Must Be Love At First Glance

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Falling

“Elora?”

A sudden voice brushed my nose. It‘s Raizen, while I‘m still on his arms.

“Whoahhh!” sigaw ng ibang studyanteng nasaksihan ang pagsalo niya sa‘kin. Ang iba ay pumalakpak at tumatawa.

“Pare, ang cool mo!”

“Wala ba kayong planong umawat jan?” rinig kong sabi ng isang babae na dumaan sa‘min.

I woke up from this surreal moment that I thought only remain as delusion, when the b!tch appeared.

It's Sheena with her minions, looking at me downward to upward, rolling their eyes on me. I just stared at them back and turn away, they aren't worthy for my attention by the way. Instead, hinarap ko si Raizen dahil kung papatulan ko la‘ng sila baka K.S.P. na rin ako.

“I‘m sorry. . .” I apologized to Raizen as we're exchanging gazes even though, nahihiya akong tumingin sa kaniyang kayumangging mga mata.

“No, it‘s okay.” he nodded twice and smiled.

I just stared at him, waiting for his another words, muk‘ang nag-iisip ng masasabi.

He looked hesitating towards me, siguro nahihiya siya sa kaniyang sasabihin. Still, I stayed patience. Baka mag-confess siya sa'kin–ayyeeee assuming tayo girl?!

“May sasabihin ka?” I asked, itong takbo ng puso ko bumibilis sa tuwing nagtatapat ang aming mga mata.

“Ahmm. . .May napili ka na bang huling mai-interview?” he asked shyly.

Ang cute pala niya pagnahihiya! Shiaaa!

“Actually, wala pa eh.” sagot ko at napanguso dahil nakakapagod na 'tong ginagawa namin e, pero keep going la'ng, fo a better grades.

“I‘m available. Gusto mo bang ako na la‘ng?” he asked. Looking so cute as he bend his head down of shyness.

Gusto mo ako na la‘ng?

Gusto mo ako na la‘ng? - Oo, ikaw naman talaga simula pa nu'ng una.

Paulit-ulit ang mga katagang ito sa aking pandinig, it echoes like a cure to a curse.

“ ? ” he‘s expression.

“H-ha? Oo, sure!” tugon ko tsaka ngumiti.

We began filming and went smoothly, but a bit awkward. Even though some guys over the bench where he was at earlier, seems like his friends, teases us.

"What is love for you?" I asked.

"For me love is, when you are ready to sacrifice for someone's happiness that they deserve. A love is where you feel the paradise within. 'Yong kahit na daan-daang bagyo pa ang hahagupit pero dahil sa malakas ang tiwala't pananalig mo, malalagpasan mo ang problema at makakamit ang pag-asa ng may liwanag sa kalooban." Raizen genuinely answered.

Ganito siya ka-sincere at seryoso pala, even though this is just an interview. As I stared at Raizen, I can't help but falling in love with him deeper as the earth's core. I've witnessed the soft side of a bad boy -looking guy.

. . .

7 P.M. and I‘m dancing in the air again, your words stuck in my mind like a glue yet, mesmerizing like aurora borealis.

Mirror mirror on the wall, tell me if he love at all, his eyes are like a stars, glistening upon the sky, healing my pain and scars.

We painted our walls with orange, now I can hug you with courage.

With me in your arms, feels like eternity.

I was sitting alone on the bench across our building, writing another piece of my art, which he is the subject. Aiming the goal of the soccer play.

Suddenly, a hand covered my sight. Malambot ang kamay nito, tapos ang bango, it‘s like a perfume from a famous fashion brand, Chanel, yet familiar.

“Guess it!” a manly voice playfully uttered.

Napatawa ako ng konti at hinaplos ang kamay nito, “Aha, hindi ko alam!”

“Just guess it. . .” he sighed.

“Ahh, the voice, the smell. . . . .Damien!” may kalakasan kong sabi at tumawa.

Tinanggal nito ang kamay niya mula sa mukha ko.

It is Damien, he sat beside me looking so happy. “Ano ang ginagawa mo?” tanong niya na may pagka-slang habang diretsahang nakatingin sa‘kin.

“Gumagawa la‘ng ng poetry.” maikli kong sagot.

“Oh, let me see!” excited nitong sabi.

Kinuha ko ng mabilis ang diary ko sa lamesa at pilit na inilayo sa kaniya. I don't want him to see nor read it, nahihiya ako baka sabihan niya akong obsessive or weird.

We didn‘t even noticed that we‘re inches apart. I froze, our eyes were intersecting. Damien, stared at me like there is something that I couldn't explain.

