Chapter 6: Biscuit and Color

I pulled my skirt down and made sure na maayos ang itsura ko. Paulit-ulit kong sinuklay ang buhok ko gamit ang kamay ko and counted one to three bago binuksan ang glass door ng cafeteria. My prince charming was-

Uh, I mean Reo was waiting for me in a corner. Nang namataan niya ako ay agad niya akong tinawag upang lumapit doon. He pulled one chair for me. A perfect gentleman.

"Thanks!"

"Thank you din kasi pinagbigyan mo ang request ko Amber", he said. "Just wait here and I'll get some food for us."

Ngiti lang ang sinagot ko sa kanya at pinanuod siya habang papunta ng counter. He had grown into a man in every way. He's a college by now and I wonder what he's doing here in Bridle. Nang makabalik siya ay may dala siyang slices ng pizza at lasagna. He also bought some smoothie and cheesecake for us.

"I know you like these stuff", he said habang nilalapag sa harap ko ang pizza. I was surprised to know kung paano niya nalaman iyon kaya hindi ko maiwasang magtanong.

"Paano mo nalaman?"

Ngumiti siya ng malawak at umupo. "Napansin ko lang dati. You're that kid in elementary with her long hair, munching on her pizza always."

Napangiti din ako nang malaman iyon. Ibig sabihin, dati pa man ay napapansin na niya ako. I thought I am non-existing to him before but wow, he actually noticed me.

"Kamusta ka na nga pala?", tanong ko sa kanya. I feel comfortable talking to him, I mean I forced myself to be comfortable. I don't want any awkwardness between us.

"Ayos lang. Taking up Business Administration sa Carson College", sagot niya sa akin. Carson is a known college in the city. Malayo iyon kaysa sa Athena University but has a good reputation.

"Eh? Ba't ka napadpad sa Bridle?"

"About it, I came to see Tito Judas, you know the Chancellor here."

Kamag-anak niya si Chancellor Judas? Good thing. I hope he'll always visit him here. Reo always had this million-dollar smile. Sa pananamit niya rin ay masasabing may kaya ito sa buhay.

"Y-you look so handsome by the way." Uh, wait. Did I just say that?!

Napangiti siya ng todo and it made me drink the smoothie until it was half the glass. Geez, why am I like this with him around?

"Thanks. I'm doing some freelance modelling so I need to look nice always. Ikaw din, you're pretty. Kamusta ka na nga pala?"

"Mabuti naman. My Dad just died two weeks ago, though", sagot ko. The thought of my loss made me sad pero pinilit ko pa ring ngumiti.

His face becomes serious. "I'm sorry for your loss, I did not mean to bring back the thought."

"Ayos lang." Remember what Anna said in her song? Say goodbye to the pain of the past, we don't have to feel it anymore.

"I still feel guilty. Let me make it up to you", wika niya. I diverted my look from my food into him. He wanna make it up to me?

"H-how?"

"My family's into business since before and now they're up for a toy company. May bagong bukas na toy store and children's playhouse. How about coming with me on it's inauguration?"

My mind says I wanna come but nahihiya ako sa kanya. If it's a family business, then it means I'll be meeting his family?!

"But it's still school days-"

"It's over the weekend."

"Nakakahiya kasi."

"Please don't. It will be fun dahil may pajama party pagkatapos. Then we can sleep over at the playhouse."

Napalunok ako ng ilang beses. "Sleep over?"

"Yes. Sleepover sa playhouse."

"Sleepover sa playhouse?!"

"Yeah."

"Hindi ba pambata iyon?"

He let out a hearty chuckle. "Yup, there's for the kids but youngsters are given the privilege to stay for the pajama party. Ten youngsters like us. I can reserve a slot para sa atin so please come with me. I assure you it will be fun."

"A-ano kasi-"

"Don't stress yourself for now. Think about it for days and you can just call me", wika niya at itinaas ang kanyang cellphone. Sa katunayan ay gusto kong pumunta. But let me remind myself na may natitirang impluwensya pa si Maria Clara sa akin kaya magpapakipot muna ako ng konti. I smile at him and nodded. Just then, I heard someone cleared his throat from our side. Nang mag-angat ako ng tingin ay nakita ko si Gray na nakatayo sa gilid namin. He was holding a tray na may lamang pasta at coke in can.

"Hello. Mind if I sit here with you?", he asked Reo. Sasagot sana ako na maghanap na lamang siya ng ibang mesa ngunit nauna ng sumagot si Reo sa kanya.

"Sure."

"Thanks", he said at padabog na inilapag ang tray sa mesa, causing some contents of the coke to spill dahil nakabukas pala iyon. May konting coke ang natapon kay Reo and I glared at Gray.

