Tulala ako sa klase. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa narinig ko. My heart was thumping so fast in anger.

Panay ang discussion ng teacher namin sa isang core subject pero wala akong maintindihan. I felt like my mind was flying all over the place. I still couldn't get that out of my head. And the more I think about it, the more I am pissed and angered.

"Resche? Resche? Miss Sanchez!"

I was pushed back to my senses when I heard someone calling me. I swallowed hard and immediately looked at my professor.

"S-Sir..." I said, feeling the cold rushing through my body.

"Are you okay, Miss Sanchez? You don't look good. Namumutla ka?" Bahagya akong nagulat sa sinabi ni Sir.

Narinig ko ang bulong-bulungan ng mfa classmate ko. Ramdam na ramdam ko rin ang kanilang mga titig sa akin. Napahinga ako nang malalim at saka napabuga ng hininga. Lumunok ako at saka inayos ang aking pagkakaupo.

"Uhhh I-I'm fine po. Sorry." Yumuko ako at binasa ang aking labi. I took another deep breath before finally looking up.

Tiningnan lang ako saglit ni Sir. I gave him a tight smile to assure that I was okay. Ilang saglit lang ay tumalikod na rin naman siya at bumalik na sa pagdi-discuss. Napapikit na lang ako at napayuko ulit. Ikinuyom ko ang aking mga kamay.

I hate them! Kung hindi dahil sa kanila hindi ako madi-distract nang ganito! Ughh. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes to calm myself down. I heaved another sigh. Nang feeling ko okay na ako ay saka ako umayos ulit ng upo. Kinuha ko ang aking binder at nagsulat na lang para hindi na ako mag-isip pa ng kung ano- ano. The discussion went on and I tried my best to focus myself on the lesson.

Thankfully, I was able to finish that class and the next ones peacefully. Nang mag-lunch na kami ay hindi ko alam kung saan ako pupunta. I was still so pissed so I didn't want to mingle with people. Baka kasi kung ano lang ang masabi ko or magawa. I'll hate that. I wasn't angry din naman so I was about to look for a place to hide na lang when Vench's group cornered me when I was about to went out of my building.

"Miss Pres!" Vench's perfectly white teeth immediately showed when he smiled at me.

Nag-asaran na naman ang mga kasama niya. I groaned and just rolled my eyes.

"What are you doing here?" tanong ko pa, humahalukipkip.

Pinaningkitan naman ako ni Vench. "Nakalimutan mo agad? Sabay na tayo...palagi," makahulugang sabi niya pa.

Tinitigan ko lang siya at hindi sinagot. I sighed, remembering what he said to me during that team building and after. I shook my head.

"You really meant that?" pagak na sabi ko sa kanya.

"What? Of course. Bakit naman hindi? Tara na!"

"What? No-"

Hindi ko na natapos ang dapat na sasabihin nang hinila niya na ako. What the hell?!

"Saan tayo? Canteen ba?"

"Labas tayo, Master!"

"Oo nga bro!"

Mas namilog ang mga mata ko sa sinabi nila. What the hell?

"Wait, teka lang, Vench!" I tried to push him away but nakaakbay na siya sa akin so hindi rin ako makapalag. The freak?!

"Doon na lang sa karinderya, boss!"

"Pwede namang mag-mall, ang lapit-lapit lang noon, e."

"Oo nga!"

I muttered a soft curse in my brain. Hindi na ako makasingit kasi nagsasapawan na ang mga boses nila. Napairap na lang ako at sa huli ay hindi na lang din nagsalita. Nagpatianod na lang ako sa kanila. Wala rin naman akong plano ngayong lunch. Nakahalukipkip lang ako habang akbay-akbay ako ni Vench. Hindi na ako nagsalita pa. Ni hindi ko alam kung saan kami basta lumabas kami ng campus tapos ay may sasakyang sumundo sa amin.

"Miss Pres." Vench guided me all the way to the second seat. I arched a brow at him.

"Saan ba tayo? Kanino iyan?"

Nagkibit-balikat siya. "Sa mall lang tayo. Ka-bore sa canteen. Sa amin iyan. Tara, di kita ki-kidnap-in, no." He laughed a bit. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Pumasok na lang din ako sa loob. Ugh Whatever.

"Maganda roon sa kinainan natin last time, bro. Dalhin natin si Miss President doon," narinig ko pang sabi ng kaibigan ni Vench, si Brice. Vench turned to me and smiled, too.

