Baby Madness

Chapter 13

"Okay, guys. Reports will be done in pairs. Choose your partner."

Pagkarinig ko sa sinabi ni Sir ay alam ko na ang mangyayari. I would be alone. Well, that was actually okay since I don't have to deal with someone.

"Uhm, okay lang ba sa'yo kung partner tayo?" biglang tanong ni Katrina, 'yong babae sa harapan ko.

"Bakit?" tanong ko at 'di siya nakasagot. That was the first time someone dared to ask me to be his or her partner.

"Ahh k-kasi . . . s-sige okay lang kahit huwag na—"

"Fine," I said and she looked at me with her eyes wide open.

"R-really?"

"Ayaw mo?"

"N-no! I mean, partner na tayo!"

"Weirdo."

Hinayaan ko naman siyang tumabi sa akin at in fairness sa kanya, hindi siya masyadong naiintimidate. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung kailan nagsimula na lagi niya akong tinatanong ng kung anu-ano. Maybe because she still thought I saved her from those bullies.

Nag-usap lang kami about sa report, which is an oral presentation about the culture of the assigned country.

"Sige, I'll search some journals about it kapag sinabi na ni Sir ang naassign sa'tin," she said. I didn't expect her to be this responsible.

"Okay," maikli kong sagot at bigla naman siyang tumitig sa akin. "What?"

"M-may nabasa lang ako somewhere. I-ikaw raw ang third party—"

"Huwag mo nang ituloy 'yang sasabihin mo kung ayaw mong mawalan ng partner," I warned.

"S-sorry! Hindi ko sinasadya. I'm sorry."

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako dahil doon na naman ang punta ng usapan. Nakakainis lang dahil tuwing nababanggit o nakikita ako ng mga tao, inaassociate agad nila ako sa Queeñigo na 'yon.

Lumabas naman agad ako after ng class at dumiretso sa library para mag-search na about sa topic na in-assign samin ni Sir bago matapos ang klase. Dumiretso ako sa history section at kumuha ng libro tungkol sa Singapore. Hah! Talk about fate.

After pulling out five books, I walked toward my usual spot but someone was already there. Sino pa nga ba?

Binagsak ko ang mga libro sa tapat niya, dahilan para mapatingin siya. He was solving some equations, and looking at those made my head spin.

"Tapos na klase mo?" tanong niya sabay tingin sa wall clock kaya napatingin din ako.

"Malamang. Nandito ba ko kung hindi pa?"

"Sungit," bulong niya pero rinig naman.

Umupo ako sa tapat niya at nagsimulang magbasa pero nadidistract ako sa polo shirt niya. Dalawa na nga lang ang butones sa taas, hindi niya pa nakabit nang tama.

"Hoy," mahina kong tawag at tumingin naman siya. I pointed at his shirt but he seemed confused. After a few seconds, he finally noticed it.

"Ah. Hayaan mo na. Mamaya na lang," sabay ngiti niya pa at nagsolve ulit siya.

I tried hard to ignore it but if you're a person who always wants to see things in place and neat, you would really be bothered even by that small detail. Bakit ba hindi niya magets 'yon?!

I couldn't take it anymore so I leaned forward and pulled his shirt.

"Teka anong gag—"

"Shut up," I said while glaring at him. "Mismatches in clothes are extremely annoying and distracting."