"Sorry", he muttered but he doesn't care at all. Dali-dali naman akong kumuha ng table napkin at agad na pinunasan si Reo. Meh! Bakit ba nagdadabog si Gray? Natapunan tuloy si Reo ng konti. And he's wearing a white polo for goodness' sake.

"Marami namang bakanteng mesa ah", I whispered to him at sinamaan siya ng tingin. Bakit ba siya nandito? I thought he will investigate Kate's case with Math?

"Trip ko dito eh", he said and enjoyed his food at hindi man lamang ako sinulyapan. I rolled my eyes at him at napabuntong-hininga na lamang.

"You know each other?", Reo asked.

Bago pa man ako makasagot ay nauna ng sumagot si Gray sa akin.

"Yeah. My name's Gray Ivan Silvan. Amber's seatmate and classmate", he said at inilahad ang palad kay Reo.

Agad naman iyong tinanggap ng huli at nagpakilala rin. "Reo Loyola. I used to be Amber's schoolmate in elementary." When he accepted Gray's hand ay bigla na lamang itong napangiwi na tila ba nasasaktan. "Ugghh!"

"Gray!" Did he just clasp Reo's hand tightly?!

"Oh, sorry", sagot nito. "I just thought your hand's a little soft."

"Ganoon ba? Thanks Dude. That's why I was offered to be a commercial model of a local hand soap", Reo said with a smile and he doesn't sound like he's bragging. Yup, his hands are really soft.

"Really? You're a model? Hindi halata."

I almost choked when Gray said those. What the hell is wrong with him?

"I was offered a modelling career too. Sa katunayan ay tatlong modelling scout ang nag-offer sa akin but I declined them all", he added. Now this is what we call bragging. Sinapian ba siya ni Math?!

"Why?"

Hello boys, I am still here.

"Ayoko lang."

Reo smiled at him. Hindi ko alam kung napapansin ba niya ang pagiging rude ni Gray o hindi. Or maybe he's just too nice. "Well, it's just a past time for me, anyway. Priority ko pa rin ang pag-aaral. Amber, here, eat this one", Reo said at ini-offer na isusubo sa akin ang hawak niyang pizza.

Hay sa wakas napansin din nila ako. Isusubo na sana sa akin ni Reo ang pizza but Gray interrupted.

"Sandali", wika nito. He grabbed Reo's hand at inilapit iyon sa kanya, carefully checking the pizza. "Hawaiian. Ayaw ni Amber sa pinya", he said and removed the pizza from his hand at kinain iyon.

What the?! Pati pa naman si Jeremy sumapi na din sa kanya?

"Oh sorry", Reo said. Kumuha siya ng lasagna at iyon na lamang ang iniabot sa akin. "Eat this instead."

Gray glared at me kaya sa halip na abutin iyon gamit ang bibig ko ay inabot ko iyon gamit ang aking kamay. I uttered thanks to Reo and he smiled at me.

Masyadong awkward ang sandali dahil tuwing kinakausap ako ni Reo ay sumasabat si Gray. And he's really rude. Pinipilosopo niya si Reo!

Five minutes before the break ends ay tumayo si Gray at hinawakan ako sa braso. "We need to go dahil may report pa tayo."

I looked at him with a puzzled expression. "But there's still five minutes!"

"You need to wrap up your report."

May group report kasi kami at magkagrupo kaming apat. We decided yesterday that Gray will be in charged of the reporting but why is he saying now that I need to wrap up my report?

"I thought ikaw ang magrereport?", I scowled at him.

"I changed my mind. Isa pa masakit ang lalamunan ko so you have to do it."

"But-" I looked at Reo and smiled awkwardly bago muling ibinalik ang tingin kay Gray.

"It's okay Amber", Reo said.

"Pasensya ka na Dude", Gray told him.

Meh, kanina ko pa pinipigilan ang sarili kong sapakin si Gray. Why interrupt a moment like this? Limang taon! Limang taong hindi ko nakausap at nakita si Reo.

Tumayo na si Reo at nagpaalam na din. "Okay lang Dude. So paano Amber, I'll wait for your reply one of these days okay?"

Tumango ako sa kanya habang pilit na tinatanggal ang nakahawak na kamay ni Gray sa braso ko. "Okay. Thanks Reo."

"Mauna na ako. Do good in your report", he said and to my surprise, lumapit siya sa akin at hinalikan ako sa pisngi.

Hinalikan niya ako sa pisngi?!!

God, hinalikan nga niya ako sa pisngi! Naestatwa ako mula sa aking kinatatayuan hanggang sa nagpaalam na si Reo at nauna ng lumabas. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na hinalikan ako ni Reo sa pisngi! Naramdaman ko na lamang ang pagluwang ng pagkakahawak ni Gray sa braso ko. He moved his seat at agad na lumabas ng cafeteria.

