#COMM

Chapter 20

I didn't know if Jasper was enjoying our date, but I definitely did! After naming kumain, never na siya naglakad sa likod ko! We were walking side by side, and swear, konti na lang, I would have linked my arms with his! Sobrang curious na kasi talaga ako on how it would feel to hold him... kasi ang gwapo talaga ng arms niya.

Ewan ko. Weakness ko na yata 'yung arms niya.

"What are you going to buy?" Jasper asked for the nth time.

"Naghahanap pa ako."

"We've been going around for nearly an hour," he said, suspicious.

"Wala pa 'yung gusto ko talaga," I replied, not wanting this day to end. Syempre kasi pagbumalik na kami sa bahay, hindi na pwede 'yung ganito. Kellan said na I was too obvious sa crush ko kay Jasper... good thing my parents were always busy with work tapos my brothers were, as usual, busy with basketball kaya wala talagang nakakapansin sa mga kagagahan ko.

While we were walking around, nakakita ako ng shop for guys. Hinila ko si Jasper sa loob.

"Dito na!" I happily said. Diretso lang ako na pumasok at saka tumingin sa rack ng shirts. I got the navy blue shirt. "Jasper, tara dito," I said kasi nakatayo lang siya near sa entrance nung shop. Paglapit niya sa akin, nilagay ko sa harap niya iyong shirt tapos tinignan if it would fit.

As per usual, Jasper's forehead was creased. Ano bang bago? Siguro by the time he gets to 30 years old, puro wrinkles na siya.

"Hmm... Mukhang bagay naman," I said and then got the gray one and did the same thing. Nakakuha ako ng five shirts before I got contented. I looked at Jasper and smiled. "Okay na. I'll pay for these na," sabi ko bago nagsimula na maglakad papunta sa counter. Pero bago pa man ako makarating 'dun, Jasper held me by my wrist.

"I don't need you to buy me shirts," he said.

Napaawang 'yung labi ko—for a split second—bago ako nagsimula na tumawa. I must've been laughing real hard kasi napansin ko na napatingin na sa amin iyong ibang customers. Jasper turned a bit red because of the attention we were getting!

"Si Jasper ang feeler," I said after I calmed down after nearly a minute of doubling over. "Para kay Nico kaya 'yung shirts."

Jasper really looked embarrassed, but him being him, syempre he had a rebuttal.

"Then you should've taken him instead of me," he said, in a sungit way. Napahiya kasi.

"Umuwi nga kasi siya sa bahay nila, 'di ba? At saka kasalanan mo naman kung bakit ko binibilhan ng shirt si Nico," I told him.

Kunot noo na naman si First Lieutenant, but didn't say a word.

"Sabi kaya nila pinagpush-up mo raw sila ng madami—to the point na halos 'di na magkasya si Nico sa shirts niya."

And he turned red again! Gosh! Ganto lang pala dapat in order to make First Lieutenant blush! Dapat hulihin mo lang siya sa harap niya mismo ng mga pinaggagagawa niya! Ang dami na kaya!

"That's a part of their training," he replied, still a bit flushed.

I eyed him. "Sabi ko kaya sa 'yo before na bayaan mo silang umuwi sa bahay since wala naman ako sa Manila... At saka may iba silang sinabi sa akin..." I teased him.

"What?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Secret," I said, winking at him before going to the counter to pay for Nico's new shirts. I heard him calling my name, pero I ignored him. I liked having something over his head.

I'd drive him crazy, like how he made me crazy.

* * *

Nakapagbayad na ako at lahat, naglalakad na kami ulit, but Jasper was still keen on knowing what Nico told me. Gosh, he was relentless! 'Di ko akalain na may side pala siya na ganito? I thought kasi pagiging dull boy lang ang alam niya.

"A secret is a secret nga, Jasper, so why will I tell you?" I answered.

"Just tell me," he said.

"Ayaw."

"Siobhan," he said in a warning tone, but instead na matakot, kinilig lang ako. Kainis talaga 'yang si First Lieutenant.

"Baka pagpush-up-in mo ulit sila Nico if I tell you." He didn't answer. "See? Baka magalit pa sila sa akin if sabihin ko."

Jasper didn't seem to like my answer, so he began to walk behind me again. I turned around and frowned at him.

"Dito ka sa tabi ko," I said.

"Tell me first."

"That's violation of the pact of secrecy."

"Then no," he stubbornly replied.

"Ikakamatay mo ba kapag hindi mo nalaman?"

But dull boy didn't answer and just continued walking behind me like a creep! Kainis! I thought our day would end up just fine... pero hindi pala because he's acting like some kid.

After a while, I got fed up kasi para talaga siyang stalker na naka-sunod lang sa akin. I stopped and faced him.

"Fine. I'll tell you," I said. "In one condition."

"What?" he asked, like he was ready to do anything basta malaman niya lang kung ano iyong sinabi sa akin ni Nico.

I sweetly smiled at him. "Let's play games sa arcade."

"What?" he asked, obviously nagulat sa sinabi ko. But that was what I wanted to do since this morning! Alam mo 'yun? I have read countless of books and watched tons of movies! Lahat ng mga couples ginagawa 'yun! Kanina ko pa gustong hatakin si Jasper sa arcade and ask him to win me a big stuffed toy... pero sobrang obvious ko na if I ask him to do it for me.

