Chapter 42

Okay

Nanatili ako sa usual table namin sa canteen. Hinihintay kong dumating ang dalawa kong kaibigan, I think they were too busy now for the preparation of their play. Ngayon pa lang kasi ay kailangan na nilang maghanap nang pwedeng mga gagamitan at pagkatapos noon ay puro rehearsals na lamang ang gagawin nila. I could totally feel their exhaustion at the moment at hindi naman iton nalalayo sa club kung nasaan ako. Gamit na gamit ang utak ko which is the primal role to use—kung wala kang utak sa club na ito, you don't belong.

Harsh na kung harsh, it is the reality.

"Alex!" Nang marinig ko ang pangalan ko sa matining na boses na iyon ay kilala ko na agad.

They rushed into my table, Bella and Philippe but on the other hand, isang babae naman kaagad ang nagkukumahog na lumapit at kumapit sa braso ni Philippe. Napakunot-noo na lamang ako dahil hindi ko alam kung anong nangyayari.

"Saglit lang, girl, babalikan ko kayo." Ani Philippe at nagpahila na lamang siya sa babaeng nakakapit sa kanya.

Napahagikgik ako habang sinusundan ko nang tingin palayo ang dalawa. How cute the girl is. Kitang-kita ko naman ang pagiging iritado ni Philippe sa babae.

"Anong meron doon? Bakit parang hinaharass naman si Philippe?"

Bella chuckles, "you don't remember Kianna?"

"From the drama club, also?"

She nodded, "yes, she just confessed her deepest secrets towards Philippes and it's hilarious!"

"Oh, I can tell." I said giggling.

Hindi rin naman katagalan ay bumalik na si Philippe at hingal na hingal naman itong naupo sa table kasama namin. Inagaw naman nito ang bottled water ni Bella at kanya iyong tinungga. He was so thirsty dahil naubos niya ang isang boteng iyon.

"What happened ba?" taka kong pagtatanong, though I couldn't hide my chuckles.

"Don't laugh, Alex. Hindi nakakatuwa," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "Kung alam mo lang kung paano ko siya tinakasan, I can disgust myself now."

"Ano bang ginawa mo? Kianna really seems a good person though." Bella stated.

Philippe immediately shook his head for disagreeing, "you can say that she's good but by the way she's doing it on me, hindi na nakakatuwa. She asked a kiss on me for her to lose her arms... yuck! Hindi ako makapaniwala na magagwa ko 'yon!"

I blinked my eyes twice, surprised. "Really, did you kissed her?"

"On cheeks, only." Pagpapaliwanag pa nito. "But can we just move forward. Bakit hindi na lang natin pag-usapan ang debut—" hindi natuloy ni Philippe ang kanyang sasabihin. Tiningnan ko naman si Bella and she was just smiling weirdly on me. Anong nangyari? "Pag-usapan natin ang club mo, Alex, mapapasali ka sa competition?"

I shrugged off my shoulder, "I was still gonna go under training, at saka hindi pa sigurado kung makakapasok ako sa line-ups ng Decathlon team dahil bago pa lang ako at nakikipagpalagayan pa ako ng loob sa bawat isa. You know, being friendly won't kill me."

"But having Mia on the drama club could kill us." Bella exhaustedly remark.

"Ano na naman ang ginawa ni Mia?"

"She's stressing us all. Alam mo na, lagging may demand at gusto niya siya palagi ang nasusunod and our adsiver would agree kaya ibibigay sa kanya kung ano man ang hinihinga. I'm tired of her at kung hindi ko lang mahal ang drama club, baka sumunod ako sayo sa Decathlon team."

"You wouldn't," Philippe said, "ikaw, sasali nang decathlon, diba mas prefer mo ang Cheersquad? You even told me one time, you wanted to be the girl they throwing up in the air."

Bella roll her eyes on Philippe, "ang galing mo naman mangbistado ano, Philippines? It is just that, ang saya kanyang ihagis ka sa hangin kaysa naman iwanan ka sa ere."

