The school started already and for some reasons, I am so nervous.

"Ano?" tanong sa akin ni Terrence nang tumingin ako sa kan'ya. Umiling ako, dahilan ng pag-ismid niya. "Tigil-tigilan mo ako, ah? Naiinis pa rin ako sa 'yo, pare."

I sighed before laughing as I put my arms on his shoulder. "Wala nga. Bati na tayo pare, 'wag ka nang magalit."

He rolled his eyes at me before removing my arms on his shoulder. "Ayusin mo sarili mo. Halatang ninenerbyos ka. Bakit ka ba ninenerbyos? Dahil pwede kayong magkita ni Grace?"

Hindi ako nakasagot dahil kahit ako, nagtataka rin dahil ninenerbyos ako ngayon habang naglalakad kami papasok sa campus. Gusto ko sanang sunduin si Savannah para sabay na kaming pumasok, kaso mamaya pa ang first class niya at ako naman ay may klase ng 7:30 AM.

"Wala naman nga."

Umiiling si Terrence na nauna nang umalis. Wala rin si Aldrin dahil mamaya pa ang klase niya kaya naman nauna na kaming umalis ng condo ni Terrence. Napabuntonghininga na lang ako bago pumunta sa building ng department namin para sa klase ngayon.

Tulad ng inaasahan ko, hindi naman dumating ang professor sa unang klase. Mabuti na lang, nag-text na si Savannah.

Savannah:

Papunta na ako ng school. :)

Me:

Okay, then. Hintayin kita sa parking lot, babe.

Savannah:

Huwag na! Sige na, mag-drive na ako.

Me:

Walang professor ngayon. I'll go. :)

Hindi na siya nag-reply pa pero nakita ko na binasa niya ang text ko, kaya naman inisip ko na lang na pumayag na siya. Tumayo na ako dala ang gamit ko at lumabas ng room dahil sinabihan naman na kaming pwede nang umalis at wala ngang darating na professor.

Mabilis kong tinakbo ang parking lot mula sabuilding ng department namin. Nang dahil na rin sa sakit sa balat ng sikat ngaraw kaya mas nagmadali pa ako sa pagpunta ro'n nang makasilong na. Ilang sandalilang din, nakarating na ako ro'n, kaya nag-text ako kay Savannah kahit na alamkong nagdi-drive siya.

Me:

I'm here. ♥

Naghintay ako sa kan'ya ro'n nang tahimik habang pinanonood na isa-isang dumating at umalis ang mga sasakyan sa parking lot. Ilang sandali pa, isang itim na kotse ang huminto malapit sa pinag-park-an ko ng kotse ko. Hindi ko na sana papansinin 'yon nang makita ko na lumabas mula ro'n si Grace, suot ang isang dress na kulay puti na pinatungan ng denim na jacket, hindi nakakabit ang mga butones sa harap.

Ngumiti siya nang makita akong nakatingin sa kan'ya, dahilan para makaramdam ako ng kung anong kaba sa puso ko. Napahakbang ako paatras nang makita na maglakad siya papalapit sa akin, suot ang isang itim at mataas na sandals.

"Hi, Connor. Good morning," nakangiting bati niya sa akin. "Waiting for someone?"

I nodded hesitantly. "Savannah."

Mabilis siyang nag-iwas ng tingin pero nananatili ang magandang ngiti sa labi. She still has the same elegance; she has an overflowing one, and I can't deny that. I no longer feel the same feelings but she's still beautiful . . . very beautiful.

"I see that you've found your better half now, Lopez." She smiled again with pursed lips. "I'm happy for you."

After she said that, I heard the footsteps of her stilettos away from me, and I know that I am stopping myself from breathing as I watched her walked away from me.

"Grace . . ."

I heard her stopped from walking. I sighed frustrated as I faced her. I saw her already facing me.

"What . . . department are you?" I asked, nervously.

She smiled. "Psychology."

I nodded. "Y-You chose this university to have your graduation instead of your . . . p-past university?"

Her forehead creased, before chuckling. "Connor, I'm a freshman."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit mas lalo akong kinabahan sa sinabi niyang 'yon. Freshmen? Ibig bang sabihin, hindi siya nag-aral noong mga nakaraang taon? O baka naman nag-shift?

"Shifter?" I asked.

She laughed again. "I'd say that I'm an irregular if I am, but no. I am a freshman. I'll go ahead."

After that, she turned her back as she gracefully walked away from me. Talking to her now makes me create another batch of questions in my mind, that, I know, only she can answer.

"I told you not to come here."

Napalingon ako sa likod. Nakita ko si Savannah na seryosong nakatingin sa akin ngayon, bahagyang may ngiti sa labi.

"Did you wait?" she asked.

