From: @sixth_numero
To: @HoneybeedelSol
Sent: Sun, 02/16/2020, 09:01 AM
Subject: To the girl who made me fall in love...

Hon,

Belated happy Valentines day pala. Heard you had a date that night. Not that I was stalking you. Na-mention lang sa'kin ng kapatid mo. Nakasalubong ko siya sa school corridor. Friday afternoon. Valentines day. She was with her two best friends. Nagmana talaga sa'yo 'yang si Lovely.

"Hi, Sixth...Uh, congrats nga pala in advance...for your graduation," one of her friends greeted. She was blushing. Tumango lang ako.

"Happy valentines! Balita namin may mga roses ka ring natanggap ah. Nasa'n na?" sabi naman ng isa.

Tipid akong ngumiti. "Wala na. Pinamigay ko. I'm too old for that."

She gasped. "Ay, swerte naman ng nabigyan..."

I politely ignored her comment and turned to Lovely. "Daming flowers ah."

"Kainis nga. Hirap maging maganda, Kuya," pagbibiro ni Lovely.

"May kakilala akong mas maganda pa sa'yo," I teased her.

Ang bilis niyang naka-pick up. "Ay, wag na do'n, Kuya. May ka-date 'yon, tonight. She called Mom last night."

I only put my hands in my pocket and looked at some of the students who passed by. Feeling ko nakalunok ako ng asido.

"Uwi ka na?" tanong ko na lang.

"Oo. Titext ko pa driver namin."

"Wag na. Sabay ka na lang sa'kin," I offered.

Ngumisi siya. Naalala na naman kita. "G! Bye, girls!"

"Akin na mga bulaklak mo. Ako na magdadala," I told her while we were walking towards my car.

She passed them to me without any second thoughts. "Anyways, did you change your number?"

"No. Still the same. Why?"

"Classmate ko. Nanghihingi ng number mo. Bigay ko ba?"

"No."

She pouted. "Bakit? Wala ka namang girlfriend ah."

"Just. Get in," I ushered her inside the car.

"Ah. You prefer older women pala."

"Is it true na nililigawan mo raw 'yong nursing student na Leah?" She asked when we were already inside the car.

I fastened my seat belt. "Where did you hear that? And why is your skirt too short by the way?"

"Narinig ko lang. One year ka na kasing single kaya mas maraming babaeng nagka-crush sa'yo ang lumalakas ang loob. Alam mo na. Since wala na kayo ni sisteret. And about my skirt,  it's because I grew taller. Happens with skirts."

"Then buy a new one," sabi ko habang nagmamaneho.

"Over naman. Wala nga si Ate, ikaw naman pumalit. So, is it true? Na nililigawan mo si Leah?

"That's Ate Leah to you, Missus. And no. I'm not courting her."

She stared at me for a while.

"Bakit mo natanong? May... nagpapatanong ba?"

She laughed. "Tsk. Tsk. Hindi ka pa nga nakaka-move on."

"Dunno what you're talking about..."

She smirked. "Whatevs...Bakit kasi nagloko..."

She got my attention. Humigpit ang hawak ko sa manebela. Hindi naman ako nagulat. Alam ko naman na alam din niya ang nangyari sa'ting dalawa. It didn't become a taboo between us.

"Pako muna ako sa krus." I smiled bitterly.

Natahimik siya. There was an awkward pause.

She was the first one to recover. "I guess love is such a complicated thing, huh?"

Love. What is love?

"What is love? Since we're talking about the Goddess of Love," Mr. Juanich my grade nine teacher asked the class. We were talking about Greek Gods and Goddesses.

I just played with my pen. Halfheartedly listening. It was a cliche for me back then.

"Anybody? Yes, Miss Veneracion?"

"It's holy. And sacrificing," she answered.

"That's a good one! What else?"

Pansin ko ang pagpatid ni Rocker sa upuan ni Benson na nasa harap ko. I smirked when I noticed Mr. Juanich staring sharply at the sleeping Benson.

"Mr. Rante!" he sharply shouted.

Mabilis pa sa kidlat na napatayo si Benson. Dilat na dilat na. We laughed.

"Sir! Yes sir!" he said standing stiffly. Mas lalo lang kaming natawa.

"Ano 'to, Military Camp?" Mr. Juanich boomed.

Bumagsak ang balikat ni Benson. "Heh. Hindi po."

"So what is it?"

Nakakunot ang noo ni Benson. "Ang alin po?"

Mr. Juanich inhaled sharply. Namumula ang mukha. Halatang malapit na maubos ang pasensya. "If you were only listening to my discussion instead of sleeping soundly on your desk, then I wouldn't have to repeat myself, Mr. Rante!"

