Chapter 47

Tinitigan ko yung mga libro na nakapatong sa lamesa namin. I looked up on him and I saw that raising brow reacting. Jeez. I'm just looking. Pumunta siya sa kusina at kinuha yung mga finger foods na niluto ko kanina pati yung juice.

He placed the tray beside the table. Nag-indian sit din siya sa tabi ko at kinuha yung libro sa pinatuktok ng pile.

"Start?"

"As if I have a choice." He poked my head, lightly. "Hey. Masakit yun. Aray!"

Pinalo na naman niya yung libro sa ulo ko. Naman e!

"May 5 days nalang tayo para sa Semi Finals. Get your game face on, baby."

"Like it's really easy. I'm a busy gal, you know."

"And you think I'm not busy?" 

I shook my since he's really not. Ano bang pinagkakaabalahan niya? Kumuha ako ng popcorn nung naramdaman ko na naman yung pagtuktuk sa ulo ko. "Stop hitting me!"

"Sinong hindi busy? Hoy Alexa." Inayos niya yung pagkakaupo niya at humarap sakin. "I've been very busy. Halos tatlong buwan kaya kitang pinakilig."

"Wow. Busy nga."

"Hey. I saw that 2 second-eyes widening. Kinilig ka na naman no?"

Di ko siya pinansin at inistraight ko yung paa ko habang kinakain yung popcorn sa paa ko. "Enough with the talking, we're studying."

"Sus." Umisod siya sa tabi ko at nilagay yung libro sa lap ko. Naramdaman ko yung braso niya sa balikat ko. "Sige na. Di ko na papansinin. Nahihiya baby ko e."

Di ako nagreklamo nung bigla niyang pinisil ang ilong ko.

Nahihiya? Hindi ko alam kung pano niya napansin yun. Palagay ko mas observant siya kesa sakin. He can catch my fast expressions, the way I quickly react on things and how I vanish them easy too. He has some very keen eyes.

Isinandal ko yung ulo ko habang pinapaliwanag niya sakin yung statement sa book. I just listen. My smart blue head.

"Don't sleep, okay?" Naramdaman ko yung vibration ng chest niya sa tenga ko. I shook my head. "Good girl."

He continued explaining everything to me like he's a pro on this. Yeah right, Mr. Smarty pants. Palitan mo na kaya ang professors namin? Pssh.

Days come and go and here we are. Malapit na ang semi finals. Ang bilis ng oras. Halatang kahit oras nagmamadali para sa hell week. I should be busy as a student but I'm busier than I thought. Medyo hassle pag magde-debut.

I got after dance lessons. Daming arte ng Mama ko ano? Hay! Anyway, it's part of the party daw at para di rin ako mapahiya since formal dances is not my forte. I really hate those waltz one two three whatever. So Mama got someone to trainme... with Gatorade of course.

Pero di ko akalain na kahit siya, parehong kaliwa ang paa.

Who would have thought? He's almost perfect right?

"Tapos ito, during this era mas maraming colonizer at mas lumaki ang trading system ng Philippines.." I nodded. "Are you even listening?"

"And what makes you think that I'm not listening?"

"Wala lang. Pakiramdam ko kasi masyado ka ng natutuwa sa pagsandal sa dibdib ko." I hit him. "Aray!"

"Di na." I pushed him away at kinuha yung book sa lap ko.

"Yun na. Nagtampo na~"

"Don't talk to me. Naiinis ako sayo." Nagulat ako nung bigla siyang mag-chuckle. Did I even say something funny, bluehead? I gave him a 'what's-so-funny?!' look.

"You said that again." What? "That—don't talk to me, naiinis ako sayo."

"And?"

"Wala lang. Naalala ko lang yung nagkasakit ako. That's the very first time you said that to me." He chuckled again. Soft laughs. "Nah. Dito ka na ulit. Binibiro ka lang e."

I rolled my eyes on him and focused my eyes on my book, though my mind is floating somewhere. Fine! I'm not really listening. I'm not in the mood of studying right now. I'm not that kind of student that will volunteer to study. I'm just a typical girl who studies if exams are near or possible test are coming.

