Chapter 16

Ignore

I couldn't still forget how the night ended yesterday, hindi ko naman sinasabing ma-swerte ako sa point na iyon because it is still accidental in some ways pero ano nga bang magagawa if it's destiny's way of meeting our lips together—it should happen.

Nagmamadali naman akong bumaba ng hagdan dahil dumating na ang school bus ko, I have bound to meet my Mom at the stairwell at inabot nito sa akin ang isang Tupperware.

"What is this for?" I asked her.

"Don't you remember? Sabi mo nagustuhan ng Father ni Korg ang graham cake na ginawa ko and so I made one for him and you should give it to him, okay?"

"Okay, I will!" mabilis ko namang nilagay sa loob ng bag ko iyong Tupperware at nagmamadaling lumabas tumungo sa pinto, "see you later, Mom!" ani ko at tuloy-tuloy na pumunta sa school bus at nakita ko ang bagong driver.

"Where are you yesterday? You weren't here." He said.

I smiled, "don't worry about it, kuya, you did a great job."

I leftg confused and seated on the front seat. I know it his job to keep the students safe and get them home secured but he doesn't need to worry about yesterday because at some point, it did something great and I think the terrible day I was posing all day hasn't gone the time our lips mistakenly touch.

I know that wasn't intended... Korg's a jerk.

It doesn't took us long when we reach Savvy. Agad naman akong bumaba ng bus at tinawag naman ako ng driver kaya nilingon ko siya bago ako tuluyang makalayo.

"Don't be late, Miss Carreon, again."

I nodded on him, "bet 'ya, see you later, kuya!"

The students were heading off to their classrooms, ang karamihan naman ay inuna pa ang daldalan sa hallway kaya nagkada-traffic na para lang makalusot. Nang makalusot naman ako ay napansin ko naman ang kumpulan ng mga estudyante, kaya rin siguro nagkukumpuluan sila. Napatingin naman ako sa direksyon kung saan sila mga nakatutok and I've got to see this familiar girl, opening her locker.

I see the struggle on her face para lang mabuksan ang lock ng kanyang locker and everybody doesn't seem find her some help, pinapanood lang siya. Without thinking, pupuntahan ko na sana kaagad siya ng biglang may humawak sa braso ko at pinigilan akong pumunta doon.

Napatingin naman ako sa humawak sa akin, and it's Pee shooter.

"Pee shooter?" pagtataka ko sa ginawa niyang pagpigil sa akin.

"What are you doing?" he asked, raising his brow.

"Going to help her 'cause no one seems would do that."

He roll his eyes, it is like something may mali sa sinabi ko, "what do you think happen if you helped her, huh?"

"She gets to open her locked locker?" I said.

He grunts, "do you even know her?"

I shook my head, "no but I have seen her with Korg, what's so big deal about this, Pee shooter?"

"Apple?!" he grudge, "that's the point here, she's Korgian's ex-girlfriend."

My eyes widened when he speak those words, I was silent for a bit and then shook my senses and get back to it, how come na hindi ko naisip 'yon. "Was that true?"

He nodded, "and if you helped her—and by the gossip of you having Korg on your house will be a big deal for everyone, hindi mo magugustuhan once na naging naging ka nang buong campus."

"That's how Korg were popular among Savvy?"

"Yes, and I suggest, you should step away from her... she might be good but when it comes to Korg, she could be you worst nightmare..."

"Why should she be my worst nightmare?"

He sighed, "nevermind, we need to get on our room, ayokong ma-late."

Lumingon naman muli ako sa kanya bago kami tuluyang umalis, she opened her locker at hindi pa rin siya nilalayuan ng mga taong pinapanood siya. I think everyone knows her, at siguro nagtataka ang karamihan kung anong ginagawa niya dito—I haven't seen her in the first day of classes, mukhang transferee siya and is it because of Korg?

Nakaka-curious tuloy kung anong meron sa kanila, but I won't step back dahil nandiyan ang ex-girlfriend... she's an ex. I will be his present—determinado ako kahit walang kasiguraduhan.

