CHAPTER FOUR

“TALK,” utos niya at pinakatitigan ako.

“C’mon, alam kong panget ako pero huwag mo naman pakasipat-sipatin ang pagmumukha ko,” sambit ko. Napangiwi siya.

“Just. . . tell me why you did that and how did you enter LSPU without the knowledge of the guard?” Englishero naman pala ang isang ‘to. Napabuntong-hininga muna ako at napasandal sa upuan.

“Una sa lahat, Jencee,” panimula ko habang inaaninaw ang pangalan niya sa kanyang ID. Bumwelta agad siya.

“It’s Jenis,” he corrected his name. I rolled my eyes.

“Whatever your name is. Bulol ako sa S. Jencee,” pamimilit ko pa. Napabuga siya ng hangin.

“Whatever. Just explain.”

“We were caught by your guard. We just climb the wall,” sagot ko dahilan para humagalpak siya ng tawa.

“Ginawa mo talaga ang lahat para mapanood ako, ha. Ikaw, ha. It’s the effort for me,” aniya kaya ako naman itong halos masamid sa tubig na ininom.

“Potacca,” mura ko at sinamaan siya ng tingin.

“What’s potacca?” He has no idea.

“You’re not cursing aren’t you?” I asked him.

“Slight lang.” Napangiti ako at hindi mapigilang pagmasdan siya na nasa harapan ko lamang at pilit iniisip kung anong sinabi ko. Well, minura ko lang naman siya. Bobo neto.

“Excuse me? Sorry to interrupt your assumptions but hindi ikaw ang pinunta ko roon. Naroon kami for documentation. It’s just an accident that I saw you at the stage.” My goodness. Tama nga ata ang sinabi ng ilan na may ilang assuming sa LSPU. Kasama na siya roon.

Napatango-tango siya at umiwas ng tingin. Napahiya ata.

“Actually, I don’t know what’s your name. So I just got exaggerated calling you with that kind of endearment." I received no response.

"It’s my fault. Tell your girlfriend that I was very sorry,” pag-amin ko sa kasalanan ko para tigilan na niya ang pagsunod-sunod sa akin. Ayoko rin naman ng gulo.

“Girlfriend?” Nakataas na ang kilay niya.

“Yeah, you have a girlfriend, right?” tanong ko pa.

Napakagat-labi siya at nakakunot ang noo. Why does he look so cute in that way?

“I can’t believe they said that.” He awkwardly chuckled. My eyebrows furrowed.

“Said what?”

“I’m not dating anyone in my whole life. Why would I even have a girlfriend? Who said that to you?”

“Then it strikes me with a realization, one-fourth of my life is a lie!” I blurted out in the camera when I remembered that he had no girlfriend since birth and everyone thought I am his lover during the pageant. Fudge, I can still picture out their looks. Surprised and unbelievable.

“He has no girlfriend,” paliwanag ko kina Josanne at Kendrah.

“And now, everyone will think you’re the supportive girlfriend of Jenis Balandra Cabantog Jr., the Ginoong Kalikasan 2019. That sounds good and sweet!”

Potangina.

“You know what’s the first thought that came to my mind when he said he’s NGSB?”

“What is it, Cleo?”

“That he’s a gay. Sorry to offend,” I answered and smiled. “However, I still like him in that way. He’s cute.” With that, I felt a little kind of chill in my spine. The feeling that I felt two years ago when I was still close to him that much.

“So, what’s your degree?”

“Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting Communication.” Pinakita pa niya ang ID lace niya. Napatango-tango ako.

“Gustong-gusto ko rin ang course na iyan dati.”

“Eh, bakit ka nag-Comm Arts?”

“Ayoko kasi sa school n’yo. Masungit ang registrar,” sambit ko dahilan para tumawa siya.

“Eme mo lang. Actually, hindi ko naman talaga ‘to gustong course na ‘to. Naghahanap lang siguro talaga ako ng program na magiging komportable ako.” Napangiti ako at tumango.

“Akala ko, Tourism ka.”

“Nah. Why would you even think that?”

“Because of your looks.”

“Masyadong pogi.”

“Umay, Jencee.”

We both laughed.

I smiled.

“That was the day when I realized we are already in the boundary of getting to know each other.” Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko.

“Though, alam kong mali. Maling-mali talaga,” napalunok-laway ako at napatingin sa camera.

“But still, I did my best to get close to his heart. Sobrang gusto ko na talaga siya noon pa man.”

“Marami akong naririnig na chismis tungkol sa inyo ni Jenis, a. Kayo na ba?” Halos mabilaukan ako ng kinakain kong burger dahil sa naging tanong ni Josanne. Agad akong napailing.

“No way. Jencee was like a brother to me,” giit ko at napaiwas ng tingin.

“Eh bakit nababalitaan ko may palabas-labas pa kayong nalalaman noong isang araw. Tapos may nakakita pa sa inyo noong una, magkahawak-kamay. Don’t tell me, nagkatotoo na iyong love endearment?” gatong ni Kendrah.

Pinakatitigan ko sila at napangiwi.

“We’re friends. Is there something wrong with it? Maniniwala na naman kayo sa chismis ng mga hinayupak.”

“Cleo, there’s nothing wrong naman pero ang panget lang kasi tingnan.”

“Na ano?”

“Na nakikipag-friends ka sa isang gaya niyang nag-aaral sa school na rival ng university natin. Remember, their school and ours are rival in all aspect. Mayayabang sila. Nakakairita.”

“Is there something wrong with being friends with your enemy?” I asked them back. Nakatanggap lamang ako ng sapok mula kay Josanne.

“Jusme, Cleo Entice. Huwag mo akong paandaran ng ganyang linyahan. Hindi ka si Brylee Emmanuel ng Good Night, Enemy. At malayong-malayo na maging si Denver Hawthorn iyang si Jenis,” aniya kaya natameme na lamang ako sa sulok.

Tumunog ang phone ko. May isang mensahe mula sa kanya galing pa sa skype.

Cleooooo.
Busy ka?

Agad akong nagtipa ng reply.

With my gang. Why?

Picture us later. Pagkauwi. Are you free?

You know that I’m always free, Jencee.

HAHAHAHHA. Sige, see yah later.

I smiled as I turned off my phone screen.

“Oh, anong ngini-ngiti mo riyan? Para kang tanga.” Sinamaan ko na lamang ng tingin ang dalawa kong kaibigan at nagpatuloy sa pagkain ng burger habang may ngiti sa mga labi.

“Sabi niya sa message, mag-picture raw kami. Hindi ko naman alam na simula nang araw na iyon, gagawin na niya akong photographer,” mwestra ko at kumagat-labi.

“Pumayag ka naman?”

“Of course, I am honoured. Charr. Honestly, I really like him to be my subject every day. Effort na effort pa ako mag-take ng photos  niya every class dismissal namin lalo na kapag may new outfit siya.”

***