Rosé (Highschool Sweethearts Series #2)

Chapter 18

Situationship

Nadatnan ko si mama sa kusina na nag-ba-bake pagkababa ko ng kwarto nung matapos ako maligo.

"Mami," tawag ko.

Nilingon niya ako nang nakataas ang magkabilang kilay matapos niyang ipasok sa loob ng oven ang cake na ngayon ko lang nakitang ginawa niya.

Wherever my life is headed, I'll leave it up to you. If I interpret the signs wrong, please do punish me.

"May ihambal ka?" (May sasabihin ka?) tanong niya nung nakatayo lang ako at nakatingin sa kanya.

"I was about to ask whether or not I could go out to get a cup of coffee with a friend."

"With your bestfriend? Kahit 'wag ka na magpaalam. Just tell me where and with whom," she said with a pressed-lips-smile and washed her hands.

I mean, she could put it that way. Christian was my bestfriend at some point whom I happen to be in love with and was once also in love with me. Umupo ako sa breakfast nook at nagtimpla ng kape.

"How about dadi? I don't think he would agree with that."

"Hindi paghinumduma (Huwag mong isipin). I'd talk to him."

It's not everyday that I feel reassured by their words, but she said that so casually without even thinking about it; for a second, I feel like I could trust her. I wonder if it would only lead to a fight like last time.

Tinanong niya ako kung gusto ko ng creamer sa kape ko at tumango ako. Binuksan niya yung pantry at kumuha ng isang sachet nito sa isa sa dalawang pack. That's a lot.

"Napansin ko na ang bilis maubos nung creamer. I figured out you were also drinking your coffee with it so I brought more than usual."

Tahimik lang akong humihigop ng kape. I wouldn't have guessed she'd figure it out at all. I've been drinking coffee with creamer ever since I've experienced consecutive days of staying up all night for school work. All those nights of drinking it, it's only now that it tastes a bit unusual. Unlike those nights where I usually end up drinking it cold because of how focused I was on my tasks — it's rather warmly sweet.

I looked at her as she's cleaning the mess of her baking experiment while talking about how she coincidentally met a highschool friend at the bakery. When a smile is plastered across her face, my mother who is forty years old would somehow look twenty years younger. It's a rare sight to behold for her seventeen year old daughter.

"Naubos mo na? I'll wash it for you." Tinuro niya yung mug na hawak ko.

Tumango ako pero tumangging ipahugas 'to sa kanya. Pumunta ako lababo at hinugasan ang maligamgam pa na baso.

-

When I'm with him I'm not exactly thinking what are we. Instead, ang iniisip ko ay kung gaano ba kalakas yung loob namin para gawin 'to. Nagkikita kami ng patago na walang nino man ang nakakaalam. Pinapakiramdaman namin kung anong pakiramdam nang magkasama kaming dalawa ng ganito — magkatabing magkaupo sa pinaka-harap na seat ng sinehan habang nanunuod ng isang cliché na romcom. Parehas kaming nakasuot ng sumbrero; naka-mask siya habang ako naman ay may suot-suot na salaming hindi ko naman kailangan. Besides this, what else could we do? Is there a limit to our shame?