Chapter 10
Distance

I went to sleep around eleven-thirty last night. It took me thirty minutes to finish my assignment.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Mom greeted me with a warm smile when I came down for breakfast.

Dad was in his usual seat in the dining room, reading today's newspaper and drinking his coffee while eating toasted bread with butter.

Mom's busy putting the fried rice, bacon and fried eggs in the table while I was sitting down.

"Juice or water?" Mom asked me.

"I'm fine with water, mom." I answered with a smile.

Mom just nodded and went to the fridge to get me some water.

"Blair..."

I stopped from getting my food when daddy called my attention.

"Bakit po?" I politely said when I looked at him.

"Leave your car today. I'll drive you to school today so finish your breakfast fast." Daddy said and my eyes widened in surprised.

Is this real? Is daddy really going to drive me to school today? I can't believe it. Ito na ata ang pinakamasayang pagpasok ko sa school.

"Really, dad?" I can't hide the excitement and happiness in my voice and expression.

"Yes." he simply said. "Gael's going to drive you home later kaya ihahatid na kita para hindi mo dalin ang sasakyan mo at wala nang problema kapag sinabay ka pauwi ni Gael."

My smile slowly vanished.

So, that's why daddy's going to drive me today... Not because he wants to but because Gael's going to drive me home later and he wants me to be with Gael. He's doing a favor for Gael.

"I'm going to lecture Gael today too kaya mas magandang magsabay na kayo pauwi dahil dito rin naman ang punta niya after your classes." sabi ni daddy.

"Our dismissal time's different, Dad." sabi ko. "I'm not sure kung sino po ang mauuna sa aming matapos ang klase."

"Don't worry. I have Gael's number, Blair." Daddy said. "If Gael will finish earlier, I'm sure he'll wait for you. But if you're the one who'll finish your classes first, make sure to wait for Gael para sabay na kayong dalawa."

Of course I didn't object. Hindi ako pwedeng magreklamo. It's my dad's order.

"Is that your dad?" halos malaglag ang panga ni Ida nang makita niya akong bumaba sa sasakyan ni Daddy.

Daddy reminded me na sabayan si Gael pauwi kaya binaba niya ang bintana ng sasakyan at nakita siya ni Ida.

I faintly nodded at my bestfriend and kept on walking.

"Did he just drive you to school?" natutuwang tanong niya sa akin.

My bestfriend's really happy thinking that my father really wanted to drive me to school today because we have a good relationship.

"Gael's going to our house later." agad kong sabi.

Ida's forehead creased. "What?" naguguluhan niyang sabi. "I was talking about you and your father then suddenly you'll brought up Gael who's going to your house later? Can you please enlighten me?"

"Gael's going to our house later and dad wants me to ride with Gael on the way home kaya niya ako hinatid ngayon para hindi ko na dalin ang sasakyan ko and I have no excuses para hindi sumabay sa kaniya pauwi." I cleared everything to her.

"Okay... but how did your dad knew Gael?" she asked another question. "I'm so clueless right now, Blair. Isang araw lang akong nag-absent tapos malalaman ko ngayon na pumupunta na pala si Gael sa bahay niyo and it seems like your dad's routing for you and Gael."

"My dad and Gael's mom are friends." sabi ko. "We had dinner with them the last time I went home early if you can still remember. Gael wants daddy to be his mentor kaya ayon... pumupunta siya sa bahay for a lecture or something."

"Should I warn my brother about this?" nag-aalala niyang sabi.

Napatingin naman ako sa paligid upang makita kung may nakakarinig sa aming dalawa. Ida's really careless talking about Isaiah.

"Why would you tell him this? Hindi niya naman 'to kailangang malaman." sabi ko.

"Kailangan niyang malaman, Blair." giit niya. "He's sort of courting you and you're being arrange to someone else. Isn't that suppose to be a warning sign?"

"I'm not going to be arrange to someone else, Nica. Especially, not to Gael." mariin kong sabi.

Nakumbinsi ko naman si Ida na huwag sabihin kay Isaiah ang tungkol sa binabalak ni Daddy sa aming dalawa ni Gael. Kaya ko namang gawan ng paraan 'to. I'm not Blair Nicole Alcoberes if I'll just stand here and do nothing.

"Sino magco-compile ng digest natin?" tanong sa akin ni Zendaya.

"Hmm... Ako nalang." I volunteered. "Just email it to me."

She nodded. "I'll email it to you tomorrow since weekends na." sabi niya.

"Okay then. I'll wait for it." sabi ko nalang kahit na hindi ko alam kung maaasikaso ko 'yon bukas dahil death anniversary na ni Lolo non.

But there's still Sunday so... I can do it.

"Bakit nandito ka nanaman? Wala ka bang klase?" nakakunot-noong tanong ko kay Gael nang makita ko siya sa labas ng aming room, naghihintay nanaman.

"Apparently, we almost have the same schedule today." he simply said.

"Almost kaya please get lost and just enjoy your life on your own." sabi ko nalang at mabilis siyang tinalikuran.

