Chapter 30 | Prove

"Ano na naman 'yan?" natatawang tanong ni Fred sa akin at tinuro pa ang hawak kong regalo at bulaklak.

"Tangina?" mura pa ni Gierro nang napansin din ang aking mga dala.

"Judger kayo? Paki-alam niyo ba?" natatawa kong tanong pabalik.

"Gago, ano 'yan?" natatawa na ring tanong ni Olivver.

I only smiled at them. Sabay kaming naglakad palayo sa gift wrap shop na aking dinaanan. Malapit lamang ang distansya nito sa aming paaralan at hindi pa gano'n ka-init upang hindi lakarin.

"Regalo mo kay Mia?" natatawa at hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Olivver.

"Malamang, hindi naman p'wedeng inyo," I answered him.

"E ano pa 'yong dadaanan mo mamayang cake?" tanong ni Fred.

"Regalo ko 'yon kay mama," I answered.

"Naks," siniko pa ako ni Fred.

"Kung gagawin ko 'yan sa nanay ko, baka itapon niya lang sa 'kin pabalik," biro ni Gierro ngunit alam kong sa kalooban niya ay totoo iyon.

I sighed and tapped my friend's back.

They shifted the topic into something else like... how to trick the food stalls later to gain discounts.

May event sa paaralan ngayong araw, February 14, it was a small celebration specially for lovers and those who liked someone. Everyone was required to at least attend the morning mass and program kaya pumunta kami.

Kung single naman ay may iilang stalls na maaaring kainan and booths na p'wedeng paglibangan. The games involved were educational though, like telling the history of Valentine's Day and such. There would also be a confession reading where students' letters would be read aloud without mentioning their names.

I didn't write my letter because I find it cheesy and dull, as if Mia would believe it... baka magulat lamang siya at mas lumala ang pang-aasar sa kanya dahil may nagkagusto. I didn't want to put her into trouble.

Buong araw gaganapin ang event and the officers of the school's student government were all hands-on.

Ngayong umaga ay may misa na susundan ng program kung saan ay bandang magp-perform at iilang students na sasayaw to entertain everyone.

This would be also the first time I'd confess to Mia kaya't pinaghandaan ko talaga. Hindi p'wedeng mema o magmukhang tanga, baka hindi pa ako nagsasalita ay umiwas na siya.

"Masarap daw ang mga tinda sa stall ng section three, e," rinig kong sabi ni Fred.

"Akala ko masarap ang na sa stall ng section three," natatawa kong biro ni Gierro.

I couldn't help to chuckle.

"Gago? Hindi ako ganyan," ani Fred.

"Biro lang, grabe! Ang seseryoso ninyo ni Lukan," depensa ni Gierro.

"Ayaw pa kasing amining gusto niya si—"

I laughed when Olivver attempted to mention Fred's crush.

"Hindi ko naman iyon gusto," kalmadong pag-deny pa ni Fred.

"Wow, hindi gusto pero hatid sundo?" natatawang paglaglag ni Gierro.

"Hindi gusto pero wallpaper. Fred, gusto ko rin si Mia pero hindi ko 'yan ginawa," I added and laughed.

Nakarating kami sa aming paaralan at halos lahat ng estudyante ay na sa tamang mga puwesto na para sa misa. We immediately looked for our section's place inside the big hall.

Umupo kami sa mga bakanteng upuan at nanahimik. Good thing my gifts weren't that sophisticated to notice. Some teased me about it though but I didn't mind. It wasn't for them anyway.

I looked around to of course find Mia. I scanned the sections of grade eight students, their seats were kind of far but I could still see Mia from here.

She remained silent and distant from her classmates. Lahat ay masaya at mukhang excited para mamaya, siya lamang ang akala mo ay walang paki at bored sa nangyayari.

I chuckled. She looked like a boss of her own... kung hindi ko lang siguro siya gusto ay matatakot ako sa taglay niyang otoridad.

"Saya mo riyan," iritadong puna ni Olivver.

"Bakit?" ngiti kong tanong.

"Tangina, ang creepy mo, huwag mo 'kong harapin," he dismissed me.

"Bakit, anong ginawa ko?" natatawa kong tanong.

"Parang gago," komento na lamang niya at hindi na ako pinasalita.

I laughed at Olivver's reaction and later on, the mass began. I focused on it for a while and digested the priest's words. It was all about teenage love since the majority of us were teens. His words made sense and was on point, realistic and relatable.

He entertained the crowd by asking questions to some students. Wala naman akong paki roon at nakikitawa lamang kung masaya nga talaga but when the priest walked toward Mia's way, my whole system woke up and got alerted.

