His Benevolence

Chapter 1

Gosh, I hate talking to stranger. Nanginginig ako. Fuck that social anxiety. People are staring at me, shock is evident in their face. They're probably shocked to see me talking to a stranger, e kung sila nga na schoolmate ko hindi ko kinakausap.

I shrugged it off and went outside.

"Oh? Pinagpapawisan ka." puna agad ni Faith pagkakita niya sa akin.

"Mahina yung aircon sa loob." nagtatakang tumingin sila sa akin. "Tara na muna sa café."

They nodded, still confused because of my sudden actions.

One thing I wouldn't ever tell them is me, having an anxiety attack. Kung ako hindi ko mapakalma ang sarili ko, sila pa kaya?

Having an anxiety isn't a joke. It's a serious matter that people who are not suffering with it find it funny. Kung alam lang nila. Anxiety, sucks. I had to deal with it myself, always.

Funny how some people's mindset works.

Habang naglalakad papuntang cafeteria, may nakita akong nagkukumpulan na jhs sa harap ng café. My forehead automatically creased as I heard someone screaming. Anong meron?

"Anong meron?" nagtatakang tanong ni Leigh.

Kinalabit ni Yohan ang isa sakanila. "Anong meron?"

"A-ah ano po... Hindi ko rin po kasi alam, K-kuya. Nandiyan na sila even before I arrived. Kaya medyo pahirapan p-po ang pumasok."

Yohan nodded and walked towards us. "Hindi daw niya alam."

Tinulak siya ni Leigh, "Tingnan mo nga. Pucha, gutom na ako oh."

Napakamot ng batok si Yohan. He glared at Leigh, "Bakit ako?"

"Kasi ikaw yung mas matangkad dito?" Faith answered. "I mean, it's the easiest way for you to huddle? Kasi you're tall?"

He sarcastically laughed. "Haha, so conyo naman, girl." We glared at him. "Oo na! Pag ako nakahanap agad ng table libre niyo ako ha!"

Literal na sinigaw niya iyon kaya napatingin ang mga tao sa banda namin. Napailing ako. Ang gago talaga.

I looked at the two beside me. "Oh? Akala ko ba may tampuhan kayo?"

Faith pouted and clung her arms around Leigh's arms. "I already apologized! I know I was so tanga yesterday, kaya..." she looked at Leigh with her puppy eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Leigh sarcastically smiled and pinched her nose. "Cute naman ng bb." her smile faded. "Tangina mo, nagka-crush ka na nga lang sa isang gago pa."

Natatawa akong napailing. Group of sarcastic friends, I guess?

I looked around and saw Yohan talking to someone. Bakit ang tagal naman yata niyang makipag-usap?

Siniko ko si Ashleigh at nginuso si Yohan. "Kaibigan mo, sobrang chismoso."

She grabbed my hair lightly. "Ulol! Kaibigan mo rin!"

Natawa ako. Ashleigh is the type of friend na tahitahimik lang pero grabe magmura. She doesn't have much patience kaya minsan siyang napapaaway kahit sagutan lang ay kinakabahan na agad ako dahil matabas ang dila ng isang 'to. Buti na lang at kaibigan ko siya dahil baka kung barahin niya ako, mao-offend agad ako.

"Hoy! Tara na!" anyaya ni Yohan.

"May table na?" tanong ko.

"Tatawagin ko ba kayo kung wala pa?"

"Malay ko ba, it took you so long talking to someone akala ko mas inuna mo pakikipag chismis kesa maghanap ng table." pairap kong sagot.

He rolled his eyes on me and grabbed my arm dahil nakapasok na pala iyong dalawa.

Si Yohan ang nagpresintang mag-order kaya sinabi agad namin ang order namin sakaniya. Before going to the counter, he looked at us with sparkling eyes.

"Libre niyo ako?" we groaned.

"Ambagan na lang." Faith suggested. I shrugged, agreeing to her suggestion.

