More Than Anything (Absinthe Series 4)

Kabanata 18

Kabanata 18

More Than Anything

"Do you like that?" I heard Crithos asked when he noticed that I stared too much at the portrait. Umatras ako at nilingon siya. Hawak niya pa rin ang camera ngunit ang tingin ay nasa akin.

"You took pictures of me?" I asked him when I noticed a familiar figure on the screen. Kaunti lang ang nakita ko pero sapat na iyon para malaman kong kumukuha nga siya ng litrato ko.

Hindi niya ako sinagot. Imbes, itinuon niya ang camera sa akin. Huli na nang makabawi ulit ako sa gulat dahil nakuhanan niya na ako ng litrato.

My nose wrinkled a bit and my lips curved a little for a smile. Masaya lang akong pagmasdan siyang naeenjoy sa kaniyang naturingang kurso. I think that the camera suits him. The dark wide strap on his pale neck and the main equipment freely dangling just under his chest, fairly suits him.

"I'm sorry." I told him. Naalala ko iyong gabing iniwan ko siya doon sa daan. We both know it's a wrong timing. At alam niyang hindi dapat nangyari iyon. I let it happen. I was at fault too.

The curve of his thin lips made a smirk. "You're sorry that I like you?" he asked in a playful tone.

Sa totoo lang, hindi ko rin alam kung bakit ba ako humihingi ng paumanhin sa kaniya. Maybe I was just guilty that I couldn't reciprocate his feelings. It wasn't right. At siguro...humihingi din ako ng paumanhin kasi gumanti ako ng halik sa kaniya. I lead him on. I should know better.

"I don't feel sorry for the kiss, Verbena, neither with my confession. Kung hindi mo kayang tanggapin, hindi ko naman pinipilit ang sarili ko sa'yo. I understand that you think I am too young for you--

"Stop it, please." I pleaded, my eyes begging him to stop. Ayaw kong pag-usapan namin iyon dito lalo na't hindi lang naman kami ang tao sa auditorium. May mga naglilibot akong mga kaklase at siya rin.

"I don't think that this is a good place to talk..." hininaan ko ang boses ko habang tinatanaw ang paligid namin. His jaw clenched as his eyes remain unbothered and almost expressionless.

"You don't even want to talk to me in the first place." Mababa ang tono niyang sabi. He sighed as he held on to his camera. Umatras siya at kumuha ng litrato. He didn't even look for a better angle at basta na lang siyang nagpipindot.

Pinagmasdan ko siya. His biceps flexed a little as he moved his arm. Sa anggulong iyon ay nakita ko kung gaano siya kaseryoso sa pagkuha ng litrato kahit nakikita kong tamad ang kaniyang postura. He then faced me again and I readied myself to smile as he took a picture of me.

Nakita ko ang pagkunot ng noo niya nang ibaba ang camera. "Why did you smile?"

My lips protruded a little while I shrugged. "I looked awful in some of your pictures. I just gave you a better view."

He chuckled lowly. Wala siyang sinabi at basta na lang na umiling.

May tumawag sa aking pangalan kaya sabay kaming napalingon ni Crithos. It was Reese without Gaile by her side.

"Nandyan ka lang pala. Palabas na kami ni Gaile. Naghihintay sina George kina Aling Nena kasi wala si Sir Teds." She approached me. Nakita ko ang pagsulyap niya kay Crithos. Minsan ng nakita nina Reese si Crithos kaya alam kong may ideya na siya kung sino ito.

"Wala si Sir Teds?" gulat kong sabi. Usually hindi naman umaabsent si Sir Teds. Palaging nasa attendance iyon, daig pa yung mga kaklase namin.

"Oo, tsamba nga eh. Ano? Sabay kang magla-lunch?"

"Uh, hindi ako sasabay maglunch eh," alanganin akong ngumiti kay Reese. Nakita kong nawala ang ngiti niya sa labi sa aking sinabi. It was replaced by a slight frown.