Chapter 4

Last week, sumama ako kay Mama. Labandera duties, as usual. Isa sa mga suki niya: the Silvas. AKA, yung mansion sa dulo ng kalye namin na may sariling mini fountain at aso na naka-aircon. Yes, that Silva family. Yung bahay sa dulo ng street na may gate na mas sosyal pa sa SM Aura.

Ang routine: akyat bahay, kuha labada, baba. Walang echos. Walang abala. Home Service ito since may Laundry Shop kami pero mas malaki pa laundry area ng Silva kaysa saamin. x3 sa laki.

Pero hindi 'yon ang nangyari.

One sunny afternoon, sumama ako kay Mama to help carry the laundry and that was my biggest mistake.

"Liora, wait ka muna dito ha," Mama said as she disappeared inside to talk to the caretaker. So I stayed sa likod-bahay, tahimik lang, hawak-hawak 'yung laundry basket. Minding my own teenage business.

And then...

Oh. My. God.

There he was.

Thorne Lucien Silva.

Completely. Utterly. Absolutely.

N*******D.

Not shirtless. Not "oops, my towel fell" levels.

As in WALANG SAPLOT. Z-E-R-O.

Naliligo sa garden using a hose, all casual like he wasn't out there violating multiple decency laws and my emotional stability. Hair wet. Eyes closed. Water glistening on his skin like some forbidden summer fantasy.

He looked like a Greek god... being summoned by tubig mula sa Maynilad.

I stood frozen. His eyes opened and they landed right on me....TEKA!!

We locked eyes.

Instead of, I don't know, grabbing a towel? Or screaming? P*****a bakit kasi n*******d sa garden to, anong trip niya sa buhay?

HE FREAKING SMIRKED.

Like he knew. Like the universe had planned this all along, and I was the one trapped in its cruel timing.

Then I said, 'God help me' but the person in front me WINKED. Yes. He actually winked. Walang hiya. Walang kahit katiting na awa.

My soul left my body. I'm not even exaggerating. I could hear my ancestors gasp. I think I blacked out standing up. I forgot who I was, where I lived, what algebra was.

and yes, I've never recovered since, kasi tuwing naaalala ko 'yon, iniisip ko sa imagination ko na we were about to kiss!

Same school. Still shows up late like it's tradition. Still wearing those earrings like he owns the place. Still looking like trouble wrapped in good lighting, with zero signal sa sense of responsibility. Oo, bobo pero gwapo. Hindi na para i-judge dahil talented naman siya.

Pero hindi ko siya naging crush dahil nakita ko siyang hubo't hubad, okay?! Let's clear that up.

Ewan. May something lang talaga. Parang gusto ko siyang ayusan. Like... fix his brain para magsuot ng underwear sa garden. Chawot!

Bambi choked on her milk tea. "PUTA. Teka. Full frontal exposure?"

I nodded, mortified. "True ate ko."

"Girl," Lana whispered, stunned. "You saw the entire Thorne package? As in... lahat?"

"Lahat," I said miserably. "Like, kung may rewards program ang kahihiyan, lifetime member na ako."

Bambi slammed a hand on the table. "Tangina, no wonder nagka-crush ka! That wasn't just a meet-cute, that was a meet... censored!"

"Exactly!" I hissed, looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "ever since that day, kapag nakikita ko mukha niya, all I remember is that moment. That wink. That smirk. That—"

"Thorne the Uncensored," Bambi added habang tumatawa.

"Oh my god, stop baka marinig tayo," I groaned since nasa dulo lang sina Thorne kumakain kasama ang banda niya. "This is why I didn't want to bring it up. Every time I think I'm over it, BOOM! Flashback. Full HD. May background music pa. Inis!"

"Liora," Lana said, reaching over to pat my arm. "That man was naked in front of you. You've seen the light. You can't go back now, ready kana talaga sa mature role!"

