Chapter 3

Lia's POV:

"HEY!" Natauhan ako nang dumampi yung dalawang kamay ni Ethan sa pisngi ko, hindi naman niya ako sinampal, he is like sandwhiching my face in between his palms. "I said go on." He added.

No naghahallucinate lang pala ako kanina. However, my courage was gone, I can't tell him I like him. Maybe not now.

"Lia, what is it that you wanted to tell me?" He seems impatient. No Lia, just tell him anything but not that thing. 

"Uhhhmmmm.... sa tingin mo magboboyfriend na kaya ako." Saad ko trying to say it straight without a hint that it isn't something I wanted to tell him. 

Tiningnan niya ako nang nakakunot noo at nakataas ang kilay.

"You mean you just wanted to tell me na gusto mo ng magka-boyfriend?" He asked, I know it's bad to lie. 

"Well, tanong lang naman. Since I told you what I wanted to say, how about you? You mentioned too you have something to tell me." Saad ko waiting his response. 

"Wala ang pangit mo." Agad niyang saad na kinakalungkot ng damdamin ko. Pero nagulat ako ng bigla niya kinuha sa akin yung alcohol can na binigay niya sa akin kanina. He instead open the can and drink it. "Let's go home it's getting cold in here." Saad niya nang matapos niyang ubosin yung inumin.

I nodded sabay tayo and took few steps but then I feel a warm cloth wrapping around my shoulder. Ethan put his jacket on my shoulder.

"Ba't ka ba naka off shoulder? Hating gabi na at maginaw. Isa pa yung palda mo napansin ko masyadong maikli. Hindi ako magtataka kung magkakatrangkaso ka sa ginaw." Sabi niya.

It took me 30 min. to choose what to wear kahit yung lakad ko sa loob lang ng Subdivision tapos 'di rin naman pala niya ma-aappreciate. Minsan na nga lang akong mag-ayos.

******

Malapit na kami sa bahay, Ethan seems to got affected by the Alcohol na. Hindi naman siya madaldal o kung anu-ano na ang sinasabi but he is so quite at ina-alalayan ko na kasi ang lamya na niyang maglakad. 

"Ba't ka kasi nag-iinom ni hindi mo naman pala kaya yung epekto ng alak. Hindi mo ba iniisip ang sarili mo? Akala ko ba ang talino mo?" Tanong ko na reklamo na rin, sa akin na kasi siya kumukuha ng lakas para makalakad.

"Lia can you stop, you are being noisy. What does drinking have to do with my IQ. your Dad and my Dad were both intelligent, you think they don't drink? Alcohols are not only for dumb person." He said. Huminga na lang ako ng malalim. "You are dumb but you don't drink alcohol." Dagdag niya na ikinakainis ko.

"Umuwi kang mag-isa." Saad ko sabay bitaw sa kanya. Nauna na akong maglakad pero wala namang sumunod sa akin. Napatingin ako sa likuran ko. I breathe heavily saka ako bumalik sa kinaroroonan ni Ethan. "Hey! tumayo ka diyan." Saad ko, nakaupo kasi siya sa gilid ng kalsada.

Tutulongan ko sana siyang tumayo but he pulled my wrist kaya napaluhod yung isa kong tuhod sa ground, we're now facing each other's faces.

"What will you do if someone will tell you he likes you?" Tanong niya sa akin.

"Wala namang magkakagusto sa akin, kaya halika na." Tatayo na sana ako but he holds my wrist again.

"I hope I have the courage to tell someone I like her. Lia it's bothering me." Saad niya. I avoided his stairs, nasasakta ako sa sinabi niya. He's hurt because he can't tell someone he likes her eh ganoon rin ako sa kanya.

"I like someone too but I can't tell him yet. Patas lang tayo." I tapped his back gently. "Tara na late na masyado.

******

"Hey! Ethan, malapit na tayo sa bahay. Umayos ka, hindi kita pwedeng maihatid sa loob o hindi ako pwedeng makapasok sa loob ng bahay niyo kasi hating gabi na." Saad ko, kahit naman welcome kami in both of our home still hindi parin maganda sa ganitong oras, conservative type yung kapwa pamilya namin. Sa daan ako naka focus so we won't trip down. Kamuntikan ko ng mabitawan si Ethan mula sa kakasuporta ko sa kanya nang-- 

"Hmmm" May tumikhim hindi lang isa kundi dalawa. Inangat ko ng konti yung ulo ko. 

"Kuya Lio, Kuya Edward!" Gulat na saad ko nang makita si Kuya Lio, kapatid ko na nasa paanan ng gate namin at si Kuya Edward sa paanan ng gate nila Ethan. 

"Anong nangyari diyan?" Tanong ng Kuya ni Ethan. "Woah is he drank?" Tanong ng Kuya ko. 

"A little?" Saad ko sana na naging tanong. Ngumiti si Kuya Edward na papalapit sa kinatatayuan namin ni Ethan. 

"2 tin cans of alcohol isn't that little Lia." He took his brother from me. nakaakbay na si Ethan sa balikat niya. 

"How did you know he drank two cans?" I asked. 

"I lost 2 cans in my fridge. Haisshh this kid." Kuya Edward said, he then went inside with Ethan after he bid goodbye with me and my brother. 

Pagkapasok nila, nakatingin ng nakakaloko sa akin si Kuya Lio. 

"Namumula ata yung pisngi natin? Tsaka kapatid, paalala lang hindi maganda sa babae ang gumagala ng hating gabi kasama ang lalaki lalo na at nakainom." Sabi niya, tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "But I let it slide for now since he is Ethan." He said sabay tawa. 

"Ewan ko sayo." saad ko at nauna akong pumasok sa loob ng bahay.