"Doon na lang tayo," sabi niya pa sa akin. Sumimangot lang ako at umiling. I crossed my arms on my chest and just looked outside. I gulped hard as I remembered what I just heard earlier. I closed my eyes na lang. Ayoko namang maging babysitter ko sina Vench pag naging emotional ako rito.

Nakakahiya iyon. I took a deep breath and just crossed my arms on my chest as I shove away the thought of what I heard earlier. Nakakainis. It's slowly getting to me and I hate it. It's been how many weeks na rin, hindi pa rin sila tapos. But then I don't know, a part of me wanted to verify that chismis kasi kung totoo iyon? Fuck Gabriel. Fuck him to the depths of hell. Tsk.

"Ohh nandito na! Tara, tara!"

Bahagya lang akong napatalon nang biglang hinila na pala ako ni Vench.

"Dito na tayo Miss Pres," tara," he said wearing that annoying smirk again. Ughhh this guy. I rolled my eyes then nagpatangay na lang ako sa kanya.

Ang iingay na naman nilang apat habang papasok kami sa mall. Nakaakbay si Vench sa akin and to be honest lang wala ako sa mood sitahin siya kaya hinayaan ko na lang din siya. Iginala ko ang tingin sa kung saan kami pupunta. In the end, we were already entering a restaurant, Chinese Resto.

"Good morning, Sir Brice! Ready na po ang table niyo," sambit ng isang waiter na sumalubong sa amin.

My brow arch as I looked at Vench who happened to looked at me, too.

"Sa kanila ito," sabi niya na parang alam na ang gusto kong itanong.

Oh well. I sighed and just shrugged. Okay then.

"Tara na, Miss Pres!" sabi pa ni Landon at tumatawang sinundan si Brice. Vench smiled at me.

"Let's go," sabi niya at hinila na ako papunta sa VIP room yata.

Pinaupo ako ni Vench sa tabi niya habang nasa harapan naman namin ang dalawa niyang kaibigan. Ang iingay na naman nila, gosh.

"Pres, order ka lang, libre ni Vench," Brice said and he laughed with Landon.

"Mga gago. Kuripot mo talaga. Restaurant niyo ito," reklamo pa ni Vench. Tumawa lang ulit iyong dalawa. Nilingon ako ni Vench. His perfectly white teeth was showing already. "Don't worry, ako angbahaa sa'yo," sabi pa niya, ngising-ngisi pa rin.

Huminga ako nang malalim at napairap na lang. Nagtikhiman na naman ang magagaling niyang mga kaibigan.Ugh, thes guys talaga. Ewan ko na lang talaga sa kanila. Hay nako.

Di ko na lang sila pinansin at saka tumingin na lang din sa menu. Ang ingay pa rin nilang tatlo. I didn't even know kung anong pinag-uusapan na nila ngayon. Anyway, the waiter got our order already. Nagkibit-balikat lang ulit ako at hinintay na lang ang mga order namin.

Nang umalis ang waiter ay saka lang bumalik ang ingay ng dalawa at saka lang din tumingin sa akin si Vench. He was still smiling so I arched a brow on him. "What?" I asked, confused.

He shook his head naman tapos ngumisi ulit. What's with him and his smirk? Minsan ewan ko rin talaga sa kanya, e.

"Okay ka lang?" nakangising tanong niya pa sa akin. Tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay.

"I am."

The side of his lips rose a bit. "Hmm really? Why do I feel like you're not?" Naningkit ang mga mata niya. I felt like I was being judged already.

"What?" takang tanong ko rin sa kanya.

Tipid na ngumiti siya pero halata sa mukha ang pagkaseryoso. Ngumisi lang siya at akmang may sasabihin pa ulit nang biglang may maiingay na pumasok ng resto. They were so loud that it made us turn to them.

My mouth dropped open when I saw who they were. Wow. Really, now? Parang umahon na naman ang galit sa dibdib ko at naalala na naman ang nangyari kanina sa garden. Unbelievable. I was looking at my ex together with his new girl and their circle of friends. Parang may tumusok na naman sa dibdib ko.

Damn it. Talaga ba, Resche? I averted my gaze and took a deep breath. I had to calm myself down kasi feeling ko sasabog ako. A lot of questions came into my head. Reflections and realizations were drowning me. I remembered what the students said earlier na naman then I began to question if it was true ba talaga.

