IT'S been a month since Gemini's Ninang Leanna died. Gemini was in pain but still tried to cope up with the help of Tarius. 

He's been with her since the day she received the bad news about her Ninang. Slowly, Gemini's trying her best to be a better person. With the help of Tarius, she's trying to be good. She can say that she's improving, a little. But still, small improvement is still a progress.

Makalipas din ang isang buwan, pinayagan na siyang umuwi at ngayon ay muli na naman siyang babalik sa paaralan.

"Come on, Tarius! Let me at least bring my make-up kit!" She groaned.

"Gemini, ipapaalala ko lang sa'yo na school ang pupuntahan mo. Mag-aaral ka, hindi magmomodel." Walang ganang saad ni Tarius.

Gemini stomped her feet at Tarius' response. "Bwisit ka talaga! Make-up lang, eh!"  Reklamo pa niya.

"Make-up kit daw pero ang lagayan nakamaleta." He said sarcastically. "iwan mo na 'yan. Ang dami mo nang dala."

Gemini gave him a sharp glare then shouted, "Ano bang pakelam mo, ha?! Ako ang magdedesisyon kung ano ang dadalhin ko dahil 'yon ang gusto ko! At ang gusto ko ay dalhin ang make-up kit ko at 'yon ang gagawin ko! Ah, nakakaasar ka talaga!" Nagmartsa siya papasok sa banyo sa loob ng kanyang kwarto at padabog na isinara ang pinto.

Napailing namana ng binata sa kanya. "Ang tigas talaga ng ulo. Mukhang mahihirapan talaga ako sa kanya."

***

While the two, Gemini and Tarius, are on their way to the school, Tarius notices that Gemini didn't bring her make-up kit.

"Oh, akala ko ba dadalhin mo ang make-up kit mo?" Nakangising tanong niya.

Kumunot naman ang noo nang dalaga ngunit hindi niya nilingon ang binata. Napairap siya sa ere at isinuot ang dinala niya kaninang earpods bago sumagot.

"B-Because..." Napangiwi si Gemini nang mautal siya. "I mean...I just realized that ang hirap no'n dalhin kaya iniwan ko na lang. Like duh, ayoko nang madagdagan ang bitbitin ko. Saka ano bang pakialam mo?!"

Muntik nang mapatalon sa gulat ang driver  ni Gemini dahil sa biglang pagsigaw ng dalaga.

Palihim na sumulyap ang driver sa rear-view mirror. Napansin nito na nakasuot ng earpods and dalaga so he predicted that she was talking to her friends.

'It's a good thing that Mademoiselle still talks to her friends. I'm glad.' The driver said in his mind.

The driver shrugged his shoulders and focused on the road.

Tarius on the other hand, teases Gemini. "Sus, ba't 'di mo pa kasi sabihin na sinunod mo ang sinabi ko." 

"Edi wow! Desisyon ka eh, 'no?" Sagot nang dalaga.

Actually, she really did obey Tarius when he said that she should not bring her make-up kit. She realized that maybe he was right. And besides, Tarius is trying to help her to be a better person so she needs to listen to him.

"Sige, kunwari naniwala na lang ako." Ngising saad ng binata.

This bastard...ang lakas talaga ng apog!

Gemini just stayed silent, she planned to ignore Tarius throughout the ride and fortunately, she succeeded.

Nang makarating sila sa paaralan, kaagad bumaba ang dalaga. She took her fancy sunglasses out and wore them. Maarte niyang hinawi ang kanyang buhok at dinampot ang kanyang limited edition Gucci bag na ang tanging laman lang ay ang kanyang wallet, cellphone at iba pang mga abubot. 

Napangisi ang dalaga nang marinig niya ang bulungan ng mga estudyante. 

"Finally, the bitch is back." She said, happily. 

"Akala ko ba magiging mabait ka na?" Halos mapatalon sa gulat ang dalaga nang biglang sumulpot ang binatang multo sa kanyang gilid. 

Gemini heaved a sigh as she massaged her forehead.

I almost forgot about him and that...being a good girl thingy. 

"Oh, yeah...that thing." She stated as she secretly grimaced. 

Parang gusto kong bawiin ang sinabi ko. 

Nang makarating siya sa kanyang classroom, kaagad siyang nagtungo sa dati niyang upuan. But to her shock, someone was already sitting there. A female student that she doesn't know.

What is this bitch doing on my chair? Gosh, mag-i-spread ang germs niya! Ew! 

In annoyance, Gemini walked to the girl's direction then shouted angrily, "Hey!"

Napalingon naman ang lahat ng kaklase niya sa kanya. Karamihan ay nagulat habang ang iba naman ay walang pakialam. 

Gemini was about to shout at the girl when Tarius suddenly popped out in front of her. Tarius didn't utter any words, he just raised an eyebrow and looked at her with warning. 

Napasinghap ang dalaga at mariin na napapikit. 

Bwisit talaga! 

Gemini faked a cough. "That's my chair you're sitting on, Miss, so get out." Mahinahong aniya ngunit ang kanyang kamao ay mahigpit na nakakapit sa kanyang palda. 

Some gasped because of Gemini's calm voice. So unlike her.

Samantalang si Tarius naman ay napahampas na lamang sa kanyang noo dahil sa nasaksihan. 

'Walang'ya, mahinahon nga pero yung pananalita...walang duda, maldita nga talaga.' Ani Tarius sa kanyang isipan. 

The girl who's sitting at Gemini's spot raised her eyebrow. "Excuse me?" Maarteng aniya saka tumayo. "Pinapaalis mo ako sa pwesto ko? Hindi mo ba ako kilala, you poor little wannabe bitch?" 

And that's it. Gemini lost it. With those words, she immediately lost her temper and freed the bitchiness hiding inside her. 

