Thorns of a Cruel Summer

Kabanata 25

Kabanata 25

Boyfriend

I woke up at exactly three a.m. because of excessive pain in the head. May ilang minuto ring hindi makahinga. I'm guessing that it was all because of my drowning. Doon ko lang natanto na wala si Ylaro sa tabi ko. I traced the side of the bed, at doon lang naramdaman ang bigat sa aking baywang. He's at my back. Naramdaman siguro ang paggalaw ko, kaya naman muli akong pinilipit sa bisig niya. 

"I'll ready for school later," I said. Humarap ako sa kaniya upang makita ang reaksyon niya. 

He shook his head. "It's still three a.m.; sleep more. I'll prepare everything for you," aniya nang nakapikit pa rin. Nang hindi marinig ang tugon ko, agad na minulat nang unti-unti ang mga mata. 

Saktong kumirot ang aking ulo. I closed my eyes tightly and held my head. Agad siyang napabangon at hinawakan ang noo ko. 

"I shouldn't really—"

"It's a joke!" I said jokingly when I felt that he'd regret what happened between us. 

If he won't regret it, he'll blame himself at sasabihin na sana, hindi na lang nangyari, which I understand a lot. 

"Eren," saway niya. "Are you fine?" Halata ang pag-aalala sa kaniyang mga mata. 

I nodded. "Let's sleep more," anyaya ko. 

He is a bit hesitant, but he couldn't do anything. Muli siyang humiga at hinarap ako. He held my waist and then pulled me closer to him. 

"I'll get you checked again, and you'll stay here. Not in his condo," untag niya, may ipinahihiwatig. 

I laughed a bit. "He's my friend, Ylaro. Besides, he's very kind. Kung makakasama mo, I won't have to explain."

He licked his lower lip, tumaas saglit ang kilay. He averted his gaze and then looked at me again. "You really like him, hmm?"

Tumango ako. "Not in the way that you think. Pietro is very kind and has helped me a lot in everything. I just can't cut him off, Ylaro."

Hindi ko gustong sabihin agad kung ano si Pietro. Usually, I want them to know him themselves. I want them to see with their naked eye how beautiful Pietro's soul is. At nasabi rin sa akin ni Pietro na I don't have to clear his name on others; at sa kalagayan ngayon, I want Ylaro to know Pietro kapag nakasama na namin ito. 

"Just tell me if you have errands that you'll be needing someone for. I am here."

Selos. 

Umirap ako nang pabiro ngunit tumango na rin kaagad. 

We slept a bit. Katulad ng ipinangako niya, bago pa man ako magising, he prepared the things that I'll be using. Pati na ang breakfast, siya ang nag-ready. Sinaway ko rin dahil gusto ko rin namang tumulong but he didn't let me. 

Sinabi niya na rin na kukuha siya ng made at driver, I refused, but he said we would be very busy at these finals. Wala naman akong nagawa. At sa ngayon habang nasa Coron pa raw ang family car, ihahatis sundo niya muna ako. Obviously, magko-commute kami. Sinabi ko na hassle iyon para sa kaniya, but he insisted on doing so. 

"Our professor in Experimental Psychology won't be attending some of our meeting because she'll focus on third-year students. Wala ring activities para hindi unfair for us," anunsyo ng class president namin. 

Marami ang natuwa at nalungkot. Nalungkot dahil iyong subject lamang na iyon ang favorite namin sa majors. Iyong iba, either hindi nagtuturo, strikto, o hindi na pumapasok at all. 

No experiment means no Ylaro. Bumuntong-hininga ako at ngumuso, naabutan ni Leigh iyon na medyo tumaas ang kilay. 

"Hindi pala ako makakasabay mamaya, ah? May lakad ako," paalam niya. I nodded.