Chapter 5

Lia's POV:

Hapon na. Eto ako ngayon nakasakay sa kotse ni Ethan habang nag da-drive siya pauwi. 

"Are you okay? May sakit ka ba? Kanina ka pa tahimik." Nag-alala niyang tanong.

"I'm fine." Simpleng sagot ko. 

"How about we will have an icecream before going home?" Tanong niya.

Hindi ako sumagot. Ginugol ko ang sarili sa panonood ng mga establishment na madadaanan ng sasakyan.

*****

We did stop by sa ice cream shop. Tahimik lang akong kumakain ng inorder niya na paborito kong ice cream flavor, mint choco . 

"We have an exam by the end of this week. You have to study you know that." Saad niya.

He's always been helping me or tutoring me when it comes to my studies. I just nodded as a response. 

"Kanina pa ako nangungulit sayo but you just responded a nod or worst you won't even answer me. What's wrong with you? Meron ka ba ngayon?" Napatingin ako sa kanya.

Tingin lang walang expression.

"Tsk! You know what. Kahit ganyan ka ka-toyoin ang utak, I can't even manage na magalit sayo." He said,

Yes. He's too considerate. I saw him took a piece of tissue and then he leans a little closer to me saka pinahid ang gilid ng labi ko. Bumilis na naman yung tibok ng puso ko. I don't want to fall even more kasi ramdam kong masasaktan lang ako but every time I think of getting off this feeling, I fall for him even more.

"Aside from being your bestfriend, do you care for me because you see me as a sister?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

Ethan smiled.

"Not just a sister, a baby sister to be exact. I always envy Kuya Lio, nakakasama ka niya lag isa inyo. Still I am thankful kahit wala kaming nakakabatang kapatid na babae ni Kuya Edward, I have you. And you can always count on me." Saad niya. 

"But you can't count on me." I said.

Hindi naman sa wala ako lagi para sa kanya but what I mean is I'm here with him not just a friend but I am slowly developing this feeling that maybe I shouldn't have felt from the very beginning. 

"It's okay. I like the fact that I can do more for you instead of you doing something for me. Just take care of yourself Lia. I can't see you being unhappy." He said while tapping and ruffling my hair in a gentle manner.

*****

Ilang araw makalipas weekend na naman. Magkasama kami ni Kendra sa mall. Kanina pa kami naglilibot, she does nothing but purchase here purchase there. 

"Hey! Okay ka lang? Ilang gamit na ba 'tong binili natin. Depress ka ba at nag-sa-shopping therapy ka?" Tanong ko.

Ramdam ko nag-aaway 'tong kaibigan ko at si Fernan. Huminga ng malalim si Kendra. 

"Maghihiwalay na ata kami ni Fernan." Saad niya.

Tinatantya niya sa harap ng salamin kung kasya yung damit sa kanya.

"Bakit naman?" Tanong ko.

Nakaupo lang ako sa may bench sa gilid ng salamin. 

"Ewan ko!" Bumuntong hininga siya.

I know it's something serious.

"Wait for me here, sa fitting room lang ako. I need to try this on." She said.

Tumango lang ako, hindi na muna niya siguro gustong pag-usapan.

Nakaupo akong nag-aantay kay Kendra. Wala naman akong nagustohang bilhin.

"Lia!" Dinig kong may tumawag sa akin.

"Ouh! Kuya Gab." Pangiti kong saad sabay tayo. 

Nakita ko siya sa may area ng mens sectionsa mismong shop.

"You’re on a shopping?" Tanong ni Kuya Gab sa akin.

We know each other few days ago. Remember the man I bumped on the hallway? Siya yun. 

"Ah, I'm with a friend. And these are all hers." Saad ko.

Tinuro ko pa yung mga pinambili ni Kendra.

"Haish, medyo maluwag sa akin. Gutom na ako Lia, kain na lang tayo." Ani pa ni Kendra.

Kalalabas lang niya sa fitting room.

"Oh! Who is he?"Agad niyang tanong ng mapansin si Kuya Gab. 

