Napansin ko ang paghilot ni Jerico sa sintido niya at napapikit ng mariin. Hanggang sa sumulyap siya sa'kin."Can we exchange our seats for a while, Daryha?" Tanong nito. I was wondering, just like I was wondering why Leo had suddenly turned up like that. Don't tell me he's jealous. No. I don't think so. Didn't he think that Danica was better than me?I don't want to ask anymore. Lumapit ako sa tabi ni Keith at si Jerico ang naupo sa pwesto ko, pero bago iyon ay lumabas siya at kinausap muna ang kapatid niya na nasa labas at kitang-kita badtrip siya. Seryoso silang nag-usap sa labas. Hanggang sa pumasok si Jerico, kasunod nito si Leo, but Leo didn't go in the driver's seat. PInalitan siya ng pinsang lalake ni Zacky. No one talks after that. Tahimik ang lahat hanggang sa makarating sa kilalang beach resort sa batangas. Masayang lumabas ang sakay ng isang van, habang kami ay tahimik pa rin na parang nasakluban ng langit at lupa. Lahat ay gulat pa rin sa nangyare."Ba't nagmamadali kay
30Why do we end up like this? Galit ako sa kanya diba? Dumidistansya ako sa kanya diba, pero bakit hinahayaan ko siyang yakapin ako ngayon? I bit my lower lips and removed his hug from me, pero mas hinigpitan niya iyon."Ipapaalala ko lang sayo ang mga sinabi mo noon baka kasi nagka amnesia ka na lang bigla. She's better than me. Mabait siya at maganda. Matured din siya kaya bakit ka nangyayakap diyan?" seryosong sambit ko sa kanya at hindi maiwasang lagyan iyon ng hinanakit.That's what he said, right? Sinabi pa nga niyang titigil na siya sa pagpipilit ng sarili niya sa'kin, na pagod na siya. I bit my lower lips. Mali ang pagsunod ko sa kanya rito. Narinig ko ang buntong hininga niya. Hinawakan nito ang daliri ko at pinunan ang mga gitna ng daliri ko ng daliri niya. Napasulyap tuloy ako sa sugat sa isa niyang kamay."I'm sorry about what I said. I'm sorry, I was a fucking asshole that night. I just hate it that you are so into Jerico, but when you talk to Zacky, I feel like you don
"Akala ko ba hindi mo ako gagapangin?" Sambit ko agad nang maghiwalay ang labi namin, pero nakahiga na ako sa kama habang siya ay nasa ibabaw ko.Kinagat ko ang labi upang maitago ang ngiti sa labi ko.I saw his lips rise. "Ang sabi ko, hindi kita gagapangin kapag sa kwarto ko, but I'm here in your room. I didn't say na pati rito ay hindi kita gagapangin," mapaglarong sambit nito.Lumipat ang tingin niya sa gilid ko. Pinanood ko ang paglagay niya ng buhok ko sa gilid ng tenga ko."But if you don't want, hindi kita pipili--" Sinasabi niya ito habang umaalis na sa harap ko, kaya mabilis kong inilagay ang braso sa leeg niya at dinampian ng halik ang labi niya.Kinagat na rin nito ang labi at hindi na mapigilan ang paglabas ng matamis na ngiti nang inilayo ko siya ng kaunti."But if we both remained here, baka talagang gapangin na kita at hindi ka na tuluyang makalakad bukas," narinig ko ang pagbibiro niya.Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang pamulaan ng pisngi. Hindi makalakad? "So if we remained h
32I had been in love with his brother for years. I feel it. The excitement when I saw Jerico. The happiness when he is there talking to me and giving me his attention, and the courage to get him even though he already has a girlfriend, but that feeling is not even 10% of what I am feeling right now. Hindi ko alam. Hindi ko maipaliwanag. Now that I am in Leo's arms, I can't explain anymore. I don't know now if what I am feeling for Jerico is really called love or if I am just letting myself think that it is really love dahil wala pa akong minahal sa buong buhay ko. Leozardo Luenco. I hated him very much in the beginning. I hate him for being lalampa-lampa na walang ginawa kundi maghabol sa'kin at bigyan ako ng ginagawa niyang yarn na teddy bear. I hate him kasi subrang kulit niya.I was hating him, so why did I suddenly feel the other way around?"Ouch!" Napadaing ito nang kurotin ko siya.He has taken me many times. I think he
33"I'm sorry," I sincerely said after saying that we needed to stop the agreement between us."Mahal mo talaga?" Tanong nito na ikinagulat ko."Zacky--""Wala naman akong magagawa kung sabihin mong oo," natawa ito habang tumatango-tango.To be honest, he is so kind. The news that Zacky Villanueva was a heartless businessman was wrong. They said he was rude and didn't care about the feelings of other people. A womanizer. They are wrong to say that he was rude and mean. Sa pagkakakilala ko sa kanya, hindi siya gaya ng mga sinasabi ng iba.In the little time I've known him, I can say that he is kind and respects girls like me, which is a bit out of character for a rich man like him.Anak mayaman. Oo anak siya ng mayaman, but I know that all he has right now is because of his hard work. Alam ko iyon dahil kay lolo. Galit man noon si Lolo sa mga Villanueva, Lolo is always praised the only son of Zachary Villanueva.
