Tangled Hearts [On-Going - Slow Update]

CHAPTER 13

A week passed. We took our final examinations which took me another series of sleepless nights of reviewing. Apart from that, we have to complete some projects to submit after the exams. Then, there's the incoming rehearsals for the graduation. It was the busiest time of our lives, now that we're about to finish the last semester of senior high year.

One morning, the last person I saw at the gate last night was the first person who greeted me as I went out. "Good morning," he said, seemingly in a good mood.

What on Earth did the nurses make him take to have such an annoying aura every damn day? The sight of him ruins every morning of my life. "'Di man lang bumati," he frowned.

"Hindi ako si Denisse, FYI. Stay away from me," I warned him, before pacing to the main street. Upon reaching it, the road seemed still empty, with no approaching tricycle in sight. Dismayed, I waited until he was able to catch up.

He rested his arm over my shoulders, which made me flinch in surprise. I quickly took steps away from him, raising my fist. "Subukan mo ulit akong hawakan, susuntukin kita."

"Woah, woah, woah. Easy, easy," he said, trying to calm me down. "Aga-aga, nag-aamok ka na ng suntukan."

"Pake mo."

"Chill. You should behave, Blaise. Ikaw pa naman magiging Valedictorian namin," he chuckled, which got me confused.

"What do you mean?"

He gave me a look. "'Di ka ba chinat ni Ma'am kagabi? Sinabihan niya ako, magprepare na raw tayo ng speech natin sa graduation," he added.

I quickly searched for my phone inside my bag, and there, I opened my chats. I saw an unread message from my adviser, and when I opened it, I gasped. "No way..."

"Congrats, Blaise. You've made it to the top," he congratulated me.

It was not so soon that I realized what he had just said earlier. "Wait, sabi mo chinat ka rin ni Ma'm kagabi. You mean—"

"I'm your Salutatorian, baby," he replied with a wink of his eye.

I rolled my eyes in disgust, but apart from that, I feel so proud of us. I mean, I have always dreamt of us in top honor's lists, no matter who among us will make it to the top. Now, I actually did. CJ did.

But, without Denisse.

If she was still here, probably she would be in my place, celebrating that her hardwood paid off. In fact, she's better than me when it comes to studying, but because of what had happened, she had to leave for her own good.

"'Wag ka nang malungkot," he consoled me. "Kung alam rin ni Denisse ito, siguro magiging masaya rion naman siya para sa'yo."

I smiled, just to appreciate his words.

Since that defense day, he's been trying to make amends with me. Aside from that, lately, I feel like he's reminding me of someone—that kind of CJ who I grew up with. Not so smug. Appreciative. Contented. The boy I truly lov—

No. Not anymore.

He might've changed for good since she left, but I don't want to put myself on a pedestal again—expecting him to catch me if I ever fall. I've fallen once, dispersed my heart into pieces; twice will definitely kill me this time.

And I just think, we will be great together, just as friends.

Later, the rehearsals week came, and we were announced as the ones to give the graduation speeches. It surprised everyone, and still, including me. For days, I still couldn't believe it that I didn't even take it so seriously until they called our names onstage. Although rumors were already spreading that I might be one of the two with highest honors to be called on, I was still stunned by the fact that I made it.