#PTG07 Chapter 07

Deanne was looking at me weirdly pagpasok ko sa room. "Bakit ang saya mo?" she asked bago pa man ako makapagbaba ng gamit ko. I did a quick look around and most of my classmates' faces were buried in cases. Huh. Buti na lang may Juan Alexandro ako. He literally saved me from damnation also known as Criminal Law class.

I shrugged. "Wala. I just feel happy."

"Seriously? Where's the Kitty I know na stressed tuwing may lumalabas na bagong list of cases?" she asked, eyeing me. Tinawanan ko na lang siya. I was just in a really good mood! Sobrang ganda kasi nung digests na binigay sa akin ni Jax. Kung wala iyon, I was pretty sure that I would have been up all night trying to remember everything. But with the digests he gave me, I was able to sleep before 11pm pa. And nakapag-advance reading pa ako sa Statcon!

"Santiago," Atty. Mercado called. I was sitting pretty. I was confident. But also, this felt weird... Ngayon lang ako naging confident sa lahat ng class na napasukan ko rito. Ang lagi kong nararamdaman ay nasusuka na nahihilo. "Intod v CA."

Biglang natigilan iyong classmate ko. Everyone around me began to panic. Pang 8 pa iyon sa case! Tumalon si Sir! Hala!

"Fuck," Deanne whispered. "Bakit nagsskip?!" she panicked. Clean desk policy halos sa lahat ng classes ko. Bawala maglabas ng notes. Kung ano lang ang naaalala mo, iyon lang ang pwede mong masagot sa class. Kaya kapag ganito, may nagagawa na akong list sa utak ko para maalala ko kung ano ang pagkakasunud-sunod pati kung ano'ng case ba iyon. I usually read around 80 cases a week, mababaliw ako kung memorized ko by heart lahat!

My classmate tried to answer, but she recited the wrong case. Tumawag ng bago si Sir. Same thing happened. Shit. Naaawa ako sa kanila. That's 65! Ang hirap bawiin nun!

"Arellano."

I stood up. My heart was beating dangerously fast. Six of my classmates were called and none of them was able to recite the correct case.

"In the case of Intod v CA, Intod, Pangasian, Tubio, and Daligdig went to Mandaya's house and asked the latter to come with them in killing Palangpangan or else he would also be killed. Intod wanted to kill Palangpangan because of a land dispute between them," I began as I racked my brain trying to remember everything that was written in Jax's digest. I continued reciting the facts of the case up to the ruling. Even the littlest details, sinabi ko para alam ni Sir na nagbasa talaga ako! Alam ko kasi na kailangan kong bumawi dahil sa kapalpakan ko before.

My lips were quivering when I finished. I looked at Sir, waiting for any follow up question like before, but he only said, "That's enough. de Marco," he said.

Pag-upo ko, sobrang lakas pa rin ng tibok ng puso ko. Gosh! I did it! I answered correctly! Mukhang hindi na badtrip sa akin si Sir!

"Thanks," I mouthed when I saw Iñigo giving me a thumbs-up sign.

"Nice one," Deanne whispered. "Kabisado mo lahat ng case? How to be you?" she asked, but I just shrugged. How to be me? Dapat meron ka ring Jax na namimigay ng digests.

* * *

My class ended earlier than usual dahil mukhang may emergency meeting si Atty. Mercado kaya instead na 9:30, 8:30 pa lang dismissed na kami. Dumiretso na ako sa labas. Alam ko na 8:30 din iyong dimissal ni Jax tonight.

"Ms. Arellano," Iñigo said.

"Sorry, nagmamadali ako," I said. I wanted to talk with him din naman kasi no doubt masayang kasama si Iñigo, but I really wanted to see Jax. I wanted to thank him for saving my ass. "Text me if it's important! Otherwise, see you bukas!" sabi ko pa bago nagsimulang tumakbo.

I didn't bother to look back. Diretso lang ako na bumaba sa second floor. Pagdating ko sa room nila Jax, nakita ko na nasa loob pa sila ng classroom. Nandun muna ako sa gilid habang naghihintay. I was checking the group chat baka kasi may announcement or nadagdag para sa coverage namin sa Statcon tomorrow. Hassle pa naman 'yun si Atty. Bustillos. Akala mo menopause baby sa sobrang sungit. 'Di ka lang makasagot agad akala mo ikaw na iyong may kasalanan ng global warming.

My attention was solely focused on reading the first case assigned that I didn't notice that Jax's class was already dismissed. I immediately shoved my phone inside my bag para hanapin si Jax.

"Jax!" I shouted when I saw his back. Likod pa lang, sigurado na talaga akong siya 'yun. Lumingon agad siya nang marinig niya iyong boses ko. Ugh! Kinilig na agad ako doon?! Ni walang effort from him!

His forehead was creased. "What?"

I grinned. "I aced my recit!" I proudly said. Nakita ko na naka-tingin sa aming dalawa iyong iba niyang classmate—kasama na iyong Chinita na iyon. I refused to learn her name. I didn't want to humanize the enemy.

"Good," Jax said.

I frowned. "Yun lang?"

"What do you want me to say?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Good job, Kitty? Hindi ka babagsak? May pag-asa pa? Magpo-proceed ka sa second year?"

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo niya. "You're crazy," he replied before he began to walk. Dahil masyado akong masaya, sumabay ako habang naglalakad siya pababa. Wala naman siyang sinasabi na 'wag akong sumabay. Knowing Jax? Kung ayaw niya akong kasabay, malamang kanina niya pa ako pinaalis.

Sometimes, he's just really too brutal for my own good... but at the same time, at least I know where I stand in his life. As of now, we're just friends. That's good. For now, at least.