Umiling ako bago lumapit sa kan'ya at niyakap siya. It was like Savannah is the only one who can give my energy back when I am this exhausted. Savannah is my source of everything . . . my source of happiness, love, energy. I don't know why I suddenly feel drained with the few minutes of talk I had with Grace. I really feel so fucking tired.

"Sav, I love you . . ." I heaved a deep sigh as I hugged her tighter. "I love you . . ."

I felt her hands slightly tapped my back. "I told you not to remind me that, because I know that already."

I don't know why, but I really wanted to tell her how much I love her because I really do. My mind may be troubled with chaotic thoughts about Grace but that's all because I am curious about what happened to her after the breakup and graduation.

In the end, it was Savannah that I always think of first thing in the morning and last thing at night. It was her, first and last.

"Or, is it you?"

Naidilat ko ang mga mata ko sa idinugtong niya, kasabay ng bahagyang pagkalas ko sa yakap para makita ko ang mukha niya.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked.

She smiled slightly before shaking her head. "Wala. Sige na, papasok na ako."

Nauna na siyang maglakad sa akin paalis ng parking lot. Napabuntonghininga ako bago naglakad papalapit sa kan'ya. Kinuha ko ang kamay niya para pahintuin siya sa paglalakad.

"Do we have a problem?" I asked.

She looked at me and that dark blue eyes pierced at me with the sunlight that's kissing her face, making her eye color more visible. She smiled at me.

"Wala naman. Ikaw? Baka may problema ka . . ."

Umiling ako, kasabay ng pagbuntonghininga ko. "Wala. Is this about Grace?"

She chuckled. "I told you, I'm not that immature to make an issue out of your past." She looked away for a moment, before looking back at me with a more serious expression. "Or is it you?"

Napaawang ang bibig ko sa pagbanggit niya ulit ng salitang 'yon. "Savannah, bakit naman napupunta sa akin ang problema? Wala akong problema."

She laughed. "Nagtatanong lang ako." She sighed as she looked down on our holding hands. "Now, can we go? I have a class to attend to."

Napalunok ako bago naunang maglakad sa kan'ya, hindi binibitiwan ang kamay niya. If she thinks that I'll let this hand go just because someone from the past came back, she got it wrong. Kahit sino pa sa nakaraan ang bumalik, hinding-hindi ko iiwanan ang kasalukuyan at panghabang-buhay ko.

"Go now, baka ma-late ka sa next class mo," sabi niya habang palihim na tinatanggal ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ko.

Mas lalo kong inayos ang pagkakahawak sa kamay namin at mas hinigpitan. "I don't fucking care about class."

She sighed. "Connor, ano ba?" I stopped walking when she did. "Let go."

Umiling ako. "You have a problem."

"Wala nga . . ."

"Kilala kita."

Nakita ko kung paano mangilid ang mga luha niya bago nagbuntonghininga at nagsalita.

"I'm just jealous and insecure, okay? I'm trying not to, but I can't. I couldn't compete to the elegance, grace, and beauty she holds. I'm just afraid. I'm trying so hard not to feel these things, but I can't . . . especially that I know what you had in the past."

Her eyes watered more as she looked away, wiping her lower part of eyes with her free hand. I pulled her closer to me and hugged her tight, making her hear how my heart beats for her, and only for her.

I've always been nervous because of Grace but it never beats like this for other girls. It only beats like this for Savannah. This heart beat is not being nervous—this is being happy that I have her.

"Why would you compete with someone who lost already?"

I heard her sniff. "Liar. I saw how she can affect you."

"No way." I laughed as I hugged her tighter. "You're the only one for me now, and I can't lose you, Sav. I can't. And I won't let you go."

I felt her hugged me back. "I'm sorry," she said in her broken voice.

"No, don't say sorry. I should be the one to say sorry because you feel the things you never should've felt in the first place. I'm sorry." I sighed as I kissed her temple. "I won't come near her again. Okay?"

And with the way her hug gets tighter, I know I got the answer.

___

"You're in this state, you realize you can't move, and you get a very strong sense of presence. You feel certain that there is someone, or something in the room with you and whatever that thing or person is they mean you no good at all. They're evil, in some cases a pure evil...

"Very often these episodes are associated with hallucinations. These might be visual (you might see lights moving around in the room, dark shadows, grotesque monstrous forms); they might be auditory (you might hear footsteps, or voices, or mechanical sounds); they might be tactile (you might feel as if you are being touched, or as if someone is holding you tightly, or as if someone is dragging you out of the bed. Sometimes these can turn into full blown out of body experience," Professor French said." — messagetoeagle.com

Sorry sa error. Dalawa talaga update ko kahapon, hindi pala na-post tong chapter 24 :(