Igniting a Heartbeat
 

Feelings
I'm developing feelings
Focusing on my breathing

  - Feelings Timmy Albert
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oo, maganda."

 

 

 

I commented seriously, while tilting my head a little before catching her eyes. But I stood cemented right after and my eyes widened when I finally registered what I just said.

 

 

 

"D-Did you jus–" parted.

 

 

 

I gasped, shaking my head. "N-Ng camera!" I quickly pointed at the cameras of the phone. "Grabe! Ang ganda ng quality ng camera oh. Feeling ko makikita mo talaga kaitiman ng budhi't libag-libag mo dito!" I huffed before adding, "p-pero huwag kang feeling ah! It's not enough to fully convince me to accept it wholeheartedly." Pagmamatigas ko.

 

 

 

Labag talaga sa kalooban ko na bigyan ako ng mga bagay na hindi ko man lang pinaghirapan. Feeling ko ang previlidged ko ng tao pag ganon.

 

 

 

I mean, there's nothing wrong with being previlidged– as long as mabuti kang tao at marunong kang tumulong sa kapwa mo– but, I grew up not being one kaya hindi ako sanay.

 

 

 

I heard her chuckle before shaking her head lowly, grinning from ear to ear. "Hays Leafy," She muttered under her breath, lips still in a sunshine mode then, she glanced at me playfully. "Feeling ko... hindi ka sa quality ng camera nagandahan eh, sakin talaga ata." she added, bragging.

 

 

 

"Huh?! Pinagsasabi mong babae ka?!" Sigaw ko saka umiwas ng tingin sakanya, denying her allegations. Dahil kung hindi, paniguradong lalaki na naman ang ulo ng weirdong babaeng 'to.

 

 

 

Hindi naman kasi ako bulag para hindi ma-appreciate ang beauty niya.

 

 

 

But, it was supposed to be just a thought only– na ibabaon ko dapat sa kailalim-laliman ng conciousness ko– that I unfortunately happened to say out loud.

 

 

 

Pero nagandahan lang talaga ako sa picture niya, okay? Ang saya-saya niya lang kasi tignan. Tas ang amo-amo pa ng mukha niya na ultimong hindi makabasag pinggan, pero 'yung ugali naman sa personal... jusko! Tinalo pa ang tornado sa kahanginan!

 

 

 

"Kung ganon, ang feelingera mo naman."

 

 

 

"Weh? Di nga?" She snickered.

 

 

 

At this point, alam ko nang satisfactory na talaga sakanya ang pang-iinis sakin.

 

 

 

"Sige, kaka-shabu mo yan, adik."

 

 

 

"Sayo? Yiee." Napaigtad ako ng bigla niya akong sundutin sa gilid ko.

 

 

 

"Punyeta! Ano ba!" Saway ko. Ang kulit-kulit niya, Lord!

 

 

 

"HAHAHAHAHA charot lang. Oh, huwag ka nang sumigaw diyan, at baka bigla na naman manuyot lalamunan mo sa hotness ko." She boasted, and my brows rose really high, looking at her incredulously speechless.

 

 

 

Wtf? Anong connect non?

 

 

 

I shook my head.

 

 

 

"Wow." Hindi makapaniwalang bulas ko. "Grabe ka na talaga, Lord." I added, massaging the temples of my head na para bang 'yung 50 years ng lifespan ko ay biglang nawala dulot ng stress sa babaeng 'to. "Araw-araw mo nalang talaga ako sinusubok."

 

 

 

She giggled at my state. "Y'know, ang cute talaga ng annoyed-blushing face mo, Leafy. Grr." Hindi ko na nagawang lumayo sakanya nang mabilis itong lumapit sakin, and this time, pinagkukurot naman ang pisnge ko.

 

 

 

Halatang may halong gigil pa sa lakas nang pagkakakurot niya.

 

 

 

"Aray ko naman! May balak ka bang punitin ang pisnge ko ha?!" Pagrereklamo ko as I took her hands away from my cheeks. "Kanina ka pa ha!" I exclaimed as I tried to soothe the pain. Ang sakit! Yawa!

 

 

 

She snickered, shrugging. "Sorry not sorry, kagigil kasi. But let me ask you a question." I arched a brow ng titigan ako ulit nito nang nakakaloko.

 

 

 

"Duda na'ko, diyan." Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mata.

 

 

 

She laughed. "Serious na nga."

 

 

 

"Oh ano?"

 

 

 

"Naging successful ba ang pang-gogoyo ng cellphone sayo?"

 

 

 

Tumawa ako.

