Inayos ko sa loob ng folder na dala ko ang lahat ng plates na kailangan kong ipasa kay Prof. Plate number one iyon hanggang plate number fifteen.

I am busy fixing my things when I saw Marcy walking his way towards me. Napatigil ako sa ginagawa ko.

"Bakla!" he yelled.

Mas binilisan niya ang lakad niya palapit sa akin at tumigil sa harap ko.

"Bakit?" kalmadong tanong ko.

Itinuro niya ang hagdanan. Nangunot ang noo ko.

"Ha?" tanong ko ulit nang hindi ko makuha kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin doon.

Marcy closed his eyes. Huminga siya ng malalim at alanganing tinignan ako.

"Si Realtor kase, bakla..." pigil hingingang aniya.

I suddenly become attentive when I heard the name he mentioned.

"Bakit, ha?! Ano'ng nangyari?!" I asked exaggeratedly.

"He punched Denver!" she hissed.

My lips parted in shock. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang marinig ko ang sinabi ni Marcy.

P-punched who?!

"They're outside the gate! Tara na, dalian mo!"

Hinawakan ni Marcy ang kamay ko at walang pasabing hinatak ako paalis ng classroom. Tumatakbo kami habang hawak-hawak niya ako sa kamay ko.

I was catching my breath when we reached the school gate. I immediately saw Denver holding the collar of Realtor's polo while staring at him angrily.

Nangunot na naman ang noo ko nang iba sa sinabi ni Marcy ang naabutan namin.

Nilingon ko ang kaibigan ko.

"I thought he punched him?" patanong na sabi ko.

Nakatitig lamang si Marcy kina Denver at Realtor bago ipinilig ang kanyang ulo.

"Bakla, naman, I saw Realtor punched him!" she initiated.

Tsk.

I didn't speak again. Tinitigan ko na lamang muna ang dalawa. There are lot of college students looking at them. Ang iba sa kanila ay nagbubulangan pa habang nakatingin sa kanila.

Kita ko ang galit sa mga mata ni Denver habang nakatuon ang paningin niya kay Realtor. I started to become curious. They are couple, so, why are they fighting?

As if they are, Raquel. Bulong ng kabilang isip ko.

"What the damn did you do?!" Denver yelled at Realtor's face.

Realtor lifted his lip knowingly. Mas humigpit ang hawak ni Denver sa kuwilyo ng polo niya. The veins on Denver's hand was showing while holding Realtor. Ngunit nag-angat lamang ng labi niya ang huli.

"Gago ka! Sinabi ko sa'yo na huwag mong gawin, hindi ba?!" galit na sigaw ni Denver.

Realtor's lips went in a grim line.

"Nagawa ko na. Ano pa ang magagawa ko?" he said nonchalantly.

Akmang susuntukin ni Denver si Realtor nang bigla akong tumakbo papunta sa kanila. Narinig kong tumili si Marcy ngunit hindi ko siya pinansin.

"What do you think you are doing, Denver?" I interrupted.

Napatingin siya sa akin. I equalled his stares on me.

Denver puffed a breath. Binalik niya ang tingin niya kay Realtor at nagyuko ng ulo. Bigla ko na lamang narinig ang tunog ng kanyang pagtawa.

"That explains why, huh?" Denver said in between his laugh.

Realtor shoved Denver's hand away from his neck. He tilted his head and stood straight. Tumingin sa akin si Realtor.

"May kanya-kanya tayong gusto, Denver. And I did it because I like my reason," nakatitig sa akin na aniya.

I raised my brows at him.

"What about me? You can't just do it without thinking of what will happen after what you did," I heard Denver whispered.

Realtor only tilted his head. He put his hand on his pocket.

"We talked about this, Denver. We were clear when we agreed with this. So, why are you bubbling like I did it the wrong way?" walang emosyong sabi niya kay Denver.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ngunit nakaramdam ako ng kaunting sakit nang marinig ko ang mga iyon. I know myself that there is something happened between them. But I can't also deny the light that I felt.

Denver was pinching the bridge of his nose as he stood straight in front of Realtor.

"Mahal mo ba ang rason na gusto mo?" he asked Realtor.

I breathe deeply. Waiting for him to answer Denver's question.

"I won't do it if I didn't," he said instead.