34Only a few people are aware of our relationship. For the time being, we choose to keep it private. I want to enjoy being his low-key girlfriend, even if I want to tell everyone else that we already are. This was our setup for the past few months. "I can't believe that you have a romantic side like this. Daryha Vuenavista, I can't believe this," natatawang sambit ni Herica habang inaayos ang ilang petals sa sahig."Masama bang pagandahin ang paligid kapag sasabihin kung gaano ko siya kamahal?" Natatawa kong sambit rason ng pagkabilaok ni Garry na ngayon ay nakaupo lang sa bakanteng upuan."That was corny, Daryha!" Parang nandidiri pang sambit ni Herica.Malapit na coffee shop sa bahay ang nirentahan ko. Maganda ang coffee shop na ito at malapit sa bahay nila mommy kaya ito ang pinili ko. After this, I'm planning na ipakilala na siya kila mommy. I texted mom that I was going there to tell her something important, wala nga lang siya
35"L-Leo, wake up, please." I begged as I finally got close to him, but he was unconscious and his head was full of blood. I couldn't help but shake while trying to hold him.Paanong biglang naging ganito? We're so happy a while ago. Paanong hawak ko siya ngayon habang punong-puno ng dugo? I should go to the hospital. Bumuhos ulit ang luha ko nang isiping kapag hindi ko nadala siya agad sa hospital ay baka may mangyareng masama sa kanya.Sinulyapan ko si Tito at kahit punong-puno ako ng luha ay nagawa kong tignan siya gamit ang galit na tingin. "Ang sama mo!" Sigaw ko and tried to get something para ihagis sa kanya.Pero kinuha lang niya ang phone nito at may kinausap. I can't believe when I heard what he say."Pumunta ka rito at ipapalinis ako sayo," he said before facing me. Dahil nanghihina ako ay para akong hangin nang hinila niya ako at ilapit sa sarili niya. Hindi ko akalain na ganito kasama ang lalake
36My fault. They blame me because they are right that it is my fault, and that is what I cannot fully accept: that it is really my fault that he is in the hospital and in critical condition. He did nothing but love me, and at that point, he protected me. Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdamam o gagawin ko kapag natuloy ang masamang balak ng taong iyon sa'kin.Pero ngayon, hindi ko alam kung mapapatawad ko pa ang sarili kapag may nangyareng masama kay Leo. "Kumain ka. Kanina ka pa walang kain, namumutla ka na," sermon ni Herica sa'kin.It's already 6 pm at ang huling kain ko pa ay sa coffee shop, kasama ko pa Leo na nakangiti sa'kin at masaya kasi sinabi ko ng mahal ko siya.Pinunasan ko ang mata ko sa luha nang maalala ang huling kain namin. We're so happy. He is happy and even cried after hearing that I'm also in love with him. Kung alam ko lang hindi na sana ako pumunta sa bahay.Napasulyap ako sa singsing na b