How You Hate Me Like That

Chapter 17

My phone kept ringing. I forgot to silent nga pala earlier. My seatmate kept asking me to turn off my phone if I'm not going to answer. Linagay ko sa ibabaw ng mesa ang bag ko at binuksan ito. I didn't pick it up, I just turn the power off.

"Bakit ayaw mong sagutin? Boyfriend mo ba ang tumatawag?"

Tsismosa.

"No. My Dad."

"Ah." Napatango siya at bumalik sa pagnonotes.

Sometimes, I hate it when people kept minding on other's businesses. Minsan ay napapaiba nalang ang sagot ko. I didn't want to be rude. Sometimes people tend to ask something just to kill their curiosity. Ako na klaseng tao ay nagtatanong lang ako kay Manchester kung nandito na kami sa bahay. Gossip is bad specially if you're in public place. Hindi daw masama ang tsismis kung nasa bahay lang at kayong dalawa lang ng kasama mo sa bahay ang nag-uusap.

I went to the toilet room para makatawag kay Manchester. He's been calling me but I didn't get a chance to answer him because I'm still inside the classroom. At isa pa, ayokong nakikinig sa usapan ang mga classmates ko. Can they just mind their own businesses on their own? I'm not tsismosa naman kaya bakit sila makikinig sa katawag ko?

I entered in college of accountancy's toilet room. Simulan no'ng may nagyosi sa toilet room ng college of business ay hindi na ako pumasok do'n. Na-trauma yata ako. I don't like to smoke 'cause I don't like to have a serious illness. At isa pa, ayoko din na makalanghap ng kahit anong smoke na hindi pwede. Dalawa lang ang lungs ko, kapag masira ang isa ay isa nalang ang magfafunction.

I dialed Manchester's number. Nang hindi makasagot ng dalawang ring ay sa FaceTime naman. Pero hindi pa rin sinasagot ang tawag ko. What's he doing right now?

I texted him nalang.

Isang beses lang.

Montserra:
Hey can you pick your phone up?

I dialed his number again. If he'd ask me kung paano ako nakarating dito ay simple lang naman ang isasagot ko. I ain't stupid to not learn something.

After 20 seconds, he eventually answered my call.

"Hey Montserra. Why are you not picking my calls? And how did you get there huh? Did you ride a taxi? Were you okay, are you safe? Tell me you're in school now."

"I didn't pick up your calls because we're in the middle of discussion. And I took a cab. And of course I am here nga diba dahil nagtaxicab ako diba? I was nervous when I entered inside the taxicab but I'm safe. And I'm here in one of the cubicle in college of business toilet room here in our school."

A long relief whispered in my ear from the other line. Napagtanto ko na nakahinga siya ng maluwag. I waited for him till he compose himself again.

"Sorry if you went to school without me. Nalate lang ako ng kunti pagdating sa bahay. My problema kasi sa mansion kaya hindi ako nakauwi agad. Wala pa akong tulog."

"It's okay. Naexperience ko naman sumakay ng mag-isa sa taxi."

"And please don't be sarcastic. It's not good."

"Sorry. Didn't mean that."

"Have you eaten your breakfast?"

"Yes."

"What did you eat?"

"It's bread and choco milk." I politely answered.

"Okay. Wait for me in gate 3, do'n nalang tayo maglalunch."