Saglit kaming natigilan sa hugot ni Bella and we laughed after realizing all her sentiments. Agad namang bumawi si Bella at sinabing gugustuhin ni Philippe sumali sa Football team para makakuha ng chance makasama ang boys sa locker room. Pee shooter admitted after. Tawang-tawa naman kaming lahat dahil sa kabaligtaran nang nakita ko kanina, he still finds his way to drool over boys.

"Hey..." natigilan kaming lahat ng dumating si Korg sa table namin, "how's everyone?" he asked at walang kumibo ni-isa sa amin.

"Hi Korg, anong meron?" Bella break the atmosphere.

"I just wanted to see Alex," aniya at mabilis na tumapon ang tingin ni Bella sa akin at tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. Binalik naman niya ang tingin kay Korg, "well... it is hard to explain."

Korg joined sitting on our table. The both of them didn't open another topic at abala sa pagtingin sa aming dalawa ni Korg. Wala silang alam kung bakit biglang naging malapit ang loob namin ni Korg. These past few days, I'm trying to concede what we have para hindi maging issue sa ibang tao kaya at pabor naman sa ganoong sitwasyon. We weren't labelling what we have, at kahit meron man... we'll still act normal.

"What is the meaning of this?!" a grumpy Mia stopped on our table, her hands are clenching and wanted to punch someone. "Korg?!" she look at him like he did something wrong.

"What the hell do you want, Mia?"

"You haven't been answering my calls, you won't even look at me and this time, makikita ko pang magkasama kayo ni Alex? How could you do that to yourself? Bumaba na ba talaga ang level mo? Her standards doesn't even met mine."

Korg stood up, pipigilan ko pa sana siya sa gagawin niya pero masyado siyang malakas para hatakin ko pabalik sa kinauupuan niya. "She wouldn't meet your standards, Lathomia." He speaks and it actually broke me. I don't know why he said that... "Cause she's not a bad person like you. You do all bad things while Alex would done good to anyone. You won't meet Alex's standards, you can't even swallow your pride."

"How dare you—ugh!" Mia yelled, running away from our table. Pinagtitinginan at pinagtatawana si Mia lumabas palabas ng canteen. She couldn't handle the truth that people don't like her.

Nang bumalik naman sa pagkakaupo si Korg, I couldn't stop looking at him kaya nang lumingon siya sa akin ay puno nang pagtataka ang mukha niya.

"What Alex? Did I do something, why are you looking at me like that?"

Napailing at ngiti ako sa kanya, "no, it is just that, do you mean that?"

"What?" he asked, confused.

"What you said on Mia? Totoo ba iyon?"

"Why would I even lie? I given Mia a chance to fix her issue but she didn't. I was too over her, and what I feel for her was a long time ago. Hinding-hindi na maibabalik kung ano man iyong naramdaman ko sa kanya. She lost me a long time ago."

"Thank you for seeing me, Korg..."

"With your blonde hair, I couldn't missed you." Ngisi pa nito.

We forget Bella and Philippe on our table and we just noticed them as they squeaks and giggling over us. Nahiya naman ako sa dalawa and they couldn't hide to see their silliness over my newly developed relationship with Korg. Hindi ko rin naman mapaliwanag kung gaano ako kasaya ngayon.

From the past few days, sobrang alalang-alala ako sa friendship namin ni Korg but now, I'm thinking about our relationship. And soon, I'm gonna be eighteen and it's on me now. The decisions and everything sets beyond that point. I couldn't be proud more of myself, akalain mo 'yon, I made it here.

Hindi rin naman katagalan ay umalis na kami sa canteen. Kailangan na naming pumunta s bawat clubs namin. Bella and Philippe headed straight to the drama club at ako naman ay patungo sa decathlon club for my training.

Nagtataka naman ako dahil kasama ko pa rin si Korg papunta doon.

"Wala ka bang gagawin?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Well... I do." Aniya, "sasamahan muna kitang makarating sa club room mob ago ako pumunta ng gym."

"Mag-gy-gym ka?"

Tumango naman ito sa akin, "gusto mo ba akong panooring?" he said, raising his brow and started to flex his bisceps. Tinakpan ko naman ang mukha niya at nilayo sa akin, "don't you wanted to see my abs?"

Inirapan ko naman siya, "don't tempt me, Korg!" panggigil ko sa kanya. "And we need to hurry, kanina pa siguro ako hinihintay ni Mebby."

