CHAPTER TWELVE

"De Leon! Ito na Jersey mo". Naagaw ni Coach O ang atensyon kong naka'y Thirdy dahil sa sigaw niyang yun.

"Po? Paanong..."

"I talked to Dean and other sports personnel we all agreed to let u join the volleyball team again.No doubt that they are all looking forward for your comeback". Ani Coach habang nakangiti,napangiwi ako.

"Let me? But coach I didn't join yet?". Ani ko at napakamot ng ulo.

"Desisyon kasi kami,kaya sige na ha be here for the practice tomorrow". Aniya at ngumiti ulit bago naglakad papalayo.

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa jersey na binigay niya,napangiti ako. Well,I guess I'm really back.

Nag-angat ako ng tingin ng marinig ang tikham ni Thirdy. I gulped upon realizing the real reason why I'm here. Parang natanga nalang ako,kinabahan na namam ako,nawala bigla ang maliit na confidence na meron ako kanina para masabi sa kaniya ang tungkol kay Davin.

Tumikham ako.

"Hmm...". I force myself to say something but he cut me off.

"Ahm Bea.. pwede ko bang bisitahin si Davin sa bahay niyo?". Napatitig ako sa kaniya.

Napakamot naman siya ng ulo,at nag-iwas ng tingin.I blinked and have to no choice but to nod.

"Okay". Nasabi ko nalang

"Yes!". I saw how he he stopped himself from shouting nung nagnod ako,I can't believe he can be this happy by just letting him visit Davin,my son,our son.

Nanlalaki pa ang mga mata niya sa tuwa.

"Wala ng bawian yan Bea ha,I'll visit him,anyway ano nga pala ang sasabihin mo?". Ako naman ang nanlaki ang mga mata. Should I tell him or not?

I gulped,bahala na kung ano ang lumabas sa bibig ko.

"I'm.. here to tell you that..". Itutuloy ko ba?

"To?".

"To.. tell you that..uhmm..you can visit Davin na". Pumikit ako,ano na naman to Bea?

"Oh that's great! Ano nga pala nakain mo at pumayag ka?". Aniya at tumawa. I can't help but to stare at him.

It was been so long since he laugh in front of me. I smiled at him and push him slightly,pero umaray pa rin siya OA!

"Pasalamat ka nalang at pinayagan kitang makita ang anak ko". I rolled my eyes at him jokingly.

"Oh edi Thank you Isabel Beatriz Paras De Leon ". He said and bow as if I'm a queen.. well,I used to be his queen.

"Tsk stop it Ferdinand!". Ganti ko rin

He stopped laughing but he's still smiling while we are looking at each other. Huminga ako at nginitian siya.

"Welcome back Bea!". Nagulat ako ng sumigaw siya,nilingon ko ang paligid at nakita ang iba na nakatingin din samin.

"Yeah WELCOME BACK BDL!". Sigaw naman ng iba

"BDL!"

"BDL!".

"BDL!".

Sigaw na nilang lahat kahit ang ALE ay nakisigaw din,pinakamalakas ang kay Ponggay na hinahampas pa si Deanna. I smiled at them.

"Shh HAHAHA thank you everyone". Sabi ko at ngumiti din sila sakin,I breath my heart is definitely full sa warm ng pag-welcome nila sakin. Indeed Ateneo is my home.

Pagkatapos nun ay pinuntahan ko si Maddie na walang ginawa kung hindi ipaalala sakin na gumawa ng maayos na desisyon or else hahampasin niya ang mukha ko. It was just a talk with Thirdy,there is no harm on talking.

But that talking was I think the start of ud being close again as a friend,yes kaibigan lang at alam kung hanggang doon lang iyon.

"Thirdy!". Inis kong sigaw ng makita ang wipers kong nakataas na naman.

I know he did this,Wala ng ibang maglakas pa ng loob na gawin to kundi siya. I stiff when someone beeped his car beside me,inis kong tinadyakan ang gulong nun. Not too hard though.

"Hey! Hey! Ang sama ng ugali". Sigaw niya mula sa loob.

"At ikaw mabuti? Wag kanang magpapakita sa bahay". Inis kong sigaw sa kaniya.

"Luh,joke lang eh ito na ibaba na oh". Aniya at bumaba ng kotse niya at siya pa mismo ang bumaba ng wipers.

"Huy joke lang eh,I'll visit Davin again sa Saturday ha? Magdadala ako ng crabs". Natakam agad ako by just hearing it.

"Damihan mo". Sabi ko at agad na sumakay sa kotse ko.

Simula noong last conversation namin ni Thirdy 3 weeks ago,we became close again. He was able to visit Davin by the weekend,madami siyang binili for Davin that by now one of our guestrooms became a stock room ng mga laruan.Almost half of the toys there was given by him. It was okay for Dad,and for Mom. They're trusting Thirdy too much,and even me that they let me decide,they let me prepare myself to tell Thirdy the truth.

When I arrive at home,kumunot ang noo ko ng makita ang kotse ni Thirdy,what is he doing here? Akala ko ba Saturday pa?

Agad akong pumasok sa bahay,only to find them playing in the smart basketball court of Davin,my son is laughing as he tries to get away from Thirdy so he could shoot the ball.

"Aw". Thirdy acted as if he's disappointment that Davin was able to shoot the ball,kahit halata namang umiwas siya.

