When I Chase (When #1)

Chapter Four

Lumapit ako at napansin na sa kanilang lahat ay si Maia lang ang may suot ng regular uniform. I was wearing plaid shirt and white skinny jeans, completing my usual look with a worn out high-tops converse.

"Ano na?" tanong ko habang nakikipag beso sa kanila isa-isa. Kagaya ng dati ay ngumuso si Johan pero tinulak ko lang ang mukha niya palayo. Umirap ako sa kanya at humalakhak naman siya. Idiot.

"Here's your number." inabot sa akin ni Rio ang card. Nakatingin silang lahat sa akin nang inabot ko iyon. I pretended to be oblivious of their stares.

Alam ko naman na gusto nilang magkwento ako tungkol sa nangyari nung gabi ng house party. I never told them about it. Pati ang tungkol sa kwintas ko ay hindi ko pa rin nasasabi sa kanila.

"Why are you wearing your regular uniform, Mai?" nagtaas ako ng kilay sa kanya.

"Na-miss ko." she shrugged before eyeing me like a suspect being trialed. "But don't act like you care about my choice of outfit. We all know you know we're waiting for your kwento."

Napabuntong hininga ako. Wala naman na akong magagawa. Hindi sila titigil hanggat hindi ko sa kanila sinasabi ang nangyari nung gabing iyon. I told them what happened. I started from when they left until I met Grant.

Hindi ko pa napapangalahati ang kwento ko ay pumalakpak na si Johan sa akin habang iniiling-iling ang ulo niya. He was grinning wide.

"You stopped a random car and asked him to give you a ride. Epic, Fall, epic!" tumawa ito. Sumimangot si Noelle at hinampas si Johan sa tyan niya. It made him yelp in pain.

"Don't interrupt the story-teller." she glared at him before looking back at me. "And then? What happened next?"

"I almost threw up in his car, he helped me get out, we exchanged names and then I passed out. Pagkagising ko, I was in a room." sabay-sabay suminghap ang tatlong babae. Nanlaki naman ang mga ni Nikolai at Johan. "Chill! I was fully clothed and he wasn't even in the condo unit when I woke up and left. Pagkauwi ko, I found out that my necklace was missing. At hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin nahahanap."

The girls gasped again, this time they looked horrified. Alam nila kung gaano ka-importante ang kwintas na iyon sa akin. Hindi na ako nakapagsalita pa pagkatapos kong sabihin ang tungkol sa necklace.

Remembering how I don't have it around my neck makes me feel empty. Noticing the quick change in my mood, the group didn't bother me anymore after that.

Habang naghihintay ay nag-isip na lamang sila ng magagawang kalokohan next week. I think I heard them say that they were looking for a blank wall. I didn't follow their discussion and busied myself with people-watching.

Natahimik lang sila nang kami na ang batch na pipili ng schedule namin.

We had a really hard time matching our schedules dahil sa magkakaiba kami ng course, isa lang ang nakuha naming subject na magkakasama. Yung Rizal's life, works and writings. Other than that, I have four electives and two major subjects. I would be taking all subjects alone but I didn't mind.

Madali lang para sa akin ang makipagkaibigan. I'm very friendly. Maraming may kilala sa akin dahil sa kalokohan ko, sa tuwing may ngumingiti sa akin na hindi ko kakilala ay ngumingiti din ako pabalik.

Katulad ng plano ay nag food binge kami. May twist iyon. Pipili kami ng partner sa bawat unfamiliar fast food place. Kami ang mamimili ng ipapakain sa magiging partner namin. Ang deal ay dapat maubos ang pagkain na iyon, kung hindi maubos ay siya ang magbabayad ng pagkain nilang dalawa. If both finishes their food, kung sino ang mahuling makaubos ang magbabayad.