straight as guitar strings!

chapter 7 [tag/fil]

"NICE! Where did you get that?" I approached him and touched the guitar before he even get closer to me. It's a typical wood color acoustic guitar.

He finally handed it to me and cheerfully said, "I saw a genie, and I said I'm wishing for a guitar!"

"Ha! Funny!" I rolled my eyes as a response for his sarcasm.

"Of course, I borrowed it from Randy, my good friend." Napansin ko ang maliliit na butil ng pawis sa noo niya. Speaking of pawis, never ko pa siyang naamoy na may bad odor sa katawan kahit na P.E. class namin. Kapag naliligo kami sa university, never talaga siya umaamoy. Unlike me, masyado akong pawisin kahit humihinga lang yata ako, pagpapawisan na.

"Oh, that one friend of yours from that group... what do you call that... basta they play traditional and folk music instruments, right?"

He gave me a knowing look then asked, "Bakit? Crush mo?"

"Hindi! Gagi."

"Biro lang, boss."

Nang mapatingin ako sa entrance ng building namin, I saw the time from the digital clock placed above the door. It's better to start na kaya as I shifted my gaze back to him, niyaya ko na siya. "Tara na?"

"Sige, hanap tayo place," aniya.

"May alam ka?"

"Place?"

"Oo, place."

"Place ko?"

"..."

Iba na naman tumakbo sa utak ko. Did he just really say that? Place niya? If he's not innocent of it, I would definitely thought that response was a horny invitation.

I heard he added, "Wala masyado, maghanap na lang tayo."

"..."

Pero sa sunod niyang tanong, "Huy, napa'no ka?" Natauhan na ako on that point. Natulala na pala ako kanina pa. Mabuti naman at nakabalik agad ako sa ulirat.

Naghahabol ng hininga sa kaba, I shook my head. "Ah, wala... wala, tara maghanap na tayo." Hinawakan ko siya sa manggas ng polo niya at itinulak paharap para siya ang mauna. I'll just follow his lead.

Mga ilang minuto pa kaming naglakad hanggang sa mapadpad kami sa bakanteng building ng Criminology department and malapit sa HRM Department.

"P'wede na siguro dito, wala naman gaanong dumadaan na tao." Leo looked all over the place and mas nakadagdag pa siya sa magandang tanawin sa lugar na 'to. Medyo tabing gubat at gawing dulo na rin kasi 'tong building na 'to.

I could even hear the sound of nature, chirping birds, swinging tree branches with their rustling leaves kaya sabi ko, "Sige, dito na lang. Saan tayo pupwesto? Sa hagdan?"

He gave me a knowing smile, "Sure, hagdan para exciting."

I paused and didn't even bother to say anything? But there are thoughts in my mind lately. Series of questions but... Is he trying to talk dirty to me? Are those hints? No, it could just be a trap. Yes, probably. There's some type of feeling inside of me telling he's a little bit dangerous.

My phone lit up after it suddenly received a quick missed call. I slid it inside my pocket when I saw who it was.

"Sino 'yon?" he asked. I just want to say that it's none of his business to ever care whoever calls me on my phone. That's not nice for me to say.

"Wala, ano lang... si Papa lang 'yon. 'Wag daw akong magpagabi." Nagsinungaling ako.

He seemed to not care at all, or so I thought. "I see, so anong kakantahin natin for audition?"