Chapter 4
Asking

"Bakit ang aga niyo po atang nakauwi?" I asked them.

It's a good thing that I'm able to hide the sarcastic tune of my voice. I can almost hear myself laughing with my question.

Ang aga nilang nakauwi? Ngayon nga lang ata sila ulit nakauwi after many months. I'm just really curious kung bakit maaga silang nakauwi for Lolo's death anniversary.

"We have a formal dinner to attend to tomorrow." daddy answered. "It was a very short notice but we've made it on time. So you better go straight home from school."

"Kasama po ako?" I pointed myself.

"Of course, Blair." mommy smiled and she combed my hair using her slender fingers. "I bought you many dresses. It's already in your room. Check them later and look for something to wear tomorrow night, okay?"

I nodded and slightly smiled. "Okay po..." sabi ko nalang dahil hindi ko naman sila pwedeng suwayin. "I'll go to my room now. I have a 7AM class tomorrow."

"Oh sure, anak. Goodnight." mom kissed my cheek again and my dad kissed my forehead as he bid goodnight.

I'm sure that whoever can see us right now, they will think that there's nothing wrong with out family. Like we have no issues. Like I have no issues. Pero wala akong karapatang magdemand, I'm just their daughter and they're my parents. At isa pa, alam ko naman na ang sasagot nila if I demand more time from them. Sasabihin lang nila na busy sila sa work and that it's for my future.

I can work on my own future. They don't have to overwork theirselves to the point na nawawalan na sila ng oras para sa akin. And besides, ga-graduate na ako. They don't need to fund for me anymore.

"Good morning, dad." I greeted my dad when I saw him drinking coffee while reading a newspaper in the living room. "Ang aga niyo po atang nagising. Hindi po ba kayo pagod galing sa biyahe kagabi?"

"No, I'm not. I still have a lot paperworks to do kaya ako gumising ng maaga. I have three new cases to study. After I finish this coffee, I'll proceed to the office." sagot niya.

Tumango naman ako sa kaniyang sinabi. Of course, he's very busy Blair kaya gumising siya ng maaga para makapagsimula agad sa trabaho.

Between my parents, dad's more workaholic than my mom. Dad has an office here in our house pero hindi naman madalas ginagamit kaya ginagawa ko nalang iyong study room minsan. Maganda din kasi ang ambiance sa office ni daddy.

"You're going to school already?" bigla niyang tanong.

"Opo. I'll be home early." sabi ko't pinangunahan ko ng uuwi ako ng maaga para sa dinner dahil paniguradong papaalala niya sa akin yun.

"Okay then. Take care." daddy smiled before he took another sip in his coffee.

Huminga naman ako ng malalim at sinukbit na ang bag kong nilapag ko sa center table upang makaalis na. It's suffocating. Kahit anong gawin kong isip ng topic upang humaba ang usapan namin ni daddy kahit papaano ay wala akong maisip. There's nothing to talk to. Alanganamang ipangalandakan ko sa kanila ang pagiging trendy kong estudyante pagdating sa kalokohan.

"I can't believe that your parents were already home." Ida commented when we met after our first class, breaktime namin hanggang mamayang lunch tapos ay dalawang class nalang at uwian na.

"Nakakagulat nga... hindi ko alam ang ire-react ko kagabi." sabi ko nalang. "And we have a formal dinner to attend to later. I'll be home early."

"Why don't you just text my brother? Ipaparating ko ba sa kaniya 'yan?" nakangisi niyang sabi.

I rolled my eyes at her. "I'm just informing you. I know that you're planning to bring me to your house today."

"I'm just following orders from my brother." simpleng sabi niya't nagkibit-balikat.

"Keep quiet, Ida." I hushed her. "Everyone knows that Isaiah's your brother. If anyone will hear you, it'll be a big problem."

Mabuti nalang at wala pang masiyadong tao dito sa cafeteria dahil maaga pa naman para sa lunch. Usually, after first class, kapag vacant ng iba'y naggagala lang sa loob ng campus.

"Bakit? Hindi naman nila alam na isa lang ang kapatid ko. Malay ba nilang may isa pa akong kapatid na lalaki." she reasoned out.

"Your family tree's already known to public because of your brother, Ida." sabi ko. "Alam na alam nilang dalawa lang kayong magkapatid."

"Nakakainis naman kasi si Kuya eh... pa-famous." iritado niyang sabi.

"He's not pa-famous, Ida. He's really famous." I corrected her.

"Whatever." sabi niya't binalik ang tingin sa kaniyang cellphone habang paunti-unting kinakain ang carbonara na kaniyang ni-order.

I was about to continue reading The Beginning of Everything when I heard guys' laughter echoing around the solemn cafeteria.

Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa main entrance sa cafeteria't nakita ko si Gael with his friends. They're laughing and joking around. Sinasapak-sapak pa nila si Gael sa braso nito.

It's my first time seeing him smiling like that. I mean... it's my first time seeing him smile.

Why wouldn't he just smile all the time? It fits him more than a expressionless face that I always see.

He looked at my side and his smile slowly vanished.

Napatigil din sa pagkukulitan ang kaniyang mga kabarkada nang makitang sumeryoso si Gael at lahat sila'y napalingon sa gawi ko. But when they all looked at me... only one smiled and I don't know who he is.

The one who smiled looked at Gael and his friends before he walked towards me. He towered over me dahil malaki ang kaniyang katawan at hindi ko maipagkakailang matangkad siya lalo na't nakaupo lang ako ngayon.

