Chapter 4: Torn

"Hoy! Ayos ka lang ba?"

Mula sa pagtitig sa kawalan ay nalipat ang paningin ko kay Nikki. I was out of focus because of Semper, who will be attending the same class with me. After he followed me at the coffee shop yesterday and he appeared at my house ay ginulo na niya ang sistema ko.

"Nikks."

"Hmm?"

"Kilala mo si Semper, 'di ba? Anong kurso niya? Saan siya nakatira? Ano—" She cut me off.

"Wait, girl." Ibinaba ni Nikki ang hawak na pamaypay at hinarap ako. "Bakit interesado ka sa kanya? Well, sabagay, he's not a bad choice."

"Nikks, sagutin mo na lang ang tanong ko sa 'yo." Like hello? Never akong magkakagusto sa kanya. Never! N-E-V-E-R. NEVER!

"Ang alam ko, Engineering student siya. Enrolled siya rito last summer pa. Ano ka ba, hindi mo ba siya kilala?! Kung saan siya nakatira, I don't stalk that much. Hindi mo ba siya napansin dati?" Nikki said. I am a Business Ad student samantalang Engineering student naman si Nikki.

I shrugged my shoulders as reply. Nope. I just heard his name from Nikki but if I noticed him before, no. In fact, no other guys exist in my eyes before other than Daven.

"He's weird." And creepy. Hindi ko na lamang iyon idinagdag. I knew Nikki really find him attractive. Well... physically he is attractive pero nakakatakot siya.

Mahinang pagsiko ni Nikki ang muling pumukaw sa akin. I eyed her a glare and she pointed her lips toward Daven's direction. Otomatikong napatingin naman ako kay Daven, who was also looking at me. Nang mapansin niyang nakatingin ako sa kanya ay nag-iwas siya ng tingin at nagkunwaring may ginagawa.

"Haba ng hair," tukso ni Nikki. I glared at her and I maintain that glare when I felt someone tapped my back. Muntik na akong mapatalon nang makita si Semper doon. Like his usual outfit, he wore a black shirt and black jeans but gone was the beanie. His hair was also trimmed, still messy but shorter than its previous length.

"Think of a schedule so that we can talk," mahinang wika niya. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. How dare he talk to me in class?!

Hindi na ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataong sumagot dahil pumasok na si Sir Neo. His presence was a bright light inside the room, especially to girls. He seems so professional on the class that is why I trusted him before.

During the whole class, I was feeling this weirdness. On my back is Semper's strong presence which I really hate it. I can feel his gaze all over my neck which was covered with my hair. On my side was Daven, and the thought along with little hope that he might be talking to me one of these days. I caught him staring, yes. In the front is Sir Neo, who was equally as striking as the previous guys but was good in giving me disgust. I was disgusted by his unethical behavior, to which until now, hindi pa rin siya humihingi ng tawad. I can see him looking at me most of the time, smiles and goes on with his lecture.

Nang matapos ang klase ay agad akong lumabas ng classroom. Dumaan ako sa gitna ng mga nagkumpulang estudyante nang maramdaman ko ang kamay na humawak sa braso ko.

Daven.

I looked at his eyes, then to his hand which was holding my arm then back to his face. "I need to talk to you."

Oh God knows how I missed his voice. Daven isn't the bad guy type at school. Yes, he is popular but that is because he is handsome and clever. Sa anim na buwan na naging kami ay siya ang pinakamaalalahaning tao na nakilala ko. He's not the showy type. You will feel his love through his actions. And I guess he really loved me. LOVED.

I don't know how to respond. I like the warmth of his palm in my hand. I like his gentle voice; his eyes are deep-set and pretty. I like everything about him.

"About?" Matagal kong hinintay na kausapin niya ako. Naghiwalay kami dati nang hindi nagkakausap. He sent me a text message that we should breakup and it was the most hurtful thing that a girl would experience in breakup next to ignoring without a word. To think that he's the one who cheated!

"Something important."

About us. Things about the two of us are something important. For me. But I hope that goes for him, too. Papayag na sana ako nang may maramdaman akong humawak sa kabilang braso ko.