"Okay, madam!" Ganado nitong tugon sa akin. Ang sunod na ginawa niya ay kinagulat ko, he carried me. Sinaway ko siya at nagpapaba ako sa ginawa niya but he doesn't care. Pinagtitinginan tuloy kami ng ibang estudyante, they even capturing us stolen pictures. Paano na lang iyong normal acting naming dalawa? Mukhang lalabas na sa buong campus ang meron sa aming dalawa.

When we reach the club room ay binaba niya rin naman agad ako.

"Should I fetch you after, o sasabay ka sa school bus?" tanong nito.

Napakibit balikat naman ako sa kanya, "I'll tell you, but if my training goes late, ite-text kita."

He nodded, "sure." He said, hinalikan naman niya ako sa noo sabay na ginulo ang buhok ko. He wave while walking away from me. Nakatulala lamang ako sa kanya at kinawayan na lamang din siya.

Bumalik lamang ako sa sarili ko nang lumabas si Mebby nang pinto at kanya akong tinapik. Dali-dali rin naman akong sumunod sa kanya papasok sa loob ng club. Wala pa naman iyong iba at kakaunti pa lamang kami na nandito. So Mebby get us a chair and a table para doon namin gawin ang training.

She started talk about the clubs rules and regulations, policies and such. May mga pinagbabawal pero hindi naman gano'n ka-strict ang club na ito. They ensure fun and friendly pa rin ito para sa lahat. She also teach me the basic things that I needed in the club. Some are hard enough to handle but I can take all of those para sa club na ito. Hindi ako mag-gi-give up na lang nang basta kasi nalaman mong mahirap ang bagay. A person shouldn't look what costs would do to you, just see how it would turn out special when you do it.

While on the training I received a message from my parents.

Parents:

Alex, our shop got robbed, but you don't have to worry about, we're okay and the police are here to investigate.

Mabilis ko namang ipinaalam iyon kay Mebby at pinayagan naman niya akong umalis dahil emergency iyong nangyari. Dali-dali na rin naman akong nag-book ng sasakyan papunta sa shop namin. Kahit na sinabi ng parents ko na okay na ang sitwasyon ay hindi pa rin mapanatag ang loob. Hindi nagtagal nang dumating ang sasakyan at mabilis naman itong nakarating sa shop.

I hurriedly come into our shop at nagulat ang parents ko dahil sinabi na nga nilang 'wag na ako pumunta pero hindi malulubag ang loob ko hanggat hindi ko nakikita ang sitwasyon. Niyakap ko na lamang sila nang mahigpit at mabuti ay hindi sila napasama.

"Hindi ko alam kung bakit nagawa nang taong iyon na pasukin ang shop natin," ani Dad at napahugot nang malalim na hininga. "Pati ang kinita natin ng shop ngayong araw ay kinuha rin... we're sorry Alex... we wanted you to give a party but some of our money were also caught by the robber."

Napatango na lamang ako, "I understand, hindi ko rin naman po kailangan ng magarbong handaan. Ang mahalaga, okay po tayong lahat, diba?"

They keep saying sorry at okay lang naman ako doon dahil madali lang namang mabawi ang pera at ang buhay, hindi na mapapalitan iyon. Habang naghihintay rin ako sa shop namin ay biglang nagkukumahog na sa pumasok si Korg sa shop namin at punong-puno nang pag-aalala ang mukha nito.

"What happened, Alex? You called me." Aniya.

Napatingin rin naman ako sa phone ko at baka dahil sa taranta ko ay napindot ko ang number niya at natawagan.

"Sorry, hindi ko na nagawang tawagan ka."

"That's alright, atleast everything's okay..." he assured.

I took a deep breath, "oo nga, atleast okay ang lahat."

My parents also wondered why Korg end up here on our shop. Nakakatuwa lang din na tanggap ng parents ko si Korg and they didn't even say something wrong about him, mukhang inaabangan na nila ang wedding day... biro lang. I just couldn't believe that how many bad things could happen, there's always a good thing at the end... and I'm happy its happening in my life.

I think no more drama... I just need to get back right on the track.