Chapter 21

Stay away

I received a message from Bella before leaving the house.

Bella:

Guys! See you later on your auditions! Break a leg!

Halos tulala naman akong nakaupo lang sa pwesto ko sa front seat, habang papunta kami sa Savvy. Pee shooter reminded me last night na mag-prepare nga for a piece para sa audition namin but I forgot about it when all night until I get to sleep—nasa isipan ko lang si Korg and his ex-girlfriend Karina.

Alam kong hindi dapat ako makialam sa kanilang dalawa and they should fix it before anyone would come to invade their private space. Hindi naman ako nakiki-epal sa kanilang dalawa, though I just wanted to know something... lalo na't hinahanap-hanap ng mata ko si Korg ngayon.

When we reach Savvy, there's a bunch of student na nagkukumpulan sa isang area at dahil maraming curious kung anong nangyayari, nagsilapitan sila doon. Pinuntahan ko naman ang direksyong iyon, and to my surprised, I saw Lathomia kneeling on ground and to saw that her knee's been bruised.

Napatingin naman ako sa paligid and everyone were just watching her. Pinagchi-chimisan at iyong mga tinginan nila sa kanya ay akala mo super laki ng nagawa niya and she was just helpless and so I didn't had any hesitations, I came into the scene at lumapit sa kanya. Mabilis din namang napunta sa akin ang atensyon ng karamihan pero hindi ko na lang sila inintindi.

"Hey, what happened?" I asked her, she lift up her head para tingnan niya ako.

She just shook her head, but when I look around, some may know what really happened to her.

"Gusto mo samahan kita sa clinic? We still have few minutes before the bell rings."

Tinanguan naman niya ako and I think she's okay that she was attended by some stranger but to me, her existent wasn't. Inalalayan ko naman siyang makatayo and still the people were still looking at us and keep talking about what happened, hindi ko man alam iyon but something must really got their attention para panoorin na lang nila si Lathomia sa lupa na nakaupo.

Papasok pa lamang kami ng building, nakita ko si Pee shooter. He was about to run and come to me pero nang makita niyang kasama ko ang ex-girlfriend ni Korg ay napatigil siya sa paglapit sa akin. Napakibit balikat naman ako sa kanya at tinuro ang direksyon kung saan ang way ng clinic.

Tahimik lamang si Lathomia nang marating naming ang clinic. She was immediately attended by the nurse on-duty and clean the bruised on her knee. Hindi naman kaagad ako umalis at hinayaan ko ang sarili kong panoorin siyang gamutin ng nurse.

"What happened ba?" tanong naman ng nurse sa kanya habang nilalagyan ng bandage.

"I was running then I tripped on the rock, and I landed on my knee."

Napakunot noo naman ako sa sinabi niya. Why is she running? Hindi pa naman klase para magmadali siya? Or she was really after into someone? Nakakapagtaka talaga.

Mabilis namang natapos ng nurse ang paggamot sa kanya and I think she's fine to walk alone. Hindi naman gaanong napuruhan, nagasgasan lang ang sugat niya at may kaunting dugo pero malayo iyon sa bituka kaya hindi niya kailangan iiyak iyon.

"Thank you for helping me," she said and I just smiled on her. "You know what, you were the only one who manage to help me when the others just keep watching me in pain. Not being so rude, but why would you do that? If you see everyone doesn't care about me."

Napakibit balikat na lang din naman ako sa tanong niya, "I saw you needed help. Why would I hesitate to help someone if she needed it? Hindi ko naman hahayaang makita kang pinagtitinginan d'on ano."

Dahan-dahan naman siyang tumango, mukhang naintindihan niya naman iyong sinabi ko and I still withstand with my decision kahit ano pang isipin ng ibang tao. I only wanted to help, don't judge a person by the actions she's doing. Minsan kasi, kung anong nakikita ng mga tao—iyon lang ang kanilang papaniwalaan kaya in the end, maraming tao ang hindi naiintindihan ang sitwasyon. And that would make an example para maintriga kung bakit siya nakaupo kanina sa lupa.

"Can I ask what happened to you, if it doesn't offend you?"

