Kabanata 13

Inabangan ko si Sarathiel sa Bonanza Area nang maguwian na. I just got the results of my summative tests. Nang makita ko siyang nakapamulsa ay kaagad ko siyang nilapitan.

Pinangpunas ko kunyari ng imaginary pawis ang test paper ko sa MATH002. It was obviously to flaunt my score.

"Grabe, Sath. Ang init talaga. Tignan mo 'tong score ko, 45 lang naman over 50." I said, with smug look on my face.

"Grabe, ang galing mo. Congrats," he said in awe.

"Ilan ka?" I smiled at him.

"Huwag mo na alamin. Nakakahiya." He acted shy.

Hinampas ko siya sa braso. "Para ka namang others! Dali na, I won't judge."

Kinuha niya sa knapsack niya 'yung test paper niya at inabot saakin.

"Huwag mo ako pagtatawanan, ha?"

I chuckled. "Oo naman! Ikaw kaya nagturo-"

49 over 50. That was his score.

"Nahiya ka pa 'no. Di mo pa ginawang 50." I scowled.

Ngumisi siya. "No one's perfect, Zaf."

I'll be lying if I tell others that we're not friends. We became close after reviewing for the summative.

I did say that I'm attracted to smart people since I like talking with people who have substance.

As I look closely at Sath, I bit my lower lip and smiled.

I think I have a crush on him.

『••✎••』

"The more you hate, the more you love." Halakhak ni Melay nang kinuwento ko sa kanya na feeling ko crush ko si Sarathiel.

Nasa Main Library kami ngayon. Kumukuha kaming mga RRL para sa Practical Research namin.

Hindi ko kasi alam bakit tirador ako ng mga matatalino. Even my past crushes were from section 1. Minsan nga kaklase ko pa basta nasa top 10 siya, isa na siyang prospect ng aking feelings.

"Di ko alam paano ko sasabihin kay Clary. Sabi pa naman niya gusto niya maging tulay saamin." I nervously said.

I feel like I'm betraying Clary and I'm being insensitive towards her. Kaya di ko rin masabi kaagad kay Sarathiel dabil baka masaktan si Clary. I know she's still not okay.

I want to talk to her about it.

"Tulay? Bridge? Ano kayo building? Bakit kailangan ng tulay?" Melay arched an eyebrow.

"Ewan ko nga e. Natatakot din kasi ako na baka dahil kay Sath mag-away ulit kami. Di ako sanay na gano'n."

Clary was the one who liked him first. Para namang ang sama ko kung aagawin ko sa kanya si Sarathiel.

"Naku, kasi alam naman ni Clary na may sexual tension-"

"Melay, ano ba 'yan!" namumula kong siniko si Melay. Tumawa naman siya.

"Alam mo 'yun? Ikaw lang 'yata walang alam e. Totoo ngang na-bobobo sa pag-ibig mga matatalino 'no?"

"By the way, malapit na pala ang field demo. Makakalaban na naman natin strand ng bebe mo." Kumindat siya sa akin.

Ito pa 'yung isang awkward. Magka-iba kami ng strand. Madalas talaga ay nagiging kalaban namin sila sa mga activities sa school. Minsan pareho pa kaming participants ng mga quizbee.

"Kalat kaya sa STEM at ABM ang tungkol sa inyo. Ikaw naman kasi- sa dami ng mga STEM na nagkakagusto kay Sarathiel, mas ginusto niyang makasama ang isang ABM na tulad mo."

"Anong meron sa amin?" I was confused.

Malalim na napabuntong hininga si Melay. She looked at me, disbelief written all over her face.

"Since you're not from STEM and you're not interested in their strand. I'll fill in some details, okay? Sobrang ilap ni Sarathiel sa tao. Ikaw nga lang 'yata tinatabihan no'n e."

She continued. "That's why some STEM students has their eyes on you. You're like taking away their king. Aware ka naman na si Sarathiel ang pride ng STEM 1 pagdating sa academics, 'di ba?"

I nodded. That's true, Sarathiel established his name as the genius of the STEM strand. Siya kasi palagi ang nangunguna sa mga announcement ng awards.

"Some says Sarathiel likes you," Melay trailed on.

Napatigil ako sa pagkuha ng mga thesis sa bookshelves. I could hear the loud beating of my heart.

"Some also says Sarathiel sees you as a challenge since you're the highest achiever of ABM. I think it's the latter though- "

Natigilan si Melay at nanglaki ang mga mata niya.

"Bakit?" tanong ko. My heart almost stopped beating when I heard a familiar tone. Ang kalabog nito ay unti-unting humina.

"I heard my name, are you talking about me?"

Sarathiel was peeking over my face. I craned my neck to his direction and our faces were an inch apart.

My heart started palpitating. Para bang binawi niya ang ilang segundong katahimikan na ginawa niya kanina.

Sarathiel didn't even shifted his gaze at me.

I was scared that he might hear the loud beating of my heart.

Hinampas ko tuloy 'yung thesis na hawak ko sa noo niya.

"Tsismoso ka 'no," I sneered at him.

"I'm just curious if you're badmouthing me." He said as he was caressing his forehead.

"Ay hindi ah. Puring-puri ka nga e," tumawa si Melay.

Gusto ko siyang kurutin para manahimik! Ngayon lang ako kinabahan nang ganito. Hindi ako makatingin nang diretso kay Sarathiel.

"Sasali ka sa field demo?" I asked, trying to change the topic.

He furrowed his eyebrows which made his forehead creased.

"Lahat naman 'yata kasali?"

"I mean dancer ka ganun?"