Semper.

What the hell is this? Nakahawak pa rin si Daven sa braso ko samantalang sa kabila naman si Semper. For the record, this isn't a romance drama about a girl who was torn between two hot guys.

This is more like a melodrama of a princess, pulled by her stepmother away from his prince. And Semper is the stepmother.

"Aalis na tayo," wika ni Semper. Now that I notice it, his eyes was a mixture of black and auburn. I must say I prefer this hair length than the previous one. I would also recommend he should maintain such messy hairstyle dahil paniguradong hindi babagay sa kanya ang pormal na hairstyle ni Daven.

"H-ha? Where are we going?" I asked. I felt Semper's hand held me tighter so as Daven's. Nagpalipat-lipat sa kanilang dalawa ang paningin ko. No, there wasn't any imaginary competition in those eyes because Daven's eyes scream that he is determined to talk to me but Semper's? None. You cannot see anything in his eyes.

"Somewhere."

Daven pulled me closer to him. "We need to talk first."

Ilang sandali ay inisip ko na hihilahin din ako ni Semper ngunit binitawan niya ako. "Hihintayin kita," he said and walk away, leaving us behind. He walked with confidence, held his backpack with one hand over his shoulders while the other is on his pocket.

"Hindi ko alam na magkakilala pala kayo ni Galvez," wika ni Daven. Binitawan na niya ang braso ko na pinanghinayangan ko. He should have held me until we finish talking. Or he should hold me forever. I could live with that.

"Not really," sagot ko. I don't want to waste our time talking about Semper kaya tinanong ko na siya ng diretso. "Ano nga pala ang importanteng nais mong pag-usapan natin?"

Daven let out a worried look. "It's about—"

"Daaaaaaveeeeeen!"

Sabay kaming napalingon ni Daven sa direksyon ng malanding pagsigaw ni Iradessa. She ran toward us at kumapit sa braso ni Daven nang makalapit siya sa amin.

"Why are you talking to him?" Iradessa asked. "My God, Violet! Nagmamakaawa ka na naman ba na balikan ka ni Daven?!" Sinadya niyang lakasan ang kanyang boses upang marinig ng iba ang sinabi niya. Yes, I begged Daven not to leave me but that was before. I begged him through text message. How did Iradessa know? I look at Daven at wala man lamang itong sinabi.

He told Iradessa about me begging him? I felt the tears in the corner of my eye. My mouth wasn't able to move, it was just slightly open. Wala man lamang akong maisip na sabihin o gawin upang hindi magmukhang kaawa-awa sa harap nilang dalawa.

I looked around and found Semper in the corner. Nakasandal siya sa isang haligi at nakatingin sa direksyon ko. From that distance, I saw his lips moved and formed something like 'Let's go.'

Let's go? Saan naman kami pupunta? Gusto ko sanang ignorahin ang sinasabi ni Semper ngunit napadako ang tingin ko sa kamay nina Iradessa at Daven. His hand which was holding me a while ago was now intertwined with Iradessa's. Nang itinaas ko ang paningin ay nakita ko ang ngiti niya and I saw the imaginary scoreboard, giving her another point.

I want to save my pride and walk away from them. But I don't think that would save my pride. Until I felt a hand held my waist and I was pulled into someone's side. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa gulat and was even surprised to see that it was Semper.

Oh.

Hindi ba't nasa... Tiningnan ko ang distansya sa pagitan ko at ng kinatatayuan niya kanina. Either he is fast o sadyang minuto na talaga ang lumipas na nakatayo lamang ako sa harap ni Daven at Iradessa at nagmumukhang kawawa.

"Semper?" Iradessa smiled at him ngunit napalis ang ngiti niya nang makita ang kamay ni Semper sa baywang ko. I should remove his hands or separate my body but even before I can move, I felt his hand held me tighter.

Hinayaan ko ang kamay niya sa baywang ko. Hinayaan ko rin siyang hilahin ako palayo kina Daven, still holding my waist as we passed by the bunch of students. Hanggang sa makarating kami sa parking lot ng campus.

