Ferocious Affection (COMPLETED)

32ND

Ysa's

The next day was our flight back to the Philippines. We spent our Sunday resting in our own homes at kinabukasan, back to reality na naman kami para ipagpatuloy ang daan namin papunta sa kanya-kanya naming hangarin sa buhay.

"You done?"

I turned to Brett and saw him typing his own paperwork on his laptop. He arranged the bridge of his anti-radiation glasses and took a glance on me. I bit my lower lip to fight the urge to smile.

Gosh! He looked so sexy in that gesture.

Tumikhim ako at ibinalik ang tingin sa laptop. "I'm almost done revising this," I replied, tinutukoy ang statistical analysis na ginagawa ko.

"Can I see?" Tanong niya, hindi na hinintay ang sagot ko at agad na sumilip sa screen.

Tumango-tango siya habang binabasa ito. Pagkatapos nito, lumingon siya sa 'kin at sinabing, "your ideas are great, but they're not organized. Mas maiintindihan kapag naka-ayos siya, you can also get plus points from that."

"Ito?" turo ko sa isang parte. Tumango siya. "That's from the book!"

Napasapo siya sa kanyang noo. "Kaya naman pala. Go into overdrive or you'll be dead," tugon niya bago umayos ng upo at magpatuloy sa kanyang ginagawa.

Natawa na lang ako at napa-iling, hindi naintindihan ang isang phrase na sinabi niya. Grade conscious talaga kahit kailan. With my eyes feeling heavy, I followed his opinion and finished the paperwork right away.

Nandito kami ngayon sa isang coffee shop sa tapat ng university, our usual spot. Free cut namin ngayon kaya't dito kami nanatili para maka-focus. Parehas kaming tumatalima sa tuwing may nagyayaya sa 'ming mag-aaral because we're working for the same goal: to be successful in life.

"Wait," bigla kong nasambit nang may mapansin ako sa labas sa pamamagitan ng glass wall. "Is that Nico?"

Brett turned to the same direction I was looking at. Bakas ang gulat sa kanyang mukha nang makita rin si Nico na may hinahabol na babaeng mukhang menor de edad. The girl looked familiar.

We didn't know what Nico was up to from these past few months. We still see each other in class, pero hindi na siya masyadong sumasama sa 'min. Is he avoiding us? I wonder why.

Patayo na sana ako nang bigla akong hawakan ni Brett sa kamay upang pigilan ako habang nakatingin pa rin sa kanila. "Just let him do his own business. Hayaan mo sila."

Tatalima na sana ako, but the questions I have in mind made me pull my hand away from his grasp and run outside of the coffee shop.

"Nico!" tawag ko sa kanya.

Agad naman siyang napalingon sa 'kin, bakas ang kaba sa mukha. He was glancing at somewhere, pabalik-balik ang tingin sa akin at doon. He was wearing casual clothes though, siguro naman wala siyang importanteng pupuntahan.

"Catch you up in one of these days?" I bluntly asked, he looked like in a rush.

Bumuka ang kanyang bibig ngunit walang lumabas na salita ro'n. He started to look at various directions.

Tumaas ang aking kilay, naiinip sa ginagawa niya.

Hindi siya makatingin ng diretso sa 'kin. Whenever I try to catch his eye, titingin siya sa ibang direksyon. I irritatingly held both of his cheeks and made him face me, kaya't umangat ang laman ng kanyang pisngi.