"I don't know you and I don't fucking need to know you! You listen to me, you pathetic creature! I am the Queen here! Kaya ang gusto ko ay dapat nasusunod!" She hissed. 

The woman in front of her rolled her eyes. "Oh please, 'wag ka ngang self-proclaimed Queen d'yan. Sa itsura mong 'yan? You're disgusting." 

Tarius on the other hand, tried to stop her by distracting her. He tried to make some funny faces just to get Gemini's attention but he failed. 

"Me? Disgusting?" Gemini laughed sarcastically. "I'll show you what disgusting looks like." 

"No, no, no!" Tarius gasped. Napahilamos ang binata sa kanyang mukha gamit ang kanyang dalawang kamay. 

Gemini marched to their garbage bins and looked around. She was looking for gloves but she found none. 

"You!" Turo niya sa isang babaeng kaklase niya. "Give me your fucking handkerchief this instance!" Utos niya na kaagad din namang sinunod ng babae. 

With the help of the handkerchief, Gemini carried the trash bin. Bumalik siya sa harap ng babae at binaba ang trash bin. 

The woman in front of her scoffed. "It's that it? 'Yan ba ang tinutukoy mong disgusting? Sabagay pwede na, para ka lang din namang basura."

Gemini didn't say anything. She stood up elegantly as she launched a punch on the woman's face. Everyone screamed in shock. 

Napahiga ang babae at napaiyak nang makitang dumudugo ang kanyang ilong. Balak sanang tulungan ng iba ang babae ngunit tinignan sila ni Gemini ng masama kaya napaatras sila. 

Gemini picked up the trash bin and poured it to the girl. She wasn't that satisfied so when she saw a tumbler, she took it and opened it. Slowly, she poured it to the girl while grinning evilly. 

"I think there's something missing, Miss Ayala." Napalingon si Gemini sa kanyang likod nang mayroon siyang marinig na pamilyar na boses ng isang babae. It was Lore. 

"And what is that?" Maarteng aniya. 

Lore gave her a packed lunch. Hesitating, Gemini accepted it with confusion. "What the hell will I do with this?" Naiiritang aniya. 

Nagkibit-balikat si Lore. "Anything." She said shortly.

Tumaas naman ang kilay ng dalaga at kalaunay napangiti. She opened the lid and without saying anything, she poured it to the poor girl in front of them while laughing.

Mas lalo namang napaiyak ang babae at walang sabi-sabing tumayo at tumakbo palabas ng classroom. 

When the woman left, Lore clapped her hands to get their classmates' attention. "Everyone, can you all pretend that nothing happened? Just pretend that Gemini did that for self-defense. Is that okay?" Pakiusap ng dalaga na may matamis na ngiting nakaukit sa kanyang labi. 

Because of Lore's charm, everyone agreed and returned to their own businesses. 

"Stop this bullshit, what do you want?" Diretsong tanong ni Gemini. 

Bumuntong hininga si Lore bago nagsalita. "It's about your friends..." 

"What about them?" Gemini looked at Lore boredly. 

"Grabe ka na, bhie. Tama na ang pagiging mataray mo." Biglang singit ni Tarius. Gemini ignored him so Tarius leaned on the wall and sulked. 

"They left...umalis na sila sa bansa. Including Weather." Lore informed her. 

"Pinagbibiro mo ba ako babae? Masasampal kita kapag nalaman kong pinagloloko mo ako." Banta ni Gemini. 

"Why would I bother tell this to you kung hindi naman totoo?" Asar na sagot ni Lore. 

Napaisip naman si Gemini. Naalala niya na halos isang buwan na rin ang huling pagkikita nila ng kanyang mga kaibigan. The last time that they saw each other was at her Ninang Leanna's funeral. 

"Maybe they just went for vacation." Sagot niya. 

"Vacation? Ngayong may pasok pa? Saka bakit pa nila ibebenta ang bahay at lupa nila Weather kung vacation lang? Even Cawie's moved from abroad too!" Lore stated, emphasizing every word she said. 

Napahinto naman si Gemini dahil sa narinig. 

They sell their house? Why?

Lore sighed. "Kung ayaw mo maniwala sa akin, pumunta ka sa bahay nila noon." She advised before walking out. 

Did my friends really...leave me? They promised to me that they won't leave me. But...why? 

Napailing si Gemini at mahinang sinampal ang kanyang magkabilang pisngi. 

No, 'wag kang negative, Gemini. My friends won't leave me. Ever. I trust them. Saka kung aalis sila bakit hindi nila sinabi sa akin? 

"Siguro pinagloloko lang ako ng bruhildang 'yon." Aniya sa sarili. 

"Hey, are you okay?" Tarius approached her. Gemini took a glimpse of him then nodded. 

"Yeah, I'm good. Why won't I be okay? Alam ko namang pinagloloko lang ako ng bruhang 'yon." She answered and searched for a vacant chair to sit on.

During the class hours, Gemini was silent. She was too occupied with the thought of her friends leaving her. Meanwhile, Tarius keeps on glancing at her, making sure if she is okay. And based on what he observed, Gemini's not fine. 

Nang matapos ang klase, kaagad dumiretso ang dalawa sa bahay nila Cawie and to Gemini's shock, Cawie and her family really went abroad. Pero hindi doon nawala ang pag-asa ni Gemini, they still have to go to Shanaz's place.

The whole ride, Gemini was anxious. She can't help not to over think that what if, what Lore said was true? But she still hoped that maybe it's just some kind of a joke. 

But to her disappointment, it wasn't. Just like Cawie, Shanaz's family also left the country. 

Gemini felt betrayed and left alone. She was too disappointed and sad. 

Why did you leave me?