PORTION 47

I went inside and what I saw startled me, “Al?”

I saw him here. I immediately look away because I know I'm still in tears and I don’t want him to see me like this.

“Bebo, look at me,” he said, making me look at him. His arms were both opened wide, as if it was waiting for me to go to it.

I both put my palm on my face and covered it all, while walking to him.

“Bebo . . .” Hagulgol ka sa kanya ng maabot ko siya, kasabay noon ang mahigpit na pagyakap niya sa akin.

I felt his hand on my head, he was rubbing it, “It’s okay, okay?”

I just nodded, and continued crying. We stayed like that for a while. After a few minutes, I heard him asking me. Baka nahalata niya na patapos na akong umiyak kaya siya nagtanong.

“Bebo, do you want to go somewhere near?”

I frowned when I realized that he still has a class to take. I started sniffing, trying to end my crying, and looked at him after.

“Anong want to go- want to go somewhere near, eh ‘di ba may klase ka?”

“So?” he said, which startled me, as If he didn’t mind what I said at all.

I slapped his arm, a bit annoyed, “Anong so ka riyan? Baka bumagsak ka, sinasabi ko sa `yo, Bebo.”

“Kahit mag-cutting ako ng isang buong semester, ‘di ako babagsak. Why? ‘Cause my Dad owns this school. So, too impossible to happen.”

I slapped his arm again but this time, really hard, made him walk away from me and touched his arm, the part where I slapped it.

“Ang sakit nun, huy!” angal niya.

I rolled my eyes before I looked at him sharply, “Anong mindset yan, ah?”

“I was just playing around, you know, it’s just a joke!” And pouting while frowning, “Masyado ka namang seryoso. First time ko ngang magka-cutting. Nahampas pa ako ng sobrang sakit.”

I just burst into tears because of how he was behaving, he was like a child who’s on the corner because his mother was scolding him.

“Oh, bakit ka natawa? Nung galing kang labas na umiiyak, sinalubong kita rito ng yakap tapos ngayon, hinampas mo lang ako ng sobrang sakit at nasaktan ako, nakuha mo pa akong tawanan?” he said, and looked away, acting like we are in a drama and I’m bullying him. “Unfair!”

I couldn’t stop laughing because of him, mangiyak-ngiyak ako sa tawa.

“Huy, ang oa mo!” sabi ko pa.

He looked at me, and slowly sat down on the ground, “`Di mo na ako love!”

“Huy, tumayo ka nga riyan! Para kang g•gu!”

“Ouch! You’re shouting at me na? Sakit mo nang magsalita! `Di mo na talaga ako love! You don’t care about me and my feelings na! Dun ka na sa Lauren mo!” And exactly after Al said all of that, the door where you can go outside, the door of the rooftop suddenly opened and we both saw Lauren there. Made Al stand up quickly, cling and hug me. He then spoke with his manly-man voice, “Joke lang, akin ka lang ‘no?”

Make me face my palm, and laugh at the same time.

“Let’s go?” And he offered me his left hand and seemed like asking me, so I didn’t hesitate and accepted it within that minute.

We both walked and reached the elevator, to go down. When we’re inside and both quiet, he starts another topic.

“Galing ko, ‘no?”

I looked at him, confused about the thing he was asking. And when I thought about how he acted sad but when he met Lauren, he became a true man.

“Bipolar ka!” sagot ko sa kanya.

“Not that.”

I frowned, “Then, what?”

He raised his hand, the one I’m holding the whole time. We're holding each other’s hands.

“I’m not bragging about it, though,” he said, “And how I tried to make you laugh, after him making you cry.”

I smiled at him, “And yes, you did a great job!”

“I know,” he said, before he kissed the back of my palm.

We both reached the bottom of the building and both went to the car. Before he started the engine, I asked him.

“Saan tayo pupunta?”

He just smiled at me, not giving me an answer.

“I’m asking you, saan tayo pupunta?” I repeated.

“It will not be fun if I spoil you, pero . . . sige, since you’re this beautiful, I’ll let you pick.” And raised his index finger up, “First, go and have a date with me. Or . . .” And raised his middle finger up too, “Meet my parents, my whole family either way.”

I was stunned, speechless.

“Ano, ‘di ka makapag salita?”

I rolled my eyes, “No, Al, tingnan mo naman yung suot at ang itsura ko ngayon. Mugto ang mga mata ko, and I’m wearing my uniform. Wala akong make up, at ‘di maayos ang suot ko! I’m not even prepared, yet you’re asking me to meet them!? Baka gusto mong magkagulo!”

“What are you talking about?” And he laughs, “Grabi naman sa magkagulo.”

“Ano!?”

“Well, my original plan was after our date yesterday, I’ll introduce you to my Mom today. . . . but something came up. I have been planning about this for a while, but It didn’t work. I’ll ask you na lang, where do you want to go? What do you want to do?”

I’m just looking at him, the whole time he was talking, carefully looking and listening.

He was really thinking about his future with me.

“Let’s go shopping,” I answered him, calmly.

“Shopping?”

I nodded, “To buy some new clothes. Since friday naman bukas, at wala akong klase ng afternoon, imi-meet ko Mom mo.”

He gave me the sweetest smile he could give, sa sobrang saya niya yung mga labi niya ay umabot na ng tenga.

“You will never regret your decision, I promised.”