[b]Chapter 18 RHYS' POV[/b] [i]Ang galeng naman. Ibang routa to ah. Di to papunta samen. Ang saya-saya. Ba't ba kasi ako nataranta kaagad? Ngumiti lang naman siya.. naging magkaibigan lang naman kami, and most of all, hinatid ko lang naman siya sa village niya.. na super out of the way saken. Ang galeng. Perstaym ata to Rhys ah? [/i] But then, I managed to get on my track before pa ako tinawagan ni Mommy. And nope, I'm not a mama's boy. I'm just kind of close to my family. "Mom, good eve." "Mommyyy! Andito na si Kuya!!" Paul shouted. "Rhys, baba na kaagad. We're going to eat dinner na, 'kay?" "Yep." I ran to my room at nagbihis. Hmm, we're not that rich compared kina Yana. She's super rich since they own a lot of real estates here in the metro and outside the metro. Kami, we just own some chains of restaurant and pubs. Not that rich, really. And.. I was just able to go to my school kasi they can afford it, pero not to the point that I can have everything. Mom and Dad made sure na di kami spoiled. So, I guess, I'm okay with it. *winks* Kaya nga nakakatakot si Yana. I mean, financial status, kalingkingan niya lang ako. Seriously. And I don't what her family will do if nalaman nilang si Yana.. hhmm, let's say, sa future mainvolve saken (which is I guess, unlikely to happen kung titingnan lang sa status niya and her personality), lagot ako. xD And except for her family, takot din ako kasi baka mabusted ako.. for the first time. I mean, hindi ako yung mga type ni Yana. If ibebase ko lang sa personality niya, maybe she'll be after "nice" and "smart" guys. Hindi ko naman sinasabi na bobo ako or ano, I'm not just smart enough for her.. I know a thing or two about stuffs and E=mc^2, but not to the point na alam ko rin kung panu yan nakuha ni Einstein.. and she knows that - according to Vince. Hindi naman ako takot sa katalinuhan niya or anything like that.. but sometimes, believe me, nakakaintimidate yun. [i]*knock knock[/i] "Yeeep?" "Rhys, hijo. Kain na raw kayo." "Opo, manang. Sandali lang po." I got down and sat at the dining table. Andun na si Dad, nakapolo pa. Naka-all smiles pa ako when I sat down and I really didn't notice that I was smiling so wide. "Kuya, para kang babae." sabi ni Paolo. "Oh, baket?" Napatanong ako bigla. Napatingin rin ako kina Mommy and Daddy. They were smiling.. as if they were very amused to my sweet smile. "Anooo?" "May nangyari ba Rhys na gusto mong ishare samen?" Mom asked sweetly.. teasingly, I meant to say. "W-wala naman po." I winked at her. "Let's eat." I grinned. Napatingin nalang si Dad and Paolo sameng dalawa. Later that night, I sat down sa terrace ng room ko just looking at the stars. Ewan ko ba, but I can't stop thinking of her smile and to what I just did kanina. San ko naman nakuha ang courage to take her home? I mean, she's the only one who intimidates me.. yung parang, pag katabi ko siya, it seems like medyo nanginginig ako.. it's really weird. And really, she amuses me. Kaya natatawa kagad ako minsan. Weird, indeed. [i]One hell of a girl.[/i] *winks* The next day.. "Uy, nakauwi ba ng maayos si Yana?" Vince asked. "Oo naman." I answered back. "Ba't mo siya hinatid? Rhys.. she's a family friend.. I mean-" "I know. Alam ko." I looked at Vince. "I know what I'm doing. Don't worry. I know how unique she is." I winked at Vince. Napabuntong hininga siya and walked ahead of me. Nung hapon na, I waited for her again. Hindi muna ako lumabas ng school, pero I was looking at her from the inside. Kanina pa sia nakaupo dun, her friend left early. Naman.. pano ko siya lalapitan? Ayoon, namumroblema na naman ako. Tsss. "Uy, kanina ka pa diyan?" Bigla siyang napatigil at napatingin saken. "Obvious naman diba?" "Aish. Suplada ka talaga." I chuckled. "Ba't ka nandito?" "I'm waiting for someone." I'm waiting for you. "Ahhh. Have a happy waiting then." Umurong siya sa gilid at umupo sa pinakamalayo saken. Sama talaga nito. Kala mo naman aanuhin ko siya. xD "Wala ka na naman bang sundo?" I sat beside her, pero umurong siya onti. Okay, I get it. "Hinihintay ko pa." "Ahhh.. kung gusto