That Kiss (feat. AlyDen)

Chapter 7

Maaga uli nagising si Alyssa kinabukasan dahil gusto nyang makausap si Jia. Alam nyang maaga palagi ito nagigising. Ito yata ang nanggigising sa mga manok para paalalahanan na tumilaok.

Hindi nga sya nagkamali. Nadatnan nya itong nakaupo sa kitchen at nagkakape.

Naupo sya sa tapat nito. “Morning cap’ain.”

Tumingin ito sa kanya. “Nice. Where’s the I’m-gonna-fuckin’-kill-anyone-i-see aura kagabi? Parang napalitan ng something-very-nice-happened-last-night-im-so-fuckin-elated aura ngayon.”, sabi nito sa kanya.

Napatawa sya. “No bad words this early ate Ji.”

“Whatever.” Tumayo ito nagsalin uli ng isa kape sa tasa nito. Mahilig talaga ito sa kape kaya wala itong kanerbyos-nerbyos. Sila ang ninenerbyos dito.

“So are you gonna thank me now? Well, you’re welcome. I didn’t plan it though but still, because of me you were able to kiss Denden that long. Take note, capslock LONG.”, ngumisi pa sa kanya ang bruha.

Nanlaki ang mga mata nya. “What—how did you know we were kissing?”

“Oh my zeus, Ly. Our rooms are next to each and are only separated by a wall, 5 inches thick. And besides, I have my bionic ears. Did you think I wouldn’t hear the two of you. Swerte nga kayo, ako lang nakarinig. Or should I say ikaw lang? Seems like you were the only one in sane last night e. Boy, she was totally drunk.”

“Well, yeah. She passed out nga e. Haha. You know, I was already there. I was about to let out the love I’ve felt for her, for the past 3 years, through that kiss. But yung 1st year pa lang ang napaparamdam ko bigla syang—‘oops, time-out, I’m gonna sleep’. Medyo imbyerna.”

Tumawa ito. “The two of you are unbelievable.”

“Shut it. Isinisisi ko pa rin sa’yo ang nangyari kagabi. Hindi tayo masyadong close ngayon.”

“Okay lang. At least hindi mo na ako papatayin.”

“Whatever.”

Biglang sumeryoso ang mukha ni Jia. “Pero seriously, Ly. Ganyan ka na lang ba? You only tell her you love her whenever she’s asleep or drunk. You’ve kept your feelings towards her for a very long time already. Isn’t about time to tell her what you feel, without her being, you know—asleep or whatever. So what kung layuan ka nya. So what kung kung hindi ka nya matanggap sa umpisa. Screw the ‘so whats’. Focus on the ‘what-ifs’. What if bigyan ka nya ng chance na patunayang mahal mo sya? What if matanggap ka nya bilang ikaw? What if……mahal ka na din pala nya pero just like you, natatakot din sya? ”

Natahimik sya.

“You have to take risks, Ly. Love is all about taking risks.”

Bumuntong-hininga sya. “It’s already late, ate Ji. She told me she already found someone.”

Tumingin lang ito sa kanya.

“We talked. Yesterday. She cried when she told me she already fell for someone pero hindi daw sila pwede at hindi daw tama. I can feel her pain dahil ganon din ang nararamdaman ko. Kaya I can’t just tell her I love her habang may mahal syang iba. Kung bibigyan man nya ako ng chance dahil lang sa gusto nyang makalimutan yung taong mahal nya, lalo lang akong masasaktan. Ayokong maging escape goat lang. Ayokong maging panakip-butas.”

Ngumiti ito nang makahulugan saka napailing.

- - - - - - - - - -

Katatapos lang ng training nina Alyssa. Nag-aayos na sya ng gamit nya nang biglang sumigaw si Ella.