Was he going to ask her too?

"Gusto kong magmura pero na sa misa pa tayo," komento ko.

Fred chuckled and said, "Kalma ka lang!"

I was about to say something when the priest finally asked my princess!

"Anong pangalan mo, hija?" he politely asked her.

Mia was hesitant, her eyes wandered around for help yet everyone only cheered her to speak. Their cheers weren't sincere and I heard thick sarcasms on it. They were teasing her from the back of their words rather than really supporting.

And I hated it!

"T-Thera," she answered.

Napahilamos na lamang ako ng mukha gamit ang aking mga palad.

"Thera, tatanungin kita, ha. Ikaw ba, sa edad mo ngayon ay may nagugustuhan na?" the priest asked innocently.

"Bawal ba talagang magmura?" I asked out of the blue.

"Kumalma ka!" natatawang sabi ni Gierro.

"Tingin mo, mayro'n?" Olivver asked me.

"I don't know?" I answered, unsure.

"Huwag ka ng mahiya, Thera, some of the students already answered honestly," the priest said.

Tinutok niya muli ang mikropono kay Mia at dahan-dahan siyang nagsalita, "M-Mayroon po."

It shocked everyone including me! The students cheered for her at halos kaming magkakaibigan lamang ang hindi naka-imik.

I thought she was all focused on her studies to the point that young love didn't bother her... tapos malalaman ko ngayong mayroon siyang gusto? Sino naman? I wasn't against it, it was her feelings and life anyway... but it frustrated the hell out of me.

I didn't expect it!

"Anong pangalan, hija? Kaklase mo ba?" the priest started to annoy me too.

Hindi pa nakuntento sa sagot ni Mia na mayroon na nga! Ano ba 'to, match maker? Love expert?

"Hindi po," she answered slowly.

"Pero na sa school na ito?"

"Opo," she answered and the crowd did this common yie sound to tease her.

"Para sa kanya ba iyang na sa red na paper bag?" the priest asked that hyped the crowd.

"Opo, sana," she answered.

What? She even had a gift for her crush! I knew it was a normal thing but from Mia, everything just seemed different.

"Ibigay mo na ngayon, hija! Pagkakataon mo na ito!" the priest cheered for her.

I made a face as I turned to see my friends' reactions. They all made this questionable looks too.

"Nakahihiya po," Mia said.

"No, it's okay!" the priest insisted.

The students yelled to encourage Mia to do it! Mia obviously didn't want to stand up and give the present to her crush but maybe she felt pressured because of everyone.

Kagat ko ang aking labi habang pinagmasdan ang pagtayo ni Mia. Everyone was so wild, the teachers and officers needed to exert a lot of effort to calm everyone down.

She scanned the crowd from her point of view and when I noticed her eyes darted at someone, I followed it.

For a moment, I thought she was looking at me. I didn't want to assume but her stares seemed to be really directed at the fucking me!

"Sino kaya?" the priest asked curiously.

"Ikaw ba?" Olivver asked when he noticed Mia's eyes too.

"Ewan ko," I unconsciously answered.

She walked, hawak na niya ngayon ang maliit na red paper bag. Sa bawat paglapit niya ay siya ring kaba ko.

Napagtanto ko na lamang na hindi ako nang tumigil siya sa gilid ng kaharap naming section. I realized what section was in front of us.

Na sa puwesto ng section ni Serin! Grade nine like us! Doon siya patungo!

I quickly scanned the boys from that section to look for Mia's possible crush... yet Mia didn't hesitated or wasted another time to give the gift to her crush.

It was Eros.

Everyone went wild while Eros looked stunned. After a few seconds, he stood up and Mia's eyes blinked several times.

Eros took the gift and thanked Mia that made everyone tease the both of them. Mia bowed her head and immediately went back to her seat.

The priest calmed everyone down except for me. I was still in daze and I couldn't believe what I just saw.

Mia liked my brother.

"If years from now, nagkatuluyan ang dalawang ito, I'd be happy to be the priest on your wedding," he teased too.

Wedding? Silang dalawa?

Anong kaputahan 'to?

"Disgusting," komento ni Fred.

"Absolutely," I agreed.

"Huwag kang magpapatalo, tol," bulong ni Olivver.

I only sighed and went silent.

Nang natapos ang misa, pinagbigyan ang lahat na umalis saglit at bumalik na lamang pagkatapos ng dalawampung minuto.

I grabbed my things and exited the hall, still couldn't believe the things that happened.

"Tol, bibili kami ng pagkain, ikaw?" Gierro asked me.

"Sasama na lang ako sa inyo," I answered.

