Not So Typical High School Love Story [On-Going]

Chapter 8

Ryder's POV

NANG mapanood namin ang video galing kay Rex, pati na rin ang voicemail na kinuha nito... hindi ko mapaliwanag kung bakit sa kaunting paraan ay gumaan ang pakiramdam ko, gayunpaman ay mayroong halong sakit. I was thinking that, if he really liked me, shouldn't he have spoken sooner?

If Aiden really liked me, shouldn't he have chose to speak now and just be with me and not Faye. It's funny how he likes me, but he doesn't like me enough for him to choose me over Faye. That... saddened me.

"Whoa," reaksyon ni Apollo. "Ibigsabihin, the reason why Aiden was doing it, kasi may pang blackmail sa kaniya si Faye."

Tumango si Rex, "Affirmative. But we have no idea kung ano 'yung video na tinutukoy ni Faye. The thing we know is that, it's not about him, but it's about his father. The question is, anong ginawa ng tatay ni Aiden for him to be afraid of that video going public," tugon ni Rex kay Apollo.

"Who knows, probably Aiden's father did something in the past," Apollo said.

"Ganoon kasama ang nagawa niya? It's making me curious, kasi, if Aiden's dad did something, and we have no idea where his parents are... then something really is not adding up to the story," Rex said with such curiosity.

"Kung ano man iyon, it is not our place to intrude. Especially now that we know the fact na ayaw ni Aiden ipaalam iyon kahit kanino, it's not our place para halungkatin iyon. He has his reasons, and of course that's valid," Apollo explained.

I was just listening to both their conversations because I am still processing everything that Faye and Aiden talked about. Now that they're already over, and whatever Aiden does can be used against him. Pakiramdam ko, lalong mahirap para lumapit o tumingin man lang kay Aiden, lalo na't alam ng paaralan ang kung anong mayroon sa dalawa.

It'll be better for me to avoid Aiden, and to completely forget about him, because I'm starting to get aware that he is trouble. I sighed and turned my head to the window. I thought in the back of my mind, Where are you, and what are you doing right now, Aiden?

Hindi ko na namalayan ang pinag-uusapan ni Apollo and Rex, but suddenly Rex tapped my shoulder. "Ano?" she asked me. "Nawala ka na ata sa mundo, are you that shocked?" dagdag na tanong ni Rex sa akin.

Sumunod naman si Apollo. "A penny for your thoughts, Bub?"

Napangiti ako. "You guys are being too concern. Alright." Humarap ako sa kanila.

"I'll let you in my mind, just this once," panimula ko.

Nginitian ko ang dalawa. "I guess, Aiden is special to me—" I wasn't able to finish what I was going to say nang sumingit si Rex.

"Ayan na nga ba ang sinasabi ko, wala pang isang Linggo special na kaagad sa iyo 'yung lalaking iyon? Mind you... you don't even know a lot of things about him," Rex interjected.

"Edi kikilalanin, 'di ba?" Apollo opposed.

"Oh really? Like we want him back now, after knowing na baka ulitin niya iyon at saktan ulit si Ryder? Are we going to risk that?" Rex asked Apollo.

"Ryder is already old enough, and I'm pretty sure he'll be fine, and if things goes sidewards, I'm pretty sure he'll go to us," Apollo answered Rex.

"Which is what we're trying to prevent. Na ang ending ganito tayo, because Ryder here got caught in a web like a mosquito, and Aiden happen to be the itsy-bitsy-spider," Rex argued.

"But that's not what I'm pertaining, it could go on different ways. P'wede rin naman lumapit si Ryder sa atin in celebration, right? He could be happy with Aiden if he chooses to." Apollo smiled.

"So ano?" singit ko. "Are you still interested of what I'm going to say, or magdamag na naman kayong magtatalo?" What I said left both of them silent.

I took a deep breath, "Okay let's say that it's early for me to take na Aiden is special, but clearly I have feelings over the guy," panimula ko.

"I'm worried about Aiden," I confessed.

"Right now, I'm actually thinking where he is and what he is doing. If he is coping up well or whatever, but other than that I have no intentions with him. Not that I don't want to see him or anything, but I guess it would be better if I keep myself safe from him," saad ko.

"Which is right by the way," Rex agreed.

I nodded. "Whatever happens, it's going to be risky for me to have more things on my plate. And besides, 'di ba, sabi nga nila... if kami talaga, or whatever the saying goes, magkakaroon ng paraan, on the perfect time maybe," I finished.

Tumango ang dalawa. "I'm starting to feel we're a weird trio," Apollo said out of the blue.

"At ngayon mo pa lang talaga 'yan na-realize?" Rex asked.

Mahina akong natawa. We really are a weird trio, but I love our trio. We share a lot of differences, Rex is ultimately different from me and Apollo, on the other hand, Apollo and I share a few things in common but we deal with reality on different perspective.

We looked at each other, and even without words, we seem to understand one another. Bigla na lang kaming tumawa nang walang dahilan, na parang baliw. After a few moments of laughing, sumandal sa akin si Rex, at si Apollo naman ay sumandal kay Rex, and we continued watching the movie, while eating food.

Habang nanonood, aaminin ko, I can't let Aiden out of my mind, laman pa rin ng isip ko ang binata. Gayunpaman, hinayaan ko na lamang na lumipas ang oras, just go with the flow... just let everything unfold. And it will be, alright.

ORAS ang lumipas, nakatulog na ang dalawa sa sala. Tumaas ako sa k'warto at sa guess room para kumuha ng unan at kumot, buti na lamang ay kahit papaano ay komportableng makakatulog ang dalawa kong matalik na kaibigan sa sala. Kaya naman pagkatapos kong ayusin ang kanila nang tinutulugan, ay sunod ko namang inasikaso ang mesa na kinainan namin.

Even if it's almost 1 am, I chose to clean the table and fix our plays nang sa gayon ay malinis ang aming paligid. When I was done with the table, napangiti ako nang pagmasdan si Rex at Apollo...

Two of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Hindi ko man gusto, ay pinilit kong gisingin ang dalawa at pinalipat sila sa k'warto ko, because I realized that they might feel cold and uncomfortable still, buti na lamang ay agad na tumalima ang dalawa, siguro dahil na lang din sa pagod at antok kaya naman hindi na sila umangal.

When they were already in the room, I went to the bathroom to fix myself, dala-dala ko ang aking telepono para doon silipin ang lahat ng mga mensahe ni Aiden. I started brushing my teeth and looked at my messages, he was saying sorry, he was asking me if I could meet, he was explaining through messages.

He kept saying what he really feels for me. Parang may karayom na tumusok sa puso ko.

'Bakit ngayon ko lang 'to binasa?' tanong ko sa isip ko.

Napabuntonghininga ako at tangkang ibababa na ang telepono nang bigla itong tumunog. When I saw what it was, mabilis kong tinapos ang pagsisipilyo at mabilisan ding naghilamos.

Aiden
Are you still awake? Nasa labas ako ng bahay niyo.

That was... his message.

Augustine M.