Chapter 03

The entire basketball team was looking at me like I had lost my mind... and perhaps they're right! I have officially lost my mind! It's understandable naman! Because like the other day lang, ang problem ko lang ay kung anong color ng bag ang bibilhin ko or if makaka-hanap ba iyong personal shopper ko nung bag na gusto ko... Now, forced na ako to be an adult! I have to do adulting too early!

17 years old lang ako! I am a child!

"Fin, oh..." one of the basketball guys said. I refuse to learn his name. Saka sinabi niya pa 'yon like kawawa ako na kailangang pansinin ni Finley. As if! I blame my younger self talaga. Why did I have to ask Finley to the dance? Ayan tuloy. Years have passed pero part pa rin siya ng lore ko! Possible kaya na kapag nag reunion kami 30 years from now, they'll tease me about that pa rin? My gosh!

Finley threw me a look. I thought talaga na may sasabihin siya sa akin, but the jerk just gave me a 3-second stare tapos ay binalik niya na iyong tingin niya sa mga basketball boys niya.

"Focus," sabi niya sa kanila.

"Grabe, Captain, pansinin mo naman si Maia."

My lips parted because he said that in such a way na para bang atensyon ni Finley iyong pinaka-dream ko sa life ko. How dare these basketball boys!

Finley just rolled his eyes as if that was such a ridiculous idea. He began jogging na ulit tapos ay sumunod na sa kanya iyong ibang mga players. They're like mother duck and ducklings. Naka-sunod lang talaga sila sa kanya.

"Okay lang 'yan. Masungit talaga 'yon," one of the basketball guys said as he was patting the top of my head like I was some kid.

I immediately swatted his hand away. "Ugh. As if!" I said as I walked away.

Dumaan ako sa cafeteria because I was hungry. Nagbreakfast naman ako, but gutom na ulit ako. Normally, I'd just get whatever looked good... but parang umatras iyong gutom ko nung nakita ko iyong presyo.

Was food always this expensive? Gosh... I remember all the times na hindi ko naubos iyong food ko tapos tinapon ko na lang. Tsk. Never mind. I'd think na lang na naka-one meal a day na diet ako. I mean, I could be poor, but I could still slay.

It's all about the mindset.

Bakit ko ba iniisip na mahirap na ako? Wala namang sinabi na ganon ang parents ko. They're just going through something at the moment. Sabi nga nila, this, too, shall pass. Alam naman siguro ni Lord na hindi ako ang strongest soldier niya! Hindi ako meant to be sa ganitong life.

I stayed muna sa likod ng building while waiting for the class to start. I didn't want to go to the classroom muna kasi baka may magtanong sa akin if kumain na ako. Tapos baka samahan nila ako sa cafeteria and mapa-bili pa ako ng food. Dito muna ako. At least may fresh air saka sunlight.

I was quietly minding my own business when I heard footsteps approaching.

"What?" I asked.

I hated the fact na alam ko na agad na si Finley iyong nasa paligid ko. Bakit ba kasi alam ng ilong ko kung ano iyong pabango niya? Wala ba siyang balak magpalit ng pabango? Kasi whenever I'd smell that freaking Tom Ford Black Orchid, kahit nasa ibang lugar ako, siya agad ang naiisip ko. Na-condition na ata iyong brain ko.

"What are you doing?" he asked back.

"Soaking the air and sunshine," I told him. "Obviously."

Naka-kunot iyong noo niya. "Ano ka? Halaman?"

"What?" I asked. What was he yapping about again?

"Photosynthesis?" he said again. Photo-what?

He rolled his eyes at me like he was just so done with me. The gasp I gasped! Does he even have self-awareness? Between the two of us, mas nakaka-pagod kaya siya!

"Seriously... what do you even do at school?" he asked.

"Ugh. Why are you here ba? You're disturbing my peace."

Instead of leaving me in peace, Finley just stood on the opposite side of where I was seated. Naka-sandal siya sa may wall habang naka-tingin sa akin. I stared back at him and naka-kunot iyong noo ko, so he'd know that his presence's definitely not welcomed.

"Di ka magllunch?" he asked.

"Naglunch na ako."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Ano nga lunch sa cafeteria ngayon?" he asked like he was so confident that I was lying and that he'd eventually catch me in a life.

