-TRAVIS-
I DIDN'T really expect that this interview would go well. Ang inaasahan ko nga ay hindi siya papayag, pero mukhang may ibang plano ang babaeng ‘to, "Wow, VIP lang?" she crossed her arms intimidating me, mukhang kanina pa siya nagtitimpi sa akin, "Tell me, sino ka ba talaga?"
I let out a small chuckle, "Is that how you treated a guy who just saved you twice?" I raised her an eyebrow.
"Hey, for your information, that's the first time I saw you. Hindi ko nga inalam ang pangalan mo noon dahil para saan pa?" taas kilay niyang sambit. Ang maldita niya talaga, parang kanina lang nagpapaka-good girl siya sa harapan ng mommy niya. Funny. Tapos ngayon, dinaig niya pa ang bata kung magmaktol, "Hindi ko naman inakala na isa ka pala sa prospect ng mahal kong ina."
Hindi niya alam? So hindi man lang niya binasa ang profile ko? Hindi ko alam kung bakit parang nainsulto ako sa part na iyon. Samantalang ako, pinag-aralan ko ang files niya. I removed the two buttons of my shirt before I could snap. Keep your cool Travis. "You really don't remember, do you?" I assess her reaction because I’m convinced that she’s lying in front of my face, "The first time I saw you was three years ago, I was still in highschool. You stumbled and accidentally poured your ice cream on my shirt.”
"I really don't remember." she denied. She’s so stubborn. Mukhang mahihirapan akong pakisamahan ang babaeng ito, pero hindi siya makakalusot sa akin. Aalamin ko ang sikretong tinatago tago niya then I’ll use that to my advantage.
I tilted my head and smirked, mocking her, "So you won't ask how I noticed it was you?"
Her eyes narrowed. I can say that she’s trying to read my thoughts, "I really don't know what you're talking about." She's obviously avoiding this interrogation.
"I can say that you're lying," I let out a chuckle and see the reaction I’m expecting to see, "You do remember, right?" I teased and saw how I pissed her off.
"Edi ikaw na madaming alam!" she snapped. Kung sino ang unang sumabog, talo.
"Pikon ka naman?" muling lait ko sa kanya.
"Papatulan kita, paano mo ako nakilala dati? Sige!" her round hazel brown eyes look straight at mine as if she’s trying her best to intimidate me, “Sagot!”
I avoided her gaze, closed my eyes and shook my head. I remembered that one thing in her profile that she didn’t share online, "You cosplay, right?" I’ll use this card and see how surprised she is.
"Paano mo nalaman iyon?" she asks like a clueless little girl.
"I do covers. Just pass-time." though that’s a half lie, dahil itinigil ko na ang paggawa gawa ng covers. Ginagawa ko lang naman iyon dati dahil mahilig yung kaibigan ko noon sa Anime theme songs. I suddenly remembered when we were still kids.
"You're not an Otaku, aren't you?" she asks randomly that kept me away from that memory.
"I just like their music, that's all. My father is half Japanese-half American." I stated casually, "But I'm not an Otaku."
Tiningnan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa. Mukhang tinitimbang niya kung nagsasabi ako ng totoo o hindi. She’s smart, but one thing is for sure, she will never outsmart me. "Well, hindi kita nakikita sa events, so paano mo ako napapansin?"
"I'm invisible in public places like that and I tend to be as invisible as I can be." I confessed, keeping my cool.
"But you're not answering my question." she asks like a curious child.
I shrugged clicking my tongue, "Let's see, I wear a hoodie and I cover my face with my bangs-"
"Parang yung mga nakikita ko lang yan sa isang adult anime ah." nagulat ako sa sinabi niya na parang miski siya hindi niya inaasahang mabitawan ang mga salitang iyon sa harapan ko. Napaka-impulsive niya, hindi muna niya iniisip ang sasabihin niya bago siya magsalita.
I couldn’t stop myself from laughing at her, "You're unbelievable!" kakaiba ang bunganga ng babaeng ito, nanonood siya ng ganoong anime? "How dare you stereotype a person like me to that kind of character?" I shake my head trying my best to calm myself from laughing at her. Ang sakit ng tiyan ko sa kakatawa.
"My bad, I guess." she shrugs as if she doesn’t care, putting up a prideful facade.
"Not unless you’re into that kind of genre?" I teased, calming myself down and raising an eyebrow. "You pervert." I grinned.
"Now you're being judgemental." she defended herself as she put her hand on her waist, “Do you know that how you judge someone is a reflection of your own behavior?” she raised an eyebrow. She knows her argument very well. I’ll give that to her, “Baka ikaw ang pervert.” she hissed, rolling her eyes at me.
I let out a small chuckle, mukhang napapasobra na ako, mamaya maulit na naman yung nangyari dati. Kailangan kong baguhin ang takbo ng usapan namin, "Are you hungry?" I asked, tilting my head beside observing her.
I see her looking at her clock, "Actually I'm not scheduled to eat until noon. It's still ten in the morning."
"Edi samahan mo na lang ako kumain," I tell her, "Besides, your mom clearly say, na ako na ang bahala sayo. I wouldn't want you to roam around without me."
"So am I being watched?" she asks defensively, raising an eyebrow, "Can you at least give me some space for myself?"
"Why, do you have some places to be?" I smirked crossing my arms observing her eyes filled with uncertainties. Hindi pa siya tiwala sa akin at naiintindihan ko iyon, kaya rin siguro idinadaan niya ako sa pagmamaldita niya at halata rin naman na napilitan lang siya sa arrangement na ito, "Don't bother,” I tell her as I convince her, “Mas mabuti nang maging honest tayo sa isa't isa."
She smiled, shaking her head, "I'm not sure what you're talking about." She's still lying in front of me but I’m starting to figure her out little by little.
I chuckled inwardly, "I know you don't like this arrangement, but we are in this arrangement." I paused, meeting her eyes, "So tell me what's your deal Maxene Angela Campbell? Tell me what I need to know para kung mag kagipitan, I could support you."
"Why would you do that for me?" she asks, her voice almost falters. Her eyes looked at me with insecurity.
This look on her face was almost the same face that she gave me back then, but she’s trying to put up a strong front hiding what she really feels inside. This is not her drunk vulnerable face. Iba man ang pinapakita niya sa harapan ko ngayon, ngunit ang emosyon ng mga mata niya ay katulad noong gabing iyon, "Because I wouldn't want to see you jump that cliff again." anuman ang nagtulak sa iyo para gawin iyon, sisiguraduhin kong hindi mo na ulit gagawin o iisipin iyon, "I'll help you in anyway, huwag mo lang ulit gawin iyon."
Halata sa mga mata niya na hindi niya inaasahang marinig ang mga salitang iyon mula sa taong kakikilala niya pa lang.
Or maybe this is just my way of redeeming myself from the shadow of my past.
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