Well, motivation for studying (for me) really fades away in instant just by thinking of it. Sorry naman! Unlike this guy beside me. He looks like he's hype for anything. Exclude the dancing though.

Nagulat ako nung naramdaman ko yung kamay niya sa left temple ko at yung dibdib niya sa right. "Wag ng magtampo."

"Bakit?"

"Alam mo na naman kung bakit. Sige na." He let go at bumababa siya sa level ng mukha ko. "You can even rest on my chest for a long time."

Long time..

I stared at those eyes for some second and then I realized I'm on his chest again. Listening on his lectures of I don't really understand things.

Long time...

How can it be possibly long if it’s already near?

*

Thursday

I yawned after seeing Alex entering the classroom door, "Hey what's up, birthday girl!"

I just let him ruin my already messed up-morning hair. No energy to fight back. I yawned again and patted my head, thinking that I could actually fix my hair by patting.

"It's still not my birthday. Don't mess my morning hair and please stop. I don't have time for the Alex-Gab talk."

"Oh. Someone woke up at the wrong side of the bed."

I just shrugged it off. Pumasok na ako sa classroom at umupo. More so, umub-ob ako. I can hear Alex talking pero wala sa wisyo ang mga brain cells ko para makinig sa blabberings ni Alex. I'm too tired and I think that my head will explode any minute if I still listen to him.

Give my head a break please!

Since Monday, I got late night lessons with Gatorade, I have after school 'I hate' waltz dance lessons, I have still Art Stuff projects and I still have classes to attend to. Why should be my schedule be so cruel!

I'm so lucky that I have incentives for winning Badminton matches last Sports Fest. Pero kahit na! Di dapat ako makampante. And still, Gatorade insists. OC-Study Pal pa naman yun. Every detail should be read or understood. Grabe!

Tumunghay ako at sinubukang ayusin ang buhok ko, but I failed, I think? Isinandal ko yung ulo ko sa upuan at tumingin sa labas ng bukas na pinto. Ewan ko pero alam kong nahagip ng mata ko sina Marcus at Gatorade. I smiled. Papuntang CR siguro yung dalawa.

I feel so tired.

* 

"Sige na sir, wag na kayong mag-klase!"

"But Semi finals are coming..."

"Sige na sir. Sakit sa bangs ng exams! Sakit ng ulo!" sigaw ni Alex, favoring the class. Natawa pa ako sa sinabi niyang ‘sakit sa bangs’.

"Fine fine."

Nagsigawan yung mga kaklase ko nung biglang pumayag yung English prof namin. Yung undefined gender English prof namin. Mukhang ayaw rin naman niyang magklase at wala na naman kaming pagaaralan since natapos na agad niya yung lessons niya sa last meeting namin.

And yeah, I need a break too. Mehe.

"But let's do one activity then all you guys can do whatever you want."

"Aww! Wag na sir!"

"Hey, don't spoil it. This will be fun." Naging gloomy ang aura sa room. Seat work malamang ang papagawa sa amin. Alam niyo ba yung feeling na ayaw mong gumalaw kahit magsalita dahil sa pagod? Kahit din sa katamaran?

Ramdam na ramdam ko e.

"Don't worry. Let's just say na it's a group session. You guys go with the talking, but you should use more of English. Like nakikichismis tayo but in a sosyal way." Napatawa ako nung sinabi niya yung 'sosyal'. "Okay. Let's start. Tell me one of your unforgettable moments. Go!"

May tinuro yung English professor namin. Naawa ako dun sa una kasi wala man lang siyang time para magisip. Nakakatawa kasi kahit yung English niya, di prepared. Aw. I'm so mean!

Some shared weird childhood experiences pero mas mabenta yung mishaps experiences.

"Ikaw naman Mr. Marilao, do you have something to share?"

"Meron syempre!" I smiled seeing him the usual hype Alex. Hindi rin siya marunong maubusan ng energy e.