"I don't know," I replied. "I wasn't that hungry, so I got a slice of pizza lang."

"Ano'ng toppings?"

"Pineapple."

"Yuck."

"Hater."

He rolled his eyes. "Walang ganon sa cafeteria ngayon," he said.

I didn't respond immediately kasi ano naman sasabihin ko sa kanya? Na nagtitipid ako kasi ang stupid ko at victim ako ng scam? That I'd been too sheltered all my life that I don't know how the whole budgeting works? Like magkano ba dapat for food? Kasi may mga projects pa ako tapos I needed to pay bills pa. I was so confused! I was so stressed out na 'di na ako magugulat kung malagas iyong hair ko.

"Mind your own business na lang," I told him kasi for the past years, 'yon din naman ang ginagawa namin—at least on his part. Hindi niya naman talaga ako pinapansin. I was the one who had to exert effort para hindi magcross iyong mga landas namin.

But instead of doing what I asked of him, he got something from his pocket. Bigla niya na lang hinagis papunta sa akin iyon. May reflex naman pala ako kahit konti because I quickly caught what he threw at my direction.

"Finley!" I said kasi nagulat ako na bigla na lang siyang naghahagis! What if tinamaan ako sa face ko? Hindi ba niya alam na ito ang plan Z ko? Mag-asawa ng mayaman?!

He just rolled his eyes on me tapos ay naglakad na siya paalis. How nice of him!

I was busy making faces at him nung mapa-tingin ako sa hawak ko. My lips parted when I saw that he gave me a protein bar. And as if my stomach knew that I was holding food, it began to make it known na nagugutom na ako.

"That jerk," I mumbled to myself while I was eating my protein bar. At least hindi na ako gutom.

* * *

I really wanted to contact my parents, but I was pretty sure that they're doing everything they can to fix the situation. I mean, I am their only daughter! As if naman talagang gusto lang nila ako pahirapan.

Instead of giving myself a headache, I decided to look for jobs na lang. I really felt bad for myself when I skipped lunch... Tapos Finley figured out pa na wala akong money for food. I knew he meant well, but still, nakaka-hiya. Na simpleng pambili lang ng food, wala ako.

I wanted to just sell my bags, but I remembered na may upcoming fieldtrip kami. I really wanted to join our class. That's the one thing that I was always looking forward to every year. I didn't want to skip that kaya I decided to find a job na lang. I mean, sa mga movies and series na na-watch ko, I could probably find a job in some convenience store like part-time or something.

That weekend, I went out early. I was so sleepy pa, but I didn't want to accidentally bump into Mandie. That girl has so many questions pa naman! Mamaya i-ask niya na talaga ako kung saan iyong unit ko. Pretty sure alam niya kung saan iyong unit ni Finley tapos baka isipin niya pa na we're living together. The horror!

While walking, I was thinking if maghahanap ba ako ng work sa malapit dito... but then baka malaman ng school na broke na ako! But if sa malayo naman, super hassle kasi paano ako pupunta don? I didn't even know how to commute. Like what do I even say to the driver if bababa na ako? Like 'manong, please stop the jeep na?'

Ugh! The problem never ends! I should probably just work sa place na sure ako na hindi pupuntahan ng mga schoolmates ko.

I kept on walking around the high street until I reached a place where I think hindi pinupuntahan ng schoolmates ko. There were some restaurants, but they needed someone to wash the dishes. I didn't want to do that. I kept on walking until I saw this small resto slash bar. I asked the owner if they're hiring. She's an old lady. She asked me if I needed a job and I nodded a little too enthusiastically. She probably felt bad for me, so she agreed to hire me. She asked me for my age. I lied and told her na 18 na ako because I had a feeling na she wouldn't hire me if malaman niya na minor pa ako. I mean, malapit naman na akong magbirthday! Naground up lang ako.

"Ang tagal mo."

"Excuse me?" I asked when Finley stood up from the couch doon sa may lobby ng condo tapos ay naglakad siya palapit sa akin.

"San ka galing?" he asked.

"What?" I asked back, confused as to why he's talking to me? I thought we agreed not to interact with each other?

Instead of answering, he rolled his eyes—very Finley of him.

