Paper Memories

Chapter 14-III

Chapter 14-III

"You're the weird one, Percival." Komento ni Ralph at nilagok ang juice niya, we're all sitting together in the cafeteria-it's the first time in forever for the three of us, plus this pretend boyfriend I have. "Parang bigla-bigla ka na lang sumusulpot... at umaalis."

Percival smiled apologetically." Sayang nga wala ako nung Saturday."

I shrug him off." A-ayos lang, nandito ka naman agad ngayong Monday."

Ralph pressed again." Not just on Shin's birthday, antagal naming walang bali---"

"Oh, di na makwento si Sheena?" Tanong ni Percival.

"Arghh!!! Baka depressing LDR stories yan!!" Napatakip si Ellie sa tenga, halos tumili na nga siya eh! " Ayaw ko marinig! Quiet na lang kayo please!"

"We're fine, hindi kami LDR. Sadyang normal lang kami palagi kaya hindi ako nagkkwento." Paliwanag ko saka inabot ang kamay ni Percival, he's the one who initiated this lunch. Siya ang may ideya na ibalandra ang sarili niya sa mga schoolmates ko. ". We go out on dates and he visits me at home a lot. Busy. And yes, parang kabute to."

"Ikwento mo naman ako minsan, Hon." Biro ni Percival.

"It's not like I'm hiding you or anything." Balik ko.

We're just all kidding around. All of us are laughing. But then I saw how Percival glanced towards Ralph, as if calculating the reaction of my first love. Suddenly, my boyfriend wipes my cheeks with his thumb." No, of course you're not hiding me. Maybe I just made you mad na hindi ako nag-uupdate, babawi ako."

Napaurong ako." D-Did I have something in my face? "

My friends were laugh harder.Ngayon pa nila ako pinagkakaisahan kung kelan maraming tao! Baka mainis sa akin ang iba. But Percival seems to thaw all my anxiousness; he caress my cheeks again." There's a goddess in it, Hon---don't you think the same, Ralph? Ang ganda ni Sheena, diba? "

"Ralph? Ang ganda ni Sheena, diba? "

"Man, you're so straightforward." Takip mukhang sabi ni Ralph

"Damn, there's too much spice here! Tubig! "Ellie was desperate, not shriek; pinamumulhan siyang panoorin kami halos mabilakuan na siya. When she gulped her whole bottle, she started fanning herself." Ganyan ba ang hindi nagkikita? You're too perfect for each other! "

I smirked." Mangbobola--- bumabawi nga."

Percival chuckled." Mukha ba akong mangbobola? Ellie? Ralph?"

Ellie was out of herself." Ah? H-Hindi pa."

Si Ralph na lang ang kalmado pa, he was smiling. But why is he smiling when I'm with another man?" Hindi pa naman daw oh sabi ni El, pero kung bukas puro compliments ka pa si kay Shin, oo ikaw na ang pinakamalaking bolerong kilala ko. But oh, well, how can I blame you? Shin is almost too perfect..."

I gulped when I heard Ralph's response. Hearing him call me "perfect" felt backhanded. Dapat pala siya yung tinawag kong bolero. Napakontra na lang agad ako sa sinabi ni Ralph. " Come on, I'm not almost perfect or too perfect. I wouldn't mind if Percival see or point of my flaws, he's just helping grow right? Kayo ha, nagtutulungan na kayo sa pambobola."

"Maybe it's a boy thing, Shin." Malakas na bulong ni Ellie.

"Baka nga, I won't be swayed, El." Pagdugtong ko sa biro ng best friend ko.

"Hayaan mo na ako sabihin yun. Gusto ko rin bumawai sayo." Ralph retorted childishly, he almost pouting. Maya-maya napapapikit na lang siya at pinagkrus niya ang mga braso niya." Pero kayo muna ni Percival ang bumawi sa dates at oras na magkasama kayo. Nandito lang kami ni Ellie."

Percival spoke first." Sheena doesn't want that."

Napataas ang kilay ni Ralph." Huh? Ayaw niyang lumabas kayo?"

"Ayaw niyang dumistanysa ka. Kayo ni Ellie. Oo, mas busy ako nitong nakaraan pero sinusulit namin ni Sheena ang oras namin sa isa't isa---- nag-effort kami." Percival shyly explained. His act is too believable. Muntik na pati ako maniwala sa kinukwento niya tungkol sa sitwasyon naminn." I'm trying to be with her 24-Seven. But on the days I can't be with her----I don't want her to lose people because of me."