Ang Boyfriend Kong...

Clause 5

Ang Boyfriend Kong...

Ang Boyfriend Kong... straightforward.

Kat's note: Just what did the clause said? HAHAHA, I don't get it myself. But hey, this is the start of the relationship.

Time Frame: A few weeks later

"Uy, bezzy," sabi ni Lei. "Samahan mo naman ako."

"Saan?"

"Sa bahay."

"Anong gagawin ko dun?"

"Dali na, Kat." Bigla naman niya kong inalog. "Nagdadalamhati ako, samahan mo naman ako."

"Dapat ko na bang paglamayan 'yang namatay mong puso?" pagbibiro ko sa kanya. Nandito kami sa school ngayon. Tapos itong si Lei naman, nalaman na 'yung nililigawan niyang babae may boyfriend na pala. Kaya ayun... heartbreak. Pero don't you worry guys, magiging okay din 'yan si Lei. HAHAHA.

"Dali na! Makikita mo naman si Kuya dun eh."

I turned away from him. "Bakit naman nadawit 'yung kuya mo dito?"

"Kunwari ka pa, gusto mo din naman siyang makita eh. Kung alam ko lang, nangangarap kang makasakay siya pauwi sa jeep."

I groaned and pounded on Lei's back. "Nakakainis ka!"

"Kita mo na, tama ako. Dali na, ise-setup ko na kayong dalawa para kahit broken hearted ako ngayon may magkaroon naman ng happily ever after 'yung kuya ko."

"Parang kang ewan. Bakit hindi nalang sila Fatima isama mo sa'yo?"

"Eh ikaw gusto ni kuya eh, anong gusto mong gawin ko? Alangan naman bigyan ko siya ng ibang babae. Ikaw talaga. Tignan mo, mukha ka ng tanga diyan na nakangiti."

Napatingin naman ako sa kanya at narealize na nakangiti na pala ako. Once more, my fists met his back. "Nakakainis ka talaga!"

He laughed. "Seryoso nga, gusto ka ng kuya ko. Kapag naiiwan kaming dalawa, alam kong gustong-gusto ka niyang itanong sa'kin pero hindi niya magawa. 'Yung tipong nakabukas na 'yung bibig niya pero bigla niyang pipigilan 'yung sarili niya. Nakakatawa kaya."

"Ewan ko sa'yo, Nic—este Lei pala." I groaned. Ugh, what is happening to me?

"Kita mo na, crush mo 'yung kuya ko. Aminin mo na. Gusto mo siya, gusto ka niya. Sa mata ni kuya, dapat nasa 'going out' stage na kayo niyan. Pero para kayong tangang dalawa ayaw niyong kumilos."

"Ano naman gusto mong gawin ko? Ibalandra ko 'yung sarili ko sa kuya mo ganun ba?"

He laughed again. "Ang OA mo!"

"Eh anong gusto mong gawin ko?"

"Sumama ka sa'kin, ako nang bahala sa iba."

Natahimik naman ako saglit at sumandal sa silya ko. "Bakit ba pinipilit mo ko nang pinipilit sa kuya mo?"

"Ayaw mo ba? Gusto mo naman eh. Nahihiya ka lang. Best Supporting Actor ako dito kaya umayos ka. Tsaka..." he trailed. "Parang gusto ka talaga ng kuya ko eh."

I shifted my eyes to him. "Talaga?"

He nodded.

"Walang halong biro?"

"Walang halong biro," he confirmed. "Ano sasama ka na ba sa'kin?"

"Ayoko pa din."

He made an impatient sound. "Ano?! Akala ko ba okay na? Ayayay."

"Eh kasi naman Lei, isipin mo nga. Sabihin pa nung iba ang landi ko."

He smirked. "Bakit, hindi ba, Kat?"

"Aray ha!" I said and punched his shoulder. "Masakit yun!"

"Kita mo n—"

"Ang realtalk mo, ang sakit."