"Were you waiting for me?" I asked, my brow arched a little.

"Obviously," he replied, his hands in his pockets. "Baka pagbintangan mo pa ako kapag sa condo ako naghintay."

"Talaga lang!" I told him.

Finley began walking. This weirdo. I remained standing kung nasaan ako kasi what? I didn't understand what was happening. But Finley turned his head and saw that I wasn't following him. He slightly cocked his head to the side as if motioning me to follow him.

"Bilis na," he said like he's slightly irritated pa. The nerve talaga.

Since I didn't want to argue here in public dahil baka biglang may maka-kita sa amin, I just quietly followed him. He got inside the elevator. Pagpasok ko doon, napansin ko na naka-tingin siya sa akin.

"What?" I asked again.

Finley didn't say a word. Ano kaya ang nasa isip nito? I mean, honestly, feel ko hindi siya masyado nag-iisip. Like basketball mostly consume his thoughts... tapos iyong ibang space ay for snarky remarks lang niya.

I was just following Finley. I had no energy to argue further kasi buong morning yata ako naglalakad to find a job na I know na walking distance. I was so hungry but also tired! I'll probably sleep first muna pagbalik ko sa condo.

"This annoying prick," I uttered to myself when I figured out na papunta kami sa basement parking. What? Did he just want me to walk him here tapos iiwanan niya ako? Because I knew he can totally do that! Si Finley pa ba? I expected nothing but the worst from him kaya I was a bit shocked nung binigyan niya ako ng protein bar.

But instead of going to the driver's seat, he went to the back side of his car. He opened the trunk and my eyes widened a bit when I saw grocery items there.

"Wow, ako na nga bumili, ako pa magbubuhat lahat nito?" he asked, rolling his eyes at me habang kinukuha niya from the trunk iyong isang box na may laman na food.

I blinked my eyes. Super gutom na ba ako kaya naghahallucinate na ako na binilhan ako ni Finley ng food?

"Bilis na. Dami pa nito," he said again, pointing at his trunk na puno ng food.

My lips were still slightly parted. I looked at him, my forehead creased.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked kasi knowing him, impossible talaga na he's just doing this on the kindness of his heart. Impossible talaga! For sure may hidden motive 'to.

"I told you—"

"Charity act? Seriously? We both know that you're not that charitable," I told him.

He looked at me—just straight up looked at me but for some reason, that made my heart skip a beat. Ang seryoso niyang tignan. This was the very reason na nagka-crush ako sa kanya before. I once saw him taking an exam. He looked so focused and serious. So gwapo. Malay ko ba na nakaka-stress siya kapag nagsalita siya?!

"You know you can seriously just say thank you," sabi niya habang diretso lang na naka-tingin sa 'kin.

I pressed my lips together. He got two paper bags at saka pinahawak sa 'kin.

"I—" pero agad na natigilan ako nung sinamaan niya ako ng tingin. I scrunched up my nose. "Whatever," I mumbled.

Naka-dalawang balik pa kami ni Finley sa basement kasi ang dami niyang binili na food. Hindi naman ako ganoon kalakas kumain. This would last me for a month or two. At least hindi na ako mamomroblema sa food ko.

"Finley," I said nung natapos na kami sa pagdadala ng food sa unit. Tumigil siya sa paglalakad kasi paalis na siya sa condo dapat. He turned around and looked at me. "Thank you," I said.

He arched his brow. "What?"

I glared at him. "You heard me."

"I seriously didn't," he replied annoyingly with that smug grin on his face.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever," I said since it was obvious naman na he heard me and he just decided to be a pest once again.

He just shrugged and began walking again. Talagang nandito lang siya para bigyan ako ng food?

"Why... are you doing this?" I asked again. For some reason, hindi ko ma-accept na charitable lang talaga siya.

"Bakit ba ang dami mong tanong?" he asked back.

"Bakit 'di mo na lang sagutin?"

He rolled his eyes. "Because you won't like my answer."

"Bakit? Ano ba 'yung sagot mo?"

He looked directly into my eyes. "Because I feel bad for you," he said and for some reason, my heart constricted a little. "Your parents left you to fend for yourself and as annoying as you are, you don't deserve to suffer for your parents' mistakes."

**

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