He didn't denied it. But he didn't confirmed it either.

Bigla akong napaisip kung ano iyon. Kung ano ang pinag-uusapan nilang iyon ngayon sa harapan ko. Both of them seems so serious with what they are talking. Kaya hindi ko mapigilan ang maging kuryuso tungkol doon.

Isa pa, I thought of them being a couple. Kaya bakit susuntukin ni Realtor si Denver kung gano'n? They were so sweet when they were talking on the phone. They even called each other babe.

Lumapit pa ako kay Realtor at hinawakan siya sa pulsuhan niya. Napatingin siya sa akin. Gano'n din si Denver.

He shut his brows at me. I got nervous.

"What do you want?" he asked me casually.

I tucked my hair behind my ear to lessen the nervousness I was feeling.

"M-may sasabihin a-ako," saad ko na nauutal.

He moistened his red cherry lips using his tongue. Napatitig ako sa labi niya. I suddenly remembered the day he kissed me. My face heated.

I unconsciously bit my lips as I looked his. Mas naramdaman ko ang pag-iinit ng mga pisngi ko habang nakatuon doon ang mga mata ko.

"Speak now," he said with finality.

I looked at him in disbelief.

"Ha?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

He tsk-ed when he heard me.

"What is it? Tell me now. May klase pa ako, Raquel," I just stared at him. Dumbfounded.

His being cold. Noong nakaraang gabi pa iyon. It started when Marcy asked me in front of them if I still study here or what. He's acting like I am nothing. At naiinis ako roon ngunit hindi ko masabi.

I guess he's being unreasonable for treating me that way. But I didn't tell him a word about what I felt because I somehow understand him. Matagal ko na siyang kilala kaya alam ko ang nararamdaman niya.

But I don't think he know mine. Na alam niya ang kung ano'ng nararamdaman ko. Because if he do, why would he still treat me this way? Hindi ko sinasadya ngunit nasasaktan ako sa paraan ng pagtrato niya sa akin. Because he's Realtor. Siya iyon at hindi kung sino lang.

Bumaling ako ng tingin kay Denver na ngayon ay nakatingin na rin sa akin. Hindi pa man ako nagsasalita ay tumango na siya. I smiled at his action. But he didn't smiled back.

Buong lakas kong hinatak si Realtor paalis doon. Ramdam kong nagulat siya sa ginawa ko ngunit nagpatuloy pa rin ako.

"Hoy, bakla! Saan kayo pupuntang, gaga ka?!" sigaw ni Marcy nang madaanan namin siya.

Hindi ko ulit siya pinansin at dumiretso lamang ng lakad patungo sa may parking lot. We stopped in front of my car. Inilabas ko gamit ang kaliwang kamay ko ang susi ng kotse ko. I clicked it.

Inalis niya ang pagkakahawak ko sa pulsuhan niya. Napatingin ako sa kamay namin. Nakaramdam ako ng kaunting lungkot dahil doon.

"Ano ba sa tingin mo ang ginagawa mo, ha?" malamig ang tinig na tanong niya sa akin.

I looked up to him. Sumalubong sa akin ang kunot niyang noo at ang nagsasalubong niyang mga kilay. His eyes wasn't showing any emotion except for... Loneliness?

I felt my heart tightened inside of my ribcage when I saw the look in his eyes.

W-was it my fault?

Huminga ako ng malalim upang mapigilan ko ang kabang nararamdaman ko.

"Bakit kayo nag-away?" diretsong tanong ko.

Hindi niya ako sinagot. Tumalikod lamang siya sa akin at humakbang ng ilang beses palayo sa akin.

He's doing it again. Walking away from me.

Nagtataka ako kung paano niya nagagawang humakbang palayo sa akin nang walang kahirap-hirap. Gayung ako ay hindi ko iyon magawa kahit ang subukan man lamang.

"Stop turning your back against me, Realtor," I heard the hurt in my own voice.

Napatigil siya.

"Huwag mo akong talikuran," mahinang sabi ko ulit.

He didn't flinched a bit. Nanatili siyang nakatalikod sa akin at hindi gumagalaw.

"Why? Are you hurt everytime I'm doing it?" he asked.

"Pinapatay mo ako," I said.

