HE Who Saw the Deep

Chapter 17

My man became extra clingy when we decided to commit that day. Matagal pa kaming nag-usap noon.

Palagi siyang nakangiti na minsan kahit wala siyang sinasabi ay nararamdaman kong sobrang saya niya.

My recognition followed and we simply celebrated it with friends and Eron. Si mama ay hindi nakapunta noon kaya adviser namin ang naglakad sa akin patungong stage.

Then the summer made us so busy. Abala sa pagdedesisyon si Eron kung saang skwelahan mag-aaral.

Magkasama kaming kumakain sa labas noon nang may tumawag sa phone niya. Nakatihaya lang ang phone sa mesa kaya nakita ko kung sino ang tumawag.

It was his dad.

I averted my gaze and coaxed him to answer his phone. Mukha kasing walang balak na sagutin dahil pinahinaan lang ang volume.

"It's really not important." He shrugged and turned his phone off. "Kumakain pa tayo,"

I sighed and stared at him. "Sagutin mo na," I urged him that made him no choice.

Tamad niyang kinuha ang phone sa mesa at sinagot ang tawag. Ni hindi na nag-abalang tumayo para makapag-usap ng pribado.

"Dad," He greeted

Hindi ko naman akalaing maririnig ko ang usapan nila dahil sobrang lakas ng volume ng phone niya kahit hindi nakaloud speaker.

"You better obey me this time, Eron Nate. Hinayaan kitang mag-aral diyan hanggang sa makagraduate ka pero ngayong nakagraduate ka na-"

"I'll call back later dad, may ginagawa pa ako." He cut him off. And even moved a little farther from me to maybe prevent me from listening.

Napatingin ako. I licked my lips and looked down on my food to eat something. Ayaw kong magtanong tungkol sa narinig. I think it's too personal for him.

He lookwd ahead. Mukhang may malaking problema sa kaunting bumakas na inis sa noo.

"You're not dismissing me, you goddamned..." May riin sa bawat binitawang salita. He sighed and played with his tongue inside his cheeks.

"Dad, I'm tending my franchise. I'll call when I'm home." He then ended the call and turned his phone off. Nilapag niya iyon sa mesa.

Nilingon niya ako at ngumiti. "Let's eat more." He moved closer to me and held my back a little.

His touch seemed to send me the sign that he's ok. But I know he isn't. Alam kong may problema.

I wanted to know what he's been through pero sa paraang hindi nanghihimasok sa buhay niya dahil mukhang iniiwasan niya ang parteng iyon ng buhay.

I faced him and held his elbow lightly. "Is everything's fine?"

Kahit nakangiti alam kong may problema siya, ayaw niya mang sabihin pero ramdam ko.

He smiled assuringly to me. Paulit-ulit na tumango.

"Nothing to worry about, let's just eat." Binitiwan niya ang kutsara at ginulo ang buhok ko.

Sandali pang nanatili ang tingin ko sa kanya, ayaw maniwala. Gusto ko siyang kulitin pero alam ko namang may dahilan kaya ayaw niyang pag-usapan. Baka sa susunod, he'll be comfortable telling it to me. I will wait for him to open up to me.

"So you're thinking about taking engineering?" Sabi niya kasi sa akin noong nakaraan.

Matamis siyang ngumisi. "Syempre, kasi sabi mo maga-architecture ka."

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sagot niya. Anong connect?

"You'll design our home and I'll be the one strengthening the foundation." He smirked.