Something Spectacular: One Shot (2)

Note: This one shot is not related to the original story whatsoever and for entertainment purposes only. I just miss them. My Arcadian.

Timeline: When Gavin was still part of Arcadian

Prompt: The time when Gavin asked Isabelle to write his notes for him.

//

Isabelle's POV

Pumasok si Gavin sa Arcadian office na nakakunot ang noo. Madalang ko lang makita ang ganitong expression mula sa kanya. Hindi ko napigilang magtaka pero hindi ko pinahalata sa kanya.

Nilabas niya ang isang manipis na notebook sa bag niya saka pinatong ito sa conference table, sa tabi ng laptop kung saan ako nagt-type. Himala, may laman pala ang bag niya?

Umupo siya sa swivel chair sa tabi ko at bumuntong hininga. I resumed typing my report in my laptop na tila walang naririnig. He scooted closer with the swivel chair and sighed, this time louder. Alam ko ang gusto niyang mangyari kaya lalo ko siyang hindi pinansin.

Lalo siyang lumapit at pinatong ang kaliwang pisngi sa malamig na table at muling bumuntong hininga habang pinagmamasdan ako. I inhaled, closed my laptop then faced him.

"Okay, what?" I asked, arms folded in front of my chest. "Kanina ka pa nagpaparinig, Gavin."

His lips pulled up in a pout like a naughty kid. "Dami ko kailangan isulat, babes," reklamo niya. "Ayaw na akong pahiraman ng notes ng mga kaklase ko."

"Ikaw ba naman kasi ang manghiram ng notes sabay palibre ng photocopy?"

His lips instantly pulled side to side in a grin. "Syempre, para sulit."

I rolled my eyes at his remark. Gavin was the type of student professors considered as trouble in class. Kahit nga wala sa klase, kung ano-anong kalokohan na ang ginagawa.

"Just start writing para matapos mo agad," I muttered.

"Tinatamad ako, babes." His face remained resting against the table surface, tamad na tamad.

"Seriously, Gavin? With all that sighing, you should at least have the initiative."

"Pangit sulat ko babes. Hindi ko maintindihan kapag binasa ko na."

"I can't be that bad," I insisted saka inabot ang notebook niyang nakapatong sa table. I opened and flipped the pages to see his notes, followed by a scrunch of my face.

"What the heck?" It's like the handwriting of a grade school students in all uppercase letters with no proper sizing. His notebook was lined pero maging sa linya lumalampas pa siya.

"Nag-picture nga lang ako sa board noong nagd-discuss prof namin kanina," patuloy niyang reklamo.

"Just start writing down. Matatapos mo din naman," I told him. But instead of doing what he was supposed to do, he started going around the room, playing with the swivel chair.

"Babes..."

"What?"

Muli siyang lumapit sa'kin. "Pangsulat mo ako."

Tinitigan ko siya nang masama. "Gavin, wala kang kamay?"

Inabot niya ang armrest ng swivel chair kung saan ako nakaupo para hilain ang sarili niya sa harapan ko. "Mas maganda sulat mo babes. Ikaw siguro ang pinagsusulat sa blackboard ng teachers noong grade school."

"Nang-uto ka pa?" irap ko sa kanya.

He chuckled. "Honest lang."

"What would I get in return?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Whoa," he exclaimed, our knees touching as we sat in front of each other. "Business student ka talaga babes, walang patawad." Muli siyang humakhak.

"I'm just applying what I'm learning... and I should probably add tax."

Ngumisi siya sabay abot ng sariling notebook. He reached for the pen beside my closed laptop at nagsulat. Then he ripped the page and handed it to me, smiling proudly.

"Ito babes, hindi ka makakatanggi. Sulit na sulit ka dito."

I gave him a suspicious gaze before reading what's written on the notebook page. "Special Voucher: Date with the pinakapoging Gavin Nicholo."

What the heck?

Binalik ko ang tingin kay Gavin na proud na proud pa sa kalokohan niya. "Pwede mo 'yang i-claim kahit kailan babes. Isang beses lang dapat pero 'pag sa'yo, pwedeng unlimited."

I gave him a deadpan look, but I admit, it was clever of him. "This must be your technique to date girls in your class, huh?" panunukso ko sa kanya.

Sumeryoso ang mukha niya sa sinabi ko. "Ikaw lang pinagbigyan ko niyan, babes."

Tinitigan ko ang papel bago ito binulsa. "Fine, I'll take it."

Tila nabigla siya na pumayag ako. "Whoa, babes. Pumayag ka talaga," saka siya humalakhak. Buti nalang at kami palang ang tao sa office, kundi kanina pa siya nabatukan ni Pia dahil sa ingay niya.

"I didn't say I'd claim it," I pointed out. "I'll just help you so you don't have to annoy me."