Bigla siyang napalingon sa akin. Kunot pa rin ang kanyang noo habang tinitignan ako. Naramdaman kong mag-init ang gilid ng mga mata ko nang humarap siya sa akin.

"Pero papatayin mo rin ako, Raquel," aniyang hindi ko maintindihan.

"Realtor,"

"Papatayin mo rin ako kapag ikaw naman ang umalis," napakagat labi siya. Napatigil naman ako dahil doon.

Kita ko ang hirap niya sa bawat lunok na kanyang ginagawa. Ikinuyom niya ang kanyang mga palad. He looked at the sky.

"Mas maigi na nasanayin ko ang sarili ko habang maaga pa. Because I don't think I can handle it when you leave me so sudden."

Biglang bumigat ang dibdib ko sa sinabi niya. He's thinking about it. Sa pag-alis ko. Naramdaman kong may tumulong butil ng luha mula sa gilid ng kaliwang mata ko.

"Tatanungin kita, Realtor. Please do answer me with honesty," I said instead.

Gusto kong malaman ngayon ang sagot niya. Nang sa gano'n ay malaman ko kung ano ang magiging desisyon ko.

"There is no use of ask—" I cut him off.

"Mahal mo ba ako?" umaasang tanong ko.

"Stop asking nonsense—"

"Hindi iyon wala lang, Realtor! I'm asking you so please answer me honestly..."

"Cut it out, Raquel—"

"Sagutin mo ang tanong ko, Realtor," I said firmly.

He looked at me. Seryoso niya akong tinitigan nang marinig niya ang dedikasyon sa boses kong iyon.

I can feel my heart beating too loud because of my sudden question. But I wanted to figure out if he love me or not. Matagal ko na 'yong gustong itanong.

"I do. I do love you even before," seriously, he said.

I felt my knees turning into jelly. Pakiramdam ko ay bigla akong nanghina nang marinig ko ang sagot niya.

Mas lalo ko lamang naramdaman ang pag-iinit ng gilid ng aking mga mata at isa-isang pagpatak ng aking mga luha dahil sa saya. I couldn't name the emotions that I was feeling because of his confession.

All I thought was, I was the only one who's drowning. That I was the only one who sank but, he did. He drowned. He drowned on me.

Ang pagtulo ng aking mga luha ay hindi ko alam kung paano ko pipigilan. Ang saya sa loob ng puso ko ay hindi ko magawang pangalanan. All that I know is that, it was beyond happiness. I was beyond happy.

"Don't blame me, Raquel, if I only want to guard my heart this time," may hinanakit na aniya sa akin.

I didn't know what to say. Kung ano ba ang dapat kong sabihin sa kanya sa mga oras na ito. Hindi ko alam sapagkat masaya ako. Maligaya.

Despite of our distance, I saw how his eyes turned into bloodshot. Namumula iyon hindi dahil sa galit, kung hindi ay dahil sa luha na pinipigilan niyang huwag tumulo.

Sa hitsura niyang iyon ay mas lalo lamang nag-unahan sa pagbagsakan ang aking mga luha.

"I love you so much that it hurts inside. I love you so much that I think I'm going insane hearing the name of that asshole coming from your mouth. I love you so much that I feel like I'm dying knowing that you'll leave me here at Navas one of these days. And I love you so damn much that I didn't even know how to unlove you, Raquel..." he almost whispered the last sentence.

Naglakad siya palapit sa akin at tumigil isang hakbang mula sa akin.

"I don't want to be selfish but I want to be greedy, Raquel," saad niya.

"Maging gahaman ka pagdating sa akin, Realtor. Be greedy and keep me," lumuluhang ani ko.

"Raquel..."

"I'm begging you. Please be greedy."

He shook his head multiple times.

"It isn't right, Raquel. I didn't even know if I am right either."

"But I will not let you get out of your love for me, Realtor," I cried out. "I always wanted you to be drowned on me. Kaya paano ko hahayaan na makaahon ka pa?!" I uttered in between my sob.

Ako na ang umubos ng distansiya mula sa pagitan namin. I stopped in front of him and looked at him in the eyes.

He lifted his hands and touched me on my face. He caressed it. I closed my eyes when I felt his touch. Napatigil ako sa pagluha.

"How can I still rise from my love for you if I have been drowning for so long, baby?"