Ang Lexicon ni Alexi para kay Alex

Alex

Alex

noun

: our most obvious common denominator

Habang yung iba nakikipagdaldalan sa mga kaibigan nila (or rather, seatmates-turned-newfound friends), ako naman, patingin-tingin sa pintuan hanggang sa napansin kita na naglakad papasok. Dumiretso ka kaagad kay Ms. Ching, our Adapted PE teacher. You handed her your registration form then sat on the vacant space beside me. (first row near the teacher's table) Pag-upo mo (Indian style) tumama yung tuhod mo sakin (anlakas na napamura ako sa loob ko) at napatingin ako sa'yo.

"Hi! May sparks ba?" You seriously asked. Napatingin ako sa premature bigote mo.

"Walang sparks. Pasa, baka meron," I replied. (Serious din dahil ginaya kita.)

Sa unang sulyap sa'yo kahit sa malapitan, walang kilig at first sight na naganap. Hindi kita type, Alex; Mukha ka kasing bad boy. We both know that you don't have the Daniel Padilla type of medyo bad boy charm. Instead, you have the sex appeal of a teenage delinquent with a (possible) future criminal record. (i.e. for being a rapist) Nevertheless, I really liked you in an instant. (like how I said I disliked the bitter taste of beer during the first time I tasted it, but I kept on drinking it anyway)

"Alexandr? Wala talagang 'e'?" Asked Ms. Ching as she glanced at your form.

"Yes, Ma'am!" You answered her in a cheerful tone. "Para wala daw 'HIT' sa NBI sabi ni Dad."

She nodded and smiled na para bang na-gets niya yung rason ng tatay mo. Afterwards, your attention turned to me. Napansin mo yata na nakikinig ako attentively sa usapan ninyo ni Ms. Ching.

"Seatmate." Lumingon ako dahil alam kong ako lang naman ang katabi mo. There was a huge smile across your face. "I'm Alexander without the 'e'. Alex for short, pwede ring Zeus kung ang lakas ng dating ko para sa'yo." Tapos finlex mo yung biceps mo. (Which did not affect me in any kind of way) "At ikaw si?"

"I'm Alexis without the 's', pwede ring Alex kung sa tingin mo mas malakas ang dating ko kesa sa'yo."

Akala mo tuloy nuon, tomboy ako.

"Nice to meet you, Alexi!" Tapos inilapit mo sa'kin yung kamao mo at nag bro fist tayo.

That was the beginning of our Alexship a.k.a our friendship.

A year ago, I remembered you asked me "Pag nawala ako sayo, paano ka na, Alexi?" Nilalaro mo pa si Bunny, yung 10-year old rabbit (duh) stuffed toy ko habang kampante kang nakaupo (sa tabi ko) sa may kama.

"Hindi naman magkadugtong yung pusod natin para mamatay ako ng wala ka." I said, in my monotonous voice.

"Wrong answer," Ang sabi mo habang winawasiwas mo yung left (and only) leg na nagsurvive kay Bunny after siyang kagatin ni Boomer, yung German Shepherd ng Tito ko. "Pag tinanggal mo yung 'I' sa Alexi, anong matitira?"

Wow, letter subtraction.

"Alex ang sagot. Teka nga, ano ba yang— "

"Di talaga ako pwedeng mawala sa'yo kahit kailan. Pag sinubukan mong tanggalin si 'I' a.k.a. 'ako' sayo, andun parin yung Alex!"

Definitely, Alex. You were fated to be a part of me.

"Ginagago mo ko eh!" Kinurot ko yung braso mo at natawa ka nalang.

"Tama naman yung sinabi ko ah? Di ba, Bunny?" Ginalaw mo yun ulo niya as if she (babae siya) nodded in affirmation tapos niyakap mo siya ng mahigpit na feeling ko hindi na siya makahinga sa dibdib mo. Well, at the same time, I felt she would be very happy to die of asphyxiation in your arms, at that very moment.

"'Wag mong idamay si Bunny sa kalokohan mo. Dun ka na kay Jas!" During that time, pinagtutulakan pa kita (verbally) kay Jasmine kasabay ng pagtulak ko sa'yo (physically) palabas ng kama ko.

"Kay Jas? Uy! May nag-s-selos!" You mischievously smiled before smothering Bunny with kisses habang nanduon na kayo sa sahig. Swerteng kuneho.

That's what I like and hate about you, Alex- Laging open to interpretation yung mga sinasabi mo. (sabi mo, minsan ganuon din ako magsalita) Pinapagana mo yung utak ko pero minsan ang labo mong kausap o baka ang slow ko lang talaga maka-gets.

"Kung okay lang sa'yo na mawala ako, edi sige." Ang patampo mong sinabi bago kita batuhin ng tsinelas dahil ang drama mo.

That was way before the "Jasmine" era. Ngayon, araw-araw kong iniisip kung may letter subtraction hirit ka din bang ginagawa kay Jas. Naiisip ko rin, pano kung di kita pinagtulakan sa kanya? Paano kung pinatulan ko yung mga biro (o baka mga katotohanan na dinadaan mo sa jokes and metaphors) mo dati? What if I just agreed with you at that time instead na si Jas na naman ang siningit ko sa usapan? Leche talaga mag-isip ng mga what-ifs.

I used to hate my name, but when you came into my life and our Alexi-Alex tandem started, I came to (gradually) like it. Honestly, 'pag nawala ka sa'kin, a part of me would die. (Don't get a tissue, hindi kailangan) Hindi 'to yung ako-si-Juliet-at-di-ko-kaya-mabuhay-ng-wala-ka-Romeo drama, Alex. I would prefer calling this as a curse. The obvious connection is in the first four letters of our first names, but it's more than that. On that fateful day na nagkakilala tayo, umikot na yung mundo ko sa'yo nang hindi ko pinlano. If somebody would tell me that you're my brother from another mother, I would have probably believed in them. (In the first place, di ko nga naman pala kilala kung sino yung totoo kong parents) Kung totoo man na ang babae ay hinugot sa tadyang ng isang lalake, pakiramdam ko ako yung nanggaling sa tadyang mo.

P.S. Just so you now, inamoy-amoy ko si Bunny after you went home that day. She smelled like you - nasipsip na niya yung man stink mo. Kidding aside, the manly smell (no further description in here) was pleasant. Oo, hibang ako, but I'm not unhygienic enough not to give her a bath even if I preferred your smell to stick with her forever.