9 // Mess They All Want

The glass wall of our Café Mostaccio has designs that made some parts of it frosted, but there were also still parts that were clear. And in one clear hole, I saw Pol's face with a mocking smile on his annoying lips. As if he knew what just happened.

Humagalpak ng tawa si Jules. Mahina pa niyang hinampas ang table. "That's right, Jerrick. Ganyan ang gusto kong mga banat mo!"

Oh god. I hope it rains! Like, now!

"Yeah, that's the classic Jerrick," segunda ni Kurt, halatang kinukutya ang kaibigan.

Jerrick only hissed at his best friend. "You're lucky I like saving your ass."

Focus, Vie! Focus on your iced coffee instead! But I just couldn't. Lalo na noong nakita kong may ibinulong si Les sa pinsan ko. I got a bit bothered and was dying to know what that was about. Now all I'm left to do was to anxiously sip coffee through my metal straw.

Hindi ko makagat iyong straw. That's what I usually do when I'm bored, or to somehow ease tension when I'm feeling weird.

"Jerrick, curious sila sa rumors mo," natatawang sabi ni Jules pagkatapos ng bulungan nila ni Lesly.

Pulang pula si Lesly. So obviously, hindi niya inasahan na ganoon ang gagawin ng pinsan ko.

"Iyong about kay ano," she stopped to think furiously. Nakakunot pa iyong noo niya. Binalikan niya ng tingin si Lesly. "Sino ulit si girl? Fiona ba, tama? The top student?"

Bago pa makasagot si Lesly ay nakapag-react na itong katabi ko. He was quick to glance at me before answering.

"Oh, Fiona?" Humalakhak siya. He tilted his face to see his best friend, "I know what this is."

"Yes, yes, one of the top five," acknowledged Kurt with a nod and a sigh, as if he felt tired with this kind of topic.

But for my friends, things were just getting started. From the looks on their faces right now, I knew they wouldn't let these two go without any giveaway.

Lumapit si Kurt sa kaibigan para mahina niya itong masiko. Ngumisi siya kasabay ang suhestiyon, "Don't tell them yet, let's hear their version first."

"That's the plan," sagot ni Jerkrick.

Umismid ako. Iniwas ko ang tingin ko para bumulong sa hangin.

"Wow. For a heartbreaker with reputation, you aren't quick to defend. I wonder what's up. Losing touch?"

He laughed, as expected. Of course, I wanted him to hear it even if I said it unclearly. But I also wanted to offend him, not amuse him! I'm usually very good at this to my cousins, but with this piece of sheez, I kept on losing!

"Sunshine, this type of heartbreaker doesn't do presscon. I'll only defend myself to the person I'm ready to commit to, while on my knees and begging please."

"Which, right now, is no one," Kurt butted in, again. "O, baka may gusto kang sabihin, pre?"

Prenteng sumandal si Jerkrick sa upuan. Inunat niya ang braso niya para ipatong ito sa kahabaan ng armrest. But his arms were longer that it reached my chair. Ngayon ay nagmukha pang nakaakbay siya sa akin.

"Nah, I'll only tell her when she's ready to hear it," he said it like a promise.

Napasipsip na naman ako sa kape ko habang ang mata ko ay naniningkit sa inis.

He leaned forward to reach my face. "Hey, sunshine. It may or may not be you. So don't feel crazy yet," mayabang niyang sabi.

Sabay sabay nagtawanan sina Jules. I could feel so much blood climbing up my face. Tomato face, what's good?

"Hey!" suway ni Jules, "Bago mo ligawan ang pinsan ko, we need the clarifications first."

"Okay, sure," humalakhak siya at ibinalik ang sarili sa maayos na pagkakaupo. He looked at Lesly, "What did our section say about me and Fiona?"

Lesly nervously chuckled. "What?"

"I'm not mad. I don't feel anything about the rumors, Lesly. But I just wanna say that I know you were in that section, too."

"Really? Napansin mo ako noon?" she even asked with awe.

Lesly, hindi sila celebrities! Don't give them that satisfaction.

Umirap ako at ibinaling ang tingin ko sa entrance café.

Mostaccio were once again swarmed up by the students who were just out from their classes. Simula hapon ay madalas dito ang punta ng karamihan. But if not here, they're at Bistro Bistro.

Bumabati pa si Jules sa mga kakilala na paparating pa lang sa café. Usually ay tango lang dahil palagi naman silang nagkikita rito. Some of them, I knew from their faces, na kapag wala si Jules ay ako ang tumatango sa kanila kahit hindi ko pa sila nakakausap ever.

"Anyway!" biglaang sabi ni Lesly. There really was a sudden change of tone, siguro ay nahimasmasan sa sinabi. There, she realized it herself.

"Wait, sasabihin mo talaga?" With wide-eyes, Cara tried to whisper to Les.

