|29| Star and Moon

Faith's Point of View

Too cliche. I should be happy that cliche didn't happened on me. That was just a bet, but atleast I know what's going on him. We've been for 11 years and I clearly remember how we spend our childhood.

Stay's been with me through a lot of times. Mabungal, mabully, matagusan, dalhin sa clinic at marami pang iba. He never failed to be that 'super hero' who saves me in my whole school journey. Syempre nand'yan rin ako para sa kan'ya.

Mapaaway, magkasakit hanggang sa matulian. Pfft, I didn't expect he'll cry a dozen jars, he said 'it' was swollen for one week and suffered a lot from it. Those were the times I'll extremely say as gold memories, it make me laugh and at the same time, I become teary-eyed.

"Familiarity breeds contempt."

"What?"

Lara sigh as she cross her arms with brows arch. "Hindi mo alam 'yon?" Disgusted, she sip her milkshake and return it to the table with a flounce. "Ilang taon na kayong magkaibigan?" she asks seriously.

"11 years," walang ano-ano kong sagot.

"Hindi mo alam yung sinabi ko?"

"H-hindi... Ano ba yun?"

"Ang sabi ko, the more you know someone the less you like him!"

I sigh as I get what she mean. "Oo na, hindi ko na s'ya gusto." Kinwento ko sa kan'ya lahat ng naramdaman ko few weeks ago, ngayon ko lang nasabi dahil free time. And for what I've concluded, feeling ko natamaan ako ni kupido habang kasama yung lalaking 'yon.

"Porque kinilig ka gusto mo na? Girl, normal lang 'yon. Kapag nanonood ka ng teleserye or movies, 'di ba nakakaramdam ka din ng kilig?" She shrug. "Well...Iyon ang paniniwala ko."

'Pero kasi... Iba eh.'

Gusto kong sabihin pero I'm somehow conviced for what Lara said. Marami na s'yang alam dahil sa kakabasa ng stories ng writer na 'yon. Maybe that's why she fell head over heels to that man.

"Ano na, speechless ka d'yan," she says with a smirk. I shrugged while sipping my milkshake and stare at the view outside. After finishing our projects earlier, we decided to have a past time here. Nakakarelax dahil sa vintage theme ng store at lahat ng decorations, even the tables are made from wood.

"Makakapasa kaya ako sa isang araw?" Lara asks with her chin settled on her hand. We're both looking from the people walking on the streets, busy with their own businesses.

"Mag aral ka lang, kung kaya mong basahin ang works ng writer slash crush mo, try mo ring magbasa ng libro sa library natin," I answer without looking at her. She's been attacking anxiety, being a 17 year old who always want to be a free teenager, likes to go shopping and such, it's hard for her to study.

I really don't know who pushed her to take this kind of course, but I know this is meant for her. She passed the test of one of the most prestigious school, who wouldn't be proud? Still, it's still a big question on me what she's good at — besides makeup.

"Agh." She lazily sigh. "I'm really having a hard time. Nakakamiss maging highschool student at magligalig na lang kahit class hours."

"Yeah, sometimes..." Sinundan ko ng tingin ang babaeng naglalakad sa labas, with her phone on the ears and busily talking. "If I just undergone a 4 year course, I would be like her too." Bahagya akong natawa. "Tamang lakad lang with Channel bag."

"Baliw, h'wag ka ng mangarap. Dahil in the end, maleta ang irarampa na'tin sa airport," Lara says. Both of us laugh in a crazy tone that make a nuisance inside the silent, peaceful store. I know that's how will I end with, as I scratch my palm into the itchy, old suitcase.

Until I can walk no more.

"Thank you," I say as we pay for our orders. Lara and I roam in the street before riding a jeepney. The wind is calming in peace while the weather is sleepy, so we enjoy the breeze  that lightly touching our skin.