She smiles a little, "no it won't offend me," she said. "Just like what I said to the nurse, nadapa lang ako."

"Okay... but why are you running? Sinong hinahabol mo?"

She stared at me for few seconds at aakalain mong naglalaro kami ng staring game dahil sa ginawa niya.

"You don't wanna know..."

"Is it Korg?" I said without even minding her reaction.

She stopped for a little while, mukhang nagulat nga siya sa tanong ko kahit ako ay hindi ko namalayan ang tanong ko. Bigla-bigla naman kasi ang bira ko at wala rin naming ibang dahilan lumilipad sa isipan ko kundi si Korg lang.

She nodded, and that's how my curiosity satisfied. "I was running unto him—I was shouting, calling his name but he never looks back. And the time I tripped, he looked back and saw me kneeling on the ground."

"Anong ginawa niya?"

"Nothing, he just look at me and didn't have a time to help me stand up and he leaves."

"That doesn't sound like Korg." I mumbled.

"And you didn't even know whose Korg is." She said. "And you don't wanna know who he really is." Natahimik na lang din naman ako sa sinabi niya hanggat lumapit na muli sa kanya ang nurse at binigay ang form nito na kanyang finill-up-an.

Nang lumabas naman kami ng clinic, she thanked me and then we separate our ways patungo sa kanya-kanya naming homeroom. Mabilis naman akong naglakad patungo sa room ko. And by the time na makapasok ako ay wala pa naman ang professor ko, may dalawang minute pa bago tumunog ang bell.

"Amelia!" with that voice ay nakilala ko kaagad ang tumawag sa akin, even though he was not calling me by my name, alam ko na kaagad na siya iyon. "Lumapit ka nga dito!" pagkumpas pa ng kamay niya sa paglapit ko.

Pansin ko rin naman ang tingin ng mga kaklase ko, and I think I have seen most of them kanina sa grounds.

Kinuha ni Pee shooter ang braso ko at naupo sa silya.

"What have you done?" aniya.

Napataas naman ako ng kilay sa sinabi niya, "what do you mean?"

He roll his eyes, "gaga, ilang beses ko nang sinabi sa'yo, don't try to befriend with Lathomia."

Agad naman akong umiling sa sinabi niya, "baliw, hindi naman ako nakikipagkaibigan ah. I was just helping her. Bakit ba parang maling-mali naman iyong ginawa ko and it seems like everyone doesn't care about her?"

He sighed, "hindi mo ba talaga gets?"

Napakunot-noo naman ako, "I have no idea, paki paliwanag please."

"She's the ex-girlfriend—" agad ko naman siyang pinutol sa linyang iyon.

"Oo alam kong ex siya ni Korg and what's the thing between them, ano bang big deal doon?"

"Binalaan na kita Avril, just don't talk to her again, okay?"

Tango na lang din naman ang naibigay kong sagot niya hanggat sa dumating na ang professor namin at natuon na ang atensyon naming doon.

—

Pee shooter and I were waiting for Bella sa canteen. Ang tagal niyang dumating at paubos na ang kinakain namin. Mukhang busy talaga siya sa mangyayaring audition mamaya and for the last time, wala pa rin akong naiiisip na piece for my audition. Hindi iyon alam ni Pee shooter kaya hindi niya ako jinu-judge. Handang-handa naman siya but of course, if he took it seriously, baka tuluyang mapunta sa kanya ang role ni Romeo and he doesn't want that.

Naramdaman ko ang batok ni Pee shooter sa akin, I glared at him for doing it purposely. "Ano, gagantihan mo ako? Hindi ka ba natuto at ngayon, nakatingin ka na naman sa kanya?"

Napasinghal naman ako. Hindi ko alam kung anong isasagot ko sa kanya dahil alam kong babarahin niya rin ako.

Mag-isa kasi si Lathomia sa isang table, walang tumatabi sa kanya, ni wala nga siyang balak makipag-usap sa ibang estudyante eh, mukhang ang balak niya talaga sa pagpasok sa Savvy ay ang makasama si Korg, which he doesn't want her presence wherever he is. Some people were still making fun of her, joking around and Korg doesn't seem to care.