I suddenly stopped when flashbacks happened inside my mind about what happened yesterday.

Hinarap ko ulit siya't nagulat ako sa sobrang lapit niya sa akin kaya buong lakas ko siyang itinulak papalayo sa akin ngunit hindi ganon kalakas ang naging epekto nito sa kaniya.

"What was that for?" he irritatedly said.

"You!" I said and pointed at him. "Your ex-girlfriend confronted me yesterday!"

Mabilis namang nagbago ang expression niya nang dahil sa aking sinabi.

"Darlene?" he asked.

"Oo! Grabe! Pinagbintangan ba naman akong inagaw daw kita sa kaniya. Like hell! That will never happen." sabi ko. "Sana nilinaw mo man lang sa kaniya kung bakit ka nakipagbreak. At isa pa 'yon! Ikaw pala ang nakipagbreak pero ang sabi mo sa akin ay si Darlene ang nakipaghiwalay sa'yo. Ano 'yon? Para kaawaan kita?"

"I told you and almost everyone who asked me that Darlene's the one who broke up with me dahil ayokong ipahiya siya." he said at napatigil ako sa pagduro sa kaniya. "Kailangan ko bang ipangalandakan na ako ang nakipagbreak? It will be a big slap to her. Breaking up with her was already a thing, pagkatapos 'yon pa ang sasabihin ko? Should I be proud that I'm the one who broke up with her and broke her heart?"

I don't if what I'm seeing through his eyes were real but I can see that he still cares for Darlene.

"Then you shouldn't have broken up with her in the first place." I told him, directly looking into his doleful eyes.

"I loved Darlene, Blair... And up to now, I still care for her because of the times we spent with each other... she made me happy." he said. "But it's not the same as before. I don't want to be unfair that's why I broke up with her."

Why do everyone have tendency to fall out of love?

This is what makes loving someone and engaging yourself in relationship scary. You don't know how long your love or your partner's love will lasts. It seems like love's only a temporary feeling. It's so scary.

"Tell me what's the better thing that I should have done, Blair." Gael said. "Is it continuing our relationship even though I don't feel the same anymore or breaking up with her because that's the right thing? Kahit saan mo tignan, I will still end up hurting her. That's why I chose the better thing thing to do, but it seems like you have a different perception."

"You're right... Either way you'll still hurt her." I agreed to his point. "But if your love's that shallow... hindi ka nalang dapat nagmahal."

I turned away from him, leaving him dumbfounded.

My heart suddenly felt heavy thinking about what I told Gael. I just spoke up what's on my mind. I want him to realize that love shouldn't be taken that lightly. If you're going to love, you need to take it seriously.

"What's wrong?" Ida asked, maybe she sensed that I'm not in a good shape.

I shook my head and smiled. "I'm just sleepy... I didn't got enough sleep last night."

"Oo nga pala! Sumama ka nga pala kay... Kuya." she whispered the 'kuya' part.

It's a good thing she's being cautious now.

"So... You're really to go on a ride with Gael later?" paninigurado ni Ida.

"I have to." sabi ko.

"Sayang." she exhaled. "Mom told me to invite you again for dinner."

"Tell Tita na next time nalang." sabi ko kahit na nanghihinayang ako.

"Okay. I'll tell her." sabi nalang ni Ida at agad nagtipa ng message sa kaniyang cellphone.

The lunch with Ida ended normally and I immediately went to my next class after that. It was all normal, I was normal but when all my classes for today ended ay pakiramdam kong nababaliw na ako.

I was staring at Gael's number on my phone's contacts.

Should I call him or text him that I'm done already? I honestly don't know what to do. I'm still kinda guilty because of the words spit out in front of his face earlier.

"Hey."

Halos maitapon ko ang cellphone ko when I heard a familiar voice called my attention.

Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya at nakita kong mahigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa kaniyang cellphone. Was he thinking if he should call or text me too?

"I was about to call or text you but I saw you here kaya lumapit nalang ako." he informed me.

Tumayo naman na ako sa kinauupuan ko. "Let's go. I'm already tired. I want to go home." sabi ko nalang at mabilis siyang tinalikuran.

I can feel that he's already following my steps but I felt so awkward because some of the students were looking at us. I bet this will be an issue again.

I stopped from walking and turned to look at him.

"Can you please keep a distance?" I asked him.

He raised his eyebrows like he can't understand what I'm saying.

"Pinagtitinginan tayo. Ayoko nang ma-issue sa'yo. I'm done with your ex's confrontation. I'm ready for round two but I don't want to cause anymore uproar. It's just tiring and a waste of time." sabi ko sa kaniya.

"Just start walking. I'll keep my distance if that's what you want." he told me and put his hands inside his pocket. "I'll just follow you."

I just did what he said and I started walking again faster than my usual walking speed.

I peeked a little to look at his distance and I felt relieved when I saw that he's still not walking after I took a lot of steps.

That's it, Gael. Just keep your distance to me. That's the way we're supposed to be. You and I can't be together. I'll do anything I can for you not to get closer.