8 Rules to Play (RULES DUOLOGY BOOK ONE - COMPLETED)

Chapter 1

After saying my piece, I walked passed him at lalabas na sana ng pinto but I think I'm not done here yet.

"Cedric." Tawag kong muli sa atensyon niya kahit nakatalikod ako sa kanya.

He didn't respond, pero ramdam kong nakatingin siya sakin. I sighed before saying my last piece.

"Hindi ko na mababalik ang dating tayo, but I'll definitely make sure to bring back the old me ng wala ka pa ---- ng wala pa kayo sa buhay ko." I said changing the last part of the sentence ng makita ko si Justine mula sa repleksyon ng salamin na nakikinig sa usapan namin.

Lumabas na ko ng music room, at sandaling nakipagpalitan ng tingin kay Justine bago tuluyang lumayo roon.

Someday, someone's gonna love me

The way I wanted you to need me

I was busy reading some random book in the library when I felt my phone vibrated. Binalik ko ang libro sa shelf at lumabas ng makita ang kapatid kong si Ally ang tumatawag.

"Hmmm?" sagot ko sa tawag niya habang nakayukong naglalakad palabas.

"Ate Andy! I got great news for you!"

Tahimik ko lang na inantay na sabihin niya ang gustong sabihin, pero wala na kong narinig mula sa kabilang linya. I checked if the call was still connected and rolled my eyes after confirming that it is still indeed connected.

"I thought you're gonna say something?" mataray kong tanong sa kanya.

"Sungit naman."

"Ally, my time is ticking. Ano bang gustong mong sabihin?"

"Wow! Artista ka? Busy ang sched?" pangbabara niya.

"Allysson." I called out in a warning voice.

"Geez! You're so sungit talaga! Fine, just know that Ara's back. Kanina ka pa namin hinahap, but you're nowhere to be found!" she exaggerated.

"Where is she?"

"Jan sa Building A. I told her na dito na lang sila mag enroll sa building G, but they refuse. She said she wanted to be with you daw, lilipat na talaga ko diyan next school year! Ang a-unfair niyo! Ako yung kakambal pero ayaw niya kong kasama!" mahabang monologue ni Ally tungkol sa kakambal niya.

"We'll wait for you then." balewala kong pang-aalo sa kanya.

"Tss. By the way she's with her best friend nga pala." she added before I ended the call.

After the call I tried dialing Ara's number sent by Ally but she's not answering. So I started composing a text message for her.

"Oops! Sorry!" I was too engrossed on typing a message that I just nodded at the girl who apologized after bumping me.

I just walked pass her without looking but stopped when I heard a familiar giggle. I turned around to see a girl with a very white complexion. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang tuluyan ng makilala ang babae. Hindi pa ko nakakapag-react ay naramdaman ko na ang yakap niyang mahigpit.

"Ate namiss kita! It's been 2 years na, you didn't even visit me sa States." Nakanguso niyang saad habang nagkukunwaring nagtatampo. Napailing na lang ako at bahagyang ginulo ang buhok niya.

"I see, you didn't matured even a bit." pang-aasar ko sa kanya na mas nagpahaba ng nguso niya.

Napatingin ako sa likuran niya ng mapansin ang lalaking nakatayo at nakapamulsang nakatingin saming dalawa. I asked my sister if he was her boyfriend, pero tinawanan lang niya ako at bahagyang hinatak palapit samin ang lalaki.

"Ate, meet Lavi, my bestfriend." Tiningnan ko si Lavi, he was also staring back at me.

After a few moments of our staring game, he ended it with a smile?

There's something with his smile.

Parang...

I don't know. Something I can't pinpoint or explain. But there's just something on it. Para bang may pinaplano siyang gawin?

"Andrea right? I'm Buen Lavi Alcantara, Lavi for short." He said and offered his hand for a handshake. I accepted it and introduced myself as well.

Pagkatapos ng pagpapakilalahan ay nag-umpisa na kaming maglakad papunta sa classroom. We would be classmates. We were busy talking about their lives in States, when Ara shifted the topic into something very uncomfortable for me.

"How's Ced and Justine nga pala Ate? Why are they not with you?" Napahinto ako sa paglalakad kaya naman nalampasan niya ako. Nang marealize 'yon ay natigilan rin siya at umikot paharap sakin. I spaced out for a while before sighing and shook my head, and just continued walking.

"Well, guess that was nowhere near good." I saw her and Lavi exchanging meaningful looks in my peripheral view.

We arrived a little late, and the teacher was already inside the classroom. Inexplain ko lang sa teacher na transferees ang mga kasama ko kaya naman hindi na kami napagalitan at pinagpakilala lang sina Ara at Lavi sa unahan bago pina-upo.

Ara took the seat behind me, per teacher's instructions while Lavi took the seat on my left side. Napansin ko ang maya't mayang paglingon ni Justine at Cedric sa pwesto namin, pero binalewala ko na lang iyon at nakinig na lang sa klase.

We headed to the cafeteria for our lunch break. Nag presinta naman si Ara na siya nalang daw ang oorder para samin ni Lavi.

Naiwan kaming dalawa sa table. He was seated in front of me.

"Andrea, you know that girl?" biglang tanong niya habang pasimpleng tinuturo si Justine na naka-upo sa pinaka corner ng cafeteria. She was having lunch with Cedric, but they were both constantly glancing back at our table, hindi ko napigilang mapangisi ng mag-iwas sila ng tingin ng marealized nilang nakatingin narin kami sa kanila.

"Unfortunately, she was my best friend. Why? Type mo?" tanong ko sa kanya, pero wala akong narinig na sagot kaya naman binalingan ko siya ng tingin. But I just saw a different person, there was no trace of the easy-going guy I was with earlier.

He was kinda, scary.

Tumingin siya sakin. I saw him blinked a lot of times.

Was that tears?

I looked at him curiously.

"That girl, was my girlfriend." nagulat ako sa sinabi niya.

"Let me guess, she cheated on you?" confident kong tanong sakanya na ikinagulat rin niya.

"Well, that's no news to me. The guy she's with, that's my ex. We broke up because of their affair." I saw how shocked and sympathy crossed his eyes and then was that admiration? Natawa nalang ako, he was the first person who was able to hear that story directly from me.

And before he can react, my sister already came back carrying our meals. Nagpalipat-lipat siya ng tingin sakin at sa bestfriend niya, before shaking her head as if alam na niya kung anong nangyayari.