mo, pwede mokong gawing hatid-sundo mo." I grinned. Lanya, anong pinagsasabi ko? She looked at me as if I'm some kind of psycho or adeek na umupo sa gilid niya. "Are you crazy?" "Not really." I grinned again. "Seriously." Napatingin lang siya saken then her eyes shifted. "G-ganun ba?" She looked at me again and I looked at her smiling. "H-hindi pwede eh." "Bakit naman?" "Strict ang parents ko." She whispered shyly. Bigla naman akong napahalakhak. She suddenly looked annoyed so medyo napatigil ako sa pagtawa. "I figured." I stopped laughing. "Uhmm.. can I have your digit?" "W-wala akong cellphone." "Kunwari ka pa. nagtetext daw kayo ni Vincent eh." I lied. Vincent never mentioned that to me. Hahaha. "Wo? Sinabi niya?" O_O I laughed again. "Bakit?" "Wala lang. So can i have your digit?" "O-okay." She said and she gave me her number. I guess bistado na siya kaya wala na siyang choice. Dumating din naman kaagad ang sundo niya, but at least, I got her cellphone number . "Ingat." I said seriously, half-smiling. "S-Salamat. Kaw din. Hindi ka pa ba uuwi?" She stood up. "Hmm, uuwi narin ako. I just want to make sure na may sundo ka. Kasi kung wala.. I can always take you home.." I grinned. She looked at me. "I mean.. to your house, of course." I said, embarassed. "Oh. Sige, ingat." She smiled and went to their car. I looked at the car that sped away. Umuwi narin ako. Wala akong magawa after dinner kaya I started fidgeting on my phone. Gusto kng marinig ang boses niya so cellphone number wasn't enough. I looked at the phone directory for her phone number. May apat na Edwardo Antonio ang meron kaya tinry ko lahat. Then I was able to reach her. "Hmm, good evening. Pwede po kay Yana?" Nanginginig tuhod ko. Nababakla na ako. Bahahaha. "Yes, goodevening. Who's this please?" Tanong ng babae - maybe it's her Mom. "Rhys." "Rhys? I'll check on her, for awhile, iho?" "Hmm, sure, thanks po." I waited for awhile.. then I heard a voice again.. from the same woman. "She's taking a bath. Should she call you back?" "Npe. Don't bother, please. Hmm, I'll just call back nalang. Thank you so much Bye." "Okaaay? Bye." I hung up the phone and listened to my heart pounding so hard. Teka, teka. Ano ito? We're just friends diba? But.. am I not going beyond the boundary? I mean.. I'm calling her and all. Dang. Epal. I waited for another 30 minutes and dialed her number again. Pero busy.. I didn't stop till 9:30. Busy parin, so I put the phone down nalang. Epal naman. Should I call her cellphone then? Hmm, nope. Wag nalang. Maybe tulog narin siya. I was disappointed for not hearing her voice that night though. Blue skies! [b]Friday. [/b] [i]I was thinking the whole night if I'd let her know about my feelings na. I mean, I don't want to befriend her naman and someday baka sabihin niya I was taking advantage. Black and white. Nakakalito. Maybe I'll just give some hints nalang muna. Right.[/i] So nung hapon na, I stood at their waiting shed waiting for her. Everyone from Lourdes was confused and interested kung sino ang hinihintay ko. Then she suddenly went out. I was smiling at her. She froze and looked at me.. suprised. "Hey." I said. But she was a bit annoyed and went to the other side of the shed. She looked back at me though and gave me a faint smile. "I was waiting for you. Tagal mong lumabas." "Why would you wait for me naman?" she asked calmly. "Hindi pa ba obvious?" I hope I'm doing the right thing. I hope I don't seem as if I'm in a rush. I studied her face and sighed. "Anyway, I called your house last night." Her gaze shifted away from me as if she was annoyed again. "Yeah. Mom told me." She smiled faintly. "Did she tell you na I'd call back?" "Y-yeah." Sabi niya in almost a whisper. "Well.. I did call you back. Pero busy eh. Were you using the phone? Or baka ginagamit ng parents mo? I tried many times." O_O She stood there frozen and studying my face. "B-busy?" "Yeah. I was dialing your number since 8:30 in the evening. Nung mga around 9:30 na, I stopped kasi it's kinda late na to call you. Baka pagalitan ka and ano. So.." "I