As You Lie Awake

CHAPTER 6: STOP IT

Chapter 6: Stop It

Two days have passed. Dalawang araw ko na ring ginagawa ang community service ko. Good thing I have a different task with Iradessa and her minions. Dalawang araw din na maayos ang araw ko. No Semper to annoy me dahil dalawang araw ko rin siyang hindi nakikita. Not that I am looking for him.

"Ano kayang nangyari kay Semper?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Nikki. We were having our lecture and she noticed his absence. "Absent eh."

Baka nakipag-asawa na sa girlfriend niya. Tsk, edi siya na ang may girlfriend! Ang huli kasi naming pag-uusap ay tungkol doon. He also told me his definition of love. Pilit ko namang iniignora si Daven na nasa di kalayuan lamang. As much as possible, I don't want to look at him dahil naiinis lang ako sa sarili ko dahil paulit-ulit kong nakukumpira na mahal ko pa rin siya.

"Miss Dizon?"

I think I heard someone call my last name. Argh, I really hate myself. Ginugulo na nga ni Daven ang utak ko, dinagdagan pa ni Semper.

"Gurl," bulong ni Nikki at kinalabit ako. Napatingin ako sa kanya at saka lamang napansin na nakatunghay sa akin ang buong klase, including Sir Neo.

"Sorry," I mumbled beneath my breath. I saw Sir Neo smiled, but no, the smile spills something. And I hate it.

"See me after the class Miss Dizon," wika niya at nag-resume sa pagtuturo. Hindi man lamang niya ako binigyan ng pagkakataong sumagot.

After the long wait is over, I stayed on the classroom, waited for everyone to go out at nang ako na lamang ang naiwan ay lumapit ako kay Sir Neo na nakangisi habang nagche-check ng quiz namin kanina.

"Gusto niyo po akong makausap, Sir?"

Nag-angat siya ng tingin. Sinadya kong huwag lagyan ng anuman ang boses ko upang kahit papaano ay normal lang ang pag-uusap namin. Let's just say that nothing happened last semester.

He let out his boyish smile. The one that hook all the students here at the university. "I just want to say sorry."

I did not expect the S word kaya nagulat ako. "Pardon?"

"I said I'm sorry," wika niya. His voice sounded sincere, and his eyes supports his voice. "Let's break the ice between us. I know I acted like a jerk and unprofessional, so I am apologizing now."

I was thinking what's the catch. I don't think that he is the apologizing type. No, I never thought that he is one. If he really wanted to, edi sana ay matagal na niyang ginawa. O baka ako lamang ang nagpapakumplikado sa lahat. Delayed apology is still an apology, right?

I thought he will never apologize and continue denying it. But he did. Kahit na matagal bago niya naisipang humingi ng tawad, he still did.

"I was used to girls like those, sorry if I treated you like that," sabi niya. I lost count of how many sorry he said. All I know is that I still cannot believe it. "I am really very sorry, Violet. I think that's the least I can do after I leave this university." Yumuko pa siya at ilang beses na inutal ang salitang sorry. Kinapa ko ang dibdib ko. Ako ang taong hindi mahilig mag-ipon ng sama ng loob sa kapwa and after hearing Sir Neo apologize, mas gumaan ang pakiramdam ko. Really, he is leaving?

"I'm really sorry Violet. Sa totoo lang ay gusto kita. You're smart, pretty and everything and I used my power as your professor beyond its limit." He sounds so sincere in his every word. "I'm very sorry for that."

Hindi naman siguro kailangang mag-ipon pa ako ng sama ng loob sa kanya. I gave him a smile.

"Apology accepted, Sir," wika ko na nagpaangat sa ulo niya. He sweetly smiled at me at inabot ang kamay ko.