But Damien won, he got my diary without me noticing. I think I was distracted by his attracting gaze.

He begins reading my poem, sinubukan pa nga niyang lakasan ang pagbigkas ng bawat salita sa tula pero tinakpan ko ang bibig niya dahilan para matawa siya sa‘kin.

“Don‘t read it too loud, man!” nakanguso kong bulong sa kaniya, tsaka tumingin-tingin sa paligid.

He just smirked and continues on reading silently.

After he read my poem, he looked at me with amusement on his face.

“This is so amazing!” compliment niya sa‘kin at kinapa ang ulo ko kaya medyo gumulo ang aking buhok.

I just shoved my shoulders at binigyan siya ng of-course-this-is-me look.

“Eh, sino ba ang inspiration mo jan?” taka niyang tanong while resting his face on his one hand, focusing on me.

Naglabas muna ako ng nakakalokang ngiti sa kaniya, bago siya sinagot.

“That‘s a secret!” I teased him, tsaka kinuha ko ang diary na inilapag niya sa cemented table at ang bag ko ‘tapos tumayo. Sinundan niya naman ako agad, looking so desperate.

Inagaw niya sa‘kin ang bag ko para siya na ang magdala, mukhang gumagawa ng paraan para malaman ang sagot. Hmm. . .Why he is so confused and interested anyway?

“Yvonneeee. . .I won‘t tell anyone promise!” he raised his palm, grinning at me. I stopped on walking and faced him.

“Hmmm. . .” with a gesture of thinking para asarin siya.

He raised his right brow, mukhang nage-expect ang kano.

“Noooo!!” pang-aasar ko at nginitian siya na parang gangster, tsaka naglakad ulit.

Hinabol niya ko, at sinabi ang salitang magpapabuhay lalo sa sarili kong mahilig tamarin, “LIBRE KITA.”

SHET ang sarap sa tenga ng katagang 'yan. . .

I bit my lower lip as I faced him looking so happy and excited. Nagpapa-cute pa ako sa kaniya as I walked towards him, pero bigla siyang nagsalita ulit.

“But on one condition. . .” binigyan niya ako ng sleepy eyes nang naka-crossed arms kaya nawala naman ang pagpapa-cute at ngiti ko.

“What?” nakataas ang kaliwa kong kilay at napamewang.

He smirked at me attractively, damn he‘s looking like a demi-god, or a model that came out from a famous magazine. Pero, friend only la'ngs toh!

“Tell me who is the inspiration behind of your poetries.” he crossed his arms, tinitingnan ako na parang nakaganti na siya.

“Ang demanding naman ng lalaking ‘to!” naiinis kong sabi sa aking sarili at nag-maldita face expression pa.

“Oh? Ba‘t nag-iba expression mo? You don‘t want a treat? Alam mo bang may bagong open na restaurant sa unahan, masarap du‘n! I‘ve heard you love sisig and bicol express.” excited niyang wika, kasabay pa ang malokong titig niya sa akin.

Hinila ko agad siya sa braso at naglakad patungong exit ng school namin para makapunta na sa sinasabi niyang restaurant habang nakapulupot ang mga braso ko sa kaniya. He was good at persuading huh? Muk'ang alam niya na ata ang isa sa mga weaknesses ko haha. But there's no way, I'll gonna tell him.

[Raizen‘s P. O. V.]

Naglalakad ako with Jazzy and Celo papunta ng faculty, para ihabol ang pinagawa saming activity, hindi ko inaasahan na makikita ko ang isang pamilyar na babae.

I cleared my sight and focused on the familiar girl. It's Elora, looking so happy with a person I don't know. Nang titigan ko sila, ang lapit nila sa isa't-isa, parang magkasintahan.

Maybe Elora's soaring above the sky already. Pero, ambilis naman niyang magka-boyfriend, when I know already that she's the poetess who made me her art.

[Damien‘s P. O. V.]

Yvonne's so stunning, with her smile and mesmerizing eyes, I might fall deeper. She's such an angel, too fascinating to ignore. Sana ganito la'ng kami palagi, sliding on the rainbow, making treasurable pictures in the cloud nine.

“Oh? Ano‘ng tinitingin-tingin mo jan? Wala ka bang balak kumain? Lalamig ‘yan.” she paused eating. I didn‘t realize na nakatitig la‘ng pala ako sa kaniya.

“H-ha? I‘m sorry.” I giggled.

Eh, pa'no kasi nakakagigil cuteness mo babae.

“Uhmm. . .Yvonne?” I uttered her name, causing her to divert her attention at me.