"Ano 'yung class mo kanina?" I asked. I knew that Transpo iyong class niya, but I just wanted to hear it from Jax. Para at least hindi na from stalking lahat ng alam ko sa kanya.

"Transpo," he replied.

"Mahirap?" He nodded. "Mas mahirap ba talaga sa second year?"

"Kung gaano kahirap sa first year, multiply that by three."

Umawang ang labi ko. "Seriously?!" He nodded. "God, ang scary naman!" sabi ko. Mas lalong tumaas iyong respect ko kay Jax. I mean, hindi ko lang naman siya gusto as a person. I really respect him, as well. Mabait siyang anak kila Tito tapos sobrang bait din niyan kay Joey. Tapos magalang din. Tapos ang talino pa? I mean, ako na lang talaga ang kulang sa buhay niya.

"You'll be fine," he said. Huminto sa harap namin iyong sasakyan niya. Akala ko papasok na siya, but he just looked at me. "Nandito na ba 'yung sundo mo?"

"Medyo traffic daw," I replied. "But sige, una ka na."

But instead of heeding to what I said, he just knocked on the window. "Park ka muna, Kuya. Text kita kapag uuwi na ako," sabi niya kay Kuya Eduard, iyong driver niya.

I pressed my lips together. Ano ba naman 'yan, Jax?! Bakit hindi ka pa umuwi?! Gusto mo sabay tayo? Ano ba 'tong ginagawa mo sa 'kin?!

Jax didn't say anything. He just began to walk back inside. I was stuck on where I was standing. Should I follow him? Pero wala naman siyang sinabi! Pero bakit pa ako mahihiyang sumunod? After everything I did before? Ngayon pa ba talaga ako mahihiya? E kulang na lang magdeclare ako ng undying love for him!

In the end, I followed him. Naka-sunod lang ako hanggang sa huminto siya para maupo sa isang bench sa harap ng clinic. I sat beside him.

"Bakit 'di ka pa umuwi?" I bravely asked when a solid minute passed without anyone talking. I loved sitting in silence when it's beside him. But right now, I couldn't take silence. Not when I got a million questions in my mind.

Jax just shrugged.

"Hinihintay mo na makauwi ako?" I asked again.

I thought he was just gonna shrug... kaya naman nang tumingin siya sa akin, halos mahulog akong bigla sa kinauupuan ko. I was sitting on the edge! I literally almost fell!

"Where's Kuya Eman?"

My lips were shivering. His face's too close! What the fuck was he doing?! Alam niya naman na may crush ako sa kanya, tapos gaganito siya sa akin?!

"M-malapit na raw," sabi ko habang nadidistract sa labi niya. Para sa anemic na gaya niya, his lips were too fucking red! It's so sinful!

He nodded, then sumandal na ulit siya. This guy! Balak ba niya akong bigyan ng premature heart attack sa mga ginagawa niya?! Iyong kahapon nga lang na nahawakan niya ng sandali iyong kamay ko, grabe ilang beses iyon nagreplay sa utak ko! Iyon pa kayang paglapit ng mukha niya sa akin?

I looked at his side profile. Ang tangos ng ilong. I love his eyes, but I'd appreciate them more kung wala siyang salamin. Lagi kasi niyang suot. But that didn't make him less attractive in my eyes.

"Jax," I called.

"Hmm," he responded, his eyes still in front. It seemed like he was watching the people who passed by.

"Bakit wala ka pa ring girlfriend?" I asked. I wanted to ask this for a long time now, pero palaging nauunahan ako ng kaba. Ang alam ko, nung high school pa iyong huling girlfriend niya.

"Busy."

"Yun lang dahilan?" I asked. "Wala kang nagugustuhan?"

He shrugged. "Sino naman?"

'Ako,' gusto kong isagot, pero asa naman!

"Yung lagi mong kausap?" I asked, looking at his face. I wanted to touch his face, but I knew where I stood. Hanggang dito lang ako. Sa ngayon.

"Sino?"

"Cha? I think that's her name."

"What? No," he said like it's stupid of me to even ask.

"Di mo gusto? Maganda 'yun, ah," masuka-suka kong sabi kahit totoo naman. Maganda naman talaga 'yung babae. Hater lang ako pero hindi naman ako bulag. 'Di naman ako mate-threaten nang ganito kung hindi siya maganda!

"So?"

"Ayaw mo ba sa maganda?"

"Ano'ng gagawin ko sa maganda?" tanong niya. "Nakakain ba 'yun?"

"Ang pilosopo naman."

He laughed. Ugh! Ang gwapo pati pagtawa! Bakit hindi ko nirecord?! Sobrang rare kasi nitong tumawa! As in sobrang rare magka-expression iyong mukha niya! Laging kunot-noo lang na nagbabasa. Iyon ang default expression ng mukha niya.

"I don't really care about the appearance. That's the least I look for in someone," he replied after he broke his crisp laugh. Gusto ko sanang magrequest ng isa pang tawa niya! Ang sarap ireplay siguro nun!

"E ano'ng gusto mo?"

He shrugged. "Intellect. Humor. Kindness. Someone who'll love my family," he replied. "Bonus lang kung maganda."

"Weh? Magkaka-gusto ka sa pangit?"

"Malay mo?"

I eyed him. "Ang dami namang pasok sa description mo. Bakit wala ka pa ring nagugustuhan?" I asked. In all the years that I have known him, this was the closest that I got. I didn't want this night to end. Kanina ko pa iniignore iyong pagva-vibrate ng phone ko. Sorry, Kuya Eman! Konting paghihintay lang naman ang gagawin mo compared sa apat na taon kong paghihintay kay Jax!

He didn't answer directly. All I got was a shrug.

Baka ako talaga iyong hinihintay niya.