Tangled Hearts [On-Going - Slow Update]

CHAPTER 5

Stepping out of the class, I counted the survey questionnaires we have just received. It's the sixth section we entered today, and there are about 13 left, yet to be surveyed. Only three of us are working as of now, because the campus varsity guy ain't here. He's too busy with his ball business, while we're here, already exhausted.

"What if si Clark na bahala sa ibang section? Pagod na ako teh," Krissa complained, while holding the empty questionnaires.

"Nagsalita ka lang sa harap nila, pagod ka na," Larry said, who's holding the other answered papers. "Mahiya ka naman kay Blaise na kakagaling lang sa meeting nila."

"Lagot talaga 'yang si Clark! Inuna pa talaga 'yang liga niya kaysa rito!" Krissa added.

She's right. The audacity of this guy to leave this task to us. He's the wors—

"Hey," someone called my attention. "Tapos na kayo, Blaise?"

It was Denisse, who greeted us in the corridor, along with her groupmates. "Hindi pa eh," I responded.

"Kayo lang? Where's Clark?" she asked.

"League, that's what he told us."

She sighed in disbelief. "Don't worry, pagsasabihan ko 'yon if we happen to meet today."

"Thanks," I said, and we parted ways as we headed to the seventh section.

Why is Clark becoming our headache lately? Psh, such an annoying guy. He's pissing me off, day by day.

Lunch break. Denisse invited me to come with her to the cafeteria. Since her boyfriend is nowhere, he called me instead.

"It's been a while ha," she realized, upon remembering the last time we ate together. "Life gets busier when we grow older nga talaga no?"

"Correction, stressful. Life gets stressful," I said, before taking a bite from the lunch Mama packed for me this morning.

Cafeteria was filled with students,

"Right. And think about it: pinagsasabay mo pa ang acads at student council ha. Pa'no ba 'yan? What's your secret? I can't even find free time anymore to hang out with you!"

"Liar. Almost every night nga kayo lumabas ni Clark."

She went silent, after realizing it's true.

"I'm scared, Blaise."

I looked at her, and there, head down, she just stared at the burger she bought, with a frown on her face. "Why?" I pretended I knew nothing.

"Dad's gonna kill me if he finds out everything about us."

I sighed. "You should have not given him a chance in the first place. Heto ka ngayon, worrying about what would happen between the both of you if they all find out."

"But, Blaise, I love him."

"You deserve someone better, Denisse. That's the truth," I told her, which she found surprising. "We might have known him since then, but people change, Denisse. He's not the CJ we know anymore."

"So you're taking Mom and Dad's side now?"

"Denisse, listen," I called her attention. "If you don't stop whatever between the two of you, masasaktan ka lang sa huli. You already know you can't marry a guy like him."

"Masasaktan ako. You think so?"

I nodded in silence, with her frown totally ruining her pretty face. She should take this seriously, or else, this might end up worse than she thought.

After our class was dismissed, Denisse told me beforehand she can't go home with me. She'll be staying with her groupmates at someone's house. That means, I'll be going home alone agai—

"Blaise," someone brushed past me. I looked up, just to find out it's him. He was bathed in his own sweat, wiping it off his face with the towel on his shoulder. "Tapos na kayo?"

Instead of a solid response, I replied with a roll of my eyes and walked away. He was gone the whole day that we were collecting survey questionnaires, and he had the nerve to show up in front of me just to ask if we were all done?

"Oy, ayan ka na naman! Daig mo pa si Denisse kung magtampo."

Dammit.

"Pwede bang bukas na lang tayo mag-usap? Pagod ako, Clark. Pagod akong libutin ang buong building, matapos lang 'tong research natin habang ikaw, walang ginawa kung 'di nagpapakasasa sa pagiging varsity player," I snapped.

"Sorry. Babawi ako—"

"Then do it. Or else, itatanggal kita sa grupo."

I left in dismay, and never looked back. We can't carry him any longer if he keeps ditching us. They say, it'll be the biggest league in his entire life, but may this remind him of all of his duties as a student and a groupmate. Doesn't he know this is my pet peeve?

When I came home, I headed straight to my room and let my body fall on my bed. This is exhausting, for real. Physically—and mentally—draining. Piled up tasks. Priority concerns to address in the council. And then, there's Denisse and Clark.

I feel like I'm about to die.

As the darkness enveloped my sight, I heaved a sigh before finally falling asleep. I deserved a long rest after all that happened today.

But it didn't last as long as I wanted.

Upon turning my body to the other side of the bed, I felt someone breathing before me. There, who greeted my sight was none other than Clark. Eyes closed, he was resting with a face seemingly painted with innocence. I stared at him for a while, traveling my vision on every detail of him—from his thick brows, down to his lips that's silently trying to pull me near.

This is who I've fallen for.

Yet, he fell for someone else.

Amidst all the thoughts circling in my mind, somehow, one tear managed to escape from my eye.

He suddenly wakes, but before he could even catch my tear, I quickly grabbed a pillow and hit it to him.

"The bold of you to show up after what you di—"

"Shhh, baka magising sila," he tries to calm me.

I looked up at the wall clock, and it said 2:13A.M. I turned to him with a raised brow. "Paano ka nakapasok dito?!" I asked, with my voice now lowered.

"Eto naman, parang ngayon lang ako nakitulog dito."

"You entered my room without my permission."

"Pinapasok naman ko ni Tita."

"Kahit na!"

"Wala ka nang magawa. Andito na ako."

"And why?"

He seems to think of anything to answer my second question. But, after a moment of silence, he broke it and pulled me back to the bed. "Gusto kong makasama ang pinakamamahal kong bestfriend."

"And I don—"

"Shhh. Sleep ka na. Alam kong pagod ka, kaya magpahinga ka na."

"How am I supposed to rest kung presence mo pa lang, naiistorbo na ako?"

My head was resting on his arm, and now, his leg laid over mine. I used to feel comfortable when we were like this every time he runs from his home and sleeps here instead. Now, it feels different.

"I don't want to lose you, Blaise. 'Wag ka nang magalit sa akin."

Upon hearing it, my heart raced faster. That light feeling is trying so hard to take over the upsets I have for him. And, I hate it.

I hate the way he could take away all of my furies with his words, so effortlessly.

After everything we've been through together, am I really just a friend to you, Clark?