"Ikaw itong may gusto ng confirmation, diba? I'm doing this for you!" she spat back. Cara only shrugged. Binalikan niya ng tingin si Jerrick, na kanina pa naghihintay na makuha ang sagot niya.

"Fiona the top student. Super close kayo before, right?" Les started off. Simula pa lang ay ngumisi na si Jerrick. "I mean, wait, okay from the beginning! Sa dulong row ka nakaupo during class orientation, diba? Tapos you only became seatmates with Fiona, the top student, just because you exchanged seats with Pete Garcia."

Was it needed to address Fiona with her title as the top student, like, every time?

"Yeah. I also get the need of emphasis on the top student description." Humalakhak siya. "Please continue."

"O, tapos simula noon ay naging super close na kayo. Parang may sarili kayong mundo ni Fiona. Your faces were almost touching while you do something on your phones, that was always the scene before our professor started the class," pagpapatuloy ni Les.

"I also heard na every time may group activity ay magka-group kayo," said Cara this time. She looked at Les to ask, "You confirm this, right?"

"Affirmative. Their group always gets the highest grade, thanks to Fiona the top student."

Napatigil sa pag kain si Jules sa narinig. Nakakunot ang noo niya at pabalik-balik ang tingin kina Lesly at Jerrick.

"Sabay na rin daw kayong pumapasok sa klase simula nung maging close kayo. Palagi. That's why people thought na may something talaga sa inyo ni Fiona noon," Cara pointed out.

Engrossed na engrossed ang dalawa sa topic na 'to, habang si Jules ay chill lang na nakikinig habang kumakain ng nachos.

I shouldn't have been polite and instead declined the offer to get involve in a what seemed like an afternoon showbiz interview.

"Yes. Not until a few weeks before the semester ended, bumalik na si Pete sa tabi ni Fiona. She became silent, you became silent. Para kayong nag-break noon! Ang ending, buong klase tuloy tahimik kahit wala pa si prof!" madamdaming sabi ni Lesly.

Nakataas ang isang kilay ni Kurt habang nakikinig, ang labi naman niya ay may kakambal na ngisi tulad ng sa kaibigan niya.

"Just say it," udyok ni Jerrick habang tumatawa tawa pa. His shoulders were bouncing from amusement. "I wanna hear it."

Lesly's mouth went agape. Hindi ko sila maintindihan. Si Cara kasi ay medyo shookt din pero pabulong niyang pinipilit si Les na sabihin kung ano man iyon.

Ilang beses pa silang nagsikuhan. Hindi sila natapos sa pagtatalo, kaya nainis si Jules at siya na ang bumasag sa suspense.

In a deadpanned voice and an impassive emotion, she said, "They basically wanted to say that you're an asshole who used Fiona the top student to get an Uno."

Seryong binigyan ng high five ni Kurt ang kaibigan. Sabi pa niya ay, "That's it. Those are the words, asshole and a user."

Kaming apat na babae ay naguguluhan. Kami naman ang napatahimik. Hindi nga sila apektado sa mga tsismis. The way they're handling this conversation? Parang hindi si Jerrick ang topic dito.

Jules stretched her arms to reach me and Lesly on the other side. Itinulak niya kami para mailapit niya ang sarili niya sa gitna ng lamesa.

"Wait! Hindi ko gets! I know some of your rumors but not quite about this one," direktang pagtataka niya kay Jerrick. "'Cause I know you're crazy ass smart! Stupid at times in life, for sure! But you're unbelievably smart."

Napatigil ako sa pagsipsip ng kape. My straw escaped my lips as I gaped with my friends. I did not see this coming.

"What?!" exclaimed Cara, tila naiinis pa. "We're all wrong all along?"

Malakas muling nagtawanan sina Jerrick. I even saw slight tear from the corner of Kurt's eye. Anyone could tell that their day were obviously made now. Sa lakas ba naman ng tawa nila. Kahit hindi ko alam kung paano nila nakukuhang maging ganito kasaya.

"This is amazing!" kumento pa ni Kurt.

"Rumors weren't supposed to be true. They're make-believe stories straight outta Cinderella's stepmother's mouth. You never believe in those kind of shits. You only believe in bedtime stories," Jerrick shared sharply.

I rolled my eyes. "You still sure you want to be friends with them? They live for a mess like that."

Nag-kibit siya ng balikat. "I'm the mess people want. What should I do with that?"

I hissed at tsaka napamura. Tumawa siya sa reaksyon ko.

"Okay! So hindi mo nga ginamit si Fiona, Jerrick?" Cara pressed on. "So what's the real tea here? Ano ba talagang nangyari?"

Nakangisi pa rin si Jerkrick. Pinaglaruan niya ang metal straw sa kanyang iced coffee. All eyes were focused on him, but not mine. Iniisa-isa ko ang mga reaksyon nila, pero pareparehas lang silang naghihintay sa isasagot nitong katabi ko.

