Sunlight Deception (Isla Series #1)

02

"Date? Seryoso ka?"

I am confused. He just suddenly approached me, grabbed me out of there, pinasakay sa sasakyan niya, and now, we are going on a date? No.

"Oo," tipid niyang sagot. The smile on his lips was still visible.

"Why?" tanong ko.

"Anong 'why'?" I could clearly see the confusion on his face.

"Ba't tayo magda-date?" I asked. "'Di tayo close," I added. It's true.

"Kaya nga tayo magda-date para maging close," he said, laughing. Iniwas ko ang tingin ko at nag-focus na lang sa harapan.

It was peaceful, I can say. Kami lang ang tao sa daan, since late na. May dumadaan naman paminsan-minsan. I was sure galing sila sa Sahara. Mga lasing, eh.

"I don't do dates," halos pabulong na ang pagkakasabi ko nito.

It was true. Sure, may mga nagiging crush ako pero kapag nalaman ko na naka crush rin sila sa akin, nawawalan na ako ng gana.

I've been in a relationship once but now... I'm not ready for a relationship. Kaya better umiwas sa mga ganyan. Date. Kasi it will lead to attachments and I'm not ready for that again.

He glanced at me pero agad ding tumingin sa daan. "Eh 'di, hindi na lang 'to date," he said.

I turned to him when I heard what he said. My brows furrowed at him. "Bakit hindi?" tanong ko. "Sasabihin mong date 'to, tapos ngayon babawiin mo? Ang gulo mo."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "You said you don't do dates. So, let's not call it one."

Hindi ako nagsalita. Biglang lumiwanag ang mukha niya at ngumisi. Parang may naisip siya bigla. Napataas naman ang kilay ko. He's so... weird.

"Ah, gusto mo akong maka-date, 'no? Kaya ayaw mong bawiin ko?" He wiggled his brows at me when he finished his sentence.

"What!? Ayaw ko." I pointed at him to prove a point. "Wala akong sinabing ganyan." I got annoyed at what he said. That wasn't what I meant! He obviously got the wrong idea!

"Oh? Ba't ba ayaw mo?" tanong niya. I could clearly hear the amusement in his voice. I can say that he is enjoying this. Sabagay, it's like he enjoys everything. Lalo na ang mga bangayan namin.

"Ayaw ko sa 'yo." Sinabi ko ang totoo, ayaw ko ng paligoy-ligoy pa. Nakakapagod.

"You're too harsh," aniya at humawak pa sa dibdib niya. "Ba't ba ayaw mo sa 'kin? Friendly naman ako, ah?" sabi niya na may halong lungkot. But I know otherwise.

"That's the point, friendly ka," sabi ko. Obvious naman na hindi ako maingay. I like to stay lowkey para walang problema. People like him are too much for my liking.

Too much for me.

"Ah, you're jealous because I'm friendly?"

"What?" Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. Where did he get that idea? "I don't even like you," mariin kong sabi.

"Paano ba 'yan? Gusto kita, eh." He glanced at me and smiled. Tumingin din siya agad sa daan at niliko ang sasakyan.

Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya. I blinked twice, trying to sink in what he said.

He likes me? What? No way. Hindi pwede... What? Before I could overthink what he said, narinig ko siyang nagsalita.

"As a friend," bawi niya nang hindi ako umimik. Natauhan ako nang tumawa siya. "Stroll lang tayo. I was just kidding about the date. You could stop overthinking now."