I didn't find everything awkward and we talked about it. I even asked him how long and he told me that he's liking me for over three years already and he got the courage to tell me because I asked. Hindi na nga namin na tuloy 'yung game namin hanggang sa makababa kami.
Sinabihan ko siya na ikuwento kung bakit he started to have feelings for me and I was laughing the whole time to the point na naaasar na siya sa akin.
"Inaasar mo lang ako e," seryosong sambit niya.
"No HAHAHA," I laughed, "Your reactions are too cute for me. Do you really think that I'm masungit?"
Tumango naman siya, "Yeah. Lagi kasi naka poker face. Kasalanan ko ba 'yon?"
"Sinabi ko bang kasalanan mo?" natatawa parin ako.
Hindi na niya tinuloy ang kuwento niya dahil sa patuloy na pang-aasar ko sakanya. Halatang nabwiset na siya sa akin.
Hanggang sa makabalik kami sa parking ay nakabusangot padin siya kaya mas lalo akong natawa.
"Dude stop sulking,"
"Anong stop sulking? Tawa tawanan ba naman ako," bulong pa nito.
I stopped laughing when he started at me my. ,
"Stop, Arch," he's giving me names now.
I raised my hands as a sign of defeat. We waited there afterwards. Chinat ki na rin 'yung mga kasama namin pero hindi sila nagrereply. Wala ata silang balak mag dinner.
"Call your friends," I told Lhieon.
"Mga hindi nga nagsasagutan," agad na sabi naman niya.
Buti nalang at nasakanya ang susi kaya nakapasok na kami sa loob. Iniwan nalang niya na bukas ang mga pintuan para hindi na kailangan buksan 'yung aircon.
Nakaupo siya sa driver's seat habang ako ay nakaupo sa likod, kung saan ako nakaupo kanina.
My eyes are closed but wasn't asleep. I can hear the music being played by Lhieon using his phone.
Maybe, it's the way you say my name
Maybe, it's the way you play your game
But it's so good, I've never known anybody like you
But it's so good, I've never dreamed of nobody like you
I never heard the song but it was good. I would probably add it in my playlist.
And I've heard of a love that comes once in a lifetime
And I'm pretty sure that you are that love of mine
Dahan dahan kong binuksan ang mata ko ng marinig ko siyang sumabay sa kanta. He's singing in a calm way. Lhieon's voice isn't that good but it is soothing and calming.
Cause I'm in a field of dandelions
Wishing on every one that you'll be mine
Nakita ko siyang tumingin sa akin gamit ang front mirror and I caught him being shock as he saw me awake.
"I thought you're asleep?" he questioned me, still looking at the mirror.
"Do I look like I am?" mahinang tanong ko sakanya pabalik.
We didn't realized that we're staring at each other for too long while the music is still playing. My neck isn't even feeling sore from leaning towards the window.
"Alam mo ba before, inisip ko na masyado kang mataas para maabot ko," Lhieon admitted.
"Why?"
Before he talked, lumingon na muna siya sa akin para matignan ako ng maayos. I didn't even feel awkward by him staring.
"Because you are, you know... you. You were too high while I'm not even in the half level of yours. You're rich, pretty, smart- you're just everything that is unreachable. Iniisip ko na baka 'yung mga tipo mo is kasing level mo," his eyes are looking at me softly.
Everything he is telling to me right now are wrong, "I don't set my standards because I don't want to expect so high from people. I don't consider my self high class because I am really not one or maybe I just don't consider myself one. People are just too scared to commit thinking that I might turn them down," maybe I would, but in a understandable way. In a way that I know that they are not worthy for me and vice versa.
"You know? It is always the what ifs that comes first and people are too scared to try and look at the results themselves making them believe their own thoughts and false facts," some may be possible facts but there is nothing wrong in trying yourself.
"Dapat marunong kang sumubok kasi baka pag hindi mo sinubukan, 'yung open opportunity na pwede mong magrab ay makuha ng iba and by that, mapapa-isip ka nalang... What if I tried?" it is not wrong to try. Para rin naman sakanila 'yon.
"You know a lot, huh?" he asked.
"No. That just came out from me," I chuckled, "But to make things clear, I'm reachable and you are just scared."
LHIEON'S POV
Baka takot nga ako. Maraming nagkakagusto sakanya and that made me think na baka nasa mga iyon ang mga type niyang tao kaya hindi ako nag take risk.
Hindi ako takot, nag dadalawang isip lang ako.
