Fourth of October (Juntarsiego Series #1)

Chapter 15

Sa likod ng ganoong mukha ay may mapait na katotohanang nakatago.

"She's so emotional. Ilang beses na siyang nagra-rant tungkol dyan. Nakikinig na lang kami kasi bakit naman hindi? Pasensya ka na, ah? Ang wasted ng babaeng ito, eh," saad ng isa niyang kaibigan habang napapailing pero may pag-aalaga roon sa boses. It was so soft as if he cared for her.

"Okay lang. Hindi naman ako nanghuhusga ng tao." Chantal waved her hand. Sa lahat ng narito, kami lang ang nakasuot pa rin ng uniporme. Most of the people here are students but they are wearing civilians.

Inubos ko iyong inumin na nakalaan sa akin. I listened to Chantal's soft voice while tears are now pooling her face and saying any problem that she now encounters. Isa na nga roon ang hindi niya magawang tumutol sa magulang. Teaching for her is boring and not productive thing. Naiintindihan ko iyon. May bawat pananaw kami sa isang bagay.

Her parents want her to take education. Dahil masunuring bata ay sinunod niya ang kagustuhan ng magulang. Of course, to please them. Hindi ko rin naman akalaing ang babaeng maganda na katulad niya ay ganito kung magsiwalat ng problema.

"Mag-asawa na lang kaya ako para hindi na ako mag-aral?" She chuckled while her friends are agreeing with her, to let her know at least that they got her back.

Tumikhim ako.

"Sorry, hindi ko alam kung paano mag-comfort," hingi ko ng pasensya sa kanyang mga kaibigan. I assumed that they will burst into laughter again but that didn't happen.

Their eyes met mine with a total awe while me, I started giving them a shy smile for not having that talent. Napakunot ng noo si Chantal sa akin, saglit na nakalimutan ang kanyang malaking problema.

Her hands landed on top of mine and shakes her head as if saying silently that it is okay to be different, to not know about that thing.

"Gagi, ayos lang. Tingin mo ba marunong din itong mga 'to?" she hissed and gave a sharp look to her friends. I wrinkled my nose because of the slight embarrassment I felt.

She's beautiful, I admit that. May kakaiba sa mukha niya na hindi ko masabi. I can't resist not to look at her at any moment.

Doon lang yata nabalik sa realidad ang lahat nang kumampay sila. I distanced myself a bit from her and chose to raise the glass of water for me instead. Habang umiinom ito ay napabuga siya ng agaran habang nakatingin sa malayong direksyon sa amin.

I followed her eyes to where it landed finally when I felt the insides of me, hammering and cursing so loud that I could not voice it all out. Nabitawan ko ang baso ng tuluyan dahil sa pagmamadali at pagkagulo ng isipan sa sandaling nangyari. I almost choked upon seeing that man's presence in here without me knowing or noticing.

"Gagi, boyfriend mo, Diana!" she exclaimed which made me frozen more.

Jaeden, walking toward us like the superior in this place screams the audacity of him to look at me intently while blowing his cigarette and threw it on his right side smoothly after. The white smoke serves like the effects for him. Looks like people paved way for him.

The way he walk seems he is the owner of the beerhouse. His movements went to the beat of 'I Can't Get You Out of My Head' by Glimmer of Blooms, the slow version that's playing now in the whole place while the intensity of his eyes still bores into me.

Habang ginagawa iyon ay para akong inaanod. Sumusunod ako sa ihip ng hanging tinatangay ang sarili ko. I think people went crazy for him at this time. Naging slow motion ang lahat nang mga sandaling iyon.

He walks manly while wearing that black jacket with his black jeans and his cross necklace that shines even when far from me. His other hand went inside his pocket and brushed his fallen strands of the hair to fix it. Lumalapit ito ng lumalapit sa amin, masyadong nagsusumigaw ang kanyang dating na nagparamdam sa akin ng kaunting panginginig.