Nagulat na lang ako nang may biglang humablot ng kamay ko at hinila ako palayo kay Jhon Rey. Hinatak niya ako papunta sa likod ng cafeteria.

I was shocked when I saw Jhunel in front of me. My eyebrows met out of annoyance.

"What are you doing? Why did you bring me here?" asik ko sa kaniya. I felt my nerves were going to pop out soon. It was annoying whenever I saw him in front of me.

Pinakawalan niya ang kamay ko bago ako itinulak sa gilid ng building.

"Are you blind?" he asked me. "Are you doing this on purpose?"

My eyebrows automatically rose. "What are you talking about?"

"Aren't you aware that your father's minion is tailing you? He is telling every single detail of what you are doing whenever and wherever you are." He pointed to a man in the distance. That guy is wearing a student uniform like ours. Napasinghap ako. Kaya ba hindi ko siya kaagad napapansin o nadidiskubre dahil humahalubilo siya sa mga estudyante?

I frowned. Is he really the one who follows me and reports my actions to my father? He looks young.

"Malalaman ng ama mo ang patuloy mong paglapit kay Jhon Rey. That will definitely put you in danger."

"And what is it to you? Why are you so worried about me?"

"Because you're my fiance."

I snickered. "Don't act like we both agreed to that. You're making me sick, Jhunel. How many times do I have to tell you to stop bothering me anymore? This is the only place where I have the freedom to do what I want to do, and you're going to hinder me too? I am not your wife yet; you're dictating to me now. You suffocate me."

He didn't expect my sudden rage. My patience is running out now. I saw him grit his teeth the way his fist clenched too.

"I just want you to stay away from that guy because I know what kind of man he is. And if your father finds out about this, I'm telling you, he'll definitely punish you."

"Better, so that when I die I won't be able to marry you!" I spit.

Tianlikuran ko na siya pero muli niya lang kinuha ang braso ko at hinila pabalik.

"Why are you acting up like this, Sheen May? Seems like you're a different person now."

Natawa ako. "Sure I am. I am completely a different person now from how you knew me before. People change, and so do I. You could control and manipulate me before, but things are different now, Jhunel; you can no longer use me to satisfy your ego."

Umiigting ang mga panga niya habang nakatitig sa akin. "Sheen, our past relationship has nothing to do with this. I am just here to warn you. You don't know him, Sheen. I'm telling you. You need to stay away from him."

"Pwede ba? Huwag mo nang ipagdikdikan sa akin na hindi ko siya kilala. It's fucking tiring, Jhunel, showing off how much you know something better than I do. Are you going to say he's the same, huh?"

"I'm just helping you, Sheen. I want you to stay away from him. Can't you see I'm protecting you?"

Napangisi ako. "Ah, really? Sinong may sabing may karapatan ka? Besides, ikaw 'yong hindi nakakakita. He's the one protecting me from you. Ikaw ang masama rito, hindi siya. So don't accuse him of something he doesn't do."

He gasped like he was out of patience. "He's just using you, Sheen May. The reason why he is here is to seduce you. He knows that you are the daughter of his family's rival; that's why he moved here, to be close to you. He's manipulating you, and you don't seem to notice it. And that's what I discovered and was supposed to tell you. At bukod sa 'yo, may iba pa siyang babae."

Hindi ko napigilang mapahalakhak. Even louder. My tears suddenly fell out of joy. "Wait, are you sure you are talking about Jhon Rey? It doesn't seem like you're talking about him. It's like you're describing yourself. Have you forgotten why we are supposed to marry? Because you aim for our wealth. You want our business to merge. Huwag mong sabihing mali ako, dahil bakit ka nga ba babalik pa sa buhay ko kung hindi para sa kaymanan?"

Natahimk siya. So, tama nga ako? Iyon ang dahilan niya?

Silence means yes, and I'll leave it as it is.

I wiped my tears of joy and exhaled. "Tapos na tayo kaya wala na tayong karapatang panghimasukan ang buhay ng isa't isa. Hayaan mo na akong maging masaya kay Jhon Rey, at ikaw, bumalik ka na roon sa babaeng ipinagpalit mo sa akin noon."

I removed his hand on my arm. I turned my back on him, but before I could get away, I heard him.

"Alright, I'll stop now, but know that I am here when you need me."

Siya ang naunang maglakad palayo sa akin. Hindi ko alam kung bakit sa pagkakataong iyon ay parang napaniwala ako na ang mga sinabi niya'y mula sa puso. Sa wakas, tatantanan niya na ako.

