L'Amour

THREE

SLAM BOOK

"Crus--I mean, Cris, can I ask a favor?" I asked in low tone as I approach him. Crush ko na itong si Cris dati pa at gusto kong malaman mga interests at hobbies niya, maging ang personal information actually.

I try my best not to blush. Walang nakaka-alam na crush ko ito at ayokong magkaroon, ayaw ko ring malaman niya. He's very cold to his admirers.

"What?" Matipid niyang sagot nang hindi man lang ako tinapunan ng tingin. Ang gwapo niya kahit masungit at hindi na-ngiti, paano pa kaya kapag masiyahin at pala-ngiti ito? "I have no time to waste so spill it."

Napa-ngiti ako. Ibig sabihin ay may pag-asang sagutin niya ito?

I-a-abot ko na sana ang slam book sa kaniya nang biglang may sumingit sa unahan ko at lumapit kay Cris. Muntikan pa akong masubsob sa sahig, pero buti na lang ay hindi. "Don't kiss the floor, Cari. And you, be careful." I heard him say. So, pinigilan niyang masubsob ako? Nakakakilig naman.

"I'm sorry, nerdy. By the way, can you answer my slam book, Cris?" My classmate asked and lend him her notebook. Maganda siya, kaya napa-atras ako. For sure, hindi a-ayaw si Cris diyan, theater actress ba naman si Ella 'e.

I sighed and started back towards my chair. I opened my ears to listen. "Bakit ka ba kasi lumalapit sa kaniya, Cari?" Sumbat ko sa sarili ko. Ang tanga ko naman kasi.

"Now if you don't mind, I am summoned by our professor. Cari, you were summoned too." Rinig kong sambit ni Cris. Ako? May ipapagawa na naman ba si Prof?

I nodded and things happened so fast, I couldn't believe it. He's holding my hand while pulling me. Ella was left, I heard her cursed. "Hindi mo sinagutan slam book ni Ella? Do you know how lucky you are? Crush ka niya apparently." I stated which I regretted. Why am I pressuring him to do it after all?

Tumigil siya sa paglalakad at hinarap ako. "Give me your notebook."

"What? Anong subject ba?"

"The one you were giving me earlier."

"Oh, here." Buti na lamang ay dala-dala ko ito pero nag-aalala ako at baka punitin niya lang ito. Yumuko ako dahil hindi ko kayang makita ang notebook ko na masira.

"I lied, we were not summoned, I just want to leave the room. Bakit mo nga pala ako pinapasagot dito?"

"Because I like you!" Bigla kong naisigaw, at napatakip sa bibig ko. Ayoko na rito, nakakahiya! Aalis na sana ako nang pinigilan niya ako sa pamamagitan ng pag-hawak sa kamay ko.

Ramdam ko ang pagkapula ng aking mga pisngi. What are you thinking, Cari!?

"Do you know why I accepted this, the fact that I refused to Ella's?"

"I don't know, I have no idea." I lied. Alam ko namang sisirain niya iyan.

He held my chin and made me look at him. I can see his hazel brown eyes staring directly at me.

For a moment, there is silence until he broke it. "Because I like you..."

<------>

I looked at Cris, he's filling up the paper with his answers. Napapa-ngiti pa nga siya 'e. Hindi niya alam na ang saya ko habang nasa likod niya.

Iba talaga 'yung tapang ko na pa-sagutin siya sa slam book ko.

I chuckled loudly, causing him to turn his head to me. "Why are you laughing, Cari?"

"I am just happy, thank you!"

"Baliw ka ba? Bakit ka nagpapasalamat?"

"Kasi, may naalala rin kasi ako. Remember the slam books we lend to each other?"

"Pinag-sagot din kita sa akin at hindi ka makapaniwala na mayroon akong ganoon." He laughed.

"The day we confessed to each other, exactly ten years ago."

"Yeah, hindi ko in-akala o naisip na hindi na slam book ang sasagutan natin," He stood from his chair and kissed my forehead while I was seated. It was still my favorite type of his kisses. "Kundi marriage contract na natin..."