Episode 16

I like you

"Cyrus! Bili tayo ice cream!"

I ran towards the boy in a gray shirt and black basketball shorts. He was wearing his specs and holding a book on his left hand. He looked handsome even if he's just standing there.

"You've eaten enough ice cream for the whole week. Baka ako pa pagalitan nila Tita Cynthia," he reasoned out after giving me a teasing smile. I know that he couldn't resist my charms once I plead to him.

"Eh bilis naaa. Kahit 'yung strawberry lang." I pointed the Manong Sorbetero who was currently scooping a strawberry flavored ice cream for the other kids. What's wrong with eating it if you're just ten years old, right?

"Okay, just this once. Pero may kapalit," he said while smirking so I just shrugged my shoulders. It's either I will let him play the Play Station for a week or he'll teach me something about high school that I totally hate.

After we bought some ice cream for the two of us, we headed to our original destination which is the playground. I hummed the song I used to sing with my classmates while we're on our way.

"Selecta... walang lasa..." I continued to sing that using the trademark song of Selecta ice creams while licking on my Strawberry Vanilla. He just laughed when he heard me sing.

"So... anong kapalit no'ng kanina?" I asked him when we sat on the swing in this playground. The metal chains creaked the moment we sat on it and the rustles of the dried leaves completed the scene.

"Uhm..." He placed his finger on his chin so he would look like he was really thinking. I just rolled my eyes at him, the reason why he laughed again.

Hindi kaya crush na rin ako nito? Tawa siya nang tawa sa 'kin eh.

"Ano nga? Pabitin ka pa." I ate the cone of my ice cream because it's my favorite part. Minsan nga magpapabili ako ng isang box na puro cones lang eh.

"Okay... you need to answer this. Walang dayaan, ha?" I assured him with a nod that I repeated endlessly.

"Okay. Who's your crush, Hyacinth?"

I was shocked at what he dared to ask me. Is that even necessary? Why would he ask me that if he was the only boy I was with?

"U-uh... Bakit 'yan?" I gulped hardly because I am still not ready to confess. I'm just 10 years old! I don't know anything about crushes and stuff! I just know that I admire him and that's all.

Iniisip ko pa lang na aamin ako sa harap ni Cyrus na crush ko ay parang mahihimatay na ako. I would rather keep these feelings unknown to the world for the rest of my life than to confess!

"Ang daya! You told me you were going to answer that question!" Nagtampo siya at humalukipkip. He faced the direction opposite of mine so our eyes won't meet. Mas lalo tuloy akong kinabahan.

"Ano ba naman kasing tanong 'yan? Sigurado ka na bang gusto mong marinig kung sino? Final answer na?"

He nodded repeatedly so I just sighed heavily. I have no intention on saying who's my crush but I guess I have no choice right now. All I just have to do is gather my courage and tell him that I like him. Would that change our friendship, then?

"Ang tagal." He clicked his tongue. "Sandali lang kasi! Atat ka ah!" I answered him.

"Hey, I'm still older than you. Pero nagaganyan mo ko so... close tayo. Therefore, I conclude that you feel comfortable around me. And I'm your crush! Don't worry, I l—" I didn't let him finish the sentence when I shouted at him.

"Hindi ah!" But I sounded too defensive! Ano bang kabobohan na naman ginagawa mo, Hyacinth?

"Si ano... si..." I was thinking if I have a boy best friend in school and all I could think of was Sky Quillito! Shreya and Sky had been my best buddies ever since we were Grade 3. He's my only boy best friend.

But I wouldn't say that. Sky is just my friend and he's a... play boy or well I don't know. He likes to play around girls and offer them love with no labels.

Napahinto na lang ako sa pag-iisip nang makita kong may kotse na pumarada sa harap ng mansyon. It was a black limousine and it was the first time that I saw one. Their modern mansion was seen from the playground, the reason why I could clearly see who's now heading out of the vehicle.

"Ano na, sino?" Cyrus kept on bumping my shoulder with his but my eyes were all on the boy who came out from the van.

"Sino 'yun?" I pointed at the boy about my age who was wearing a black leather jacket with white tee-shirt and maong pants. Mukha siyang suplado na hindi nagsasalita. Sino siya?

"Crush mo?" Cyrus asked with furrowed eyebrows kaya mabilis akong umiling. I don't know who he is. This is my first time seeing him for the last two years of my stay in their mansion.