"Blair Nicole..." he said my name, all smile. Even his chinky eyes were greeting me with a smile.

My forehead creased. "Who are you?" I asked him.

Narinig kong nagtawanan ang mga kabarkada niya kaya muli akong napatingin sa kanila. They're all laughing except for Gael who's still seriously looking at me.

"Uhmm... I'm James."

"James Reid." sabay-sabay na sigaw ng kabarkada niya't nagtawanan.

Umiling naman si James. He looks pissed off because of his friends.

"I'm James Sy." pakilala niya't inilahad ang kaniyang meztisong kamay sa akin.

"Blair Nicole Alcoberes." pakilala ko rin at tinanggap ang kaniyang kamay ngunit agad ko rin itong binitawan. "Can I read now?"

Inimuwestra ko ang akin libro sa kaniya. Naabala ang pagbabasa ko nang dahil sa pagdating nila dito sa cafeteria.

"Yeah. Sure." masaya niyang sabi at parang tangang hinihimas ang kaniyang kamay habang pabalik sa mga kaibigan niya.

Ginulo ng mga kaibigan niya ang kaniyang ulo't panay ang pabirong suntok sa kaniyang braso. It looks like they're celebrating dahil pinansin ko ang kaibigan nila but of course, Gael's the only exception because he's still looking at me.

Nalaglag ang panga ko nang makita kong umiling siya sa akin bago nakisama sa pakikipagharutan sa kaniyang mga kaibigan.

What did I do now? Seriously! That president's making me feel like I'm a bad person. Pakiramdam ko, lahat ng galaw ko'y mali kapag nandiyan siya. It's like he can see all of my imperfections. Well, I'm not perfect to start with...

"Looks like rumor has it." biglang sabi ni Ida kaya naman napatingin ako sa kaniya na seryoso sa pagkain.

"What rumor?" kumunot ang aking noo.

"That Gael and her not so charming girlfriend, Darlene broke up." simpleng sabi niya.

Napaawang ang aking bibig sa kaniyang sinabi.

Why did they broke up? I mean, why all of a sudden? Hindi ako matatahimik nito hanggang sa malaman ko ang mga kasagutan.

"They broke up? When? Bakit hindi ko alam?" sunod-sunod kong tanong.

"I don't know when..." she shrugged her shoulders. "I just heard my blockmates talking about it. Don't know if it's true but seeing Gael with his friends and not with his girlfriend or ex-girlfriend then I think it's true."

Umayos naman ako ng upo at nalaglag ang aking balikat. Hindi sapat ang mga sinasabi ni Ida. I need more.

"Alam mo ba kung sino ang nakipagbreak?" I asked her, hoping that she knows.

Ngumuso naman siya at parang inisip pa ang sasabihin niya sa akin. "It's Darlene." she answered. "She broke up with Gael."

"Bakit parang inembento mo lang yung sagot mo?" I accused her.

"Kasi isipin mo, Blair..." humarap siya sa akin ng maayos. "Kahit saang anggulo mo tignan, Gael wouldn't broke up with Darlene. Alam naman ng lahat na mahal na mahal ni Gael si Darlene. Sa kanilang dalawa, si Darlene ang mas may kayang makipaghiwalay."

My classes for this day already ended but my curiousity didn't. Hanggang ngayon ay iniisip ko pa rin ang tungkol kay Gael at Darlene.

I was on my way sa parking ground and I already texted Ida that I'm already going home and that she should take care.

Nang makarating ako sa aking sasakyan ay mabilis akong nakarinig ng tunog bago ko pa mapindot sa akin.

Sinubukan kong buksan ang pintuan ng sasakyan ko at nang makitang naka-lock parin ito ay nakahinga ako ng maluwag saka pinindot ang akin.

I was about to enter my car when I saw Gael walking towards the car besides mine.

Napatigil siya sa paglalakad ng makita niya akong pinapanood siya. Hindi ko alam kung ilang segundo nagtagal ang titigan naming dalawa but it's enough to make him look away because we've been staring at each other for a long time.

"Break na pala kayo." I blurted out and he stopped opening his Ranger's door.

Mataman niya akong tinignan. Para bang may tinapakan ako na hindi ko dapat tapakan.

"Bakit kayo nagbreak?" I followed up a question.

"It's none of your business."mariin niyang sabi.

"What if you broke up because of me?" I confidently asked. "I'm curious Gael. Pakiramdam ko'y may kinalaman ako. Si Darlene ba ang nakipagbreak?"

"Not everything's about you, Blair." he said. "She broke up with me and I don't know why. I don't wanna talk about it. So can you please just shut up?"

Looking at his eys turning red, it makes my guards back down a little.

"What if I don't shut up?" I asked again. "I guess you know by now how stubborn I am."

I stepped forward towards him just to see him clearer.

"I wanna know, Gael." pilit ko sa kaniya. "Let me know."

Ngumisi siya ngunit hindi rin nagtagal ay sumeryoso ang kaniyang titig sa akin.

"Who are you?" he asked me at napaatras ako sa kaniya. "Sino ka ba?"

Napatigil ako sa kaniyang tanong sa akin. I'm lost for words. I'm speechless. Sino nga ba ako? I barely know him. Bakit ko nga ba siya pinapakealaman?

"I'm not obliged to answer your question. I'm not obliged to tell you about what happened to me and Darlene. We're not even close. " he told me. "Don't bother asking me again."

Mabilis siyang sumakay sa kaniyang Ranger at bahagya akong tumabi upang makaalis siya.

Why so stupid, Blair? Why did you even ask him?