Tumakbo ako upang sundan siya. I kept on calling his name ngunit hindi niya ako pinapansin.

"Hoy Gray, nasaan na yung written report?"

No answer.

"Gray."

Still no answer.

Sinundan ko na lamang siya hanggang sa pumasok siya sa isang pinto. Papasok na din sana ako ngunit huminto siya kaya nabunggo ako sa likuran niya.

"Aray."

"You're following me inside?"

"Kasi ayaw mo akong sagutin kaya sinundan na lang kita."

"But you're really following me inside?"

"Oo kasi ayaw mong-" I happened to glanced on the sign at the door which says "HE". I blushed when I realized it was the male's CR kaya dali-dali akong napaatras. "I-I w-will wait here."

He mumbled something like 'Tss' bago tuluyang pumasok sa loob at naiwan ako sa labas. Hindi naman siya nagtagal doon at agad ding lumabas ngunit nilagpasan lamang ako. He walked straight towards the locker room. Kanina ko pa siya tinatawag ngunit hindi pa rin niya ako pinapansin.

He stopped in front of his locker kaya nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na kausapin siya. "Hoy! Ba't ba ayaw mo akong pansinin?" I asked him after I forcefully made him face me. Nagtagpo ang mga kilay niya at hindi siya ngumingiti. "Anong nangyari sayo?"

He looked to the other direction kaya pinaharap ko ulit siya sa akin. "Hoy!"

"Ikaw, what's wrong with you? May papolbo-polbo ka pang nalalaman at lipgloss!"

"Anong problema mo doon?!"

"Bakit ka nagpopolbo para sa bisugong iyon?"

What the hell?!

"Bisugo? Oh, si Reo? Eh ano ngayon?"

"Yeah wala akong pakialam sa Cream-O na iyon" wika niya at nag-iwas ng tingin.

"Stop teasing his name with a brand of biscuit!"

"Yeah. Fita."

"You're not funny."

"I'm not trying to be funny."

"Galit ka ba?"

"Why should I?"

"Ewan ko sayo. Eh bakit ka ganyan?"

He sighed heavily. He looked at me with a blank expression bago hinugot ang panyo sa kanyang bulsa. Pinunasan niya ang buong mukha ko gamit ang kanyang panyo.

"What are you doing?"

"Wiping that Hiro's kissmark. Tatanggalin ko rin ang pulbo mo at lipgloss!" Patuloy lang siya sa pagpunas sa mukha ko. His one hand was wiping my face while the other was supporting the back of my head.

"Aray! Dahan-dahan! Pulbo lang yun, not make up. Don't tell me you're also using that hankie to wipe my mouth? Baka kung saan-saan mo na yan pinampunas?!"

He stopped from wiping my face and stared straight at me. "Nope. I have my own way of removing your lipgloss", he said and held my cheeks before kissing me on the lips. He then left and I remained here so surprised and cannot move.

***

I rested my face on my palm as I watched Gray reporting in front. He said I'll be the one to report pero hindi naman pala. Did he intentionally say it upang umalis si Reo?! Argh! That filter! And he just kissed me! It was just a simple touching of our lips but it brings so many emotions to me. And I felt this sensation that only he can make me feel. O sadyang iyon ang pakiramdam na dulot ng halik. I don't know, I have never kissed anyone on the lips other than him. And it was so awkward! I'm sure I am as red as a tomato after the kiss kanina.

"Kiss me out of the bearded barley... Nightly..."

I threw Jeremy a glare as he jot down his notes while singing silently some lyrics and humming the rest. Abala siya sa pagsusulat kaya hindi niya napansin ang tingin ko sa kanya. I rolled my eyes mentally at nagfocus na lamang sa harap.

"Oh kiss me, beneath the milky twilight.. hmmm...hmmmm."

"Stop singing", I whispered. Nananadya ba siya? I am still bothered by the kiss and here he is, adding a background music in my agony!

"Why? The song is good."

"Wala akong paki. Just listen to the report", wika ko sa kanya.

He looked at me with a puzzled expression bago tumango. "Fine!" He keeps his mouth shut ngunit ilang sandali lamang ay muli siyang kumanta ng mahina.

"Kiss me down by the broken tree house
Swing me, upon its hanging tire.... Hmmmm.. Hmmmm."

"Je."

"Bestie naman eh. Ang pagpapatigil mo sa akin sa pagkanta ay parang pagmo-move on."

I raised a brow to him, my way of asking what does he mean.

He took a deep sigh. "Mahirap at hindi ko magawa. HAHAHAHAHAHA!" I rolled my eyes at him as he burst out laughing samantalang siniko naman siya ni Math at sinita. "Seryoso Bestie? Ba't ayaw mo? Affected ka sa kanta? Wag mong sabihin na nagkiss kayo-"

"Gray and I did not kiss okay? Hindi kami nagkiss! Wag kang mag-isip ng kung anu-ano dahil hindi kami nagkiss!", wika ko sa kanya sa mahinang boses upang hindi marinig ni Math.

