Hindi ako mapakali sa nalaman ko. It can't be Claude, right? Bakit naman niya gagawin yon?
"Yess," tawag ko sakanya habang nagk-klase
"Hmm?"
"Kaninong pamilya ba ang kinakatakotan dito sa Acacia?"
"Saamin." natatawa niyang sagot.
"Seriously?" umirap ako at bumaling sa harap.
There are many powerful families in Acacia. The Castañedas, Villanuevas, Chavezes, Torralbas, pati Sierras. I want to think it's my cousins who did that but, no. Sinabi niyang hindi ang mga pinsan ko ang may gawa. And Nien's not that aggressive. I want to think it's the Castañedas but they're my cousins too. At hindi naman sila ganon ka overprotective.
This can't be a Villanueva's. Imposible.
"Sierra, Castañeda," biglang nagsalita si Yessenia kaya napatingin ako sakanya pero nasa harap pa din ang atensyon niya, "Ikaw. Your families are both powerful."
See? Hindi nga Villanueva. At kung Villanueva nga, bakit naman gagawin iyon ni Claude? I don't see any reason why he has to be that aggressive in my name.
"And Villanueva, of course." dagdag niya.
Nang lunch time na ay nagkaayaan kami ni Yessenia na umuwi. See? Something's really wrong with her and Nevielle. Nev won't just admit it.
"You sure you don't want to talk about it?" I asked her when she suddenly clung into my arms. She isn't like this. She's not the clingy type and she's irritating me most of the time but right now, she just looks so down.
"Ha?"
I wanted to ask her but when my eyes met Claude's , who just got outside of their room too, my mind immediately drifted off to somewhere. Una siyang umiwas ng tingin. Lagi naman e. He doesn't really care for me. So, why would he do that?
"Hazel." Yessenia called my attention, "Ano nga yung sinabi mo?"
"Wala! Umuwi na tayo."
I invited Yessenia to eat at my place ngunit tinanggihan niya. Mas lalo kong nakukumpira ang hinala ko na hindi sila okay ni Nevielle.
"Nev, is Yessenia okay?" I pretended to know nothing.
Kunot-noo siyang bumaling saakin habang naglalaro sa kanyang cellphone.
"What do you mean?" pabalik-balik ang tingin niya saakin at sa cellphone niya dahil in game sila nina Tyler. Kanina pa ako iniimbitahan na mag ML din daw ako para lima kami pero wala talaga akong interest jan e.
"She doesn't look okay today. Inuwi ko nga siya ngayon eh. Hindi ata maganda ang pakiramdam." I lied again.
God, what am I even doing?
"Oh? Vibes na pala kayo ni Yess?" natatawang sabi ni Nien, "Akala ko ba never ever mong magugustuhan?"
"Inuwi ko lang naman. It doesn't mean I like her now. Nagiging mabait lang ako, duh!"
Nagtawanan sina Nien sa sinabi ko.
"She doesn't like Yess but she's really concern right now." Sabi ni Sullivan na inirapan ko lang
Tumingin ako kay Nevielle na hindi nagsasalita at patuloy na naglalaro. He looks so serious while playing. Wala ba talaga siyang pakealam? Bakit ba ganon ang mga lalaki? Sasabihin sayong gusto ka niya pero mawawalan din naman ng pake kapag gusto mo na din siya? Are we a joke?