Was it so wrong to use the situation to my advantage? We'd both get what we want naman. He'd get the information he so badly wanted. And I would get my first stuffed toy from him.

"Let's play as arcade and after I'm satisfied, I'll tell you what Nico told me," I told him and the pulled him to the arcade—syempre kilig ako because I was holding his hand in the guise of pulling him.

Pagdating namin sa arcade, maraming tao... mostly teenagers and teen couples on a date. But that didn't dampen my spirits. I just wanted to be here with Jasper.

"After we finish playing all the game, I'll tell you," I said to him.

"Everything?"

I beamed and nodded. "Yes. So, deal, Mr. Ybañez?"

Jasper sighed and said, "Fine."

I was grinning like crazy nung una kaming pumunta sa basketball hoops after ko bumili ng card.

"Do you play basketball?" I asked him.

"No," he replied.

"What sports do you play?"

"Rugby," he replied.

"Hmm... Bagay nga sa 'yo," I commented. I could totally see Jasper playing Rugby. Ang laki kaya ng katawan ni Jasper! But fortunately, not to the point naman na mukha na siyang wrestler. He's just in really good shape.

And then the game began. I was happily shooting—thinking that I'd beat Jasper kasi I have some background sa basketball. I grew up trying to force myself to play basketball para makasali ako sa mga kapatid ko. I know how to shoot... but when the game ended...

"What the—" I said when I saw the score. Jasper's score was far superior than mine! "Akala ko ba hindi ka naglalaro?!"

Jasper looked cocky for a second. "I was trained as a sniper. I have a really good aim, Ma'am," he said before crouching down to get the tickets.

Damn. Bakit ang gwapo niya while he was saying those words?

I hated the fact that his job puts him in danger, but at the same time, I find his job really sexy. I was afraid of my reaction if I see him in his military uniform.

I was really a goner when it came to First Lieutenant.

* * *

After the basketball, we continued playing different games tapos lahat talo ako! If I hadn't known better, I'd think na tambay si Jasper sa arcades kasi ang galing niya lang talaga!

"My God..." I said in awe when he managed to get me all the different kinds of stuffed toy 'dun sa Claw Machine. As in he managed to get those in one try! Naniniwala na talaga ako na he has a good aim kasi damn. Claw Machines are like the enemy of people who go to arcade!

"Anything else?" Jasper asked while holding tons of ticket we won from all the games we played. "I think these are enough for your giant stuffed toy," he said, eyeing the giant teddy bear that I asked him to get me kanina.

"Is there anything you're not good at?" I asked, exasperated because I didn't win a single game.

Instead of answering, Jasper intently looked at me and sighed.

* * *

"Thank you, Jasper!" I said with a huge smile on my face after he gave me the huge teddy bear. I had to hold the bear with both my arms kasi ang laki talaga! "I'll name him Jassy, okay?"

Kumunot-noo na naman si Jasper. "Jassy?"

"Yup. Named after you since you gave him to me."

"Can't you think of another?"

"Aidan?"

Jasper just huffed. Sobrang init talaga ng ulo niya kay Aidan.

Lumabas na kami sa arcade. While walking, Jasper got Jassy from my hands.

"Hindi, okay lang," I told him.

"You'll trip if you can't see where you're going," sabi niya tapos kinuha niya na talaga si Jassy from me. I beamed in secret kasi para kaming family tapos baby namin si Jassy. Tapos nalungkot kasi kasi ilusyon ko lang naman lahat at ang crazy ko na talaga.

Habang naglalakad kami, I was waiting for Jasper to ask me about what Nico said. Nag-isip na rin kasi ako if I'd tell him what really Nico and Kellan had been telling me about...

Na may gusto rin sa akin si Jasper.

I mean... dapat ko bang sabihin or hindi?

Ang gulo. But at the same time, I wanted to clear the air. Mahirap din kasi if we're both just always in the dark.

"Jasper—" I asked, but stopped when I saw Aunt Beatrice together with Addie and Santi in front of me.

Biglang lumakas iyong kabog ng dibdib ko.

"Maggie," Aunt Beatrice said. Lumapit siya sa akin and kissed both my cheeks. "Mama's asking why you aren't visiting her. Punta ka sa bahay. Baka magtampo na 'yun," she fondly said.

I gave a nervous smile. I was always nervous around the elders in the family. They're the strict ones.

"Is this yours?" Aunt Beatrice asked, pointing at Jassy.

Hindi ako nakapagsalita. What would I even say? Na bigay sa akin ni Jasper? Knowing Aunt Beatrice, she'd quickly conclude without even asking me! Baka makarating pa iyong ibang version kila Abuelo. I really didn't want any issue lalo na at kahit sa akin, hindi pa naman clear.

Addie must've seen the fear on my face, so she interrupted.

"Ma, that's probably from Aidan. Heard he's back," Addie said. Gosh. Of all reasons, si Aidan pa talaga?!

"Is that Aidan?" Aunt asked, pointing at Jasper.

I quickly shook my head. "No, Auntie. Uhm... bodyguard po," I said, biting my lips because why was I even like this?!

Aunt Beatrice nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Well, then, do invite Aidan over. Sige na, we're going to meet someone. See you soon, Maggie, okay?" Aunt said before walking away.

Santi was curiously looking at the guy who's holding Jassy.

Addie winked at me and mouthed, 'Good luck.'

At nang makaalis na sila, Jasper just walked away without saying anything. Great.