I suddenly thought of Justine. Napatingin ako sa side ni Alex at nakita si Justine sa kabilang row, nakatingin kay Alex. Looks like all her attentions is on Alex now. Yung tipong pag kinausap mo siya ngayon, wala siyang maririnig.

"Ano kaya. Madaming tumatakbo sa utak ko e."

"You can share all of them." Our English prof joked. Hindi talaga mauubusan yang si Alex. Madaldal yan!

"Ah! Ito nalang!" Napaayos siya ng tayo nun, "Ang title ng story na 'to ay ‘I got my balls kicked.”"

Di namin mapigilang mapatawa sa kalokohan ni Alex. He got his balls what? Kahit ako napatawa na talaga. Halata kasi sa mukha niya di siya nagbibiro pero proud na proud siya dito kaya all smiles ang loko!

"Seriously, you got your balls kicked? Have you got that check?"

"Yup." He stooped down his head and looked at his crotched. Gross! Di man lang siya nahiya! "He's good. 2 years of healing is enough, I guess."

Cooly siyang magsalita like he doesn't even bother whatever we react. Oh, so he's serious? Kahit si Alex napapatawa na rin sa kalokohan niya. This guy never fails me. So I have many reasons now why I'm friend with this guy.

"Well yeah, it happened two years ago. I got a weird deal with my friends." Tumahimik kaming lahat nung nagsimula na siyang magkwento. "And I was a bit tipsy too, so as being so high and glory because of alcohol, I stupidly agreed."

Tawa lang kami ng tawa dahil sa gestures niya. Make him stop!

"The deal was I should kiss a girl, not the first girl we’ll saw, but I should kiss a girl who I find very attractive." Napa-ooh yung mga kaklase namin. Napasilip ako kay Justine at mukhang nagulat siya sa kinukwento ni Alex. "And with the disco bar, loud music and the very undefeated alcohol, Bam! I kissed a stranger."

Nakita ko yung pagbabago ng expression nang mukha ni Justine. Does she know about this? Disco bar? Loud music? Alcohol? Nagiinom siya ng oras na yun. Meron ba tong kinalaman sa nakaraan nila ni Justine?

"But the thing is, she got so irritated! " he laughed very loudly.

"I can even remember those fierce, angry eyes on me! And pop! She hit my innocent bestfriend down here. " He said as he point at his below below."The end."

Nagtawanan ang mga kaklase ko, with applause pa! But I can't find the reason to laugh because there's something in Justine's stares.

Ngayon, naiintriga na talaga ako sa nakaraan ng dalawa.

"So have you ever met that girl again?"

He shrugged, "Nah. All I can remember was her eyes. I was so dizzy and that hurt feeling is more important than her. She almost ended my generation giver!"

Tawanan ulit.

Jeez. Alex, Alex. Can't you see you're hurting someone?

"But," He smiled. "If I ever met her again, I think it'll be awesome."

Natapos yung klase sa English. Naging energizer yun at pamapagising ko. Well, with Alex story gising na agad ako. Nung lumabas ang prof namin, tumakbo din palabas si Justine. I even caught him looking at her. I don't know but is this some kind of a cliche unrequited or forbidden love?

All I know that they were friends before and Alex had some love issues, though mukhang ngayon meron pa rin ata.

Pinanuod ko lang mag-ayos ng gamit si Alex. May next class pa kami pero di pa dumadating yung susunod namin professor. Nahuli niya akong nakatingin sa kanya. And as usual, goofy face again.

"Naks. I got you interested with my story huh?"

"Not actually."

"Aw. Straight forward as ever."

Inayos niya yung pagkakaupo niya. Naginat inat siya bago tumingin sakin.

"You're so mean."

"What?" Mukhang naguluhan naman siya sa sinabi ko pero alam kong pinipilit niya lang maging oblivious. Manhid-manhidan pa. He did that on purpose. Ako pa ang niloko nito e kitang kita ko lahat kanina.

"Hindi mo dapat kwinento yun."