Ang babaw niya kung ganoon. Ang babaw babaw niya. Why? Iyong new girl niya ba pinagbibigyan siya? Generous siya unlike me? I felt like a knife strike my chest again. Seriously? I groaned hard and just looked away. Lumalabas iyong galit ko pag nakikita ko sila.

Kalma, Resche. Public place ito. Huminga ako nang malalim. I almost jumped on my seat when I felt a hand on mine. Gulat na lumingon ako at bumungad sa akin ang face ni Vench na seryosong nakatingin sa akin.

"They're not worth it."

I blinked multiple times. I swallowed hard and my lips parted a bit. Hindi ko alam kung anong isasagot ko. I don't even know paano ako sasagot sa kanya. Ano bang dapat kong isagot?

"Uy! Nice, nandito na!"

Halos sabay kaming napalingon ni Vench nang sabihin iyon ni Bryce. He even smiled at me.

"You know what? Let's just eat. Their food here is great," he even said that made me look away.

I closed my eyes tight as I looked at my food. Ilang saglit pa ay kumain na rin kami. I was just silently eating while the boys were so maingay. Vench would casually join them but mostly iyong dalawa lang talaga ang nag-iingay. I couldn't help but stare at them while they were being their goofy self. I then shook my head as realization hit me hard again.

Wow. Grabe, how malas was I, huh? Iyong friends na akala ko ay friends ko talaga turned out to be a bunch of snakes, while these strangers whom I don't even know treat me like a friend... Grabe...

I really cannot believe this shit. Fuck.

I took a deep breath, trying to control the tears that were already wanting to come out of my eyes. I fisted my palm as I continued eating again.

"Hey, eat up more. Ito, o, masarap ito."

My mouth parted nang kung ano-anong pinaglalagay ni Vench sa plato ko. Gosh...

"Tama na iyan. It's fine na. Hindi ko iyan mauubos," reklamo ko sa kanya.

"Ehem, ehem... grabe namang sweetness iyan!"

I bit my lip and avoided their gaze again.

"Bryce," Vench said.

"Oh, sorry, sorry na," Bryce said naman while raising his hands pa as if sumu-surrender. I sighed and just shook my head again. Gosh.

"It's okay na, Vench," sabi ko pa ulit. Vench just smiled at me. I looked at him weirdly. Still can't get why this guy wants to hang out with me. Well... may naririnig ako sa mga kaibigan niya but then... wala naman siyang sinasabi at seriously, I don't even want to go there na. Grabe iyong trauma na ibinigay ni Gab sa akin.

I feel like I wasn't the same anymore. Ang daming nagbago. I don't know how to bring back the old me...

Lunch with the boys was fast. The next thing I know, nasa PE class na kami. Hindi kami sabay ng PE nina Vench at ng friends niya, so I was practically alone again. Sila lang naman kasi iyong lumalapit sa akin at pinagtatiyagaan ako. At least at some point I felt like I wasn't alone? Ugh. I don't know. Bahala na.

I sighed again. I crouched down to tie my shoelace properly. Everyone was warming up na while I was still sitting on the bleachers.

"Yiee!"

"Power couple yarn?!"

"For keeps na iyan bro!"

"Naks!"

I stopped upon hearing those noises. Slowly, I looked up and there, I saw my ex with my ex friends and his girlfriend. Naglalampungan sila and everybody was cheering for them. I couldn't help but feel the bitterness in my heart again. Suddenly, I remembered what I heard in the garden again. I felt a lump in my throat. Hindi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa akin at bigla na lang akong nakaramdam ng urge na tumayo at lapitan si Gab.

I want to clear something up. I wanted to ask him. I closed my eyes tightly as I stood and marched my way to him.

"Gab," I called, enough for everybody to stop talking. I could feel their eyes on me already. I didn't look around, my eyes were focused on him.

He looked shocked pa na makita ako. I gulped hard.

"Resche..."

"Can we talk?"

I heard the gasp and the murmurs around. I even saw his girlfriend staring at me intently.

Sobrang shock na shock ang mga tao sa paligid namin at maging ang GF niya.

"Why?"

Lumunok ako at huminga nang malalim.

"I just have to ask something."

He looked hesitant. I didn't back down. He even looked at his girl again as if he was asking permission. My heart flinched with the way he was looking at her. I gasped. Wow. What a beautiful couple...

"Hmm okay. Five minutes. Sa court tayo." And he walked away. I stared at his back.

Now or never, huh? Mabuti ng isahan ang sakit siguro?