Unfamiliar Feeling Called, Love?

Chapter 34

KISHA's PoV

Manong driver and I were off pauwi sa bahay, it was starting to rain nang mahina. The streets were busy and the atmosphere is cold. Ya know, the usual rainy weather atmosphere.

I was just leaning my head on the car window habang nasa outside ang tingin out of boredom, pero tila nabuhay ang energy ko nang namataan ko si Jhared sa labas. He's covering his head with his bag while making his walk mabilis under the rain.

"Manong, stop the kotse." I immediately told the driver habang nasa labas pa rin ang tingin ko. I don't know but Jhared's really making me worried.

"Okay po ma'am." the driver responded and obediently stopped the car sa gilid ng kalsada.

Diretsa ko na'ng binuksan ang kotse at lumabas to chase Jhared.

"Jhared!" I called him in the middle of the rain and I stopped from running when he turned to me. Good thing he heard me immediately. His eyes widened and his brows crossed upon seeing me, oh yeah, I forgot wala pala akong dalang umbrella when I got out.

"Jhared sumakay ka na!" I told him while covering my head with my own hands, halatang patakbo siya sa bus station eh but it's still a bit distant.

Next moment, we just found ourselves inside the car. Bumalik ako sa front seat habang siya naman ay nasa backseat. He's all wet.

I turned to him, "Basang-basa ka na."

He simply flashed me a smile and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"Good, I'll just turn on the heater and just take off your clothes para hindi ka magkasakit." sabi ko sa kanya.

Kumunot ang noo niya, "All?"

Napalunok ako and shook my head nang napagtantong may mali sa nasabi ko, "I mean not all, but just your vest."

"Is it okay with you if I'll just change here? I brought an extra shirt."

Kinabahan ako bigla sa sinabi niya. Napapitok ako ng mga mata at naguguluhan sa isasagot.

"I mean, it's okay with me if hindi ka papayag, yung vest ko lang huhubarin ko."

"I-it's fine. I won't look naman." mabilis ko'ng sabi at agad na tumalikod sa kanya. Ayokong magkasakit siya.

Wait what? Agghhh, why am I even acting all concern?

Natampal ko nang mahina ang noo ko because of my monologue. I nailed my eyes to the road nalang or else baka makita ko pa siyang naghuhubad.

Just then I remembered I had something to tell him so I turned to him again and said, "Jhared about the research -ay shet."

Agad ko'ng binawi ang ulo ko, he's undressing his polo na pala. Takte, I just saw his body, and I even saw him natigilan at nanlaki ang mga eyes because of what I just did. Ako rin naman nanlaki ang mga eyes ko while looking at him in few seconds lang.

I gulped, napakagat pa tuloy ako ng labi and panicked na nakatingin sa labas ng kotse nang dahil sa hiya at awkwardness.

Jeez, why am I so luka-luka? Oh gawd, I hate my sarili.

It felt like I'm so manyak or what.

"I'm done." rinig ko'ng sabi niya pero hindi pa rin ako tumingin sa kanya.

"I'm done, really. You can now face me." ulit pa niya, kaya ako, tumingin ako sa salaming nasa taas ng windshield para manigurado, and yeah, he's done, naka-black shirt na siya ngayon kaya nakahinga na ako nang maluwag.

I turned to him and said, "About our research paper, nakausap ko na si ma'am kanina, she said we could still pass the title-proposal until this week lang."

"Hmmmm, I see."

Sabi ko pa, "So please don't be absent bukas kasi magbri-brainstorm tayo, or you can just brainstorm for good and unique research topics mamayang night, might as well ako this night then let's just continue tomorrow."

Tumango lang siya and said, "Okay noted."

***

"Kuya pakihatid nalang po s'ya sa unahan muna." sabi ko nang lumabas na ako ng car and shared an umbrella with nanay Celia na tiniextan ko'ng sunduin ako sa gate with an umbrella.

"No, Kisha. It's fine. I can just run from here." Jhared reacted and afterwards turned to the driver, "Manong, 'wag n'yo na po'ng abalahin ang sarili n'yo. Thank you po."

The next moment, I saw Jhared enveloped from the car while covering himself with his vest.

"Zaxisha, thank you. Manong, nanay Celia I'll just go ahead." sabi pa niya at hindi na siya nagpa-stop, he quickly ran under the rin papunta sa bahay nila.

I heard nanay Celia called me so I turned to her, "Kisha, anak."

"Si Jhared na dating kababata mo ba iyon anak?" tanong pa niya with a mixture of delight and surprise on her face.

I just gave her a sweet smile, "Opo nay, si Jhared po 'yon na tinapunan ko ng pinakuluang tubig dati."

Chapter Epilogue

Madam Amatong was just standing by the window of her office with a cup of tea she's sipping on. She was just accommodating the solace of the rain until may bumusinang kotse sa harap ng kanilag bahay.

Dumating na ang kanyang unica hija, si Zaxisha.

She was just silently looking at her daughter who was being enveloped by the car door.

But then, nagtagpo ang kanyang kilay nang may isa pang hindi inaasahang pasahero ang lumabas mula sa kotse.

"Jhared Xu."

Her eyes widened upon recognizing him.

At instance, makikitang unti-unting bumibigat ang kanyang paghinga and her hand that was holding the cup of tea starts trembling. Hanggang sa, natauhan siya nang nakarinig basag na umalingawngaw sa loob ng buong silid.

Nabitawan na pala niya ang hinawakang tasa kaya naman nagkalat ang mga bubog at lamang tsaa nito sa kanyang kinatatayuan.

"P-paano..."