"Ingat!" I say and wave back as she ride the jeepney. Habang ako ay walking distance na lang dahil malapit na naman ang bahay ko. As the vehicle moves, I suddenly feel sad and everything goes back to normal. It's really a big thing when you're with a happy-go-lucky friend.

While walking down the streets, I remembered what she said earlier. Familiarity breeds contempt? I take a deep sigh as she has a point. I'll just erase that thing in my mind and start acting like as if nothing happened.

Sa isang araw na ang final exam for this semester, kaya sigurado akong buong araw kaming nasa bahay ni Stay para mag review. This past few weeks, we've been busy in our own businesses. And because of the hectic schedule, it's been two weeks the last time we talked — and that's when I asked him about his feelings for me. Cringe.

"I'm here," I say in an emotionless voice. Magdidilim na pero hindi pa rin nakabukas ang ilaw kaya't inabot ko ang switch sa tabi ng pinto. Stay, who's studying in the sofa automatically turn his head to see me. He raise his brows — probably a sign of greeting me so I smile a bit and walk directly to my room.

I prepare my books and notes to start reviewing. I'm honestly feeling nolgastic, it's been a long time when I need to stay up till 3 am. And go to school with a purple, heavy eyes. Pfft — that's been a long time, reviewing is a piece of cake for me now.

Lumabas ako ng kwarto at lumapit kay Stay. We're sitting in the floor while the stuffs are on the glass table, and without saying anything, he share a space on the table. It's so weird that he's not saying anything, madaldal naman s'ya sa'kin noon pero ngayon —— no, maybe he's too focus on reviewing.

'Ano ba, bakit hindi mo ko pinapansin?!'

"S-sabay tayong magreview," I say with a shy, calm voice. But deep inside, I want to shout and complain why he's being like this.

Isinirado n'ya ang librong binabasa at ibinaba ang ballpen na hawak. Without looking at me, he stand up and say, "Tapos na akong mag review. I'll just continue after take I rest." And he walk to the kitchen.

Me, who was left alone on the living room, stand up and follow him to the kitchen. "Gusto mo muna magkape?" I request though I'm not sure if he'll agree. It's like he's not in a good mood now.

Surprisingly, he nod and take a seat on the dining table. I quickly get two mugs and prepare the coffee, saktong kumukulo na ang tubig kaya mabilis ko s'yang natimplahan. And when he notice the weather is fine, lumabas kami at umupo sa metal-made chair outside the house.

Nang tumingala ako sa madilim na langit, kakaunti lang ang mga bituin at ang ibig sabihin nito ay uulan. The breeze coming from the trees is slightly cold that make me crave more to coffee. Sakto dahil mamaya, malamang ay hindi ako makatulog agad ng maaga.

"The stars are beautiful."

I nod while resting my head on the chair. I'm transmitting the heat of the coffee to my hand to reduce coldness.

"Wala namang bituin."

He laugh a bit. "Meron."

"You just said beautifuls are rare, didn't you?" I ask while my lips form a smirk.

"And you're beautiful, too."

Both of our head's facing the sky that calms our soul. But it ruins me when I remember what he answered when Coleen asked if she's beautiful too. Gosh, I didn't expect that he'll say that to other woman — other than me.

"Bakit ba lagi mong sinasabi na maganda ako? Kung maganda ako, maganda na lahat sayo."

After he sipped his coffee, he start to speak again, "Because you're my star."

"What?"

"Remember what Sōseki Natsume said that line?"

I roll my eyes. "The moon is beautiful 'yon, baliw." And take a sip of coffee.

"Psh, that's what I mean too."

"What 'what I mean?'?" I ask. I'm expecting for a reply but unluckily, he doesn't. So I repeat what I asked. "What do--"

"The moon is beautiful, Faith."

I firmly close my eyes for a few second and open it as I took a deep sigh. Not even saying something as it takes long time to get fully what he mean. No, I wouldn't forget that line...

And as I think deeply about what he said, I know he's sincere to his feelings.

He love me?