He blinked. "Ay pucha... Same idea po!"

"Anong same idea?!" sigaw ni Mr. Juanich.

"Uh...ang sagot ko? Sa...sa naunang sumagot ng tanong niyo?"

"Tinatanong mo ba ako?!"

"Hindi po?"

Napuno ng tawanan ang buong classroom. Mr. Juanich obviously lose his patience. "Hmp. Alright. Mr. Asis!

"Luh. Ba't ako nadamay...sir!"

"Save your friend! What is love?"

Tiningnan ako ni Eghart. Pagkatapos ay kay Aki naman siya tumingin. Nang mapunang wala siyang maaasahan na tulong mula sa'min ay bumuntong-hininga siya at humarap kay Mr. Juanich.

"Love will lead you back."

"When?" biglang sabad ni Ricker na nakangisi.

"Someday I just know that love will lead you," inosenteng sagot ni Eghart.

"Where?"dugtong naman ni Anthony.

Lumaki ang ngisi ni Eghart."Back to my arms..."

"Everybody sing," bulong ni Ricker.

Napuno na naman ng tawanan ang buong klase. Mr. Juanich closed his eyes and muttered something. Nang dumilat siya ay nagsalita siya ulit. "The four of you. My office. After class."

"Si Ricker at Anthony?" tanong ko nang maupo na si Eghart at Benson sa tapat namin ni Aki. We were eating our lunch at the cafeteria.

"Si Ricker kakain daw sa labas. Kasama no'ng chick. Grade eight. Si Anthony, andun sa classroom. Mamaya na daw kakain. Busy sa pangongopya ng assignment sa Math para mamaya," si Eghart.

Nasamid sa sabaw si Benson."Pucha, may assignment sa Math?!"

"Oo, bruh. Tulog ka kasi nang tulog. Hindi mo napaginipan?!" bulyaw sa kanya ni Eghart.

"Ano'ng sabi ni Sir?" Aki asked them.

"Linis sa Male CR, bruh. This weekend. Depungal. Bad trip," si Eghart.

"Kanta pa more!" panunukso ni Aki.

"Ampucha nga e. Kahit napakamahal ng tuition dito pa rin ako nag-aral para solb lang matulog." si Benson.

Biglang tumaas ang leeg ni Eghart. "Bruh, si Honey my love so sweet oh."

Lumingon ako at nakita ko ang pagpasok mo, Hon. Nakaponytail ang mahaba mong buhok. You were smiling while chatting with your friend.

"Lumalaklak 'yan ng gluta? Ang puti e," sabi ni Eghart. Umiling lang ako at nagpatuloy sa pagkain.

Nagpatuloy naman sa pagdadaldal si Eghart. " Pero seryoso nga. Pwede naman 'yong sagot ko kanina kay Sir Terminator, 'di ba, Aki?"

"Kanta 'yon. Pero siguro."

Eghart turned to me. "Ikaw ba, Sais. What is love?"

"Seryoso ka ba?"

"Hindi. Pero 'wag basag trip, bruh," sagot niya na nakangisi.

I scratched the tip of my nose. "Love isn't defined. It's shown."

Sinalampak ni Eghart ang palad niya sa mesa. "Yown! Lupet mo, bruh!"

Nagtagpo ang dalawang kilay ni Benson. "Bakit? Ano ba sabi?"

"Natulog ka na naman? 'Di mo narinig?Akala ko ba kumakain ka?"

"Narinig. 'Di ko gets, bruh. Ano ba ibig sabihin?"

Pabirong tinapik ni Eghart ang malusog na pisngi ni Benson. " 'Di ko rin naintindihan, bruh! Pero tunog smart! Life changing."

Humagalpak kami sa tawa. Pero natigilan ako. What is love nga ba? Is it the same weight to every other person? Kung magmahal kaya ako ng babae in the future, pareho lang kaya 'yon sa pagmamahal ko sa parents ko?

My grade nine self didn't have the answer back then. But slowly and as time went by, you didn't just define love for me, Hon. You had shown it too by allowing me to fall in love with you.

Hindi ko masasabi na minahal kaagad kita unang kita ko pa lang sa'yo. Pero masasabi ko na minahal kita sa panahon na nagagalit ka. Minahal kita sa panahong umiiyak ka. Minahal kita sa panahong masaya ka. At mas minahal kita sa panahong minamahal mo ako.

Falling in love with you didn't happen automatically. It wasn't love at first sight. But it was definitely love worth a fight.

-Sixth-