SA ATIN…” maingat at mabagal na saad ko. “Did something happen… between us… last night?”
Silence. Silence lingered with her thin brows involuntarily flickering. The way she stared at me said that something bothering was taking her so long to answer. Ngunit hindi ko ininda iyon. My eyes didn’t leave her sight. The two black stones sank into her shallowest thoughts, searching for that one piece that would halt me from further questioning.
“Shanta-”
“Wala,” mabilis na tugon niya. “Walang nangyari sa atin kagabi.”
“Is that it?” I eyed her.
“Hmm.” Tumango siya. Her back straightened and her gaze focused somewhere. “Walang nangyari… Hindi ako ang naghat
TWO DAYS had passed and I still had no contact with Shanta. She's been ignoring since the day before yesterday, iyong araw na dinalhan niya ako ng lugaw. At kung kailan naging iba't ibang klase ng tao siya. I just knew she's still mad at me. Kasi halata naman sa mga ginagawa niya. I had flooded her messages, saying that I was sorry for the night I was drunk. At kung ano man ang sinabi ko, kalimutan niya na kung iyon ang kanyang gusto. But all of it had gone down the drain. She still hadn't replied to my messages. At para ko nang kinakausap ang sarili ko. Nagmumukha na akong tanga. At malaman ko lang na nabasa niya ang mga mensahe ko, naiiyak ako sa kahihiyan. Maybe, that gorgeous girl was constantly laughing at me. It was in Messenger that I sent all of those messages.
SAAN KAYO GALING?” Ang bungad ni Katlego noong makarating kami ni Lachlan sa canteen. “Kanina pa namin kayo hinihintay. Tumae lang ako saglit tapos wala na ‘tong gagong ‘to. Hoy, where ya been?” Lahat sila ay nakaupo na sa palibot ng mesa. Katlego sat beside Jirario. Both of their eyes were suspicious as it shifted back and forth between me and Lachlan. Alam ko na ang nasa isip nila. Their smirk failed to hide it. Meanwhile, I could feel Shanta’s gaze on me. She’s seated beside Clavis who was also questioning our whereabouts. Hanggang pakiramdam na lang ako sa kanya dahil hindi ko siya magawang tingnan. Maging sulyap ay wala akong lakas ng loob. I was still embarrassed by my behavior. I didn’t want her to think that I was completely pursuing her. Dahil wala pang kasiguraduhan iyon.
HEY, OLIVIA. Are you free tonight?” Unang bungad ko sa kabilang linya noong makapasok ako sa kotse. “I… I think I need your help.”“Why? Did something happen?” takhang tanong niya.Napapikit ako nang mariin. I didn’t want to sound like a loser. I didn’t want her to think that I was defenseless and desperate. Dahil ang totoo niyan, malaki na talaga ang problemang ginawa ko. At kasalanan ko iyon dahil nakipag-away pa ako kay Shanta. I even involved another person.“It’s about… Shanta and you know who…” I said while massaging my temples. Alam kong masama ang gumamit ng tao, pero susubukan ko namang maging klaro sa kanya. “If it's okay with you, can you come later tonight? It’s… u
HINDI KO na mabilang kung ilang beses na akong umirap nang palihim habang pinapanood sila sa kanilang ginagawa. Never in a second did Shanta stop smiling while flaunting her lustrous neck at the man she’s seated with. Gumagalaw-galaw pa nang pasimple ang magandang balikat niya habang sinisipat iyon nang mabuti ni Grayson. Alam ko ang lahat ng ito dahil kakaiba ang kakayahan ng mga mata ko. My vision was as excellent as the eyesight of a red-tailed hawk. Walang maliit na galaw ang nakakawala sa paningin ko. Every detail was zoomed in my eyes, like how he tucked in her short hair even when it was already parted at the other side of her shoulder. Duling ba siya? Partida, ako na ang nasa malayo at siya ang pinakamalapit. Imposibleng hindi niya napapansin. Ako pa talaga ang nakakakitang wala namang mali sa leeg ni Shanta.
PAANO NA LANG kung 'di kita nasalo?" I smirked and pulled ourselves up. "E'di sa maling tao ka ulit babagsak.""Bitaw," babala niya.This was a freestyle party, but our positions didn't say so. We were like performing a ballroom dance. Nakakrus ang mga braso ni Shanta habang yakap-yakap ng mga daliri ko ang malambot na kamay niya. And as I hugged her body from the back, her eyes were slowly salvaging me with her murderous death glare.I pursed my lips to contain my laughter because what I said was a joke and it was really funny. Pero hindi ganoon ang kinalabasan niyon dahil nakasibangot pa rin siya noong sinilip ko ang mukha niya.I snorted silently because she was supposed to be edgy and sophisticated tonight
I AM NOT with someone else, Kagan..." She repeated with full confidence and heart. "Grayson is not my boyfriend if that's what you think." "Shanta…" bulong ko habang ang mga mata ko ay kumukurap-kurap. "I… I… How did you know? I mean, what are you trying to say?" "Tangina naman, Kagan, oo…" She scoffed and breathed heavily. "Alam ko na. Tama na. Ako ang gusto mo. At nanghihinayang ka kasi akala mong may mahal na akong iba. Kaya heto ako…" She grinned complacently. "Sinasabi ko na sa iyong wala akong iba. Pwede mo na akong mahalin ulit." "Shanta…" was all I could say. I stood frozen because she knew too well who I was talking about. And she was right. It's her that I'm i
I LIKE YOU, SHANTA…” I whispered. “I like you so, so much.” “Talaga?” saad niya habang hindi mawala ang ngiti sa labi. I reached out for her hand. “The night I was willing to sacrifice my life for you was the same night I knew that this wasn’t just a feeling. It felt like I was gonna lose you, but no. My love for you won’t allow it. And no, I like you more than that because…” I smiled. “I have loved you all along and I’d be so weak to even deny it. But because of your recognition, it gave me courage. And I want to let you know again and again that I, Kagan Lombardi, am in love with you, Shanta Ferrucci. So much you can never imagine.” “Talagang-talaga?” Her eyes sparkled.
WHERE ARE YOU? I'm already here…" I said over the phone as I parked my car in front of Shanta's mansion. "Make haste. I want to see you. I miss you already." Nagising talaga ako para magkasabay kaming pumasok ngayon. This was our first day as MUs, and I wanted to make it simple and special by picking her up and driving her home. "Pababa na ako. Malapint na talaga. Promise," tugon ni Shanta, ang boses ay may bakas ng pagkataranta. Just the sound of her voice was like the birds chirping on the trees outside my balcony. It was the only sound I wanted to hear every morning. Although her voice was a bit deep for a woman, it came out as runs and riffs to my ears. It was very calming. "Where's my 'Miss you, t