Wait ed. (Carla-Billy's Story)

Touch-move

"Smile, Patricia- just like how you would pretend  many years before"

———

Seven days ago...

"Nag-carpool lang kami ni Bry... sabay ka sa amin?", Christian asked, but somehow he knew that there's no way this guy beside me would allow me to go with them.

And before I could answer him, Brian looked at Billy then said, "Tsong, dalawang oras. Pag wala pa si Carla sa hotel, ipapa-blotter kita"

Billy shook his head then grinned, "Mamili ka na ng presinto, 'Tol. Kasi pag hindi nya ako kinausap, baka itanan ko na talaga sya"

If this were any other case, or if this happened a few years earlier, siguro kinilig ako...
Kaya lang, it happened now.
Parang pinasikip lang  yung dibdib ko.

"Isang oras lang, Tsong. May jet lag ako. Gusto kong matulog, or, bukas na lang kaya, Billy?", I asked, looking at him.

"I'll take that one hour", he said, then without saying anything, he took my personal bag and walked, I supposed, to where his car is.

"Ok ka lang?", Christian asked, while looking at Billy's back.

"Ok lang. Tawagan nyo ako after an hour ha?"

"Kinakabahan si Carla! Mukha talagang seryosong itatanan ka, 'Tol"

"Baliw ba sya!"

"Sige na... para makauwi rin kayo agad"

——-

When I reached the parking lot, I found him standing at the passenger side's door. He immediately open it when he saw me.

"Saan tayo pupunta?", I asked, trying to be as calm as I could, pero yung totoo, abot ang kabog ng dibdib ko.

"Saan mo gustong pumunta?", he asked me back.

"Yung totoo? Yung malayo sayo...", I said, but I could not look him in the eye.

"Pasensya, nasa akin yung manibela.... ilalayo na lang kita... dun sa malayo dito"

I smiled when I heard him say that. "At least, you got your dreams... Sabi naman sayo, yun lang masaya na ako"

He stopped talking, and he just stood there staring at me.

"If I only knew na ikaw yung kapalit, I wouldn't..."

"Touch- move, Parekoy.", then I went inside his car, without looking back at him.

——-

Five years ago....
Eleven weeks apart.
New York Monday 6am
The Netherlands Monday 12nn

~Baby, I might not be able to wait for you later after your class. I took a part time job. Baka late na ako masyado makauwi~

~Ok, Love. Lunch ka na~

~P, are you ok?~

I haven't finished what I was typing yet, he sent that video call invite.
I cancelled it, and typed.

~I have a guy who slept over. Baka magising~

~ha ha ha. Funny. Pick up the call~

I really didn't want to.
I've been feeling under the weather these past couple of days.
But to make him feel at ease, I answered that call and put my smiling face on.

"Where's the trust, Billy?", I said, while still lying on bed, side of my face is on the pillow I was hugging.

"Why am I suddenly so jealous of the pillow?, he said, grinning.