Chapter 26

The nurse told me to just put cold compress don sa part na tinamaan nung bola. It wasn't anything major—nothing that would really require na bigyan ako ng pass para umuwi... but I guess the fact that my eyes were all sore from crying was a glaring clue. The nurse gave me a slip na nag-e-excuse sa akin sa remaining class.

I debated kung uuwi na ba ako kasi ilang subjects na lang naman... Tapos ilang araw na akong absent. Besides, pag-uusapan na naman nila kapag nagskip class ako.

At this point, I felt like there's no winning—na kahit ano ang gawin ko, may sasabihin at sasabihin sila sa akin. And I knew that I should just ignore them. Because that's the right thing to do...

But just because it's right doesn't mean it's easy.

Bumalik din ako sa class. I ignored their looks nung makita nila na namumula iyong sa may braso ko. I just focused on the teacher. Nung dismissal na, umuwi agad ako. I knew that Finley would notice my arm. Pagdating ko sa condo, I took a quick bath tapos nagsuot ako ng sweatshirt. I blasted the aircon para hindi masyadong halata.

'Where are you?'

'Condo.'

And then I saw his name on the screen on my phone.

"Hi," I said. Ang hirap pala na magpanggap na okay lang ang lahat kapag alam mo na hindi naman. Simpleng hi lang naman iyong sinabi ko kay Finley, but why do I feel like tearing up already?

"Bakit nauna ka?" he asked. It was a simple question, yet alam ko iyong gusto niya talagang itanong.

What happened?

Did anyone do anything?

Sino'ng aawayin ko?

But he probably wouldn't say those words kasi alam niya na ayokong gawing mas big deal.

"Ang tagal mo kasi," I simply replied.

Hindi niya siguro alam iyong nangyari nung PE class. They wouldn't tell Finley kasi alam nila na magagalit siya. But what? Were they just banking on me keeping quiet?

Ang they're probably right.

Hindi naman kasi kami classmates ni Finley.

He couldn't protect me all day.

He couldn't protect me from my own destructive thoughts.

"I wasn't—" He paused. "You're right. I'm sorry."

My lips parted.

Did he just apologize?

I was only kidding.

Ganito na ba ako sa paningin niya?

That I was so... broken down and beaten that he'd have to tread lightly around me? Apologizing even when he knew damn well na wala naman siyang ginawang masama?

This was making me feel even worse.

I quickly made an excuse just to end the call.

I told myself not to dwell on the negative thoughts, but it was of no use. I just felt even worse nung nanoood ako ng sitcom but I was just crying while eating ice cream.

I felt so bad for myself.

* * *

That weekend, hindi ko rin nakita si Finley. He did tell me na may family gathering siya na kailangang attend-an. I didn't ask more. Mas okay na sa akin na mag-isa muna ako the whole weekend.

Come Monday, pumasok ako sa school. I tried to ignore the looks they're giving me. Sinabi ko na lang sa sarili ko na boring kasi iyong buhay nila kaya mas interested sila sa akin.

"Just breathe, Maia," I told myself as I hugged my books tighter to my chest.

"I told you, she's like malas."

Napa-tingin ako sa kanila. It wasn't like they were even trying to hide the fact that they're talking about me. I knew I should get even more pissed, but I didn't think that was possible at this point. Nung nagka-problem sa business ang parents ko, I thought that was my lowest point—as it turned out, I was currently in the basement of my lowest point.

"What?" I asked them directly. At least now they're talking—unlike before when they'd just whisper around me or ignore me. Mas okay na 'to.

Tumingin sila sa akin. All the while, I thought this school was actually good... Maayos lang pala siya nung may pera pa kami. Akala ko walang bully dito—or at least they just exist in fiction. I was wrong. Malalaman mo talaga ang ugali nila kapag hindi kayo magkapantay.

"Your family's bankrupt. And now, Finley got into a fight because of you."

My lips parted.

What?

Finley got into a fight?

Kaya ba hindi siya nagpakita sa akin this weekend?

I quickly turned my back and ignored the hurtful things that they said about me. Mabilis na naglakad ako papunta sa building nila Finley. I ignored all the looks that I was getting again.

"Where's Finley?" I asked his classmates.

This was my first time in this building. I avoided this religiously before dahil ayokong magtagpo iyong landas naming dalawa. Nung naging kami na ni Finley, I did think about going here... Na pupunta ako rito para sunduin iyong boyfriend ko. That I'd ask his classmates kung nasaan ang boyfriend ko.

It did happen.

Not just in the way I wanted.

