Race Against Love (on-going)

Chapter 3

REESE

When I said Adler would be mine, I was dead serious. And it was easy. Well, he's not mine yet, but soon enough.

Simple lang naman ang ginawa ko. And I didn't need anything. Ganda lang talaga ang kailangan at checklist. I smiled at the first one. Sige na nga, isama na ang nag-uumaapaw na self-confidence. Hindi yabang, self-confidence. At malaki ang pinagkaiba ng dalawa.

I started checking his schedules and vacant hours. Next, I had to know where he eats and hangs out. Then of course, I have to befriend his close friends. Lastly, inalam ko kung may girlfriend siya. Unfortunately, his friend Lex couldn't provide any detail. Wala daw siyang nakikitang kasama nito. At wala ring binabanggit si Adler. Hindi ko alam kung ayaw lang sabihin sa akin ni Lex ang totoo. Imposible namang hindi niya nahahalata na gusto ko si Adler.

At kahit meron, so what?

Gusto ko 'yung last part. Ano naman ngayon kung may girlfriend siya? He has a choice. Like we all do. Kung papansinin ba niya ako o hindi, it's up to him. Bad ass, Reese.

Well, hindi naman ako ganun ka-bad. Wala pa naman akong inaagawan ng boyfriend o sinirang pamilya. Mabait naman ako.  Medyo lang.  Mahirap din kasi ang sobrang bait. Sometimes, some people will take advantage of you. Some people will use you. This is life, whether you like it or not, you'll have a share of its bad side. I had mine. And I was a good girl then. So if people will treat you good or bad, it's up to you. Kaya ako, ayokong maging sobrang bait.

And to complete my work, I fixed my schedule. Of course, it should be aligned with his. Hindi naman ako tanga para mag-drop sa mga subjects ko para lang sundan siya araw-araw. I may have like him this much, but duh, nasa tamang pag-iisip naman ako para gumawa pa rin ng tama.

"Ibalik mo agad 'yang mga notes ko ha, may test ako bukas," naiinis na sabi ni Kai at padabog na nilapag ang tatlong notebooks sa harap ko.

Napangiti ako. Alam kong naiinis siya sa akin kasi lagi akong nanghihiram ng mga notes sa kanya. Hindi kami magkakaklase ng two weeks. 'Yan ay para isagawa ang mga stalking plans ko kay Adler. I switched schedules but with same professors. At pumayag naman sila, kesa daw umabsent ako sa mga subjects ko. Well, konting drama lang naman ang ginawa ko about my conflict of schedules. Ginawa kong dahilan ang iba't-ibang school requirements. That's it. No sweat.

"Don't worry, ibabalik ko sa'yo 'to mamaya," sabi ko at nagsimula akong magsulat.

"Later? How's that possible? Wala kang pasok mamaya right?"

Dapat wala akong pasok, kasi until 3pm lang si Adler. But he's extending until 9pm because he'll be handling the Kyokushin evening session. May lakad kasi si Lex, ang original na sensei sa gabi.

"Well, I'm back to regular programming," biro ko.

Papasukan ko na ang last subject na magkaklase kami ni Kai sa hapon. That's at 5pm. And yes, that concludes my stalking agenda. What I have in mind later on, hindi kasama sa mga plano ko. It just came across my mind after Lex told me na uuwi daw muna si Adler at babalik din agad para sa evening Kyokushin class.

"So, balik ka na sa regular schedules mo?" tila hindi makapaniwalang tanong nito.

"Yep," sagot ko habang nagsusulat ng notes.

"Teka lang, two weeks pa lang ah?" naguguluhang tanong nito at umupo sa tabi ko.

I asked her to give me three weeks to execute my plans. Now, I'm cutting it short. Sa tingin ko kasi, hindi ko na kailangang paabutin pa ng three weeks ang pagsasagawa sa mga plano ko.

" I know. I guess I did what I had to do. All I have to do is wait and see," makahulugan kong sabi.

Panay ang sulyap ko sa parking lot entrance. Minabuti kong umupo sa isa sa mga bench, under the mango trees para makita ko lahat ang pupunta sa parking lot.