"That's..." he couldn't continue what he's about to say when everything turned black and the next thing I knew, I was catching my breath as I woke up from a dream.

Ang sakit ng ulo ko ay parang dinaanan ng sampung truck sa kirot. It seems like another padlock of my past memories were unlocked. What the hell is happening?

I glanced at the clock of my side table and it was just 2:14 AM in the morning. By this time, the maids are still asleep and even my relatives. The guards were surely changing shifts. But all I could think of were the two boys I saw in my dreams.

Who the hell is Cyrus?

Valentine Cyrus De Dios was the full name of my thesis partner in Bio Chem but I could clearly remember the boy's face. He was nothing like the cold personality of Val. Val never smiled and laughed, only when needed. Kaya sino siya?

Hindi ko na pinag-isipan pa ang naging panaginip ko at bumalik na rin sa tulog. I was expecting for the continuation of my dream earlier but it was all black. I didn't dream of anything.

Days passed and it was Saturday again meaning that Valentine and I would need to meet-up for our thesis project. I was just done in my class in Psychology and Valentine was waiting for me outside the room.

"Val! Sabi ko 'wag mo na ako sunduin eh!" I scolded him but he just shrugged his shoulders off before getting my things. With what he was showing to me, I would clearly assume that he likes me more than just a friend.

"I don't care. I wanted to, Elara." Then we headed to the nearest Starbucks with available seats to talk about our project over a cup of coffee.

I wore my black specs and got my laptop from my bag while Val said that he will just order our coffee and snacks. I opened my laptop and started typing the things that we will discuss today.

"This is my first time seeing you wearing glasses, huh?" Valentine said while walking towards our seat. I just rolled my eyes while still not giving him a look because I was typing something.

I got the coffee that he placed on the table and sipped on it. Ah, my favorite. Pero bago ko pa 'yun maubos ay muntik ko na 'yung mabuga nang marinig kong magsalita si Val.

"You look cute," he said while giving a small smile.

My heart throbbed fast with what he just said that I think it was about to explode from pumping too much blood! Just his mere smile can make my knees weaken! Ano ba'ng ginagawa mo sa sistema ko, Valentine?

"What's with the reaction, Elara? Do my words affect you that much?" I could see his smirk while drinking his favorite Macchiato. Tinarayan ko siya. Gusto niya palang mag-asaran ah, e'di gaganti rin ako.

"Yeah..." I answered with a small voice while hiding my smile. I don't know if I meant that answer or what but all I want to do right now was to see how a Valentine De Dios be fooled.

"Oh really?" I glanced at him under my glasses and I could see that he changed his expression from a small grin to a serious one. Oh my god. This was also the same stare that he gave me on the moment we shared at the bar last time. I think my face became red when I remembered that awkward scenario again.

"Let's date then." It was like he was giving a business proposal with his serious face! I thought about a counter attack but I surrendered. I could never beat him with his play of words.

"Hoy joke lang." Tumawa ako bago ngumiti. I could not take it any longer. Kung ako 'yung unang nang-asar, ako rin ang unang natalo.

"I'm not joking, Elara." He leaned forward to my position. He was just in front of me and the only obstacle between us were the laptop and the table. I could smell his fresh breath of mint and coffee from here.

Nag-init ang pisngi ko at hindi na lang siya pinansin. I started typing on my laptop again about the methodology of our thesis paper. We planned that on next Saturday, were going to stroll around the factories and chemical labs that we will need to visit for the actual tests on our thesis project.

He had already sent his part a long time ago kaya ngayon ay pa-chill-chill nalang siya. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit pa namin kailangang magkita eh kaya ko naman na 'to gawin mag-isa.

I glanced at his side and noticed that he was typing something on his phone. He was now wearing a gray Nike shirt with black maong and Jordan sneakers.

I was still checking him out when he suddenly talked. "Check your phone," he said while now looking at me.

Our eyes met and all I could do was praise his dark brown hooded eyes that always makes me fascinated. "Hey, don't stare at me too much. I might assume that you really like me."

"But I do," I said while laughing and opening my phone. He has sent me a DM in Instagram, that's why I laughed harder. Who would send a message when you're just in front of them, huh?

"Is that true? Check my message, then," sabi niya nang hindi pa rin pinuputol ang titig namin. I nodded and opened my Instagram account but my jaw quickly dropped when I saw his message.