Hindi naalis ang ngiti sa labi niya. "Sayang ang special voucher babes. Minsan lang 'yan."

I rolled my eyes at him, smiling. "Let's just start."

With his notebook and using my pen, Gavin started to read his notes out loud from his phone while I write them. There were times we had to come up with our own understanding of the sentences because most of his pictures, the professor was blocking the words from the projected presentation or those written on the white board.

After thirty minutes of writing, dumating ang ibang members sa office. Pia and Lawrence arrived from covering an event at the school gym. Pinatong ni Pia ang mga dalang gamit ang ang DSLR camera sa conference table.

"Kapal mo talaga, Gavin. Ginawa mo pang secretary 'tong si Isabelle," she muttered to Gavin, habang si Lawrence dumeretso sa pantry para maghanap ng pagkain.

"Isabelle, inuuto ka lang ng gagong 'yan," dugtong ni Lawrence habang binubuksan ang isang pack ng potato chips.

Umiling ako habang nakangiti. "He gave me payment for this," I told them.

Hindi makapaniwala ang dalawa na humarap kay Gavin na walang ginawa kundi humalakhak. "Hoy, ilayo niyo nga ang mga mukha niyong dalawa..." asik niya kay Lawrence at Pia, sabay slide ng swivel chair palayo sa kanila.

After an hour, finally we were done with Gavin's note. I slide his notebook back to him on the table which he immediately checked. "Ganda talaga ng sulat ng babes ko."

"Ikaw lang naman 'tong makasulat akala mo doctor."

Maging ang mga bagong dating sa office na si Rhea, Stephen at Charlie ay natawa sa sinabi ko.

"Pakinggan mo 'yang babes mo, Gavin, para mag-improve naman sulat mo," biro ni Stephen.

Gavin's smile remained playful. "Babes, walang expiration 'yong voucher pero baka naman," pangaasar niya. "One call away lang ako, anytime, any day."

Napailing lang ako habang inaayos ang sarili kong mga gamit para pumunta sa susunod kong klase. Gavin automatically stood up with me and took my bag.

"Tara na, babes."

Nagpaalam kami sa mga kasama namin bago umalis sa office. "Ingat ka 'dyan sa kasama mo," pahabol ni Lawrence bago sinara ni Gavin ang pinto sa mukha niya.

Naglakad kami sa pathway papunta sa CBA building. I was kind of used to Gavin walking me to class. Maging ang mga kaklase ko ay sanay ng nakikita siyang hinahatid ako.

Gavin draped his arm to my shoulder habang naglalakad. "Babes?"

"Yep?"

I was in the middle of organizing my index card notes while walking through the pathway with him. Mabuti nalang at nakapagreview na ako kanina bago ako kinulit ni Gavin.

I almost dropped my notes when Gavin swiftly pulled me close to his chest after a group of rowdy freshmen walked with us, taking most of the pathway.

"Muntik ka nang mabangga," sabi ni Gavin na hawak parin ako nang mahigpit sa kanyang dibdib.

I stepped away and stood up straighter. "Thanks," I mumbled, almost out of my senses with Gavin so close to me.

"Basta ikaw, babes," he grinned bago kami nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

Pagdating sa building, kinuha ko ang gamit ko mula kay Gavin saka nagpaalam. Pero nabigla ako nang hawakan niya ako sa magkabilang balikat. He planted a light kiss on my forehead which took me by surprise.

Napakurap ako. "What's that for?"

"Wala lang," he grinned.

I faked a frown. "You're teasing me again."

Inabot niya ang ulo ko upang guluhin ang buhok ko. "Bilis na, babes. Mal-late ka na."

Bigla kong naalala ang oras saka ako muling nagpaalam sa kanya. "See you in the office later."

Nakangiti siya habang nakatitig sa'kin, both hands shoved inside the front pocket of his hoodie. Pagdating sa loob ng classroom, agad akong nilapitan ng dalawang seatmate ko.

"Hinatid ka nanaman ng boyfriend mo," tukso nila.

I shake my head, smiling. I've been telling them that Gavin was not my boyfriend and we're only part of the same organization, but no matter what I reasoned out, hindi na sila naniniwala sa'kin kaya hinayaan ko nalang.

Bago dumating ang professor, kinuha ko ang piraso ng nakatuping papel mula sa bulsa ko. Gavin's special voucher. I wonder when I can use it.

//

Author's Note:

If you still miss Arcadian, specially Gavin and Isabelle, you can check the special chapter where Isabelle used Gavin's voucher on a date!

The special chapter is already posted in my profile entitled "The Spectacular Night". It also contains interaction among SS and SP characters (a crossover!). See you there!

Sincerely,
April

#SSoneshot