 

 

 

Yun na 'yun? Yun na 'yung serious question niya? Akala ko pa naman kung anong serious question na amp.

 

 

 

I chuckled as I ran a hand through my hair pagkatapos ay dramatic na bumuntong hininga. "Malapit na sana pero na-realize ko na ampanget pala ng masyadong clear 'yung resolution. Kitang-kita kasi ang kapangitan mo kung mag-p-picture ka."

 

 

 

"So, kapag sa mga magagandang katulad ko, kitang-kita 'yung kagandahan?"

 

 

 

"Bakit, maganda ka ba?" I deadpanned.

 

 

 

"Oo, sinabi mo kaya kanina. Although indirectly nga'lang." She smirked. "Kaya pakiulit nga. Gusto ko marinig ulit. Dapat 'yung full sentence na ha." Napangiwi ako when she tilted her head and purposely fluttered her eyelids in an attempt to be cute.

 

 

 

"Ewan ko sayo. Ang lala mo na." Mapapailing ka nalang talaga sa babaeng 'to. 

 

 

 

Then, I glanced at her and sighed. 

 

 

 

"Akin na nga 'yan." I said softly, taking the flowers in her hands when I noticed that she's having a hard time holding the bouquets. Hindi naman siya nagpumiglas, instead, I just saw how her ears turned red.

 

 

 

My brows raised in amusement. Oh, so now you're the one who's flustered huh?

 

 

 

Cute.

 

 

 

"Sa susunod, huwag kang tatanggap ng bulalak kung hindi mo naman kayang bitbitin ha. Tsk." Parangal ko and she giggled.

 

 

 

"Yung ibinigay lang naman Jaemin 'yung mabigat."

 

 

 

"Kaya nga." Kung makabigay naman kasi ng bouquet ang lalaking 'yun halos di na makita ang pagmumukha ng pinagbigyan niya sa laki. 

 

 

 

"O'sya, maligo ka na nga. Ambaho-baho mo na." Nagkunyari pa ako'ng tumakip sa ilong while softly pushing her away. "Yuck."

 

 

 

"Maka-yuck ka ha. Eh ambango-bango ko pa nga kaya. Kahit amuyin mo pa'ko oh." She moved in close– far too close– na halos mahigit ko na ang hininga ko ng muntik ng magtama ang bibig ko sa leeg niya. Buti nalang, I managed to stop her by holding her shoulders.

 

 

 

I felt her froze while my grip on the bouquets tightens.

 

 

 

I held my breath and clenched my jaw when the same scent of fresh vanilla strawberry entered my nose– but this time, it was stronger.

 

 

 

I gulped. "Maligo ka na, please lang." I stared at her, seriously while my hands was still onto her shoulders until I released it and backed a few steps away from her.

 

 

 

", sorry." She cursed under her breath at dali-dali'ng umalis.

 

 

 

When she's finally gone and totally out of my sight, doon lang ako nagpakawala ng malalim na hininga na kanina ko pa pala pinipigilan.

 

 

 

", my knees," I muttered, holding onto it as I felt it weakened due to that incident a few seconds ago. Her damn fresh vanilla strawberry scent was still lingering on my senses at para bang hindi ako nilulubayan. 

 

 

 

I sighed, deeply. Konti nalang talaga at feeling ko hihimlay na'ko.

 

 

 

"Jusmiyo santisima." I uttered under my breath. 

 

 

 

While she's still in the shower, lumabas muna ako para hanapin ang mga bugok kong kaibigan. But mostly, I want to clear my head even if it's just for a little bit.

 

 

 

And it was because of the same exact scenario that has been replying over my mind for the past few minutes now. 

 

 

 

I found my friends with ate Yeji and Giselle na naka-akap na naman kay Ningning– honestly, ano pa nga 'bang ineexpect ko sa Ningselle couple na'to na halos magmukhang kambal-tuko na sa clinginess nila– at the parking lot.

 

 

 

Pero wala na 'yung ibang kaibigan ni weird girl though.

 

 

 

I walked closer to them. 

 

 

 

"Hi." I greeted them tsaka tinignan si ate Gi. "Asan na 'yung iba mong friends, ate Gi?" I asked, referring to the other three of their missing friends.

 

 

 

She smiled before replying, "Oh, they went early. May iba't-ibang lakad pa kasi."

 

 

 

I nodded.

 

 

 

Soon, their gazes moved towards the bouquets I'm holding kaya I gave them a warning look. Mukhang mang-aasar na naman eh. Please lang, I have enough of weird girl's annoying pang-aasar already. 

