#PTG06 Chapter 06

I was officially sleep-deprived. I didn't know for sure, pero feeling ko talaga na nag-usap-usap lahat ng professor ko para magconduct ng quiz, e! I legit got only 3 hours of sleep per day! Nag-aalala na ako sa sarili ko. This wasn't healthy. I needed to go to my doctor para magpa-checkup. I couldn't risk getting sick in the middle of the semester.

"Katherine..."

I pulled the sheets higher so that I could cover my face. God, I needed to sleep some more! Kapag nagsimula na naman ang linggo, who knows kung gaano karami na naman ang tulog na makukuha ko? Nakaka-develop na nga ako ng fear of Facebook, e! Doon kasi pinopost iyong assignments namin. Para tuloy puro badnews kapag nagbubukas ako ng Facebook.

"What..." I groaned.

"Nandyan si Jax sa labas."

Automatic na bumukas ang mga mata ko sabay upo. "What?" I asked again. "Jax?"

Yaya nodded. "Oo. Pinapapasok ko nga pero ayaw bumababa at nagmamadali daw kayo."

My forehead creased. What the—

"Oh, my god!" sigaw ko habang tumalon pababa sa kama. Gosh! Ngayon nga pala iyong pagpunta namin sa Cavite to visit Joey! I totally forgot! I got so many things going on that it slipped my mind! Mabilis akong pumunta sa CR para maligo, but before I opened the shower, I ran, and told Yaya, "Ya, please papasukin niyo po si Jax. Tell him I'll be ready in 15 mins tops."

I hopped in the shower so freaking fast na muntik na akong madulas. I didn't even use conditioner sa sobrang pagmamadali! First time na susunduin ako ni Jax, so I didn't want na maghintay siya nang sobra! Ugh! Sabi na talaga isang hadlang talaga ang acads sa pagkakaroon ng lovelife, e!

After my shower, I just got the first thing my eyes saw. I wore a white shirt and denim shorts. I was using the blower while putting on blush and lip tint real quick.

"Hi," hinihingal na sabi ko nang makababa ako. My hair's still a bit damp, but that would do.

Napatigil si Jax sa pag-inom ng kape. "You said 7."

I bit my lower lip. "I know... I'm sorry..."

I knew I shouldn't have made him wait. Joey said na sobrang ayaw ni Jax ng late person. Kasi nagsasayang daw ng oras. And this was completely my fault. I knew nag-alarm na ako before pa for this, but I guessed I slept through it. Pagod na pagod na lang siguro talaga ako sa lahat ng nangyari this week.

"Tara na?" sabi ko kasi alam ko na nagmamadali siya—I mean kami. We need to go to Cavite to visit Joey, but syempre we need to go back pa. Today's Sunday. The only rest day. Bukas, back to regular programming na naman. Napapagod na agad ako iniisip ko pa lang.

"Eat first," he said.

Medyo umawang iyong labi ko. "Ha?" He pointed at the already prepared plate for me. There's garlic rice, eggs, and bacon! Oh, my god! Breakfast for real!

My mouth really watered, but I reminded myself na kailangan na naming pumunta sa Cavite para naman maka-balik agad kami. If ako nga na first year pa lang nalulunod na sa dami ng readings, what more pa si Jax? Mas kailangan naming maka-balik ng maaga for him.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I'll just take a sandwich."

"Eat first," he repeated.

"But—" I was cut off. He raised his eyebrow a little, as if he was taunting me to go against him. I was shocked a bit. I didn't know Jax could be this... bossy. I felt like a little girl who was reprimanded.

I was quiet the whole time I was eating. Patingin-tingin ako sa kanya na humihigop ng kape niya. I could feel his phone vibrating but it's either he's numb and couldn't feel it, or he's just deliberately ignoring it. Either way, I felt special. He didn't touch his phone while we're eating—technically.

Ugh. Ang hirap magka-crush! You tend to overthink even the littlest things!

"You done?" he asked.

I nodded. "Sorry again. I must've slept through my alarm."

"Water," he said. Biglang napaawang ang labi ko. Since when pa siya nagkaroon ng pakielam sa akin at sa water intake ko?! Dati naman kahit mabulunan ako sa harapan niya wala siyang pakielam!

Jax and his weird mixed signals!

My hand was shaking a bit while I reached for the water. I just took a little sip because I was aware of his eyes on me. As if he was watching my every move. It was throwing me off! Sanay ako na ako ang palaging nanonood sa bawat galaw niya! This was making me crazy anxious!

"Uhm, okay na... Let's go na?" I asked kasi mamaya sabihin niya magdessert muna ako. But after that, tumayo na siya. Akala ko aalis na siya, but I was surprised when he said goodbye to Yaya pa. I bit my lower lip so hard because damn, I was impressed! 'Di lang gwapo, well-mannered pa! He's making it so hard to be uncrush-able!

Paglabas namin, sumakay na kami sa Range Rover ni Jax. I was surprised nung sumakay siya sa driver's seat kasi akala ko kasama niya 'yung driver niya.

"I thought kasama sila Tita?" I asked while putting the seatbelt on.

"Work," he simply said before beginning to drive. Sobrang tahimik sa car habang nagda-drive si Jax. Sobrang tahimik niya talaga. If you won't talk to him, hindi rin siya magsasalita. But if you talk to him with sense naman, he'll reply.

I yawned in the middle of the drive.

"Sleep first," he said.

Umiling ako. "No. I'll keep you company," I replied. It's rude na tulugan ko siya e siya na nga iyong nagda-drive for us. "But can I play a song lang?" I asked. He nodded. I opened the radio, but I didn't like any of the songs playing. "Can I plug my phone?"