Since all of the sections of one strand are considered as one. Hinahati ito sa dalawang grupo, those who will do the props and those who will dance. Strands na naman kasi ang labanan dito.

"Baka hindi, I was appointed to be the head of props." He pouted which made him look like a kid. How cute.

"Wow, isipin mo 'yun? Head of props ka tapos di ka naman artistic." Halakhak ko.

Duh, sobrang dull kaya ng mga designs ng notebook niya. Alam ko kasi suki ako ng paghiram ng notes niya sa core subjects.

"They say I'll be a good leader, so I hope I won't disappoint them." He sighed, exasperatedly.

"I'm eyeing for the head of props too." Ngumisi ako.

Wala pa namang announcement pero pwede naman akong mag-volunteer o kaya 'yung coordinator ng strand namin mismo mamimili.

He smirked at me. "Is this a declaration of war?"

I smiled at him. "I mean, nakita mo naman siguro mga notebook ko kumpara sa notebook mo 'di ba?"

"Zafi, I'm not exerting effort on those...but since you're involve with this..." he put some strands of hair behind my ear and whispered to me.

"I might be all in for it. " He grinned at me.

I can feel my face heating up. Sobra rin akong pinagpapawisan at tanging ang tibok ng puso ko na lang ang naririnig ko.

"Well, let's see if being all in will make you win, STEM." I was able to give him a smile even if my knees are slowly getting weaker.

"Sure thing, ABM." He mocked my tone. Umalis na kami ni Melay bago pa man ako tuluyang mamatay sa kilig kay Sarathiel.

I had crushes before but my crushes never had this effect on me. Si Sarathiel lang. He's literally the one who can make my knees weak.

"London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down- wala ng pagasa si Clary," I heard Melay singing.

"Melay!" saway ko kahit pulang-pula na ako.

"Sa review ka lang pala madadaan, Zafirah! Jusko ka, review lang pala katapat ng damdamin mo!" tawang-tawa si Melay.

"I like smart guys, okay?" I muttered under my breath.

"Dami-dami sa room natin!"

Ngumiwi naman ako. "Yuck! Blockcest! At saka matalino nga pero may kaltok sa utak. Ikaw ba bet mo si Gio?"

"Pass!" Melanie grimaced.

Kawawang Gio.

Dumaan ako sa Chapel at nakitang nandoon si Ms. Intramurals, taimtim siyang nagdadasal.

I felt bad because I know people like stereotyping too much. I heard rumors about her such as she's wild and she's dirty. Pabaya raw sa pag-aaral. Pero hindi ako naniniwala roon hanggang hindi ko pa siya nakikilala.

Why do people like judging others when in fact they don't even know them at all? All they know are hearsays, not even an ounce of truth. Even if they do know the truth - who are they to say how a person should live their life?

Mukhang naramdaman niyang nakatingin ako sa kanya. She smiled at me. She's really beautiful. The type that you can't get your eyes off.

I smiled back.

Umalis na rin ako dahil ayoko naman isipin niyang tibo ako. I don't swing that way. I like men especially the man who owns the name of Sarathiel.

I texted Clary because I wanted to make myself clear. I can't always hold back my feelings because of her. Alam kong pwede naman ako magparaya - but not with Sarathiel. I'm not willing to give up that guy.

Clary:

G Hall. Usap tayo. :)

"Clary," I called her when I saw her seating on one of the benches.

Umangat ang tingin n'ya sa akin. Agad naman akong napalunok dahil hindi ko talaga inaasahan na hahantong pa kami sa ganito. Just for a guy? It was absurd.

"Do you like him?" seryosong tanong niya.

I sighed and looked at her sternly.

"I do."

Clary was petrified on her seat. Hindi siya makagalaw at nanatili siyang nakatingin sa akin.

"Why do you like him?" I asked her.

She gulped. Binawi ang tingin sa akin at nagsimulang magsalita nang utal-utal.

"He's g-goodlooking—"

"No, Clary. I don't wanna invalidate your feelings but..." I inhaled some air before continuing.

"Sarathiel's more than that. He's funny, he's considerate, he's smart and he's someone you can depend on. He's more than what the surface offers, Clary...I like him for that."

I saw how Clary clenched her fists.

"I wanted to get to know Sarathiel more, Zafi. I wanted the way he treated you. You don't even know how lucky you are." Malungkot niyang sabi.

"I'm sorry —"

"I'm the one who should apologized. I became selfish because I thought I had a chance too. Kung si Zafi nga tinatrato niyang ganun, bakit ako hindi?"

"You'll find someone and if you still insists on having a crush on him. Pwede naman tayong share ng crush-"

Bigla siyang tumawa.

"Gaga ka rin 'no? Sa tingin mo crush lang 'yan? I don't wanna risk my feelings anymore." There was sadness in her eyes.

"I'm sorry if you think I lied to you before. Pero ngayon lang talaga ako nagka-crush sa kanya, promise." I even raise a hand.

"Okay lang 'yun. He was just my top 1 crush, you know? Pero dahil gusto mo siya- talsik na siya sa listahan ko. I have 9 crushes left, so I think I'll survive." Nagkibit-balikat lang siya.

"I'm glad we've talked about this," para akong nabunutan ng tinik sa dibdib.

"Yeah. Sisters before misters." Niyakap ako nang mahigpit ni Clary.

Nagpaalam si Clary na kailangan niya na umalis dahil meron pa silang gagawin sa E-Tech. I nodded my head and hugged her before she went back to her blockmates.

Pabalik na ako nang may humarang sa daan ko.

"Crush pala, ha?"

Nanglalaki ang mga mata ko at hiniling ko na sana bumuka ang lupa at lamunin na lang ako nito.

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ✎❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