"That was unnecessary!" I shouted at him. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin ngunit tinalikuran niya lamang ako. When he turns back, he tossed a helmet to me na sa awa ng Diyos ay nasalo ko bago pa ito tumama sa mukha ko.

"What? Me holding your waist?" He asked.

"No, that saving me from... them."

"So, you think holding your waist was necessary?" He asked, giving me a mocking smile. It was a smile that says I know you like it. No. I didn't. Well... A little but... No. I really don't like it. End of discussion. Bahagi ng pagligtas niya sa akin ang paghawak niya sa baywang ko so that's it! Hindi ba?

"You wish! Anong gagawin ko rito sa helmet?" Normally, I would think na kailangan ko iyong suotin, alangan namang kainin ko iyon. But why would I wear it?

"We're going somewhere." Sumampa siya sa itim na motor at pinaandar iyon. He waited for me to wear his helmet and climb at his back, but I didn't.

"Bakit naman ako sasama sa'yo?" I figured out that Semper isn't normal, therefore he is not safe to be with. Kung ano man siya, kailangan kong protektahan ang sarili ko laban sa kanya.

His eyes just stared at me and I found myself wearing the helmet and walking to his back. No. It was definitely not his supernatural power, if there is. It's more of myself. Tahimik na sumampa ako sa likuran niya at agad naman niyang pinaandar ang kanyang motor.

"Where are we going?" I asked, mahina pa lamang ang andar ng motorsiklo niya habang lumalabas kami sa parking lot ng eskwelahan.

"I told you yesterday that I want to talk to you," sagot niya.

"What if ayaw ko?" Yeah, Violet, you're already riding on his back.

"I will use my card."

"What card?"

"Ang pagligtas ko sa'yo kanina," sagot niya. Mabagal lamang ang takbo ng motorsiklo niya. I doubt this is his usual speed. Sa tingin ko ay dahil may angkas siya kaya mabagal lamang ang pagpapatakbo niya.

I mentally rolled my eyes at nanahimik na lamang. Saka lamang ako nagsalita nang ipinasok niya sa basement ng mall ang kanyang motor. We were in basement three, madilim at mainit doon.

"Hindi ko alam na nagmo-mall ka pala," biro ko sa kanya habang tinatanggal ang suot na helmet. Iniabot ko iyon sa kanya at kinuha naman niya iyon.

"Hindi ko rin alam. I just figured out that you'll feel comfortable if we talk here," sagot niya. "Wait here, I'll just park this thing." Tumango ako bilang tugon at tumayo sa gilid. I watched him drive his big bike somewhere behind the cars where the other motorcycles were parked. I stood in the side, waiting for Semper who a little bit was later than I expected. No one was in sight in the basement. I felt my sweat ran down my forehead kaya hinanap ko sa shoulder bag ko ang panyo.

Then from the heat of the temperature in the basement, I felt a cold sensation. Something dangerous, I thought. Or maybe it was just my imagination. Pinagpatuloy ko ang paghahanap ng panyo sa bag ko nang marinig ko ang tunog na likha ng motor. The light flickered and it caught my attention. Just as I raise my eyes, I saw the driver, who was wearing all black, with a black helmet pressed the clutch. The engine rumble at sinalakay ako ng kaba. Is that Semper?

I heard a loud sound from the engine which sounded like thunder, the roar in the pipes was joined by my fast heartbeat when I noticed that the driver was aiming on my direction, not in the proper way. The loud sound of the revving engine scared me, and it became louder as it was going near me. My thoughts said that I should run, but my legs wouldn't cooperate. Sinalakay ako ng matinding kaba and just as before the whining loud engine of the motorcycle roll me conscious, I felt my knees weaken and my sight became blurry. I felt my body hit the pavement and before I closed my eyes, the driver of the motorcycle flew to the other side, while the motorcycle was crashing on the ground. There were friction sparks made by the motorcycle on the pavement as it continues to roll sideways towards my direction.

Ang isiping tatamaan ako ng motorsiklong iyon ang tuluyan na nagpawala ng malay ko, but only right after I saw someone in black pulled it to stop.

#