He shrugged. Tss. Balik na naman siya sa non-verbal responses niya. Nilagay ko na lang iyong phone ko tapos pinatugtog ko iyong chill playlist ko from Spotify. And when the songs of LANY began to serenade us, I relaxed a little.

"Ugh," I groaned when I reached for my phone kasi may nagtext.

"What?" Jax asked.

"New list of cases," I said then whispered to myself, "May list kaya si Iñigo." I was about to shoot a text when Jax interrupted. Bigla akong napa-tingin sa kanya.

"For?"

"Crim."

"Who's your prof?"

"Mercado."

He nodded. His eyes were steadily on the road. I stole a quick glimpse. Leche, ang gwapo talaga ng loko! Buti na lang din masungit 'to. Imagine kung gaano kahaba ang pila kung mabait pa 'to?!

"Just read digests," he said.

I frowned. "Grabe. Never thought na sa 'yo pa manggagaling 'yan."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "What? There's no shame in reading digests kung 'di talaga kayang tapusin."

"Tss. Kahit na. And I tried searching online, but walang detailed enough na digest."

"I'll send you mine."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "What?"

"If his syllabus is still the same, you're good to go," he casually said like he didn't just save my life?! "I personally made the digests, so you won't worry about the details."

My jaw remained hanging. Seriously, what's up with him?! Why was he all giving all of a sudden?

"Why... are you being so nice?" He didn't answer. He just kept on driving.

You're an enigma, Juan Alexandro.

* * *

We didn't stay for long in Cavite. One, Joey seemed so sleepy kaya we only stayed for a couple of minutes then we're back on the road again.

"Kahit drive thru na lang," I told Jax when I saw him parking his car sa gas station. I was really hungry because it's my time for brunch na, but I wanted us to go home early. Partly because may mga naghihintay na sa akin na school work, but more for Jax. Nakita ko kanina iyong required readings para sa class niya. Triple iyong dami nung required readings ko. Dapat nga magcacancel ako for this... Nakaka-hiya. Instead na nag-aaral siya, pumunta pa siyang Cavite.

"Bilisan na lang natin," he said.

Wala na akong nagawa kasi bumaba na agad siya ng car papasok sa Army Navy. Naglakad na lang ako kasunod niya.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Starving Sailor na Steak, Freedom Fries, and Iced Tea," I said. Kukuha na dapat ako ng cash from my wallet, but Jax was quickly out of my sight. Tumayo ako para magpunta sa counter, dala-dala iyong money. "Here," I said.

He just looked at the money.

"Uy," sabi ko, pushing the money, but he was just looking. "Bayad ko for the food." Hindi ako pinansin! Supladong 'to! I attempted to push the money in his jeans pocket, but he quickly got my hand.

Fuck.

Oh, my god.

He was holding my hand!

Biglang nanuyo iyong lalamunan ko.

Shit. Shit. Shit!

"I got this," he replied, slowly letting go of my hand. My heart was beating fast—quadruple of my normal heart rate! Feeling ko anytime ay matutumba na lang talaga ako. Shit na 'yan, Jax! Simpleng hawak lang sa kamay ko feeling ko mamamatay na ako sa kaba! Paano kaya if hinalikan niya ako?! Baka legit na mahimatay ako right after!

I gulped pretty hard. "O-okay..." I whispered using my small voice because he really messed my system bad right here! He shouldn't act this way! It's dangerous for my heart! Mag-aaral pa ako mamaya! Pero sa lagay na 'to? Feeling ko magde-daydream pa ako about him for a couple of minutes later!

Medyo nanginginig iyong mga tuhod ko habang naglalakad ako pabalik sa table namin. I got my phone and took a quick snap of his back. I posted it in my IG Story. He's not following me there naman so I think okay lang 'yun.

'Thanks for the treat!'

Pagbalik niya, akala ko mag-uusap kami while waiting for the food, but he's on his phone na naman. I just wished na sana hindi niya kausap iyong Chinita na 'yun. Sobrang lagi na nga silang magka-usap kapag sa school, e! Wala naman akong magagawa because they're classmates. But sana if Kitty time, Kitty lang!

"Check your email," he said.

"Why?" I asked as I got my phone.

"Sent you the digests."

I did as he ask. Binuksan ko iyong email ko, and did a quick scan. Napanganga ako dahil nandun nga iyong mga case na kailangan kong basahin! And his digests looked so detailed! Nandun na iyong facts, issues, ruling, and ratio. This looked like he put a lot of time doing... tapos binigay niya lang sa akin?

"Thank you," I said. I was... wow. I didn't know what to say to be able to communicate what I was feeling. It felt like I was drowning, but he swooped right in and gave me the oxygen mask. I felt so grateful.

He just shrugged.

"If he asks do you agree, you say no."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "What?"

"Mercado. Or any other prof for that matter. If asked if do you agree, you automatically answer no," sabi niya. Nanatili pa ring naka-kunot ang noo ko. "Because you won't be asked if you agree if the person before you already got the answer correct."

My lips parted.

God, he's heaven sent! Walang nagsabi sa akin ng ganito, ah!

"Thank you," I said again. Dumating iyong food namin. I pushed my fries towards him. "Thank you," sabi ko.

He arched his brow. "Sa 'kin na 'to?"

I nodded. "Yes. Thank you for the digest. And the tip."

He reached for a piece and ate it. Damn. Kahit iyon lang ang gwapo tignan?!

"I owe you one," I continued.

"Just ace the recit and we're square," he said before he began to eat. Damn you, Juan Alexandro. Ang landi-landi mo without even trying!