Beyond Limits

I entered the room unable to digest everything. Ayah ang Khale looked at me smiling but it faded away the moment they realized something is wrong with me. Tulala akong nakinig sa klase mabuti nalang at hindi tinawag ang pangalan ko sa mga recitations na nangyari. The moment our teacher left the room, my friends went to me and throw different questions.

" He said he will court me" I whispered

" What? " Khale asked me

" Ha ? Hindi ako ang pinunta niya dito, sabi ko assuming ako ka'ko " I looked at them and smiled. They laughed at me at sinabing nakakahiya ang ginawa ko. I don't have plans telling my friends about what me and Zahir talked about. I don't introduce temporary people to my friends. I know for sure he is just playing around and I need not to let my guard down.

"bat ang tagal mong bumalik? " The question of Ayah caught me off guard.

" May binili ako nagutom lang" I said plainly but I don't know know anong meron sa kanila bakit ang daming nakikita.

" Nakita ko si Zahir dumaan sa tapat ng room, magkasunod kayo. Magkasama kayong bumili? " I glared at Ayah and choose to dismissed her question while fixing my things. Ang dami talagang nakikita ng matalinong babaeng ito. Magkakaboyfriend to kawawa naman si boy walang lusot.

" I need to go, girls " I said while giving them a kissed on the cheeks. That was our last period. I need to go home baka nandoon na si Mommy sa bahay.

Mom and Dad are separated, they got their annulment when I was 14 years old. According to mom, they lost track on how to make their marriage work, both of them is busy and doesn't make time for each other, so they decided to just go on with their lives separately. My mom owned a chain of bookstores then decided to add a spice up to her business and made a coffee shop bookstore near the schools, that was when her business made a name here in the Philippines.

I'm not familiar with dads business but it's all about production. He is half Chinese and his business is based in China. We've got to see each other every vacation. Mom allowed me to spend my vacation there to have a bond with my father, and honestly I am close with my father. I don't want to question their separation it's their decisions anyway. Maybe they loved each other even now, because both of them doesn't have a new family nor a lover.

"How's your day? " Nagulat ako sa boses sa likod ko kaya nilingon ko ito at nakita si Zahir na ngumingiti at parang nahihiya dahil kinakamot niya ang batok niya. Nakapamulsa siya at nakasabit ang bag sa kaliwang balikat, Lumapit ako sa kanya at ngumisi na parang nahihibang. Gusto mo nang laro? I'll give it then.

"Seeing you, makes my day perfect" I winked at him which made him blushed. He took a step backward parang hindi makapaniwala sa ginawa ko.

"Hey! Stop fooling around. What's with you? " he asked confused while tapping his lips. Nagsimula na akong maglakad papunta sa gate dahil nandoon si manong at naghihintay. Nakita ko siyang sumunod sa akin kaya pinabayaan ko nalang.

"Wala, gusto ko lang sabayan ka sa laro mo" sabi ko habang nakatingin sa kanya. His forehead crumpled with what I said.

"How many times do I have to tell you ,  I'm not fooling around. I'm serious with what I said a while ago, Kinsley" he said staring at me with his serious face I avoided his stares and continue walking. Pagdating sa gate wala pa si manong kaya naghintay nalang ako doon habang si Zahir nakatayo sa likod ko. Bahala siya!

" Aren't you going? " I asked him

"Later, we'll wait for your driver " he said plainly. Maya- maya nag ring ang phone ko

[ Hellow, manong? Hala! Sigii po. Ingat!] Mag mu'multicab nalang siguro  ako.

" Any problem? " Hindi ba marunong mag tagalog ang isang to? Never heard him speaking tagalog.

"Terminal. Hindi ka marunong mag tagalog? "

" Hatid na kita" umawang ang labi ko hindi dahil sa sinabi niya kundi dahil nag tatagalog siya! I looked at him with eyes widened and lips partly open while he just stared at me smiling.

" Tara? " he muttered and grab my wrist.

I am now staring at him and I know he is a bit uncomfortable with what I am doing and chose to ignored it. We are now in his car, it's a Silver Mitsubishi Montero, his eyes were set on the road with serious face.

Yes, I used to have a crushed on him and I won't deny it to myself but if ever he asked me that directly , surely I will deny it right away to save my face. I never imagined being in his car nor sitting next to him while watching him drive to send me home. This feels so strange sitting right beside him and exchanging conversation in this gloomy weather, this feels so unreal. Somebody wake me up from this dream but I know for sure this is happening. I examined his car and noticed that he seemed to be organized mabuti naman at hindi siya makalat, I smile with that thought and stared back at him.

" Hindi ko alam bakit sumama ako sayo"

I heard him chuckled with what I announced and also found my self smiling. should I give him a chance?

"Kasi crush mo ako" Aba't! matapang ka Zahir?

"Kapal mukha mo?" Pambabara ko sa kanya

"What? sabi mo, diba? Narinig ko " Marunong naman palang magtagalog. Pinamulahan ako sa katangahan ko sa canteen habang iniisip 'yon.

"I was just joking, Zahir don't take it seriously" Maybe I'm just convincing my self with what I said.

"Okay.."

Hindi ko alam kung nang iinis ba siya kasi habang sinasabi niya 'yan ngumingiti siyang nakatingin sa akin sandali bago binalik ang mata sa daan.

"You know where I live ?"

Isang tango lang ang sagot niya sa tanong ko . Hindi ko na tinanong kung saan niya nalaman kasi alam ko na may connections si Great and Mighty, Zahir! Oh, baka naman sinabi nang mga mababait kong kaibigan?

Hindi ko alam kung anong nasa isip niya para ligawan ako. Isa pa hindi ko rin alam kung seryoso ba siya dahil ang bilis nang pangyayari and it's hard to believe everything. He used to be someone I admired and stopped it when i realized that his far from my reached not until that accident happened which brought me closer to him.

"Zahir."

"hmmm"

"wala" he looked at me with curiosity written all over his face.

"Bakit?" He stopped the car and good thing wala pa kami sa Highway.

"Seryoso ka?" I knew I asked this question for the nth time but I need to hear his answer again. Maybe trying to hear it all over again will convinced me.

"Yes, Even if you won't agree I would still pursue you" He give me a boyish smile and looked straight in my eyes.

"Okay"

"You mean?"

"Yes" I announced smiling cheekily.