Sobra-sobra siguro ang galit ni Korg sa kanya and he can't forgive her.

Mayamaya lang din ay biglang may malakas na tawanan from where Korg and his team mates table are. Lahat ay napatingin at na-curious kung bakit, ang iba ay wala talagang pakelam dahil sa mga jerks na iyon. Pero mukhang ang pinupunto ng grupo ay ang mag-isang si Lathomia sa table nito.

Tumapon naman ang mga mata ko sa team mate ni Korg na naglalakad palapit sa table ni Lathomia and he's holding a smoothie. Kinakabahan naman ako dahil alam ko na kung saan papunta ang sitwasyong iyon. Gusto ko sanang pigilan ang mangyayari but I already felt Pee shooter's hand on mine, stopping me from doing stupid things. Napahugot na lang din naman ako ng malalim na hininga at saka pinikit ang mga mata, until it happened...

A laughter fulfills the atmosphere of the canteen's premises.

Pagkadilat ko ng mata ko ay agad kong hinanap si Lathomia, and she's walking away from her table at nagtaka pa ako dahil walang nangyari sa kanya at napunta na lang din ang tingin ko sa team mate ni Korg which is nadulas—advance mag-isip ang karma at sarili niya mismo ang natapunan niya.

Lathomia just walked out and Korg would not stop his friend to embarrass his ex girl.

"See," Pee shooter. I shift my attention on him, "kung hindi ka eeksena, hindi ka magiging tampukan ng atensyon. Just let it go, Alex..."

I nodded to him. But then, I realized one thing, "wait, you say my name."

"Anong name?" he asked, namamaang-maangan pa.

"You said, Alex. Alam mong hindi ako bingi."

"I didn't judge you," aniya. "And maybe you're just thinking of something, duh, Alison kung sabihin ko ang pangalan mo."

"Yeah right, Pee shooter," I rolled my eyes on him, "deny pa more."

"Hi guys!" humahangos namang dumating si Bella sa table naming, "sorry, I'm late. May inasikaso lang ako at hindi ko pwedeng iwanan iyon, alam niyo naman diba." Aniya.

"Girl, you just missed the failure of the month." He chuckles, "but anyway, ikaw lang talaga ang hinihintay naming at ang tagal-tagal mong dumating, naubos na naming ang lunch namin."

Bella nodded, "ayos lang, may fifteen minutes pa naman before class resumes, right?"

Tumango naman kami sa kanya.

I excuse myself naman at tumungo ako ng restroom. While I'm on my way, hindi ko magawang hindi mapalingon sa direksyon ng table nila Korg and he's looking at me. Ako na mismo ang unang umiwas ng tingin.

From the past few days, alam kong nagbago ang pakikitungo sa akin ni Korg. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba kay Lathomia iyon, o dahil hindi naman talaga niya ako binibigyan ng pansin at binigay niya lang iyong favor sa akin na mag-dinner sa bahay because we know in ourselves, we did a mistake. Baka ayun lang 'yon.

When I reach the restroom, I headed straight to the empty cubicle and sit on the bowl.

While I'm inside of the cubicle, I heard something right beside my cubicle and it's like she's sobbing. I didn't make a sound, I just listen to her. It doesn't took long when she got out from the cubicle. Hindi ko alam sa sarili ko kung bakit nagmadali rin akong kumilos at lumabas para makita ko siya and not to my surprise, Lathomia is in front of me.

She saw me on the mirror, lumapit naman ako sa sink at naghugas. We're quiet but I know she's looking at me.

"I didn't get to know your name," panimula niya kaya agad ko siyang hinarap.

"Ah... I'm Alex." I handed over my hand pero nagtaka ako dahil hindi niya iyon inabot.

"So, you were the girl he's talking about." She said, napakunot noo naman ako sa sinabi niya. "I don't mind the way you help me, but please, stay away from me and my boyfriend."

I was left dumbfounded when she leaves the restroom.

Mas ikipinagtaka ko naman ang huli niyang sinabi.

Boyfriend? Who? Si Korg ba? Kalokohan. And what does he talking about? Hindi naman siguro, naipit ako sa kanilang dalawa diba? Because if I do, this isn't a good place for me.