I breathed a sigh of relief because that was what I wanted since he came back here—to stop messing with my life. At last, he realized he had nothing to hope for. We are never getting back together. Natuto na ako at hindi na ako muling babalik sa kaniya. Kahit ipakasal man kami pagkatapos ng semester, hindi niya na muling makukuha pa ang puso ko.

Nang makabalik ako sa klase, nakita kong naroon si Jhon Rey sa likuran ng upuan ko samantalang nasa tabi ng upuan ko si Jhunel na ngayon ay nakayuko. And just like he said, he ignored me and never interfered with me all afternoon. For the first time, I felt at peace.

"Anne, may pupuntahan ka ba? Pwede mo ba akong samahan?" tanong ko sa kaibigan ko nang matapos ang klase.

"Saan?" tugon niya.

"Sa mall."

"Para saan?"

"Maghahanap lang ako ng reglaro para sa birthday ni Jhon Rey," sambit ko. Nakita kong isa-isa nang nagsilabasan ang mga kaklase ko at kaming dalawa na lang ni Anne ang naiwan.

I saw her frown because of what I said. I don't know if she is annoyed or if it was just her face.

"You're really going to bother me for that? Alright, let's go!" She grabbed my arms, and we headed to the mall. Natawa ako. Akala ko ay tatanggihan niya akong muli dahil busy siya. Mabuti na lang at sinamahan niya ako.

"It was so nice to go to the mall after class," she proclaimed as she walked to the restaurant in front of us. I smiled.

"Yeah, it's been a long time since we wandered."

"Yup, dahil masyadong busy ang best friend ko sa pag-aaral," komento niya sabay siningkitan ako. Napakamot na lang ako sa ulo dahil sa pagtatampo niya. I clung to her arms and pouted my lips. She just laughed.

"What do you want? My treat," I said, showing her my wallet. "You'll be rewarded since you helped me every time."

"I'm not doing that to be rewarded. I'm helping you because you're my friend, my best friend."

Ngumiti ako. "I know you don't have to tell me every time why you always help me because I can never forget how lucky I am to have you. I just wanted to treat you this time, but sadly, I can only afford to treat you here at a fast-food restaurant."

She chuckles. "Hindi ako makapaniwalang wala ka pa ring cards ngayon. Imagine, you're the daughter of the most popular businessman in our town. You got a lot of wealth and were rich, but you carried a small wallet and pieces of cash."

"I am not rich. Pamilya ko, oo, ako? Hindi."

"Alright, alright. Go on and order for me. I'll be waiting in that chair." She pointed to the table not far from the cashier.

I ordered our food first and waited for a couple of minutes for it to finally be served to our table. We had a little conversation while eating, and then we went straight to buying my gift for Jhon Rey.

"Ano bang ibibigay mo sa kaniya?" tanong niya sa akin.

"Hindi ko pa rin alam. Hindi naman kami ganoon kalapit para malaman ko kung anong kailangan o gusto niya para sa birthday niya," sagot ko.

"Hindi mo ba siya tinanong?"

I shook my head. "Hindi. Nahihiya ako. Ano bang madalas na regalong ibinibigay sa mga lalaki, Anne?"

"Hmm... Polo? Watch? Perfume? Or jewelry?"

"Mukhang hindi naman nagsusuot si Jhon Rey ng alahas," sagot ko nang maalalang noong nasa unit ako ni Jhon Rey ay wala akong nakitang kahit isang alahas doon. He doesn't even wear earrings, a necklace, or a bracelet on his hand.

"But if you're going to buy him a polo shirt or a watch, that would be weird, wouldn't it? Because you are not his girlfriend to give him such things."

I nodded. "I'm just a friend."

"That wanted to be more than his friend, right?" pambabara niya.

I pinched her. "Shut up, Anne. Someone might hear you."

"Yeah, right? That guy wearing a school uniform has been following us since we went to this place," she whispered, pointing out the guy who I discovered a spy from my father. That's what Jhunel told me.

Mabuti pa itong best friend ko, napansin niya kaagad samantalang ako hindi kahit na sobrang tagal na akong sinusundan nito. Alam ko lang at ramdam na may sumusunod sa akin pero hindi ko malaman kung sino.

"It's my father's minion. Just leave him alone. Let's just pretend we never noticed him."

"Okay? Ano pa bang pwede? Ang weird naman kasi kung bibigyan mo siya ng pabango, 'di ba? Ano ka? Asawa?"

She laughed extremely hard. Hindi ko alam kung pinaglololoko niya ba ako o pinagtitripan. Inirapan ko na lang siya bago kurutin. Tinitigan lang niya ako nang masama.

"Ah! Alam ko na! Hindi ba't siya ang nakakuha ng wallet mo dati?"