I hate the universe and its twisted sense of humor.

Unlike sa classroom namin na ramdam na ramdam ko iyong pagka-ayaw nila sa akin, sa classroom nila Finley ay mas ramdam ko na ayaw nila akong maka-usap. Probably because Finley would make their lives hell kapag may ginawa sila sa akin.

Finley's classmate just quietly pointed at a direction. Mabilis na tumingin ako doon. Finley was sitting on a corner. He looked like he's taking a nap dahil nasa may desk niya iyong ulo niya.

"Can you call him for me?" I asked.

Mabilis na umiling iyong kausap ko. "Ikaw na lang," mabilis niyang sagot.

"Plea—"

"Just go in," he said. "No one will dare wake him up."

Seriously?

What did Finley do na parang takot sa kanya iyong mga classmates niya?

I looked around and that was when I realized that everyone's looking at me. I drew a deep breath. Might as well I go inside the classroom since everyone's already looking at me anyway.

I tried to ignore everyone and just kept my eyes on Finley's sleeping form. I gently tapped his shoulder. It was not working, so I tapped him harder.

"What—" he said as he looked at me with his forehead creased and with that look on his face that said that he'd elbow the person who dared to wake him up.

But he stopped midway.

Tumingin siya sa akin.

"Maia?" he asked, confusion was evident on his face... as well as the bruise on his cheek and cut on the side of his lip.

"Let's talk outside," I said because I knew that everyone was listening to whatever word we'd say.

I didn't give Finley the chance to argue. Naglakad na ako palabas. I continued to walk hanggang makarating kami sa rooftop.

"Seriously?" he said, already sounding pissed. "What's with you and rooftops?"

I stood in front of him.

"You got into a fight?" I asked.

He shrugged. This jerk.

"Why?" I asked. "Because of me?" I asked again. There was a reason why they're talking about it in front of my face. And Finley told me that he never got into trouble before...

Tama ba sila?

Malas ba talaga ako?

Na kahit si Finley, nadadamay?

"What? No," he quickly said.

"Stop lying," I said.

"I'm not."

"Why did you get into a fight?" I asked again.

He looked at me. He gave out a heavy sigh. He ran his fingers through his hair. I could feel his frustration.

"It's not because of you," he said once again. "That asshole was just really trying to get into my nerves."

"Who?"

"The asshole you were supposed to go on a date with."

"What?" I asked again. What the heck was he talking about?

"He said that the reason you ditched him for me was because I have more money. He said that—"

He paused.

I looked at him.

"What? That I'm a gold digger?" I said, finishing his sentence for him. I felt my chest tightening once again. "Weren't you the one who said to ignore them?" I asked. "What? You got mad because it's true?"

He looked at me. The crease on his forehead deepened.

"What?" he asked. "Are you seriously trying to pick a fight with me? Pumunta ka dito para awayin ako?"

I didn't even know why I was getting mad at him. He got into a fight to probably defend me. Kaya bakit ako nagagalit sa kanya?

Kasi totoo nga iyong sinabi nila.

Malas ako sa pamilya ko.

Malas din ako kay Finley.

He only gave me good things... tapos ganito ang ibibigay ko sa kanya?

"Don't do that again," I said as I looked on my shoes. I needed not to look at Finley's face. I was so tired of crying. Pakiramdam ko ay wala na akong luhang ilalabas.

"Do what? Deck a guy who's clearly asking for it?"

"Yes. Just ignore them."

He took a step forward.

I took a step backward.

I felt him stiffening as I did that.

"Maia..." he called my name. For some reason, I felt fear in his voice. I looked at him. He turned his head to the side. I saw his jaw clenching. "Seriously... if the next words that come out of your mouth are let's break up..."

I looked at him.

And stayed silent.

"We're not breaking up because of this. It's dumb," he said. "Maia, you're my girlfriend and he talked shit about you in front of me. Do you seriously think I'd just stand there and do nothing?" he asked. I could feel the frustration in his voice. "I won't apologize for that and I'll do that again if someone tries me again."

"Finley—"

He cupped my face. "Everything's going to be fine again soon, okay?"

"I know—" I stopped midway when I saw the expression on his face. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Your parents called—"

I felt my body freezing.

"What?" I asked.

"It's no big deal," he told me. "My dad makes investments, anyways. I already asked my dad to set up and meeting with your dad. Everything will be fine once your dad figures everything out, right?"

Finley was looking at me so softly...

But right at that moment was when I realized that I probably could never love him right because I will always feel indebted to him.

**

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