"Hi! I'm Gab, hmmm Lia's new friend, let me guess you are Lia's bestfriend?" Pagpapakilala niya sabay tanong kay Kendra, while offering his hand for a handshake. 

"Hi! I am Kendra." Sabay handshake kay Kuya Gab. 

"Nice to meet you Kendra, since I am a year ahead of you two, you can call me Kuya Gab." Kendra smiled and nodded as a response with Kuya Gab's suggestion.

"Is it okay if I join you two?" Tanong niya. 

"Sure, Kuya Gab." Saad ni Kendra.

"Let's go." Saad ko.

Kukunin sana ni Kendra yung ibang paper bag na hawak ko since ako yung bumitbit ng mga ‘to pero kinuha it oni Kuya Gab lahat. 

"Let me carry it all. I'm the man here." Ani pa nito.

Walang reklamo niyang binitbit ang sampung paper bag ni Kendra.

*****

Palabas na kami ng Restaurant na pinagkainan namin. Nag-enjoy naman kaming tatlo.

"Girl, kukunin ka ba ni Ethan?" Tanong ni Kendra sa akin. 

"Ewan, may practice sila kanina eh. Mag commute na lang tayo." Saad ko. 

"How about let me drop you two instead." Kuya Gab suggested.

I was about to say yes but biglang may tumawag sa akin. 

"Hold on its Ethan." I said, then I took the call. 

"Baby, I'm picking you up where are you? Nasa labas na ako." Deredertso niyang tanong sa kabilang linya.

"B-baby?" Tanong ko. 

"Oh! I'm sorry, you always look like a baby sister to me." He said sabay tawa sa kabilang linya. 

"It's not funny Haeil Ethan Lee." Agad kong saad na may halong inis. 

"I'm sorry for laughing. Come out now, it's time to go home." Saad niya na medyo seryoso ang tono.

The call ended, sakto rin na nakalabas na kaming tatlo. 

"I'll just get my car." Kuya Gab said. 

"Uhmm.. Kuya Gab, thank you for offering us a ride but my bestfriend is here, we'll drop Kendra by." I said. 

"No let me drop her." Its Fernan.

Pareho kaming nagulat ni Kendra but I did not say anything.

"Tara na Lia, Ethan is here." Saad naman ni Kendra.

Nakita niya kasi si Ethan palapit sa amin.

"Babe, please let's talk. Let me explain." Pagmamakaawa ni Fernan.

Ewan ko pero feeling ko may dramang magaganap. 

"Wala na tayong dapat pag-usapan." She plainly said.

"Tara na Lia." She added sabay hila ng palapulsohan ko. 

"Can't you give me a chance to explain?" Si Fernan.

Si Ethan naman ay parang nakiramdam na sa sitwasyon habang nakatayo ilang hakbang sa amin.

"So, who is this man?" Tanong ni Fernan.

He meant Kuya Gab kasi kilala naman niya si Ethan.

"Are you dating someone else?" Dagdag pa niya. 

"At sa’yo pa talaga yan galing." Saad ni Kendra na may halong inis at parang maiiyak na.

So that explains why Kendra acted unusual today. 

"Uhmmm--" Ako na kinakabahan. 

"Dude!--" Magsasalita na sana si Kuya Gab.

"Fernan, if you really want to talk to Kendra, you know that your situation won't work if you two will talk here. Since ayaw ni Kendra na sumama sayo name a place, ihahatid namin siya ni Lia and we will wait for her too, hanggang sa matapos kayong mag-usap." Saad ni Ethan.

Matapos niyang sabihin yun ay nalipat sa akin ang tingin niya. He looks like he’s angry. Anong problema nito? He did not say a word after that. I was about to take the paper bags from Kuya Gab but Ethan took it. Ipapakilala ko pa sana siya kay Kuya Gab but he left us at naunang maglakad patungo sa naka-park niyang sasakyan. 

"I'm sorry Kuya Gab, Ethan isn't always like that. Wala lang ata siya sa mood." I said.

Ngumiti lang si Kuya Gab. 

"Fine, let's talk. I'll go with Ethan and Lia. Let's go Lia." Kendra said before she left.

I bid goodbye to the two Kuya Gab and Fernan saka ako umalis.