"Ano bang pinagsasabi mo, Gab?"

"Kwinento mo yun kasi alam mong maaapektuhan mo siya." I glared at him.

I don't even know why. Maybe I really did wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Pero seeing Justine like that too, parang may kelangan akong gawin kahit wala akong karapatan. Just think of her as Princess' sister and Princess is my friend. Right!

"Hindi kita magets, Gab." Nakita ko yung alinlangang ngiti ni Alex. So busted.

"Who's Justine?"

"Kaklase natin?"

"Para sayo?"

Natahimik si Alex. Nakatingin lang siya sakin at parang nagulat siya sa tono ng pananalita ko. I don't even know why I'm serious with this. Those nervous smiles and chuckles from him, it's irritating.

"I don't know why were talking about this."

"Just say it." I loosed the tension a bit. Iniwas ni Alex ang tingin niya sakin. I sighed, "Fine, who am I to meddle with this?"

Inayos ko na din ang gamit ko. Mali naman kasi talaga ‘tong ginagawa ko.

"I don't have the right to ask you some personal stuff. I'm sorry,"

"Some jerk stole her from me." Napatigil ako. "I told that jerk na wag siyang papayag. Wag siyang papayag sa deal nila ni Justine."

Napatigil ako nung nakita ko expression niya sa mukha. Galit siyang nakangiti sakin.

"But hey, he did. Naging sila.."

"Alex.. Hindi mo kelangang.."

"And you know what's funny?" Napasinghap ako nung makita ko ang malungkot at galit na mata ni Alex. "That jerk was my friend, my f*cking best friend."

"Alex," Kinuha niya yung bag niya.. "So—sorry."

"Pasabi nalang sa prof na masama pakiramdam ko."

"Alex!" Napatayo ako nung naglakad na siya palayo..

"At oo nga pala," tumigil siya at humarap sakin. "Oo, pinasadya ko yun. Kasi gusto ko siyang saktan."

Alex...

Anong ginawa ko?

*

This is pathetic. Really. Really!! I slapped my face several times. Stupid Gab. Stupid Gab! Hindi ko dapat siya ginanun. Dapat naging walang pakielam na Gab nalang ako pero nakakainis naman kasi e.

What should I do?

Hindi pumasok si Alex kahit nung afternoon classes. Dahil ko? Siguro kasalanan ko nga. Hindi siguro dahil totoong ako nga! Aish. Bakit ko kasi ginawa yun? Pero it's good naman di ba? Atleast, he tried to open something for me. Pero mali pa din! Kasi I almost forced him to say it!

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" I said while slapping my cheeks. 

"Aw!"

Huh?

Napatunghay ako at nakita si Rinrin sa kabilang side ng table. Andito kasi ako ngayon sa isang pavillion sa school. Ayoko muna kasing umuwi. Nakakapagod.

"Okay ka lang Gabby?" He titled his head to the left. Mukha talaga siyang bata. Tumango ako at inayos ang pagkakaupo ko. Shocks. Nakakahiya. "But slapping your own face, doesn't seem okay to me. Are you sure?"

"Ye." I flushed. It’s really embarrassing when someone caught you being stupid.

"Okay!" Umupo si Rinrin dun sa upuan na katapat ko. Bigla tuloy akong nauhaw sa hawak niyang juice. Kanina pa nga pala akong andito. Di ko man lang napansin. "Anong ginagawa mo dito, Gabby? Walang tao oh!"

"Papalipas oras." Ito yung pavillion na minsan lang puntahan ng estudyante. Medyo likod na kasi 'to ng Admin Building at malayo. "Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

"Ah! Madalas dito kami nagpapapractice pag may liftings." Oh. CKnights Dance stuff. "Oh! Hey, Gabby. Lookie lookie!"

"Ha?" Napapikit ako nung bigla niyang itutok yung cellphone niya sa mukha ko. Take note, 1 inch lang ang layo.