Nang marating naman namin ang classroom namin, we were presented to submit our homeworks. Hindi naman ako makapaghintay na makita si Korg at ibigay sa kanya iyong graham cake for his Father—I haven't seen his old man kaya siguro sa kanya ko na lang iyon ipapadaan and of course, pasimpleng moves na rin diba.

"Ano ba, Adele, hindi mapakali?" alibadbad na tanong sa akin ni Pee shooter.

"Bakit baa ng tagal matapos ng klase?"

"Inaabangan mo kasi." Sagot naman nito sa akin.

Napasinghal naman ako sa sinabi niya, "kasi kung hinayaan mo lang din ako kanina."

Tinaasan naman niya agad ako ng kilay, "oh, tapos? Anong gagawin mo kung hinayaan nga kita?"

"Duh, like the usual people—"

"You're not usual—"

I rolled my eyes to him, "help her and start a conversation, what's the matter with that?"

"You don't know what at stakes, Ace."

"Then, tell me..."

"Miss Carreon, would you like to tell me what you were talking there?" dahan-dahan naman akong napalingon sa professor na tinawag ang pangalan ko, ngiwi na lang din naman ang nagawa ko. "What are you and Mr. Montreal?"

Napatingin naman ako kay Pee Shooter, saka mabilis na binalik ang tingin sa professor namin.

Umiling na lamang ako, "nothing Miss, it was just I just spaced out and got to ask what you were saying."

She just raised her brow and feels like she isn't satisfied with my alibi. But in the end, she bought it. Napatingin naman muli ako kay Pee shooter at hindi ako makapaniwala na malaman ang kanyang apelido—I was a bit surprised because he only introduces himself as Philippe not with his last name which is big when handling model agency.

I just knew it because of magazines and advertisements—I'm not really fond of it but that's how I really recognize the girl.

When the class were dismissed mabilis ko namang nilapitan si Pee shooter to consult it.

"You never tell me that you're Montreal."

"What does it matter?"

"I've heard you say it once pero hindi ako naniwala."

"I don't joke, Aries."

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes, "tell me, are you the Montreal whose handling the model agency?"

He timidly nodded, "why do you ask? Mag-apply ka?" aniya at tiningnan naman niya ako from head to toe at mabilis na umiling, "ay 'wag ka nang umasa, hindi ka papasa sa requirements—wala ka ring height, ganda? Sabihin—"

Pinutol ko naman ang pagsasalita niya dahil hindi naman iyon ang point ko, "hindi kasi iyon, Pee shooter ang sinasabi ko, so kayo nga ang may hawak?" he nodded as a response, "then your agency handle Korg's ex girlfriend?"

Tiningnan niya lang naman ako at saka niya ako hinatak palabas ng room, "'wag na natin pag-usapan."

"Please, just tell me." aniko pa.

He sighed and faced me, "just three months and she was fired."

Naningkit naman ang mata ko sa sinabi niya, "how did that happen?"

"Gusto mo talaga malaman?"

Ganada naman akong tumango sa kanya, "then I think we need to cut our classes, what do you think?"

Napakunot noo naman ako sa sinabi niya, "anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"We go straight to the student lounge and leave the next class."

Ilang segundo pang nanatili sa akin ang pag-iisip na iyon hanggat sa na realize kong cutting classes pala ang sinasabi niya. Umiling naman ako sa kanya dahil hindi ako papayag sa desisyon niya. We should always learn something not to learn from chismis.

"Whatever, mamayang lunch na lang."

"Better be." Sagot ko sa kanya.

Habang patungo kami sa susunod naming classroom. Saktong pagkaliko namin ng hallway ay nakita ko si Korg. Naglalakad ito, mag-isa lang siya at hindi niya kasama iyong team mates niya. Tinawag ko naman siya at mabilis na lumingon sa akin. Todo ngiti naman ako pero no emotion ang nakuha ko sa kanya. Hindi naman ako assumera at sabihing ulitin pa namin iyong nangyari kagabi kaya todo lapit ako sa kanya, hindi gano'n. May kailangan lang akong ibigay this time kahit nakakahiya na.