"Grabe. Tsismis of the year ba 'to? Bakit ganyan kayo lahat?" kill joy kong tanong. Aminado naman ako.

"No, Viennica, we haven't gone to that part yet," maarteng sabi ni Cara na may kasamang irap ng mata.

"Okay, geez! Nagtatanong lang," I defended. Napanguso ako.

Note to Viennica, myself, that if it's anything about tsismis, you have to let your friends sate their curiosity. Or else, you'll be the cat that gets killed.

"Tsaka ko na sasagutin," sabi ni Jerkrick na may himig ng pang-aaasar sa boses.

Umiling si Jules na parang dismayado sa sagot niya.

"What? Ako ang biktima rito. I should at least get back at you girls this way," humalakhak si Jerkrick kasabay ng pa-inosente niyang tanong.

"Besides, marami pang oras. Madalas ako dito sa Mostaccio. Mas dadalasan ko pa ngayon," mahina niyang sinabi iyong huli.

Nang sumulyap siya sa akin ay umiwas ako kaagad. Nainis lang ako. Walang epekto sa akin iyon.

Wala talaga.

"Dude, you're here most weekdays as if you have an attendance here," Kurt pointed out. "Ito lang yata ang attendance na na-perfect mo!"

Tumango si Jules, sang-ayon na sang-ayon siya sa narinig.

"Oo, kailangan ko ng kape kada araw. At tsaka ng sunshine, vitamin D," sabi niya muli ng may ibang himig.

Itinuro ni Jules ang tainga niya at isiningkit ang mata. "What? Vitamin Vie?"

"'Yon din pagkakarinig ko!" Humagikhik pa si Cara.

Napalunok ako. "Wala akong narinig."

To save myself, nilinga ko na lang ang paningin ko. Hinanap ko ulit si Pol. Umaasa lang ako na sana kailangan na niya ng tulong!

Sinundan ni Jerrick ang tinitignan ko. Nagtaka pa siya kung bakit ako nakatingin sa loob ng cafe, pero hindi ko na lang siya pinapansin.

"We have a charity Fun Run coming up if you guys are interested," Lesly finally opened up.

"I'm in," madaling sagot ni Jerrick.

Naging busy si Kurt sa pagte-text, pero tinanong pa rin siya ni Jerrick kung sasama siya. He answered yes.

Naningkit ang mata ko. Pol, just look at me and ask for help! Ayokong basta-basta na lang umalis dito.

"You're game agad kahit di mo pa naririnig ang details?" Nakangiting tanong ni Les.

"I am. Kailan ba?"

"This Saturday na kaagad. I know short notice na pero-"

"It's okay. I'm still game, Les," he cut her off when she got a little bit tense.

"Ayun! Great! Dahil dyan, sisibat na ako 'cause org duties."

Inipon ni Les iyong kalat niya at inilagay sa tray. Ganoon din ang ginawa ni Cara nang walang sinasabi kung aalis na ba siya o hindi. Pero noong tumayo si Les ay tumayo na rin siya.

Yes! Uwian na?

"Gotta go na rin. See ya'll," paalam na ni Cara. Kumaway lang siya ng isa at tsaka humabol kay Les na naglakad na paalis.

Nang walang paalam, si Jules ay diretso nang pumasok sa cafe dala iyong tray na may kalat namin. I mentally scoffed. She's got no hesitations, huh. And here I am trying to be nice?

Napakagat ako sa labi ko at dahan-dahang tumayo. Hindi ko kasi alam kung magpapaalam ba ako sa kanila or hindi na rin tulad ni Jules.

Inayos ko iyong inupuan ko pagkatayo. Ilang na ilang ako dahil hindi ako nawalan ng pares na mata para panoorin ang bawat galaw ko.

"Vie..." pagbasag niya sa katahimikan.

Parang nanginig ang kalamnan ko. Dapat cool lang ako.

"Hmm?" Iginilid ko ang mukha ko para iharap sa kanya, pero ang mata ko ay nakatingin sa upuan. Kunwari ay busy pa rin ako sa pagaayos nito kahit mukhang shunga lang.

"Kasama ka ba sa Fun Run?" he finally asked in an almost shy tone. "On Saturday?"

"Uhh. I think so..."

Napalunok ako nang hindi kaagad siya sumagot. Hindi ko kaya iyong ganitong silence!

Mabilis kong binitawan iyong upuan at tsaka bumwelo. Pilit akong ngumiti nang malapad at tsaka nagpaalam.

"Okay, bye!"

Tapos ay tumakbo na ako papasok ng Mostaccio. Hindi naman ako affected.

Gusto ko lang talaga mag-aircon!

Kasi ang init these days, ano?