was beside the phone whole-" I looked at her. "I mean.. the phone was in my room.. and.." "Extension?" "Y-yeah." "Baka hung-up sa main connection." Her gaze shifted back to me and away. "Anyway, may sundo ka ba?" She looked around for the black car, pero wala eh. Hinalungkat niya kaagad ang bag niya searching for a cellphone, I guess. She turned away from me and helf her phone. When she turned around, I was smiling at her. Bingo! God's on my side. "W-wala. Mom used the car daw for a very important errand." Sabi niya and she started walking papunta sa train station. "Tara." Ewan ko, pero bigla ko nalang hinawakan yung kamay niya at hinila siya. She didn't flinch naman.. well, she did. Pero she really didn't take her hand off mine. [i]Or maybe di ko lang naramdaman because I was so damn concentrating as to how perfect our hands fit. But then, medyo nahalata ko na nung andun na kami sa train station that I was holding her hand so tight.[/i] I suddenly let go. "P-pasensya na. Hindi ko nama-" "Ayos lang. Tara." She smiled and went on the train. Tahimik kaming dalawa and nung bumaba na kami, sumakay kami sa bus at bumaba ulit sa harap ng village na tinitirhan ko. "Again.. I'll take it from here. Thanks." She smiled. "Nahhh. Hatid na kita. Baka ano pa mangyari sa iyo diyan." I insisted. We walked side by side. Ayokong mauna siya or mahuli sa paglalakad. Baka kung anong mangyari sa kanya. I don't know, but with Yana, it seems like.. I'm always alert. Yung parang, I always think of her security first. "Ok ka lang ba?" I asked kasi parang she's not feeling well. "O-okay lang." "Nga pala, nasan ang bahay nio rito?" "Oh. Sorry." She lead the way and I followed. "Here." Huminto kami sa isang bahay. Then I looked at her.. back to the house.. and to her again. I mean, alam kong big time siya.. pero never had I thought in a million years na ganito kalaki bahay nila. "S-something wrong?" "Wala lang." I chuckled. "Anyway, go inside na." "Yeah. Thanks." She smiled and went inside the gate. "Yana!" She turned around. "Hm?" "Just please.. don't stress yourself too much kung bakit ko to ginagawa sa iyo. You'll figure it out soon." I grinned. [i]I hope I can get hold of myself. I let out a heavy breath and went on my way. [/i] [b]Am I really doing the right thing? It's as if she's too high for me.[/b] [hr] Since it's Friday night, my friends asked to party. So ayun, we went out and hanged out at the Fort. Hmm, clean fun naman. We just had a few drinks and laughtrip lang naman, mostly. It was a boys' nightout actually. Then suddenly, I saw Bea from another set of people. "Hey.." I called to her. "Oh, hi." She smiled. "Hmm, are you with Yana?" I looked at the table full of girls. "Or.. susunod ba siya?" "Err, nope. Why?" "Hmm, nothing. I thought I might just see her tonight. Thanks." I smiled. "Rhys.. can we talk?" "Yeah. Sure." We went outside and stood at the front of the establishment.. sa parking lot malapit. "Hmm, about what?" "About my friend." She looked at me and smiled. "Are you.. serious with her?" I was surprised with her question and I was totally taken aback. I thought for a moment if I should let her know. "You want the truth?" I asked her seriously. "Yeah." She nodded. I took a deep breath. "I like her a lot. Noon pa, actually. I know she's too good for me, or anything like that. But I have my reasons to dream her as my girlfriend in the future." I looked at Bea. "I give you my word, I'll do everything for her.. and I won't hurt her." I smiled. The second most bravest thing I did in my life. *winks* She studied me for awhile and smiled back. "I believe you. Well, she's all at your hands." She winked at pumasok ulit kami sa resto. So ayun nga, I gained the trust of Bea. And I hope soon enough, [b]I'll gain her friend. [/b] [hr] [spoiler]MEDYO MAHABA-HABA PA ITONG POV NI FAFA RHYS. SO MEDYO INIISA-ISA KO NA ANG PAGPOST. xD I HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE CHAPTERS PA EH. SO MEDYO MATAGALAN. xD BUT IM TRYING TO COMPLETE IT AS FAST AS I CAN. THANKS FOR THE REPLIES. LOVE YA'LL. [/spoiler]