"Hi, Korg!" aniya at huminto ako sa harapan niya, huminto din nama siya. "Saglit lang..." aniko, inayos ko naman ang bag ko at nilapag sa sahig upang makuha ko ng mabuti ang Tupperware na ibibigay ko sa kanya.

Kinalabit naman ako ni Pee shooter nang maayos ko ang bag ko.

"Tumayo ka na diyan, hindi ka na hinintay."

Mabilis akong napa-anga sa sinabi niya at umangat ang tingin ko at wala na nga sa harapan ko si Korg at nang tumingin ako sa likod ay nakita ko siyang naglalakad na palayo sa amin.

Bumagsak naman ang balikat ko sa nangyari.

"He's ignoring me now, huh?" usal ko.

Naramdaman ko naman ang kamay ni Pee shooter sa braso ko, "he didn't even wait for you to get that, Axel." He said.

"What's the matter with him?"

He shrugged off his shoulder, "maybe because his ex transferred here in Savvy?"

"And so what? Bakit naman hindi niya ako papansin? I didn't do something wrong, hindi naman ako ka-ignore-ignore."

"Maybe, something was just off with him, hayaan mo na lang."

Napahugot na lang din ako ng malalim na hininga, hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko. Nakakaasar lang dahil tiningnan niya ako sa mata and that's it, he left without saying word. Mukhang hindi naman siya nagmamadali or he was just ignoring everybody?

We headed to our next class pero sobrang occupied ng utak ko at hindi ako makapag-focus sa lesson ng professor namin. I was just acting that I'm listening and learning from what he said pero mas tumatama sa pag-iisip ko kung paano ko makakausap si Korg without ignoring me.

Until lunch, nang mapunta kami sa canteen, kasama na namin si Bella.

Bumalik lang ako sa katinuan ng batuhin ako ni Bella na kinakain niyang chichirya.

"Kainin na lang natin 'yang dala mo, sayang naman kung aamagin kasi hindi mo naibigay diba?" ani Bella.

Umiling naman ako sa kanya, "I still won't share this, I promised this to his father kaya kailangan kong ibigay... I can brought you guys someday but for now, for the Sawyer muna."

"I'll wait for that." She smiled, "but anyway, I have heard that his girlfriend—"

"Ex." Mabilis na pagtatama namin ni Pee shooter sa kanya.

Natawa naman ito, "okay, ex-girlfriend... why did she transfer anyway?"

Hindi naman ako nakasagot dahil hindi ko alam kung bakit.

"Maybe she wanted to get him back."

"But I think he didn't want her again."

Sabay naman silang napatingin sa akin na may halong pagtataka sa mga mukha, "pa'no mo naman nasabi 'yan?"

"I don't think Korg is okay with her having in the same school... he doesn't seem okay to it."

"How would it be?" Pee shooter.

"Diba nasabi ko na sayo? I saw the two of them and Korg walked away from her—teka ano bang nangyari sa kanina and help me to cope up on what's happen between the two of them."

Nawala naman ang atensyon nila sa akin, nang tingnan ko kung saang direksyon sila nakatingin ay nandoon pala sa ex-girlfriend ni Korg.

She was finding a table, occupied ang mga seats at dahil mag-isa lang siya ay wala siyang malapitan at maupuan and all the eyes are on her at hindi niya magawang tumakas doon... until, a group of boys called her name and the most stupid thing had happened where I found Korg sitting on that table.

She walked towards the table and after that, she sits with them... and the next thing happened, Korg took her hand and they both walked out of cafeteria.

Napatayo naman ako sa kinauupuan ko at hinawakan ako ni Pee shooter kaya napatingin din ako sa kanya.

"What are you doing, girl?" he asked.

Muli naman akong nabalingin sa direksyon kung saan sila lumabas, I just wanna see what's gonna happen pero ayokong masaktan lang sa makikita ko. "Wala... nag-stretchinglang ako." Aniko at bumalik sa pagkakaupo ko.

I sat down again and took a deep sighed, whatever's gonna happen... makakarating pa rin sa kanya ang Tupperware ko.