 

 

 

"Please don't." I heaved a sighed. "Nga pala. Mauna na muna siguro kayo. Maguusap lang kami ni wei- A-Ate K-Karina." I turn my head sideways not meeting their eyes, cursing myself for stuttering her name in front of them as I felt myself blushing. "." I hissed under my breath.

 

 

 

"Tol, okay ka lang, tol?" Natatawang tanong ni Chaeryoung. I shrugged, feeling defeated. "Pangalan pa lang 'yan, Leafy. Anu na?" They all laughed.

 

 

 

"Tigilan niyo nga ako," I hissed, giving each of them a glare. I took the phone again out of my pocket and handed it to them. "Pakilagay ng mga contact number niyo muna. Tawagan ko kayo mamaya kung malapit na'ko."

 

 

 

Ryujin reached it first. Ang gago ininspect pa ang kabuuan ng phone.

 

 

 

"Holy sh-, Dude, customized ba 'to? Ang ganda ng pagkakagawa, gagi." Namamangha niyang sabi.

 

 

 

Well, I also had the same reaction as she have when I finally observed the logo fully. The design was engraved talaga sa back structure ng phone and there's even a small cursive engraving of it with my name under the leaf design.

 

 

 

"Gusto ko na tuloy maging asukal de ate si ate Karina." Nag-pout pa ang mokong saka tumingin sakin ng nakakaloko, teasing me kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "Pwede ba, Dahon?"

 

 

 

"Ikaw gawin kong asukal tas ipadumog kita sa isandaan-libong langgam." I clicked my tongue while my brows are almost meeting in between, when I took the phone away from her. "Akin na nga. Ambagal mag-type amp."

 

 

 

I heard them snickered at my remark. Tignan mo, nakuha pa'kong tawanan. 

 

 

 

"Hey Leafy." tawag sakin ni ate Giselle. "Kain kayo kwek-kwek."

 

 

 

"Huh?" My brows furrowed.

 

 

 

"It's her tradition kasi na after every game niya, she would eat street foods. Kami sana'ng tatlo ang aalis at kakain pero I figured na mas gusto ka niyang kasama." She chuckled, winking at me. "It's really important to her... so take her out, yeah?"

 

 

 

I paused for a while before flashing a soft smile. "Okay."

 

 

 

I quickly typed their numbers in my phone at bumalik na ulit sa loob ng gym. Wala na ring mga tao sa loob aside sa iilang natitirang players na naisipan pang mag practice.

 

 

 

I looked at my wrist watch. Mag t-three-thirty na rin pala. Buti nalang nasabihan ko sila Ningning na baka male-late ako ng mga ilang minuto sa call time.

 

 

 

And it's almost been 15 minutes since she took a shower. Ang tagal naman ng babaeng 'yun.

 

 

 

I sat at the bench and was about to dozed off nang may maramdaman akong kumalabit sakin. I looked above to see a fresh looking weird girl dressed in a white shirt with a "Celine" print on it, maong shorts and white sneakers. Her hair was still wet and unkempt yet it somehow fits her beautifully.

 

 

 

Napatagal yata ang titig ko when I heard her laugh.

 

 

 

"Oh ano? Ganda ko' no? Kalma, Leafy. Ako lang to," She teased, winking.

 

 

 

I scoffed saka tumayo na to assist her again by taking her duffel bag.

 

 

 

"Uyy, it's okay. I can handle it." She tried taking the bag of my shoulder nang umiwas ako.

 

 

 

I laughed when she clicked her tongue. "No, ako na. Kung hindi ka sana nag ala Darna kanina sa court, ibibigay ko sa'yo to." I pointed at the tired and sleepy expression on her face.

 

 

 

"I'm not that tired." She pouted, saka umiwas ng tingin sakin.

 

 

 

"Uhuh." I replied as we start walking out the gym, when a group of players clad in familiar volleyball jerseys approached us.

 

 

 

"Rina! Uwi kana?" Tanong ng isang babae. Tumingin pa ito sakin at ningitian ako.

 

 

 

"Haha, yes I am. Kapagod eh." She replied, as she moved closer to me.

 

 

 

I arched a brow. Oh, akala ko ba hindi pagod?

 

 

 

"Girlfriend mo, Rina?" We both got surprised nang tumanong ulit sila, glancing at the bouquets in my hands and at the duffel bag na nakasabit sa balikat ko. "Yieee! Ang sweet ha. May pagbitbit pa ng gamit. Sana all may taga bitbit ng gamit."

 

 

 

Luh. Ang laking issue naman nila! I'm just being a decent human being here tas mapagkamalan lang akong nobya ng isang mapang-asar na babae?