I shut my eyes.
I don't know if I'll pass my finals. I wasn't focused while taking the exam.
Nang makaramdam ako ng kalabit ay nagmulat ako at hinarap ang kaibigan na hindi maipinta ang mukha.
"Natapos mo, Rie?" tanong nya na bakas ang panghihinayang.
I sighed before smiling. "Yes, but I'm not sure with my answers. It seems wrong to me."
She pouted and sobbed fakely.
"Nanghula lang ako! Gosh lagot talaga ako kay kuya kapag may bagsak ako this time." she murmured.
I chuckled weakly.
"It's okay, Ash. Let's just eat...we're too stressed out. It's not healthy...may bukas pa." I suggested it, and her eyes brightened up.
Umangkla agad sya sa'kin nang lumabas kami sa room. Dumiretsyo kami sa cafeteria para kumain.
"Pinapauwi pala ako agad, Rie. Isa lang naman ang scheduled exam natin ngayong araw kaya baka mauna na ako sa'yo." aniya ng matapos na kaming kumain.
She's on the rush dahil biglang tumawag sila tita kanina sa kalagitnaan ng pagkain namin.
I nodded understandingly.
"Take care, then, Ash," I softly reminded her.
She cutely giggled and stood up on her chair, collecting her things.
"Kumain ka pa, Rie! You just ate dessert. Hindi naman 'yon nakakabusog, eh! I'll go now, okay?" she said.
I just smiled.
"Love you, Rie! Bye!" she shouted and waved at me before running away.
Nakatingin pa ako sa glass door ng cafeteria nang maramdaman ko ang pamilyar na presensya na umupo sa harapan ko at ang mabigat nitong titig.
I breathed deeply to calm myself as I faced him.
"May kailangan ka?" tanong ko agad.
His eyes looked serious as he licked his lower lip before answering.
"You left without informing me." panimula nya.
I tore my gaze from him. It landed on the fruit shake that I was drinking earlier.
"You were asleep, and I don't want to bother you anymore." I casually replied.
Not minding my heart that's pounding crazily. His mere presence could cause chaos in my system.
He shifted on his position, and I saw a ghostly smile on his face.
Tumikhim sya at nanatili ang mariing titig sa akin.
Gusto ko na syang iwan dito dahil parang alam ko na ang patutunguhan ng paguusap na 'to. I just don't want to be rude lalo na at maraming tao ang nasa cafeteria. Ang iba ay nasa amin ang atensyon kaya hindi ko sya pwedeng iwan at baka mapahiya pa sya dahil sa'kin.
"How are you feeling now? Dapat ay nagpahinga kana lang muna sainyo," tanong at suhestiyon nya.
Ibinalik ko ang tingin sakanya at umiling.
Magagalit na naman si Daddy kapag naisipan kong lumiban ngayon. At malaki ang posibilidad na malaman nyang nagkasakit ako dahil sa pagpapabaya. Imbes na magalala ay mauuwi lang kami sa sermon at pagtatalo. Nakakapagod ang gano'n. Lalo na't lahat na lang ng makita nya na konektado sa'kin ay mali. He's really ferocious. Kung tratuhin nya ako ay para lang isang empleyado nya na kapag nagkamali ay sisigawan at ipapahiya.
I'm his daughter. Ngunit hindi nya ako kayang paniwalaan. Kahit pa magpaliwanag ako at sabihin ang katotohanan para sakanya ay nagsisinungaling ako. Ang nasa isip nya palagi ay lolokohin ko lang sya katulad ng ginawa ng aking ina. I don't know much of their history, but I know for sure that it will just break me if I find out.
