya. “Ba’t ba ang kulit mo?”
“I’m just being . . . nice.”
And goddamn worried!
Tinitigan niya ako na para bang inaalam ang lahat-lahat sa akin. I stood there, fighting the urge to melt.
She wasn’t the typical girl I would usually date. She was morena and her hair was boringly straight. Singkit din siya at hindi ganoon katangkad. Her lips reminded me of that one Holywood actress’ – plum and inviting.
She was plain and I couldn’t figure out why I would look for her in crowded places.
“Sige na. Umuwi ka na,” she said and pushed me. “Salamat sa paghatid.”
“Hindi mo man lang ba ‘ko iimbitahan sa bahay mo?”
Sinulyapan niya ang gate. “Hindi ko bahay ‘yan.”
“Then where? Ang sabi mo—”
“Oo, tama ‘to. Dito nga ‘ko tumutuloy. Pero hindi ko bahay ‘yan.”
I was speechless.
Hindi niya bahay iyon? But it was small and could only be for one person. Was that even possible?
Ngumiti siya at marahang tinapik-tapik ang balikat ko. “Mag-ingat ka na lang pauwi.”
She turned her back. It felt like a century would pass for me to see her again.
“Can I court you?”
Natigilan siya.
Tumikhim ako, hinanap ang mga tamang salita. “I-I know this is sudden but,” I bit my lower lip and bore holes on her back, “can I court you, Janette?”
Hindi siya umimik at para akong malalagutan ng hininga.
Shit. Did I blow it up? Tama ba na ngayon ko siya tinanong? I could have waited a bit longer, right? Ano kayang iniisip niya?
Would she reject me? Hindi naman nakapagtataka kung ganoon nga. Ayaw niya sa akin noon pa. Should I beg for a chance? Shit. Beg! Since when did I learn that word?
Just when I was about to completely lose my mind, she replied, “Bahala ka.”
Bahala ka . . .
Bahala . . . ako?
Before I could ask what she meant, she closed the gate with a mischievous smile for me. It took me seconds to knock and call for her. Pero nang tumawa siya, nanlambot ang mga tuhod ko.
You’re one crazy woman, Janette.
BINABASA MO ANG
If I Have To (Book 3 of If I Trilogy, Villaraza Series #2)
General FictionRodrigo Iñaki R. Villaraza had put his best friend, Anaddy Mouera G. Fortalejo, on a pedestal since they were young. A pedestal only a man worthy of her could climb on and join her there. He knew how much his bestfriend worth. Hindi siya makakapayag...