I buried my face in my hands. "It's not even about the...the—ugh! hard....ware! It's the embarrassment. The trauma. The way he winked! Who does that?! Sino'ng naliligo sa garden na walang saplot then makikita ko with a basket of labada and goes, 'You know what this needs? A WINK!'"

"Thorne Silva yan e," Bambi and Lana chorused.

Of course.

I sipped my drink, soul shattered. "Y'all better not tell anyone. This dies with us."

"Oh honey," Bambi grinned. "We're bringing this to our graves."

"But we're definitely writing it on your wedding invitation," Lana added.

And that's when I considered stabbing my donut with a straw and letting the sugar take me out habang tinitignan si Thorne sa hindi naman ganun kalayuan sa cafeteria. Enough na para makita ko siya.

He was that kind of guy na kahit hindi nag-effort, mukhang campaign ad for Calvin Klein.

Naka-hoodie pa rin, oo pero hindi basta hoodie. It was an off-white Essentials Fear of God hoodie, slightly oversized, ang ganda ng bagsak sa katawan. Parang binili sa Korea or baka may nagpadala sa kanya from LA. Mukha siyang hindi pinawisan kahit tag-init. Ganun 'yung level ng privilege. Yung hangin ata sa paligid niya naka-aircon.

Underneath the hoodie, may peek ng white ribbed tank top na halatang designer din. 'Yung tipong hindi lang basta undershirt, may sariling presyo.

Slim-fit tech joggers in matte black, cropped just above his sleek white Alexander McQueen sneakers fresh na fresh. Hindi mo ma-imagine na nilalakad niya ang kalsada, parang may sariling driver kahit wala sa tabi.

Nakasabit lang sa balikat niya 'yung black Bottega Veneta crossbody bag, may minimalist strap at subtle gold. Walang logo pero halata. Alam mong mahal.

At syempre, 'yung ID niya hindi naman kailangang suotin, pero sinabit lang sa strap, parang pampabigat ng aura. May chain bracelet siya sa isang wrist. AirPods Pro 2 sa kabilang bulsa. Scent? Byredo Gypsy Water. Mabango pero lowkey. Parang "Oo, mayaman ako, pero ayoko ipagyabang." Pero nagagawa pa rin niyang ipagyabang kahit wala siyang ginagawa.

Nakasalampak siya sa mesa kasama ang mga ka-banda niya. May spread ng takeout food pero hindi Jollibee. 'Yung classy version: fancy burgers, truffle fries, sparkling water sa reusable tumblers.

He laughed.

At parang nag-pause ang background noise sa buong cafeteria. 'Yung tawa niya hindi malakas, pero may bagsak. May konting basag. Lahat sila natawa rin, pero siya 'yung sentro. 'Yung presence niya parang gravity kahit naka-slouch, siya pa rin ang pinakamalakas.

At ako?

Ako 'yung hindi marunong huminga kapag andiyan siya.

Hindi kami close. As in, hindi niya ako kilala.

Pero ever since bata pa kami, lagi ko siyang nakikita since regular customer namin sila.

Now, here he is again. Sa cafeteria ng campus. Sa pinakalikod na mesa. Nakangiti, naka-lean back, mukhang hindi niya kailangan mag-aral para pumasa pero hindi rin niya kailangan ang grades. Kasi? May pangalan na siya.

Tapos, bigla siyang lumingon—walang pasabi, walang pag-aalinlangan. Diretsong tingin, diretso sa direksyon ko. Tumama ang mata namin, as if he knew exactly where to look. As if he never forgot.

Five seconds. Limang segundo na para sa akin, ikamamatay ko.

Nag-freeze 'yung kamay ko. Nag-shift 'yung gravity ng mundo ko.

Pero sa kanya? Wala.

Walang ngiti, walang tanong at walang kilig. Parang may nakita lang siyang interesting pero hindi enough para tanungin kung sino.

And just like that?

Bumalik siya sa fries. Bumalik sa tawanan. Bumalik sa banda niya.

Pero para sa'kin? Tatlong segundo 'yon ng panlalambot ng tuhod, pagsikip ng dibdib, at kaunting "maybe someday."