"Thank you! His name is Grubsy bear!" Ahh. Yun yung bear na binigay ko sa kanya na dapat sakin kasi binibigay ni Russ sakin. (Uhh. Nagulo ako sa inisip ko.) "Cute cute niya di ba?"

"Grubsy bear?"

"Yup! Gab and Russ!"

Oh, I see.

Tinitigan ni Rinrin yung screen ng phone niya tapos maya maya niyakap niya yun na parang si Grubsy yung niyayakap niya. Sigurado ba siyang nasa college na siya?

"Next time, dalhin ko siya dito."

"Bakit?"

"To meet his mom!"

So ako yung nanay? Hmm. Naalala ko si Laelle, mommy daw ako ni Laelle according to Lance and now I'm a mother's bear according to Rinrin. To sum it all, feeling ko ako lang ata ang nageexist na tao-dog-bear-monster in one. Wow.

Mukhang tuwang tuwa naman si Rinrin. Naalala ko si Andrei. I miss that little kiddo kahit halos di kami magkasundo. Nagkasundo lang ata kami nung last day niya e. At yung last day, si Lorenzo at Lance, may hindi pa magandang nangyare.

Ang dami pa palang bagay na hindi ko naiintindihan.

Ang gulo ng buhay ko o ako lang talaga ang nagpapagulo?

"Rinrin."

"Hm?"

Kwinento ko kay Rinrin yung nangyare kaninang umaga. Ewan. Siguro naghahanap lang ako ng pedeng mapaglabasan ng stupidity ko. Usually I talk to Dom with this kind of stuff pero wala siya ngayon..

"Aw!" Nanlaki yung mata ko nung biglang takluban ni Rinrin yung crotch niya.

"Hindi ikaw yung sinipa sa below low, Rinrin."

"Pero feeling ko masakit." He shook his head while holding his crotch. "That's so painful!"

Uhh. Bakit ba sinama ko yun sa kwento ko?

"Hay. Tapos yun nga, he didn't attend our class after that walkout scenario."

"Mukha ngang pinilit mo siya." Inosente at straight forward na sinabi ni Rinrin. Umupo siya sa tabi ko at tinaas ang dalawang legs niya. Niyapos niya yun. Para siyang si L ng Death Note. "Kahit ako medyo maiinis kung mapipilit ako ng ganun kasi parang ayaw din niya yung pagusapan e."

Aray.

Pakiramdam ko may lumipad na mga pana mula kung saan at tinamaan ako sa dibdib sa lahat ng sinabi ni Rinrin.

Masakit.

"Pero he's your friend naman di ba?" I nodded. "You'll be okay!"

Napauna ako nung hampasin ni Rinrin ang likod ko. Yun ang masakit. Is that a pat in the back? Parang hitting e.

"Shoot, I forgot!" Napatayo ako ng wala sa oras. "I missed my dance lesson!"

"Oh? Dance lesson?"

"Yup. For my debut this coming 16. Patay! Magagalit si Mama!" Inayos ko agad yung gamit ko. Ay! Buti nalang. "Here, Rinrin. Invitation."

"Invited ako?"

"Yup. Punta ka ha?"

"Of course! Anything for Gabby and Russy!" Bakit may Russ?"Wait. Sabi mo namiss mo na dance lesson mo di ba?"

"Oo, bakit?"

"Russy, you heard that? Gabby needs your help!"

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. Tumingin ako sa paligid ko. Tinawag ba niya si Russ? Wala naman ah. Did I expect him to be here too? Whatever. Isa pa siya sa isipin ko. Mukhang niloloko din naman ako ni Rinrin. Binuhat ko na yung bag ko.

"Bye Rin. Late na din e.."

"But,"

"San ka pupunta?"

Nanlaki ang mata ko nung narinig ko yun. San galing yun?

"Russy!"

Pumunta ako kung saan tumakbo si Rinrin. Tinuro niya sakin yung taas kaya lumingon ako at nakita siya dun. May lahi ba siyang maging unggoy?Hilig niya sa mataas e. Napapikit ako nung parang may malakas na hanging dumaan papaba sa harap ko.

