As Of Now [Editing]

As Of Now Chapter 4: Underneath the Bright Smile

"Of his own will? Parang walang pumilit sa kanya?" I was leaning on the side of Carol's ride, we were both outside her service. I looked down at the ground, thinking things through my little encounter with Matthew. "Yeah, hindi siya pinilit. Nakita ko lang siya pumasok sa classroom at tinabihan ka. Promise, hindi ako nagsisinungaling." She raised her arms in surrender mode, telling me the honest truth she knows.

Demitri and Matthew met my field of vision when I titled my head back up. Seeing them pass by, I notice that Nikki, Thalia and Leigh were a few feet away from them, but still technically following them.

Such stalkers.

"Hey, babalik na ako sa service ko. He's here. You can talk to me by the window though." I told Carol, getting inside the van, sitting at my spot near the window and opening it for Carol.

"Magtatago ka?" she asked half-shocked. I didn't feel like seeing him, or else I might just feel emotional and the piercing feeling in my hands will come back, because I'll have to keep up the lie about my family problem when it was him all along that was the problem.

"Oo, parang ayoko siyang kausapin. I'm," I hesitated, maybe I should already tell her about him and Leigh earlier today, "Still mad, no, jealous?" I can't believe I said that.  "Bakit? Nagseselos?" she asked dubiously. "PDA sina Matthew at Leigh kanina, sakit sa heart." I rolled my eyes at the thought, get that out of my head.

"Hey." Demitri and Matthew popped up from the edge of my window view. I muttered a hi, looking awkwardly below my window. Demitri and Carol started chatting on something I couldn't quite understand, it seems like they're talking over something important, judging by the worried expressions they had on.

Even when I wasn't directly looking at him, I still see glimpses of Matthew staring at me. "You okay?" he mouthed.

I shrugged, I don't even know what I'm feeling right now. "I'll text you later." he raised his phone at me and started tapping away on it. With that, my ride drove off to our village. I was more relieved to get home today, what with the jealousy-there it is again-and the amount of work I'll be doing. Because of me being so into multitasking, I promised myself I'd finish all my work plus my private affairs all in one night.

My phone started ringing after I just went downstairs for some juice. I set down my glass and answered it, not knowing who the caller is. "Hello?" I answered while I placed my bag near my nightstand, pulling out some notebooks and homework. "Hi Cams!" I got greeted by a cute cheery voice, Nikki? 

"Uhm, Nikki?" I asked, my fault for not seeing the caller ID, actually, I don't think I had her number in my phone in the first place.

"Si Nikki nga! Good eve." She sounded awfully clingy right now. Not wanting to sound rude, I continued the conversation, "Hi Nik, what's up?" I casualy asked, jotting down a few answers on my blank worksheet.

"Nakita ka namin ni Leigh sa harap ng bahay niyo, nung papunta kami ni Thalia sa bahay niya."  Recalling the village people here, I remember a girl with wavy brown hair and fair complexion. That must've been Thalia, I've seen here a few times when me and Dawn were at the clubhouse for night swimming, she was walking up to what seemed like her house and locking the door behind her as she stepped in.

"Oh really? Mukhang basura na naman ako," I chuckled, "What were you guys doing there?" It's a school day, and as far as I know, Leigh lives farther than here. Nikki must've been kidding or something, "May kinuha lang kami sa bahay ni Thalia. Last time nandun kami ni Leigh, may mga naiwanan kami." 

"Ohh, well, not to be rude but what's your point?" I chuckled at the last part so it wouldn't make me sound rude.

"Nagpaplano kaming mag-outing sa Saturday, since malapit ka naman kay Thalia, baka gusto mong sumama. I mean, pwede kayon magsabay sa outing namin, if you're up for it."