Campus Royalties (Kingdom University, #1) | Published under Psicom Publishing

Epilogue

May mga sandali rin na napapansin kong conscious siya sa akin pero ayaw ko namang mag-assume. I wanted her to feel more comfortable with me even if it meant taking things slower.

I thought everything was already smoothly, but it all went off course when Andrea suddenly showed up during her birthday.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito?" tanong ko matapos niya akong i-text kanina na nasa dean's office siya.

She pouted at me. "Grabe, mahigit one year tayong hindi nagkita tapos ganyan ang bungad mo sa akin?"

"I'm sorry, I was just surprised. I thought you were already enrolled in a prestigious university in Macau?"

Nang maging kami ni Tricia ay lumipad siya papuntang Macau dahil nandoon ang parents niya. Akala ko ay doon na niya tatapusin ang college kaya laking gulat ko nang sabihin niyang nag-apply siya for transfer.

"Puwede bang mag-transfer kahit second semester na?"

"Sister university naman ng Kingdom University ang current school ko so we can always arrange the transfer. And if not, I can ask dad for help."

I sighed after hearing her reason. As always, she would do anything to make her wish come true.

Andrea Marie Salazar was my childhood friend. Simula pre-school ay magkaklase na kami at naging close din ang pamilya namin noong nandito pa sila. I had always felt that she had some kind of feelings for me, but I only saw her as a friend and a little sister. No more than that.

She liked hanging out with me because I was her only friend, and sometimes, she would get jealous of the girls who wanted to be friends with me. Hindi ko rin naman siya maiwan noong high school dahil nag-migrate na ang parents at kuya niya sa Macau para sa family business nila kaya siya na lang ang mag-isang naiwan dito.

But she left when I chose Tricia over her. I thought that was for the best. Hindi rin kasi sila nagkakasundo at mas mabuti nang kasama niya ang pamilya niya kaysa mag-isa siya rito. But she had returned after more than a year, and I had a bad feeling about it.

"I heard Tricia left for good," she said. "And you're seeing a new girl, too?"

Sometimes, I'm amazed at how fast she was when it comes to news about me. Paano niya nalalaman ang mga 'yon kahit wala naman siya rito?

Ipinaliwanag ko naman sa kanya ang nangyari pero nagulat ako nang tanungin niya ako kung gusto ko ba si Steff. She misunderstood what I said, so I explained what I truly meant.

"To call it like was too shallow," I said. "I can't even put it into words because even I can't fully understand my feelings. Akala ko wala lang noong una. I thought it was just a silly attraction because we were playing as a couple, but as I spend more time with her, I realize how I'm helplessly falling for her. What's funny is that Tricia realized that before me."

"W-what? But . . ."

"I have fallen in love before, but this time, it's different. My feelings for her runs deep that it scares me."

Matapos kong sabihin 'yon ay nag-walkout siya pero hindi ko na siya hinabol. Instead, I searched for Steff. Today was her birthday and I wanted to spend more time with her. Besides, nagsisisi rin ako sa binalak kong surprise dahil hindi niya iyon nagustuhan. Kasalanan ko rin naman. Her friends warned me about it, but I was too stubborn to listen.

That day, nakita ko siyang palabas ng clinic kaya nag-alala ako. Pero bago ko pa matanong kung ano ang nangyari ay inunahan na niya ako.

"Please stop doing things like this. It's making me uncomfortable, and it's creating more rumors. We don't even like each other," she said, her cold and sharp gaze boring into my eyes. "Do me a favor and stay away from me."