his innocence

Chapter 30

I don't know to react. Lalo pa nang may ipinalobo siya sa bibig niya. Is that... bubble gum?

"Ms. Hernandez, what did I say about foods during class hour?"

I'm Sandoval, who's Hernandez?

Oh, it's her.

And then... she rolled her eyes at me. Na para bang may kasalanan ako sa kanya. Her eyes says like I'm her enemy.

Sorry, ang unang pumasok sa isip ko. I know I haven't meet her before but if she thought I have wronged her... then I apologize.

She popped the bubble gum in her mouth and I'm just curiously looking at it. When she suddenly stands up I notice something wrong in her blouse.

God! Sorry.

Mas lalong nag-init ang buong mukha ko. I look away immediately!

"And for the nth time, please, botton your blouse properly, Ms. Hernandez. Please."

Nanlamig ako at tila nanghina. Napaupo nalang ako sa upuan ko at pilit na inaalis ang nakita sa memorya ko. But I know, it's not possible so for the whole classroom discussion, my face feels like burning.

And the stare I feel on my back wasn't helping at all.

"How's school?" bungad agad ni Mom nang makauwi ako sa bahay. I don't know what to say but somehow, her question made me smile.

School. Finally, I go to school.

"Mom, it's..."

She tilted her head, very expectant of what I'm going to say.

"Fine. It's g-great, Mom." wika ko at nag-iwas ng tingin.

I suddenly remember the girl earlier. My face heated up and I didn't had a chance to even hide it to my Mom.

"What? Why? Are you okay?" nag-aalala niyang tanong habang sinisipat ako pero bahagya akong umiiwas.

"M-mom, wala... just... just..." Just what, Gaddiel?

"What's your perfume?" I remember her question again. Now, I really want to sulk badly.

Parang umikot nang full degree ang pag-iisip ko nang magkabanggan kami kanina sa doorway ng classroom.

Then she even ask me?!

I don't use perfume but I should've answer her, right? But I didn't. I'm such a...

Mukhang galit pa naman siya sakin. Mas lalo siguro siyang nagalit sakin ngayon.

And...

And she looks really scary... not that scary as some sort of a monster of course. She's so fine to be a monster. She's so pretty that it scares me really.

Like she's so high that it's frightening. Nanayo ang mga balahibo ko habang inaalala ang pag-irap niya sakin kaninang umaga.

Then the... her blouse...

"I-I'll take a shower upstairs, Mom. L-later..." nagmamadali akong pumasok sa kwarto ko para iwasan ang mga tanong ni Mommy.

Not that I don't want to tell her about my day but it's... really embarrassing! Today's so embarrassing!

Pagod akong naupo sa kama ko at napatitig nalang sa kisame.

She's really beautiful though...

The next day didn't helped at all. Gulat na gulat ako nang makita ko siya sa likuran ko habang nakapila ako sa counter ng cafeteria.

Nakahalukipkip pa siya at mukha na namang galit. She's staring back at me. My insides are spinning upside down!

Agad akong bumaling sa harap nang matauhan.

Verses. I need verses right now to calm down! Or poems or even just some phrase. But I forgot it all. My mind is literally crazy right now.

I didn't expect that she'll treat that time. Egg sandwich and water. Naging medyo salbahe daw siya sakin kahapon kaya tini-treat niya ako ngayon. She's not mean, from that moment, I knew that she's not really mean. She's just blunt and well... her mood changes quickly.

Pero nakakahiya parin talaga. I always blush around her, stuttering, trembling and so awkward.

Everything is my first time when it comes to her. I like her so much. She became my first friend... then girlfriend.

When Lia told me that she wants me to be his boyfriend... at first few seconds, its puzzling to me. Wala akong alam sa mga ganoong bagay pero si Lia na ito... hindi naman iyon tunog masama kaya bakit naman aayaw pa ako?

Relationship. Commitment. I don't mind having those as long as I'm having it with Lia. At first, I thought she's just making fun of me or something like that. Then I thought, Lia maybe blunt and rough sometimes but I know that she'll never make fun of someone-- of me.

First girlfriend. First kiss-- na hindi nagpatulog sakin buong gabi.

Kyelia Aurora Hernandez, the most beautiful moody girl. The girl who loves extreme activities. The girl who loves isaw. The girl who's so good at shooting balls in the basketball machine. The girl who's so curious on everything that comes to her mind. She's the amazing girl who save herself when I can't.

She's the girl that I love at my very young age. And she's also the girl who broke my young heart years ago.

"Congratulations, Atty. Sandoval. You won another case again."

I graduated and I have my own Law Firm now so I guess, I can finally do the thing I said years ago.