He laughed. "See, Kat? Ever since naging magkakalase tayo ngayon lang kita nakitang nagkaganyan. Hindi naman kita nakitang lumandi so basically, nagkaganyan ka lang nung nakilala mo 'yung kuya ko. Ano pa bang pinagaalala mo? Gusto ka naman ng kuya ko. Mas nauna siyang nagkagusto sa'yo, bago mo siya magustuhan. Wala kang talo dito. Ikaw lang 'yung lalapit. Kapag nandun ka na, I'm telling you, he'll be the one to move. Just open up, Kat. Lalapit 'yang kuya ko, that's for sure."

So that's how I end up surfing the internet for a brownie recipe in the kitchen of the Sandivan's. Mamaya pa daw uuwi si Nic kaya sabi ni Lei, ipagluto ko daw muna siya ng makakain. Nag-request pa at gusto daw niya ng brownies. Damihan ko daw 'yung luto at dalawang flavor pa 'yung gusto niya. Half-day namin ngayon dahil P.E. namin so I have the time to spare.

All the ingredients were laid out in front of me. Halos mabaliw at mahilo ako kung anong uunahin ko. Lei requested for a caramel brownie and a marshmallow crunch one. I decided to start with the caramel one because it'll take longer. I thank the God in heaven when I found a bottled caramel sauce in their fridge. That way, I wouldn't have to create one. But as I tasted it, I didn't like it so I tried my best to make taste the way I want.

After two hours and a half, the brownies were finally safe in the fridge. I found Lei sitting in their living room, scrolling through their channels.

"Tapos na?"

I nodded tiredly.

"Bawal pang kainin?"

"Mamaya, mga 1 hour." I leaned backward and felt the soft plush sofa surround my shoulders. I felt sleeping but I kept eyes open.

But then, I woke up. Oo, gumising ako nang hindi ko manlang alam na natulog ako. Ano daw? Anyway, nagising ako dahil doon sa alarm ng phone ko. May unan na 'yung ulo ko at may nagkumot na din sa'kin. Agad naman akong tumayo at bumalik sa kitchen. Hindi ko alam kung nasaan si Lei. Hopefully, lang magpakita siya sa'kin dahil kung hindi, iiwanan ko 'tong mga brownies niya at uuwi na ko.

Tuwang-tuwa naman ako na 'yung isang set ng brownies mukhang masarap. Yay! Nae-excite akong kainin pero sabi ko bawal kahit tikim. Nilabas ko naman 'yung caramel, lalagyan pa kasi ng toppings yun. Sa kalagitnaan ng paglalagay ko ng caramel sa brownies, biglang bumukas 'yung pintuan sa kitchen.

"Lei, why is ther—oh hey, Kat!"

Inangat ko naman 'yung ulo ko at nakita si Nic na nakatayo sa may pintuan. Nginitian ko naman siya, "Hi."

"I thought I won't see you again after that Science project." He walked until he reached the kitchen counter. I was on the kitchen island. Last week, natapos na namin nila Fatima yung Science project namin. Tumulong si Nic kasi nagawa na daw niya yun noon para sa isang science fair.

I shrugged. "Nagpaluto si Lei, broken hearted daw siya."

"Is that my mom's apron?" he asked, nodding my way.

"Ah, oo."

"It suits you." He winked.

Agad ko naman siyang nginitian at tumalikod para hindi niya makita na namumula 'yung mukha ko. WAAAHHH! 'Yan na 'yung expression sa utak ko. Kinuha ko naman 'yung isang cup at bumalik sa ginagawa ko.

Nic walked to get a spoon before scooping some caramel from the cup. "Parang nag-iba 'yung lasa."

"Ah, niremedyuhan ko." Nilagyan ko din ng chocolate chips at nag-drizzle ng melted chocolate sa ibabaw bago nilagyan ng isa pang layer ng caramel sauce. I started cutting it into squares.

"I never knew Lei liked caramel, too."