"Mukha kang libre, Yohan. Bilisan mo na lang mag order at kanina pa ako nagugutom. Pag ako nainip, ikaw kakainin ko." Yuck?

He exaggeratedly hugged himself. "Hala gagi ka, Ella. I didn't know being bitter could turn you into cannibal pala. Shocks katakot."

Humagalpak kami. "Ang gago mo talaga, tangina." I couldn't breath properly.

He smirked and shook his head. Pagkatapos niyang magorder ay kumain agad kami dahil gutom na ang mga kasama naming. Bigla rin akong nakaramdam ng gutom dahil hindi ko masikmura ang kumain kanina dahil sa kaartehan ng nanay ko.

Pagkatapos naming kumain tumambay na muna kami roon dahil wala raw pasok ang mga shs ng half day. Buti naman, para makapagpahinga narin ako. Being a graduating student is more thrilling, indeed. Pero last year ko na nga sa high school ang dami namang requirements na kailangang tapusin at ipasa. Kaya mas bumagal pa ang oras.

Yohan burped. "Excuse me." he leaned himself on his chair. "Pautangin niyo na nga muna ako."

"Ay akala ko putangina mo." Faith said straightforwardly. "Dude, you're rich as fuck. Mangungutang ka pa, hindi mo nga mabayaran yung 20 pesos ko. Graduating na tayo, sobrang kuripot mo parin."

"Gago, 20 lang naman 'yon nagsalita yung mas kuripot." he rolled his eyes. "Tsaka kailangan ko ng daily income, 'no."

"Ah.." napatango ako. "So what you're trying to say is, mangungutang ka everyday para may daily income ka? Galing mo don, pre. I'm so proud of you." I sarcastically clapped. "Pass, gipit ako."

"Ako rin pass, may utang pa si Ate sakin, di niya pa nabayaran."

"Huh? Magkano?" Yohan asked.

"10 pesos." bagot na sagot ni Leigh.

"Gago, ampota."

"Mas kuripot ka pa sa kuripot, vebs."

"Sarap mo kurutin sa singit."

Halo-halong reaksiyon naming tatlo. "Sa yaman niyong 'yan, nagawa niyo pa ang maging kuripot. You know, sharing is caring."

"I'm not rich. My parents are."

"Ay, ako rin."

"Same. Pero pera padin nila Papa yung ginagamit ko, hehe." sobrang sarap tirisin ni Yohan, grabe.

We teased Yohan until someone interrupted our bond. Napataas ang kilay ko habang tinitingnan ang tao na nasa harapan namin. Sino naman 'to?

I heard how Faith gasped. I glanced at her, not again..

"What time exactly are we going to practice?" his cold voice made me shiver.

Tumikhim si Yohan at umayos ng upo. "Probably at 2:30, bro. Sa music room. Kita na lang tayo roon."

Palihim akong natawa. Bro, huh?

The guy nodded and looked at us. Isa-isa niya kaming tiningnan, nagpacute pa si Faith kung hindi lang siya palihim na binatukan ni Leigh ay baka nagmukha na siyang tanga.

His eyes darted on me. Napaangat ang isang kilay niya kaya napaangat rin ang akin.

"U-uh.. Eto si ano— ano na ngang pangalan mo?" parang kinakabahan na sabi ni Yohan. " Ah! Si Faith, Ashleigh, at si Saskia. They're my friends."

He just nodded and walked away. How rude.

"So damn pogi, shit." nakangangang sambit ni Faith. "What's his name?"

"Jaden."

"Full name, Yohan! Gosh! You're frustrating me!"

"Bakit ba? Akala ko ba crush mo si—aray!"

"Don't even start! And wala akong sinabi na para sa akin! I'll try to match him with Kia."

What the hell?

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Yohan at agad na napangisi. "Jaden Yuki Velasco." he wiggled his eyebrows at me. "Add mo na sa Facebook ."

Bakit ba sila ang kaibigan ko?