Umiling ako

"Mommy!". Sigaw ni Davin at agad na tumakbo sakin.

"Mommy!". Nakitakbo din si Thirdy at nakipag-unahan pa kay Davin,and my son was trying his best na mauna.

"Yey I won Dy!blee". Sabi niya kay Thirdy ng mauna siya or more on like pinauna siya ni Thirdy.

"Aw tito Thirdy lose". Malungkot kunong ani Thirdy.

"You sad?". Tanong naman niya.

"Yes, I'm very sad". Ang arte talaga nitong si Thirdy. Pero natawa lang din ako ng makitang parang apektado rin talaga si Davin. Nilingon niya ako.

"Mi kiss Dy he's sad daw". Nanlaki ang mga mata ko,No Way! I looked at Thirdy he's smiling like an idiot.

"Oo nga kiss mo ng si Tito Thirdy mi". Pang-aasar niya.I gulped and look away what the heck is he doing?

Narinig kong tumawa siya. Ng lingunin ko siya ay nakangisi pa siya.

"Ayaw..". I cut him off when I kissed him,sa cheeks lang ha.

Nakita kong nanlaki ang mga mata niya at talagang nakatulala lang siya,I smirk when I move away.

"Let's go na Davin? Parang bukas pa matatauhan si Tito Thirdy eh". I teased as I pull Davin.

"What mommy?". Davin asked confusingly.

Papasok na kami ng bahay ng..

"Anong huy! ". Narinig kong habol ni Thirdy samin. Kinuha niya sakin si Davin at hinalikan sa noo.

"Ang pangit kabonding ni mommy mo noh?" Narining Kong bulong niya maya-maya kay Davin.

Hinayaan ko lang siya pero sa loob-loob ko tumawa na ako,for the record that kiss was just nothing, we're just playing around here.

Thirdy ate dinner with us. Pinatulog niya si Davin bago umalis. Hinatid ko siya sa labas ng gate so we had a small talk.

"Alam mo Bea di ko talaga gets kong bakit ganun na lang ang attachment ko kay Davin". Daldal niya sakin.

"Oh? I don't know also". Nasabi ko nalang.

"Pero alam mo Bea para sakin kawawa ang tatay ng anak mo kasi di niya kilala ang anak niya,Ang cute at talino pa naman ni Davin". I gulped.

"Mas swerte pa ata ako sa gag*ng yun eh". I look away.

"Feeler ka talaga ". Nasabi ko nalang kahit hindi Ako nakatingin sa kaniya.

"Sus totoo Naman,pero Bea uhm hindi mo ba talaga kilala ha? Seryoso ba?". Pangungulit niya.

I looked at him.

"Oo". Yun lang ang naisagot ko.

"Hmm okay,change topic na nga pwede ba akong maging ninong ni Davin? I mean official ha,and dapat Ako maging favorite ninong niya ha". Natawa nalang ako

"And ikaw pa nagdecide ha". Natatawa kong sagot.

After that he went home,I said yes na din about his proposal to be Davin's ninong,I feel guilty dahil doon,he doesn't have to be the ninong because he's more than that. Hindi ko alam kong kailan ko masasabi kay Thirdy ang totoo. But all I know is I'm still preparing myself, that I can't do it if I'm still afraid that he'll get angry with me.

"Ang lalim ng iniisip natin missmam ha,nanganganib bang di maka-graduate?". I glared at Thirdy when he heard what he said.

"Joke lang eh ang talino mo eh". Bawi niya.

Hindi ako nagsalita,but for now I'm really afraid. Mas mabigat pa rin ang takot ko,dahil kahit di ko man sabihin,I noticed that Thirdy has already re-enter our lives. Nakapasok na siya ulit and it adds up to my reason na wag sabihin sa kaniya,wag Muna dahil ayokong mawala siya. I am already use on him being around.

.....................

"Can I talk to you Thirdy?".napaangat ako ng tingin when Julia came and ask me.

Kakatapos lang namin ng practice and we're currently watching the lady eagles play.

"Hmm sige". Payag ko dahil meron din akong gusting sabihin sa kaniya.

We walk outside the blue eagle gym.

"So kumusta ka? I haven't seen you for almost a month,oh scratch that.. you didn't talk to me pala". I could sense sarcasm in her tone.

"Julia..". Tawag ko sa kaniya,I can't argue with what she said because it's true. I've been hanging with my friends including Bea for almost one month that I didn't notice hindi ko na masyadong naasikaso si Julia. I'm also busy hanging out with Davin every chance I could get.

"Thirdy, napapansin ko you're losing ...".

"Yes Julia,I can see it also".

"Ahh so.. huh". She look away as if she couldn't say it out loud.

"I'm sorry". Mahina kong sabi

"Shh I get it, you don't have to say it, just don't say it okay?". She said still looking away.

"Can I atleast save the.. friendship? ". I begged,Julia's there for me all the time,I loved her that's real but wasn't..maybe enough for us to be more than what we can be. It's just that ...

You still love HER

"Yeah,but not now? Can u atleast give me some space? And shh don't be sorry just please don't ". She said and walk away.

Bumuntong-hininga kong sinundan ng tingin Ang papalayong si Julia. Maybe it's time for me to realize and make a move on my life,to cut off my confusions, and to clear everything dahil madaming nadadamay sa kalituhan ko.