"Huwag kang panghinaan ng loob, si Eros lang 'yon—"

"Oo, si Eros lang naman 'yon na gusto niya at gusto ng paring makasal kay Mia," putol ko.

"Hina mo naman," Fred commented.

"Nagulat lang ako sa biglaang confession ni Mia. Alam na ngayon ng buong campus ang bagay na iyon, baka mas lumala ang panunukso," I said.

"May point ka," Olivver agreed.

"Kasal daw silang dalawa, huh," I chuckled, "baka mauna ko pang sakalin si Eros."

They all laughed because of my remark. They bought foods from the stalls at nabalik kay Fred ang tukso nang ayaw niyang pumunta sa stall ng section three.

I was unconsciously smiling when I noticed Mia walking at the corridor.

"Tol, saglit lang, ha," I excused myself.

"Saan ka?" they asked.

"Mia," I answered shortly.

I ran the distance from the stalls toward Mia. Hindi matao ang corridor na ito at sakto upang mabigay ko na ito sa kanya. Hindi ko kailangan ng hiya ngayon, ito na ang pagkakataong aking pinaghandaan.

"Uh, Mia," tawag ko sa kanya.

She flicked as I called her, mukhang nagulat. She immediately turned around to see me. Her facial expression was the usual blank and unhappy one. Napalunok ako sapagkat baka nagalit ko siya.

"What?" she asked me, her English was strong.

"Para sa 'yo," I handed her my gifts.

Wala na akong masabing kasunod! She scanned my gifts and the feeling of shame started to crawl into me.

My gifts weren't that expensive because I needed to budget my money and the flowers were the normal red roses that anyone could buy on the streets, hindi pa gaano kalaki ang bouquet.

At first, I didn't make it a big deal because it was the thought that mattered... but now... I wanted to slap myself for acting stupid.

I was about to put down my gifts when she spoke, "Is this some kind of joke?"

My brows arched at her sudden anger.

"If you are planning to trick me too, please, just stop it!" she snapped out.

What?

"I am not tricking you, para sa 'yo talaga ito—"

"Shut up!" she yelled at me.

I really did shut up. Hindi ko alam ang ibig niyang sabihin at kung bakit ganito na lamang siya kagalit sa simpleng pagbigay ko ng regalo.

I wanted to ask yet her eyes were burning and I couldn't speak because of it.

"Mula kaninang umaga, binigyan na ako ng kung sino-sino ng regalo kuno nila," she said.

She opened her small bag and held it upside down. Things inside dropped and I finally realized the cause of her anger.

The gifts were all offending, halatang binigay sa kanya upang asarin o mang-insulto. There were love letters at first sight ngunit may drawing ng baboy. Marami pa iyon at halatang napag-trip-an nga siya sa araw na ito.

I felt weak, my princess didn't deserve this kind of treatment. I looked at her again after I scanned the things that fallen, her eyes were watery and soft.

If only I could tell her that I wasn't like them... if only she could read the signs in front of her.

"Mia, totoong para naman talaga ito sa 'yo. I didn't plan any tricks behind this, I promise—"

"Shut up! I don't want it or anything from you! I know you, you are the so-called Lukan Fortelleza that everyone talks about because of your playboy tactics. Can you just leave me alone?" she hissed.

I gulped again because the words that came out from her were too tough to digest. I knew she said it out of hatred yet... I did mistakes from the past but did those really defined who I was today?

"Para sa 'yo talaga 'to," I softly said.

Hindi ko alam kung paano ko pa siya makukumbinsing totoo ito.

"Shut up—"

"I like you," I confessed.

She got stunned yet it only made her more furious.

"That won't work on me, sorry," mataray niyang sabi.

I was about to say something when girls from my back started to shout my name.

"Lukan, may ibibigay daw ang kaibigan namin sa 'yo," one yelled.

"Gustong gusto ka nito, Lukan!" another girl teased.

Ah, shit.

"See?" Mia started, "sila na lamang ang lokohin mo, tutal diyan ka lang naman magaling."

Her insults were the hardest to accept because like I said, normal things felt different when it came from Mia.

I didn't want to stop from this moment because clearly, she misunderstood and got my intentions wrong.

Those boys who played her toxicated her mind and corrupted the hope inside. Hindi na niya kayang maniwalang may posibilidad pang magkagusto sa kanya ang iba dahil sa mga lalaking ininsulto siya.

I didn't want to let her think of me badly or dirty from what happened because honestly, liking her was the purest thing I've ever felt.

I expected to be rejected but this was the rejection I couldn't accept. I would do everything to prove my feelings right.