She's right though. Pinangunahan ako ng what ifs ko and that made me believe what I was thinking.
Papunta kami sa isang restaurant ngayon malapit sa picnic grove. Si Ken na ang nag drive ngayon kaya katabi ko ulit si Venus na natutulog habang nakadantay sa bintana.
Dumating mga kaibigan namin ilang minuto pagkatapos namin mag-usap. It is somehow like an open forum. I don't know.
When we arrived at the restaurant, I insisted to wake Venus up.
They're looking at me with teasing eyes but I didn't care. At all.
Ngayon ko lang nakausap at nakasama si Venus pero madali mo siyang makikilala based sa mga actions niya. Napaka introvert niya pero madali siyang magiging comfortable sa tao kapag kakilala niya na.
Pero hindi ko padin makakalimutan 'yung pang aasar niya sa akin. But she's happy with it, so it is fine.
"Venus," dahan dahan kong inalog ang balikat niya para hindi siya mabigla.
Minulat niya ng konti ang mata niya at kinusot pa nito. She acts like a cat. Cute.
"Let's go. Nandoon na sila," mahina pading sambit ko.
Umunat muna siya bago sumunod sa akin palabas.
Tahimik kaming hinanap ang mga kaibigan namin dahil hindi naman namin alam kung saan sila pumwesto. I don't know what's on her mind but I hope it is not something she would overthink at.
"Ilang oras mo ba ginising 'yan?" bungad ni Kizealla.
Ilang oras ba siya dapat gisingin?
"Alam mo, Lhieon. Ten minutes bago namin magising 'yan tapos ikaw hindi pa nalagpas ng 5 minutes," sabi naman ni Lia.
Nilingon ko naman si Venus na naka-upo sa tabi ko ngunit nakataas lang ang kilay niya sa dalawang kaibigan.
"Kung mang gising kasi kayo parang may urgent meeting," reklamo niya sa dalawa.
Kaya pala. Kahit naman siguro ako 'di agad babangon kapag ganoon na bibiglain nalang ako ng gising. Nasanay din ako na dahan dahan ako ginigising na kahit pati sa iba ay ganoon ginagawa ko.
Nakakabwiset kaya pag inaalog ka in a rough way.
Umorder na 'yung mga kaibigan namin nung wala kami kaya naghihintay nalang sila. Venus kept herself quiet while all of us are talking. Is she too occupied?
Nilabas ko ang cellphone ko at chinat siya.
lhieonkhaizer: u okay??:((
Cringe.
I saw her bring out her phone and slightly looked at me.
venusarchilles: I am. Why?
lhieonkhaizer: u look occupied.
lhieonkhaizer: what's on your mind?
venusarchilles: u:))
Tinignan ko naman siya and she was too serious.
venusarchilles: u made me think about things and you.
venusarchilles: After saying that I'm out of your league, that made me doubt hahahaha
Why would she doubt?
venusarchilles: but don't worry, I believe you:))
Naramdaman kong tinago niya na ang phone niya and she slightly tapped my wrist, that made me look at her.
"May something sila," rinig kong bulong ni Caleb.
Tanginang bulong 'yan.
Venus smiled at me before looking away so I did the same.
Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gusto niyang sabihin pero magaan ang pakiramdam ko roon.
Maya maya pa ay dumating na ang pagkain na inorder nila. Una kong napansin ang bulalo. Marami pang mga dish like seafood dishes.
Syempre, nag picture muna sila bago kumain. Okay lang magutom basta ma picture-an 'yung kakainin. Every travel agenda 'yon. Pang IG story nila.
Madalas na gamit ko ay twitter. Ginagamit ko lang 'yata ang IG ko kapag trip lang. Mas madami rin kasing ganap sa twitter kaysa sa IG. Puro pa notifications of DMs sa IG ko. Mga hindi ko naman kilala.
"Diba alis niyo bukas?" tanong ni Kizealla kay Venus habang nanguya.
"Oo. Huwag ka magsalita nang may laman bibig mo," napa-iling nalang siya.
"Hindi ka pa nasanay sakaniya," sambit ni Lia.
All of us were eating bulalo. Si Kizealla at Caleb lang 'yung matakaw kaya halos lahat ng pagkain ay natikman na nila. Hindi na naman bago kay Caleb 'yung pagiging matakaw niya kaso minsan ay nasosobrahan kaya nasusuka nalang siya sa kalagitnaan ng gabi.
Nambubulabog pa nga ng tulog 'yan.