Then Je let out a naughty smile. "I got you there! Hindi nga Bestie. Hindi ka halata. Hindi talaga, promise. I was about to ask about the guy you were with and not about Gray pero dahil sabi mo hindi kayo nagkiss ni Gray, Okay! Sabi mo eh." Hindi pa rin nawawala ang pilyong ngiti nito. Argh! Why am I so stupid?

When the class ended ay naghihintay sa labas ng room namin sina Maxene at Ilene. Agad nilang sinalubong si Gray pagkalabas namin.

"Gray, did you find her?"

"We didn't."

"Ha? Eh bakit ka nagtext? We thought you will contact us kapag nakita niyo na si Kate?", Ilene asked.

Lumapit si Math sa kanila at inilabas mula sa kanyang bulsa ang nametag ni Kate. "Ito lamang ang nakita namin pero hindi niyo kailangang mag-alala. She's not in danger."

"Ngunit bakit may bahid ng dugo ang nametag na ito?", Maxene asked habang sinisipat ang nametag.

"Kate dropped that after she broke up with her boyfriend", Math said. I guess she was the one who solved the case.

"Vinn."

"Not Vinn. Her other boyfriend."

Nagulat ang dalawa nang marinig ang sinabi ni Math. Maybe they don't know about it base sa reaksyon nila.

"May ibang boyfriend si Kate?", hindi nakapaniwalang tanong ni Ilene. "Hindi namin alam ang tungkol doon. We thought it's Vinn who's cheating."

"Oo nga. Kate will not cheat-"

"Well, she just did. She's in a relationship with a guy while she's still with Vinn. Ang dugo na nasa nametag ay posibleng mula sa isang boyfriend niya who must have grabbed her after they break up. Maaaring nasugatan ang taong iyon mula sa pin na nasa nametag, leaving his blood there", paliwanag ni Math.

"Kung ganon ay tinatago siya ng isa niyang boyfriend? Do you know him? Baka ano na ang ginawa niya kay Kate!", nag-aalalang wika ni Ilene.

"Don't worry about her. She's fine. She's not abducted or what. She chose to leave and take a break for days."

"Sigurado kayo? How about her other boyfriend? Taga Bridle din ba?", Maxene asked.

Math nodded her head. "Yes. His name is Jimmy Rivera."

Halos naestatwa sa kinatatayuan ang dalawa lalo na si Ilene. She can hardly believe what Math said. If I am not mistaken, Jimmy is her boyfriend and he's the guy from yesterday with a bandaid on his finger.

"Hindi yan totoo!"

"Alam kong mahirap paniwalaan but that's how it is. Nagpakalayo-layo si Kate dahil nakokonsensya na siya. That's why her phone is still reachable ngunit hindi lamang niya sinasagot."

"No! Hindi yan totoo!", Ilene said at agad na tumakbo palayo sa amin. Maxene excused herself at nagpasalamat bago tuluyang hinabol si Ilene.

Jeremy clapped his hands. "Case closed by Mathilde Corazon! Dagdag sofa na naman ito sa kanyang furniture shop!" Math glared at him but he just ignored her.

"Siya nga pala Math, paano mo naman nalaman na si Kate mismo ang umalis?", Gray asked.

"Ah, about it, kaninang breaktime na nawala ka, Jeremy and I went to the girls' dorm at nagtanong doon. Then I sneakily read the logbook and found the pass slip that Kate left. It says she'll be home for a few days simula nung araw na nawala siya. Surely, no abducted person will leave a pass slip like that ahead of time. Maybe she's too shy to see Ilene kaya iniwan na lamang niya ang bag niya and only brought her phone kasi alam niyang nandyan naman si Maxene to take care of her things. At nakausap ko na rin si Jimmy and he admitted having an affair with her at naghiwalay sila nung araw na nawala si Kate. So that's how it was. Saan ka pala nagpunta kanina?"

Nag-iwas ng tingin si Gray at iniwasang masulyapan ako. "I-I was h-hungry so I ate."

"Sa cafeteria?"

"Y-yeah."

Correction Gray, you did not come to eat. You come to pester me and Reo. Duh~

"So you must have seen Amber?", Math asked.

"Y-yeah."

"Who's with her? Leila said she's with a handsome guy", tanong niya referring to our classmate.

Napakunot ang noo ni Gray. "I did not see any handsome guy named after a biscuit. Tss!" Pagkasabi niyon ay agad siyang naunang lumakad sa amin habang nagtatakang nagkatinginan lamang kaming tatlo.

Yeah, the guy named after a color did not see any handsome guy named after a biscuit.

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-ShinichiLaaaabs