ValCyrus: I like you too.

Agad na bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko at inangat ang tingin kay Val na umiinom ng kape. He was smirking while drinking while my heart is beating like crazy. Totoo ba 'yung sinabi niya o... loko-loko lang?

My mind went hazy and I couldn't think of any response so I changed the topic to our research paper. Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ko pa magawang pag-usapan man ang kung anong... namamagitan sa 'min ngayon.

He has also sent me mixed signals before and I guess he decided to confess now. I don't know what to say. I quite expected this day to come but I never said that I was ready.

"Huy! Hyacinth Elara Villaflor! Kinakausap kita, bruha ka!"

Sangre pulled my hair on my right so I can't help but scream in pain. Kasama ko na naman sila ngayon dahil matagal na kaming 'di nakakagala. It was already a Friday.

"Ano ba kasi 'yun, Gre? Sadista ka eh, 'no? Kaya 'di ka gusto ng crush mo eh!" I fired back at her but she just rolled her eyes.

"Correction! Nagustuhan niya si Sangre pero iniwan pa rin!" Portia came in the conversation while carrying two boxes of donuts upon entering the café we were in.

"Pabibo ka talaga, Porsh. Tandaan mo 'to. Sinusumpa ko na hanggang fan girl ka lang tapos 'di ka magugustuhan ng crush mo," Sangre hissed so we just laughed at her. Dinagdagan pa ng asar ni Sky kaya mas lalo kaming naging magulo sa loob ng café.

Some customers were even staring at us or turning their heads towards our direction as if telling us to lower our voice a bit. Nakakahiya talaga sila kasama, hays.

"Shh, papagalitan tayo." Humagikhik si Luna kaya tumahimik na kami habang pinipigil ang tawa.

"Ang ingay mo kasi Skyler. Kaya 'di ka sineseryoso, e'," sabi ni Sangre kaya binatukan siya nang mahina ni Sky. Ayan na naman sila. Lagi na lang sila nag-aasaran tapos magkakapikunan pagkatapos.

"Gusto mo bang ipatapon kita sa Encantadia, Sangre?"

I laughed with them too but immediately stopped when I remembered Valentine... again.

"Didn't you notice that tayong single lang ang tumatawa? Like Hyacinth can't relate kasi may love life siya?" maarteng sambit ni Shreya.

Umiling-iling lang ako.

"May love life pero walang label, ano kaya 'yun?" Sangre stated kaya binara na naman siya ni Portia. "Ang lakas ng loob mo magsalita niyan, Gre. 'Yung totoo?"

"Pa'no mo malalaman kung gusto mo na ang isang tao?" I asked at them but they just all laughed.

"You mean, pa'no mo malalaman kung gusto mo na ang thesis partner mo?" sabi ni Luna na siyang ikinatawa na naman nila. Sabi na eh, maling desisyon talaga na magtanong sa kanila tungkol dito eh.

"Basta advice ko sa'yo, Hya... 'Wag mong dibdibin kasi wala ka namang dibdib," Sangre said.

"Ang bagal naman ng manok ko. Basta Hya, 'pag 'di ka pa niligawan niyan in one week, basted-in mo na agad," singit ni Portia.

"Sana all may alam sa ganyan," Luna stated. "Habang buhay ka nang mag-isa, Luna. Kabahan ka na," Sky said and he laughed again showing his deep dimples.

"The fact that you asked that meant that you liked the person which is Val. Kung sino iniisip mo right now, yes, gusto mo na siya. Sana all." si Shreya.

Pumahalumbaba ako at kumain na lang ng donut. Nagpatuloy sila sap ag-aasaran at tumahimik na lang ako sa sinabi nila. Tama nga ba si Shreya? But what if I'm wrong?

On that evening, Tita Elly and Tito Randy contacted me that I should join them for dinner. Wala naman akong excuse para 'di sumama lalo na't may importante raw silang sasabihin.

I just finished eating and all they did was to ask me on when I'll be moving to my condo. I told them that I'm going to move next week and I'm currently packing my things.

"By the way, Tita... What's the important thing na sasabihin niyo sa'kin?" I sipped on my glass of water while still looking at them. Tita Elly glanced at Tito Randy first before they nod at each other.

"Hyacinth... your parent's case was investigated again."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#ACM16

Haneehany