With a minute, nagawa niyang bumaba ng walang kahirap-hirap mula sa bubong?

"Anong ginagawa..."

"Wow. He swings like a Monkey~" We think the same, Rinrin. Uh.

Lumapit samin si Russ. Napaurong ang isang paa ko, unconsciously. Naalala ko kasi yung usapan namin ni bebs at Papa nung nasa Quezon kami. Hanggang ngayon question pa rin sakin kung sino si Russ, since kaklase daw namin siya nung elem at highschool.

Ilang ruler nalang siguro ang pagitan namin nung magtama ang mga mata namin..

"So, Ms Delos Reyes," Inilahad niya ang kamay nya sa harap ko. "May I have this dance?"

"GRUBSY! GRUBSY!GRUBSY!" Paulit ulit na chant ni Rinrin habang gumagawa ng cheering hand movements.

"Tell me who are you, first."

"I'll take that as a yes." Napasigaw ako nung maramdaman ko ang kamay ni Russ sa likod ko at hinigit ako papalapit sa kanya. Nabitawan ko din yung bag ko at nakita nalang ang sarili kong paikot ikot sa gilid ng pavillion.

I tried to stop him but I can't stop my feet moving. Na parang sumusunod sa bawat hakbang ni Russ. Hindi ako makatingala kasi feeling ko magtatakbo ako pag nakita ko yung nakakatakot niyang mata.

"Step, close, step." Ha? "Step, close, step."

We're actually dancing.

Step close... step.

Di ko alam pero sunod sunod kong ginawa yun ng hindi nawawala sa pattern. Step close step. He made the pattern so easy or was it really easy in the first place? Inikot niya ako at napatawa ako nung makita kong nagsasayaw si Rinrin sa gilid namin.

Para siyang nagba-ballet.

"I don't know." Napatingin ako kay Russ. Good thing he's looking something behind me. "Pero di ako nagtataka kung bakit di mo ko maalala."

"Ibig sabihin kilala mo ako."

Bigla siyang ngumiti at pakiramdam ko may gumuhong ilang parte ng Pilipinas. Ngumiti na naman siya!

"Oo naman." He twirled me and enclosed on his arms again, still doing the step, close, step pattern. "Sinong hingi makakakilala kay Alexa Gabrielle Delos Reyes?"

"Eh bakit hindi kita maalala. Kahit si Dominique?"

Nagtama ang mata namin at naramdaman ko ang pagtibok ng puso ko dahil sa kaba. Tiningnan na naman ako ng mga mata niya.. "Hindi kita kinausap o nilapitan noon."

"Ba—Bakit?" I stammered.

"Someone forbid me to."

Pinaikot niya ako at laking gulat ko nung binitawan na niya talaga ako. Feeling ko babagsak ako dahil sa ginawa niya ikot sakin. Bakit niya ako binitawan! Napapikit ako, loosing my balance when I suddenly hit something.

Napatingala ako nung maramdaman kong may nabangga akong tao."Lance!"

Agad kong inayos ang tayo ko. Sinubukan kong kunin ang atensyon niya pero nakatingin siya sa taong nakipagsayaw sakin kanina. Dun ko na naman naramdaman ang tensyon sa pagitan nilang dalawa.

Those two pair of eyes from the two mysterious guys surrounding me.

Naramdaman ko ang mahigpit na pagyakap sa akin ni Lance.

"Lance,"

Hindi pa rin niya ako tinitingnan, "Get your hands off her."

Napatingin ako kay Lance tapos kay Russ. Mayabang na nakangiti siya ngayon kay Lance.

"10 days." sabi ni Russ bago higitin si Rinrin at mawala sa paningin namin.

10 days?

Ibig sabihin alam niya ang tungkol samin ni Lance at BFC.

Napapikit ako nung bigla akong higitin ni Lance.

"Please," he freed my lips,"Don't do that again. Possessive ako pagdating sayo. Tandaan mo yan."

Nagta-tantrums na naman ulit siya?