Head in the Sand (Erudite Series #3)

Kapitulo 22

The following week after I went to William's, I didn't hear from Graham. Hindi ko alam kung ayaw niya na ba ako turuan o ayaw niya ng makisalamuha. I didn't reply to his last chat.

Hindi naman sa hindi ko tinanggap kalaunan ang paratang niya, sadiyang... hindi ako sanay na aminin sa sarili ko 'yon. The negative connotation that comes with it will always be behind me if I completely accept Graham's words.

But, in the end, I knew that Graham was right.

That's why I asked him out to dinner when Friday came. I wanted to talk to him, to let him know I wasn't dismissing his words, rather, I was contemplating hard.

But he didn't give me a response, so I just asked Lara if she knew Graham's dismissal time on Fridays. Sabi niya, sa pagkakaalala niya ay 5:30 PM daw. Pero hindi raw palaging gano'n. I understood that, it was college afterall.

I decided to just go to his school and wait for him. Nag-send ako ng message na nagsasabing hihintayin ko siya sa labas ng Gate 7, sa street ng P. Noval. Hindi pa nga lang niya nakikita 'yon, delivered lang.

Dumiretso ako rito mula sa school, kaya dala ko pa ang bag ko na may laptop at ilang readings. I was holding a cold tea I bought nearby. The cold droplets were making my fingers and palm get wet and chilly.

Maraming mga estudyante ang naglalakad, uwian na rin siguro nila o vacant. The people who lived here were also out in the streets. Some kids were playing some... card game on the pavement. May mga nagtitinda rin ng kikay na mga bagay at laruan sa gilid ng mga kotse na naka-park sa side ng street.

I opened my phone and saw Graham had just seen my message. The bubble popped up, he was typing.

After a few seconds, I read his reply.

Gray Laurel: Papunta na ako

I was able to breathe after that. Mabuti na lang at nandito siya, pagdating kasi rito, naisip ko na baka mamaya umuwi na siya. Baka walang klase o walang prof, gano'n.

For fifteen minutes, I stood beside the pole near Gate 7. Staring at the darkening sky, my stomach grumbled. Kakain na lang ako pag-uwi... O aayain ko si Graham, kung hindi pa siya kumakain.

"Eloise," I twisted my head and saw him finally appear.

He marched towards me, I straightened my back and held out my hand that had his tea. Tinanggap niya ang tea at pinagmasdan ako saglit.

"Bakit ka nandito? Magpapaturo ka ba?" umiling ako.

"Tinanong kita sa chat kung puwede ka ba mag-dinner kasama ako ngayon, pero 'di mo 'yon nakita. Kaya... pinuntahan na lang kita."

"Pa'no mo nalaman na ngayon ang labas ko, kung gano'n?"

"I asked Lara."

Tumaas ang dalawa niyang kilay sabay tingin ng mga mata niya sa kalsada. He looked at me and tried to stop his smile from appearing but to no avail.

Ako rin tuloy ay napangiti na para bang may nakatatawa.

"Why are you smiling?" his smile grew. "Why are you smiling?"

"Because of your face!" natawa siya at napailing sa aking rason, making it a tactic to avoid my question.

"Bakit nga?" pangungulit ko nang magsimula na kaming maglakad.

"Iniisip ko kasi na," he looked ahead of us, "ganito pala feeling ng pinupuntahan. Ako kasi lagi pumupunta, e."

I smiled and let out a breath, almost laughing at his reason. Binangga ko siya ng pabiro dahil nakangiti pa rin siya.