"Ano oras alis niyo?" sa wakas ay nagtanong din si Ken. Kanina pa kasi ito tahimik.
"After class ata. Wala pang updated na schedule e. Bakit mo kasi tinake down?"
Ngayon lang niya ginawa 'yon. Lagi rin kasi sumasama si Ken sa activities sa sports club kasi dagdag grades 'yon sa pipiliin na subject.
Puwede rin niyang ibigay 'yung slot niya sa ibang players pero ewan ko kung ginawa niya 'yon.
"May gagawin ako after class. Hindi rin ako puwedeng sumunod," his lies. Very obvious.
I just agreed. Halata namang iniiwasan niyang sagutin 'yung tanong. Hindi pala sabi si Ken. Ni hindi ko nga rin sure kung pinagkakatiwalaan niya kami sa mga bagay bagay na tungkol sakanya. Npaka sarado niya sa ibang tao pero iniintindi nalang namin siya bilang kaibigan namin.
Sabay sabay kaming natapos kumain kaya't dumeretso na kami sa picnic grove. Medyo padilim na kaya binilisan na namin ang kilos namin.
Dahil pagabi na ay ramdam na ramdam namin ang lamig ng Tagaytay. Pagpasok palang ng Picnic Grove ay marami ng tao. Magands kasi dito pag gabi pero pag lamigin ka ay malamang kelangan mo ng makapal na sweater dito.
Buti nalang at may dalang tripod si Caleb kaya naman ay nakapag picture kaming lahat ng magkakasama. We promised each other to set it as our twitter header or facebook cover.
Nilakad na namin 'yung parang tulay doon habang may araw pa dahil malamang ay mahihirapan kami doon pagsapit ng dilim.
"Punta ulit tayo dito next time. Kapag may week break tayo," Venus suggested.
Tinignan siya ng dalawa niyang kaibigan ng may pagkamangha.
"Wow nagyaya," bulong ni Lia.
Rinig nanaman.
"Wow, parang hindi niyaya mangibang bansa," tinarayan naman siya ni Venus kaya naman ay natawa kami sakanya. Halata namang napipikon si Lia sa simpleng pagtawa namin.
Pinagpatuloy namin ang paglalakad at kumuha na rin kami ng mga pictures for memories. Madami kaming group selfies na pinasesend nalang namin sa isa't isa para hindi kami mahirapan hanapin 'yung pictures na gusto namin ipost.
"Pic tayo," napatingin ako sa tabi ko nang may magsalita roon.
It was Venus, "Hm? Sige lang," pagpayag ko naman.
Medyo kinakabahan pa ako kasi ito ang magiging first photo namin! Puro candid photos 'yung nakikita ko sa iba e.
She handed me her phone para ako ang humawak dahil hindi raw niya abot 'yung view ko. She smiled and I also did sabay click sa shutter button. We did another one while posing at saka ko ibinalik ang cellphone niya sakaniya.
"Send ko sayo mamaya," sabi niya at sumunod na sa mga kaibigan namin.
Tumigil kami sa mga maliliit na parang resting shelter doon para magpahinga. Madilin na rin at tanging ilaw sa mga street lamps nalang at mga establishments ang nagsisilbing liwanag.
Naghanap sila Kizella at Caleb ng mabibilihan ng tubig habang si Kem at Lia naman sa pagkain. We do things by partner and I don't know why. Kaya eto, dahil by partner nga ay parehas kami ni Venus na walang ginagawa habang naka-upo lang.
She was silently sitting in the space beside me. Tanging kaming dalawa lang ang nasa resting shelter. Venus was looking at the people passing by and I am admiring her from my space.
Her eyes are lonely. I can feel it from here.
"You're getting close more than you expected," biglaang sabi niya, "Two days but you managed to come close. Pero natatakot ka before."
That gave me guilt. It is not hard. I'm just too scared of being rejected.
"Gumagawa ka lang ng sarili mong boundaries. Pero you managed to break through after realizing," she sighed.
And maybe I can try, right?
"I won't be undeniable, you can try," she met my eyes and smiled, a genuine one.
"Am I really easy to read?" I laughed.
"Mm-mm. Masyado kang obvious. Too whipped to be exact," umiling siya.
"I really am," sagot ko. I wanna take the risk, "Venus?"
"Yeah?" she's still staring at me.
"I'll court you."
Maybe every risk I take will be worth it as long as ikaw 'yung risk. Venus might be risky but I like her type of risk.