The Way I Loved You (TOA Series #1)

Chapter 18

It's sad and irritating at the same time. But what can I do? It already happened. And I didn't do anything wrong in my defense. Kahit isang mansanas lamang ang ninakaw niya, pagnanakaw pa rin 'yon. Hanggang ngayon nga ay hindi ko pa rin batid kung bakit niya 'yon nagawa.

I just hope that her impression of me wouldn't last otherwise I will be doomed. I know I shouldn't think that much but I cannot help but worry. Ganoon ata katindi ang pagkagusto ko kay Juancho na pati ang magiging tingin ng pamilya niya sa akin ay labis ko nang ikinakabahala.

"I'm sorry about my sister. She's just... really like that. She's rude sometimes and irritating most of the time," Juancho said a few seconds after her sister disappeared from our view.

Napangiti ako. "Irritating?"

"Yes. Very irritating," mariin niyang tugon at nagsimula na ulit magmaneho patungo naman ngayon sa paaralang pinagdadausan ng session.

"Nairita ka pa, e, magkamukha at parang magka-ugali lang kayo."

From the side, Juancho's eyebrows almost met in the middle. "No, we're not."

"Oo kaya! Parehong parang nangangain ng tao, e. Ikaw nga lang nakaka-intimidate na, tapos dadagdagan pa ng kapatid mo."

Noong una pa lang, isa na 'yon sa mga naramdaman ko. Nangibabaw lamang ang kagustuhan kong mapalapit kay Juancho kaya't kinapalan ko ang mukha ko kahit sobrang intimidated ako. Pero sa totoo lang, lalo na sa nasaksihan ko kanina lang, sigurado akong kung ibang tao lang ako kanina ay hindi makakatagal ng gano'n.

Ni hindi ko nga nagawang hawakan ang kamay niya kasi and'yan ang kapatid niya!

"Hindi kami nangangain ng tao. That's cannibalism, Sharina. Very... very immoral," aniya at mabilis akong sinulyapan nang may pagngisi bago nagpokus muli sa daan.

Annoyed and surprised, I snorted. "Hindi 'yon literal!"

When Juancho laughed, that's when it dawned on me that he was just teasing me. But if the reward is that I'll get to see his smiles and hear his laughs, I wouldn't mind being teased for a lifetime. He's too gorgeous and too cute when he's happy.

I asked things about her family on our way and while waiting for the session to start in the waiting shed of the school ground. Nalaman ko na mas matanda pa pala iyong kapatid niya kaysa sa kanya, na labis kong ikinagulat. Though, isang taon lang naman.

"She hates being addressed as Ate by me since we were kids. Especially because we were classmates. I think she finds it awkward or whatever."

Namilog ang mga mata ko. "Magkaklase kayo?"

"Yes. In our kindergarten and preschool years. Although we separated because our parents enrolled us in exclusive schools starting grade school. Ngayong senior high na lang kami ulit naging magkaklase."

Mukhang maaga siyang nag-aral kaya't naging magkaklase sila.

"Saan kayo nag-aral? At saka papaano 'yon? Akala ko exclusive schools? Buti... naging magkaklase kayo ulit?"

"She studied at St. Scholastica's Academy while I was at Don Bosco. Don Bosco was an exclusive school but the K-12 basic education program was implemented and soon after, our school started accepting incoming female senior high school students. That's when Kane transferred," he explained.

My mouth parted in awe. Exclusive schools, which are typically catholic ones, are not only known for their good quality education but also for their quite expensive tuition fees. Puwera na lang sa iba na nagbibigay ng grants and scholarships. Kung sabagay, afford naman ng kagaya nila.

"Ang layo pala ng school n'yo! Araw-araw kayong bumibiyahe?" may kalakasan kong tanong. Napatingin tuloy ang ilan sa mga malalapit na tao na naroon sa waiting shed.