"Ah, sabi niya kasi ikaw 'yung may gusto ng caramel," I admitted. "Ibang flavor 'yung gusto niya, nasa-ref pa."

"Pinagluto mo ko?"

I set a piece on a plate and drizzled it with caramel and added a few chocolate chips on top before giving it to Nic. I looked up at him, smiling timidly. "I baked for you."

Tumalikod naman ako agad para kuhain 'yung isa pang pan ng brownies.

"A way through a man's heart is through his stomach?" he joked.

I laughed. "Maybe?"

Pagharap ko naman sa kanya isusubo na niya 'yung brownie. Bigla naman akong kinabahan. Hindi ko pala tinikman yun! Paano nalang pala kung hindi masarap? Paano na lang kung sobrang tamis na pala? All those thoughts went out once I heard Nic moaning from the bite he made.

"Ang sarap," he said through his mouthful and offered me a smile. I smiled back and was cutting through the other brownie tray when Lei entered the kitchen, dripping wet and shirtless; a towel hanging off his shoulder.

"Yon!" he exclaimed and immediately took a piece of brownie. "Pwede na ba?"

I nodded and he took a bite. "Hmmm, Rice Krispies," then he moaned once more. "Marshmallows?"

Tumango ako. Natuwa naman ako na nakikita kong ganito si Lei. Sabi niya broken hearted siya. Mabuti na sigurong pagkain nalang iharap kay Lei kesa sa babae. HAHAHA.

The kitchen door once more opened and this time, there was a woman in her late forties—dressed in a blouse and a pencil skirt--standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Ma," sabi ni Nic.

The woman—who was apparently their mother—smiled. "I was worried about the moaning. Akala ko kung anong milagro na nangyayari dito."

"Ma, you've got to taste this," sabi ni Lei at binigyan ng piraso 'yung mama niya.

"Did you make this?" tanong niya sakin.

"Uhm, opo."

We all waited for her reaction once she put it in her mouth. A second later, she was moaning herself. "Wow," she chewed. We all chuckled and I continued to cut the remaining ones. The woman walked and took one of the caramels. "This is so good. Hi, I'm Nic and Lei's mother."

"Hello po," I answered politely.

"Call me Tita Carmen."

"Opo, Tita."

Nagpaalam naman si Tita na magbibihis daw muna siya at magpapahinga bago maghapunan at dinemand na ilagay sa hapag-kainan 'yung mga brownies. Pumunta naman kami ng sala at naupo habang kumakain. Nagpaalam naman si Lei na mags-shower daw siya kasi kakagaling niya lang ng pool pero bago pa siya makalabas, nakita kong may sinignal siya kay Nic.

"Anong sabi ni Lei?" pagusisa ko.

He shook his head. "15 minutes," he said and put his finished plate on the table.

"Huh?"

"Fifteen minutes daw siyang mawawala. Translation: Get Kat in less than fifteen minutes."

"Ano?"

He leaned backwards and wiped his hands on his shorts. He took one of my hands and cupped it in between his. "Look, Kat, I really like you. And I don't think I could waste another minute not trying to pursue you."

"Huh?"

Teka! Ano bang nangyayari?! OMG!

His fingers brushed over my knuckles. "I know we just met, like, a couple months ago and—I don't know but, I feel this is right. And—and I couldn't help feeling frustrated when I think about some other guy knowing things about you that I don't. I—I just want to get to know you, Kat."

"Uhhm."

Ano, Kat? Ano nang sasabihin mo? Tama nga si Lei, kailangan ko lang mag-open at si Nic na 'yung lalapit. Pero hindi naman ako prepared sa ganitong sitwasyon! Hindi ko naman kasi akalaing gagana eh! Huhu, from now on 'Trust Lei's Predictions'.

"Di ko alam sasabihin ko," I admitted.

Nic chuckled and kissed the back of my hand. "What are you feeling? Positive? Negative?"

"Positive."

He breathed out. "Good. What do you say, Kat? Let's go out. Saturday at seven?"