Best for Us (GU #3)

forty-four

Forty-Four: Tyler Osmond

Bumalik ako ng campus para sunduin si Vanessa. I knew their class would end at this time. Naitext ko naman siya kanina na papunta na ako. And she told me na sa parking lot na lang kami magkita.

I parked the car near her building then I got her phone and tried to call her. Napasimangot ako nang napunta sa voicemail iyon. Ano kayang ginagawa niya?

I tried again but the same scenario happened. At dahil doon ay nag-send na lang ako ng text sa kanya.

Me: Hi. I'm already here at the parking lot. Waiting for you.

I waited for her response but nothing came. Napabuntong-hininga ako't binaba muna ang cellphone.

Ilang sandali pa nang mapunta ang tingin ko doon sa building nila at natigilan nang makita kung sino ang naroon.

It was Vanessa and she's laughing with some guy. My brows knitted. What the hell?

Napakuyom ang mga palad ko. Pero agad kong pinakalma ang sarili't itinaboy ang pausbong na pagkairita. That was just nothing.

But seriously, halos bumaba na ako ng sasakyan at magmartsa sa kinaroroonan ni Vanessa kung hindi ko lang nakita na lumipat na ang tingin niya doon sa cellphone niya saka napunta dito sa direksyon ko ang tingin. The guy took her attention again, said something before he went away.

At hindi nagtagal nang tumawid na rin si Vanessa. I unlocked the door and waited for her to hop in.

"Hey," she smilingly greeted. "Kanina ka pa dito?"

She kept her smile and it took every ounce of me not to lean down and kiss her smiling lips.

"Hindi naman," sagot ko. "Halos kararating ko lang nung nagsend ako ng text."

Tumango-tango siya doon at naalala ko 'yung nasaksihan kanina. I wanted to know who's that guy. Badly needed to.

"May kasama ka pala kanina," simula ko saka pilit ginawang mahinahon ang boses. "Sino 'yun?"

Ngunit kung paano umangat ang gilid ng labi niya't kuminang ang mga mata ay alam kong basa na niya ang nasa isipan ko.

She didn't mention about it though. Just politely answered my question. "Si Grayson. Siya 'yung partner ko sa play. Nakasabay ko lang sa hagdan tapos nagremind lang ng rehearsal namin para bukas."

Oh, so that's the guy. And I didn't know if that fact should calm me or not.

Oops. I should not be thinking about that. Girlfriend ko na si Vanessa. Ako ang gusto niya.

"Are you okay?"

Napatingin ako kay Vanessa sa tanong niyang iyon. I thought of dodging her question, make something up. But the urge to tell her the truth was stronger. So, I did. "I don't know. But I just felt odd seeing you with that Grayson guy a while ago."

I waited her to say something but she remained quiet. Then a small smile started to form in her lips. She playfully narrowed her eyes at me. "Don't tell me you're...jealous?"

Napalunok ako. But what she said struck something inside me. Tinapatan ko ang tingin niya at sa seryosong ekspresyon ay sumagot na ako. "I don't remember the time I've been jealous so I honestly can't tell. But if being jealous is me wanting to drag you away from that guy earlier, then maybe I am. Maybe I'm jealous."

Napakagat ng labi si Vanessa. At pinigilan ko ang sariling isara ang distansya sa pagitan naming dalawa. Saka siya ngumiti ay inabot ang kamay ko, marahang pinisil iyon. "You don't have to be though. Partner ko lang si Grayson sa play. And it's impossible for me to look at someone else. Ang gwapo kaya ng boyfriend ko."