Grieving Soul [#Wattys2019 Winner]

Chapter 7

Chapter 7
Sophisticated

Agad na hinanap ng aking mga mata si Gio pagkapasok ko sa loob ng aming classroom. He was already talking to his groupmates. Nilipat ko ang tingin ko sa aming upuan at nakitang nakalapag doon ang kanyang bag.

Masaya kong tinungo ang aming upuan na magkatabi. Hindi ko na ginulo pa si Gio kasama ng kanyang mga kagrupo.

Habang abala si Gio ay naisipan kong itext muna si Silver. Ang sabi niya ay mamayang alas-diez pa naman ang kanyang klase. It's only eight in the morning. And usually, our professor in this subject is always late for a minimum of ten minutes.

To: Silver
Hi. Thank you ulit sa paghihintay sa akin at pati na rin sa paghatid.

I bit my lower lip after sending my message and waiting for his reply that came within a minute.

From: Silver
No problem.

Lumabi ako nang mabasa ang kanyang matipid na reply. I didn't know if I still should reply to this. This message is certainly one of the dead ends in a conversation unless I start another topic which wasn't highly encouraged by my mind because I might appear too clingy or someone who's begging for his attention.

Before I got to organize my thoughts, Silver sent another message.

Hindi ko mapigilan ang mapangiti. I was assuming big time that he still wanted to talk to me by opening a new topic for our conversation.

From: Silver
Bibisita ka ba sa bahay ngayon? Sabi ni Mama ay sabihin ko raw agad sa kanya para mapaghandaan niya.

Gusto ko sana talagang pumunta ulit sa kanila ngunit nangako ako sa sarili kong ibibigay ko ang araw na 'to kay Gio. But maybe, I can just invite both of them in our house since my brother told me to invite Gio for dinner. It wouldn't be a problem inviting Silver as well.

To: Silver
Not today but... are you free later?

Tahimik akong nanalangin sa aking isipan na sana'y hindi siya busy mamaya para makasama siya sa amin. At nang mabasa ko ang kanyang reply ay tila parang nadinig ng langit ang aking panalangin.

From: Silver
Yes, I'm free. Bakit?

Wala naman sigurong masama kung ako ang mag-aaya dahil magkaibigan naman kaming dalawa. Si Gio nga ay lagi kong ina-aya kung saan-saan. Pero siguro'y iba lang talaga pagdating kay Silver. Gio's my best friend while he's... well... someone I like.

To: Silver
I would like to invite you for a dinner in our house after school. Kung okay lang sa'yo.

Kumpara sa normal na bilis niya sa pagrereply sa akin ay medyo naging matagal ang pagdating ng kasunod.

From: Silver
Ayos lang naman sa akin pero nakakahiya sa pamilya mo. Hindi naman nila ako kilala.

Reading his recent message made me realize why it took him so long to reply to my invitation. He was hesitating to come over for dinner because my family didn't know him. But I know my brother wouldn't mind and my mother doesn't care about it as well.

To: Silver
Don't worry. Gio will also be there, plus my brother's cool with everything.

Sa tingin ko ay hindi pa sapat ang sinabi ko na 'yon upang tuluyan ko siyang mapapayag na sumama kaya naman nagpadala ako muli ng panibagong mensahe.

To: Silver
Tinanggap ako ng pamilya mo at lalo na ng nanay mo nang imbitahan ninyo ako sa inyo kahapon. Gusto kong suklian ang kabutihang ipinakita ninyo sa akin. So... please. Come and join us for dinner.