Strings Of Perfection

Alkeign Puyo Quinaho tagged you in their story.

Bumaling ako kay Puyo na naka-ngising kinakalikot ang phone niya bago pinindot ang notification na lumundag sa phone ko.

Nakaawang ang labi ko habang pinipilit ang sarili na 'wag humalakhak nang makita ang sarili kong mukha sa story niya.

In Puyo's story, it was me sitting on a chair, both of my arms resting on the table. Hindi ko mabasa ang sarili kong ekspresyon, pero may kaunting ngiwi sa gilid ng labi ko. Maganda ang lighting, perfect ang angle---kuhang-kuha ang kapogian ko.

But instead of flooding his story with hearts like a normal person would, I decided to repeatedly spam the angry emoji.

Binaba ko ang phone ko sa mesa at sinamaan ng tingin si Puyo. “Delete mo ’yan, may magseselos.” Sabi ko, halatang nagbibiro.

He smirked, taking a handful of the sanitizer placed on the table and rubbing it lazily on his hands. “Pa-iyakin mo lang...”

I scoffed, picking up my spoon and shoving a bite of food into my mouth. Medyo masyadong mabilis, kaya napa-alog ang plato ko. “Alam mo, your personality contradicts with how you look. Ang bait mo tignan, pero ’yung ugali mo, lasang kalawang.”

“Mabait ako, Leo,” he replied. “You can ask people around me---walang duda, sasabihin nila ’yan.”

"Mabait kana niyan?"

"You're an exception."

I blinked at him, caught off guard. “Edi ako lang talaga ang ginaganyan mo? Parang may pa ngiti-ngiti ka pa sakin dati, ah...”

“Special treatment, Leo,” he said with a sly grin.

"Wow, ang swerte ko naman na ako lang ang binibigyan mo ng ‘special treatment.’" Sarkastiko kong saad.

Nginisihan niya ako at hindi na sumagot pa.

Napailing ako. “Iba talaga ang standards ng kabaitan mo, Puyo.”

“Pst,” he leaned in closer, his grin softened just a bit. “Don’t take it the wrong way. It’s not that I don’t like you…”

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin, nararamdaman na kung ano ang darating. “Ge nga, ano na naman ang punchline?”

“I like annoying you,”

I blinked at him, half-expecting na tatawa siya o aminin na biro lang ang lahat, pero hindi. Nanatili ang nakakaloko niyang ngisi. “King ina,” I muttered, shaking my head. “Kakausap pa lang natin ngayon, ah. Grabeng attachment issue naman ’yan, SSG officer.”

“Leo, you’re too quick to judge. Gusto ko lang naman magpakilala, biglang psychoanalysis agad?”

King ina. Psychoanalysis? Ano ’yan, wika ng mga taga-Encantadia?

"Hirap talaga kausap ng mga matalino," I muttered, shaking my head as I stood up from my seat. I took my phone from my pocket before I glanced at him. "Alis na ako."

He snickered, casually taking his last bite before standing up, dusting his hands, and fixing his uniform. "Let’s go."

Tinapunan ko siya ng hindi makapaniwalang tingin. “Sino may sabing sasama ka?”

"At sinabi ko bang hindi ako sasama?" He smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets.

“Wala ka bang ibang gagawin?” I asked, annoyed. “SSG ka, ’di ba? Hindi ba dapat busy ka?”

“Exactly,” he replied, that damn grin still on his face. “I am busy---sa ’yo.”

“Bahala ka nga,” I muttered, quickening my pace as we made our way back to campus.