Chasing Chances

Chapter 17

"Hi, Sache!"

I looked at the girl who just greeted me while I was walking down the hallway. My forehead creased with confusion as I don't recognize her. Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad at piniling ngitian na lamang ang babae bago ito nilampasan. Huminto ako sa paglalakad ng mula sa kinatatayuan ko ay nakita ko si Flynn. His hands were on his both pockets and his eyes were serious and dangerous. I looked down and have sighed. Kumunot ang noo ko ng makitang wala na sa pagkakabuhol ang sintas ko. Kaasar!

I was fixing my shoelaces when Flynn knelt in front of me and did it in my place instead. He put down his black backpack beside him and focus on my shoelaces.

"Wait for me after your class. Sa condo mo ako matutulog." My forehead creased because of what he said.

"Hindi ka papasok?" he didn't answer me. Huminga ako ng malalim at hindi na nagpumilit pa. I know that I can't change his decision anyway.

Flynn takes me to our room and left after. Pinanindigan ang hindi ang pagpasok. Pumasok na ako sa loob ng hindi na muling sinulyapan ang dinaanan ni Flynn kanina. I was taken aback when I saw Pearl. Nagkasalubong ang tingin naming dalawa. Sa totoo lang hindi ko alam kung anong dapat kong maramdaman pagkatapos ng nangyari. It was already 2 weeks since the incident and everything didn't back to its original path. Hindi ko akalain na dahil lang sa nangyari ay magkakalamat ang pagkakaibigan namin. Sa loob ng dalawang linggo ay maraming nangyari. Ang hindi pagkakaintindihan nina Sel at Pearl ay umabot na sa awayan, at dumating sa puntong pinatawag pa silang dalawa sa Dean's office. At sa dalawang linggo na 'yon ay naranasan kong mawalan ng kaibigan.

Inilibot ko ang paningin ko para humanap ng bakanteng upuan. Last semester na namin kaya wala ng permanenteng upuan ang mga kaklase ko. Ilang segundo pa ang lumipas bago ko makita ang bakanteng upuan malapit sa may bintana. Sinimulan ko nang lumakad papunta doon ng muli din mapahinto ng mapagtanto kung sino ang nakaupo sa katabi nitong upuan. Si Levis, at sa likod nito ay ang apat na mga kaibigan niya. Huminga ako ng malalim bago ipinagpatuloy ang paglalakad.

"Sache,"  I smiled at Yael when he calls me. Matapos kung maupo ay isa isa ko silang tiningnan. Yael was busy on his phone, Zyle in his notes, Kian's head on the table, while Luther was looking at the front seriously, and Levis. He was staring at me dangerously.

"Have the guts to stare at me that long, huh?" I almost nauseate because of what he said.

"You're delusional. I'm not staring at you," I said to him but he just shrugged his shoulders. Umirap ako at piniling tumingin na lamang sa unahan. I even crossed my arms over my chest and lie my back on the chair. He chuckled. At the moment, I want to make him chuckled again. Gusto kong marinig ang pagtawa niya. His hoarse voice sounds so good. Nakatingin siya sa harapan kaya hindi niya naman siguro alam kung nakatingin nga ako sa kanya.

He's only wearing a gray plain shirt na humahapit sa katawan niya. My eyes traced his biceps down to his hand, and I see his veins. Ang paningin ko ay muling bumalik sa mukha niya. At ngayong isang side lang ng mukha niya ang nakikita ko, I can see his perfect nose. Ang tangos. Till my eyes landed on his lips. Natural ang pula ng labi niya. Manipis ang upper lip habang medyo makapal naman ang lower lip. Then his perfect angled jaw. I also noticed the stables there.

"Ngayon mo sabihing hindi mo ako tinititigan," he said with a hoarse and low voice.

"Huh?" I asked even I heard him the first time. What the heck am I doing, anyway? Kung kanina ay gusto ko siyang tumawa ngayon naman ay naiinis ako.

"Anong tinatawa-tawa mo?" I raised an eyebrow at him. He bit his lower lip while smirking and wrinkle his nose. He even used his fingers to brush his hair.

"Let's hang out....after class." Laglag ang panga kong tumingin sa kanya. Ano bang laman ng utak niya? Tae? As far as I know, we're not that close to each other.

"What a jerk," kinuha ko ang notebook ko at doon na lamang itinuon ang atensyon. Pero may lahi rin yata ng makukulit sina Levis dahil hindi niya magawang tigilan ako. Even during class hours kaya sa sobrang inis ko ay pumayag ako ng hindi man lang nag-isip ng mabuti.

"Why arcade?" I asked as I roamed my eyes around the place.

"Don't you like it?" I did not answer. I just didn't expect him that he will take me here. Pero sana naman kanina niya tinanong 'yon. I guess I have no choice but to go with the flow.

"Let's do this," I said at ako na mismo ang humila sa kanya. People were seriously staring at us when we go to the basketball machine.

"I want to try this," I said while looking at the machine and playing with the ball in my hands. I haven't tried this since I was a kid. Crazy right.

"Then play, don't worry I'll watch you from here." Kakaiba. 'Yon ang naramdaman ko matapos marinig ang mga salitang binitawan ni Levis. Nakakatakot.

Kagaya nga ng sinabi niya ay pinanunod niya lang ako maglaro. It was fun! Nakakagaan ng pakiramdam, though my arms were tired of shooting continuously, I still had fun! Halos mapaigtad ako ng ako naman ang hilain ni Levis papuntang shooting game.

"Let's try this one," agad akong umiling sa kanya, I don't know how to play that one. I looked at the gun and the machine. It took him minutes to convince me to play with him. And now he did. People were watching us while playing so I lost my focus on the game. I look at Levis to ask for some help but I found myself staring at him. His stance looks professional and the way he holds the gun seems like he was used to doing it.

Hindi maiwasang mapatili ng mga nanonood sa kanya lalo na ng mga babae kapag pumupuntos siya. I came back to my senses when his eyes met mine. Sa sobrang titig ko sa kanya ay hindi ko napansing tapos na siya.

"You failed?" I did not answer his question. I take the gun back and compose myself. Nakakahiya ka Sache!

"Let's play again, don't worry we'll win the game together." and when he said together means embracing me from my back. Hindi ko nagawang gumalaw ng pumunta siya sa likuran ko at kinuha ang dalawang kamay ko. Inalalayan niya ako sa tamang paghawak ng baril at pagtira. Dahil sa posisyon naming dalawa ay ramdam ko ang hininga niya na tumatama sakin. Ramdam ko rin ang bilis ng tibok ng puso niya, mistulang may hinahabol. Muntik na akong tumalon dahil sa tuwa ng makitang bullseye. Kung hindi lang ako hawak ni Levis ay malamang nasa sahig na ako dahil sa pag gagalaw.