Story To Tell #Wattys2016

The cat

"Hey, I heard may kasama ka raw na pogi last Valentines'. Kaya pala nawala ka ng matagal sa event ha. Himala naman," Frances, my friend told me. Magkasama kami sa hallway since we bumped into each other earlier.

"Ha? Sino naman nagsabi nyan?" She just shrugged. "Eh basta long story yun. We just met by accident. That's all, di naman talaga kami magkakilala," sabi ko nalang.

"I believe you're telling the truth," tumango-tango pa siya. Suddenly, we stopped from our tracks...

"And you didn't even bother to deny or react when I described he's pogi?????" She looked alarmed. Pero napalitan agad ng smile, yung meaningful smile, take note.

"Hey, don't look at me like that! And wag kang ngumiti as if may iniisip ka na naman na kung ano dyan. Gwapo naman talaga yung tao, eh. Ba't ko pa ikakaila, wala akong mapapala."

"Ooooh... what's with the rhyme? Hah, someone's defensive.." she singsonged her last remark.

"I'm not! You, stop bitching around will you?" I'm not mad when I said that. We resumed from walking.

"Na-uh-uh," she wiggled her forefinger. "It's not me if I don't bitch. Hell, yeah. I am the queen bitch. All hail to meee!" I laughed at her silliness.

"But seriously, wala na bang kasunod na interaction after? Like exchanging numbers or adding as friend in fb?" Mukha siyang frustrated.

"Wala," tanging sagot ko.

She gave me an 'you're-unbelieveable-look'.
And I am right.

She said, "Damn, girl. You are unbelieveable. If I were you? I would definitely be the one to initiate and make a move. Or better, I'll just grab him and kiss him in a corner. Hard. Para tapos," she smiled smugly.

I cringed at her last statement. Who would kiss a guy you barely know right away? That's so not me. "You effin' serious? Well, ikaw si Frances eh. I shouldn't be surprised when it came from you."

"Yeah, yeah. Fine, you're different," her eyes rolled.

"Exactly. Touché my dear, I'm different." I gave her a saccharine smile.

"Yeah. You are the one and only Kate Yuseco," nginitian niya rin ako tapos umirap. Typical Frances, bitchiness ain't leaving her. She glanced at her wristwatch. Naalala ko tuloy 'yong nangyari kay Lester noon. Nakakatawa lang.

"Oh bakit ka natatawa diyan?" I just shrugged and hid my laughter.

"Osya, I'll be going to my next class. Just see you when I see ya, dear," paalam niya. Tumango nalang ako.

Ilang minutes pa akong naglakad. And there dumating na ang dalawa ko pang kaibigan.

"Uy Katieeee! Aftieee! Dun tayo sa cafeteria nagugutom ako eh," pag-aya sa akin ni Cami. Dalawang oras kaming vacant dahil wala iyong professor namin kaya free cut kami today.

"Wag na dun Cams, doon na lang tayo sa field. Naglalaro yung mga soccer players eh. Let's boy hunting ulit!" Pag boys talaga ang usapan, asahan mo si Jenina.

Pinanlakihan ng mata ni Cami si Jenina. Akala niya hindi ko 'yon nakita. Pero mukhang hindi makuha ni Jenina ang gusto niyang iparating. Hmm..

"Cams maawa ka naman sa diet mo. Tara na sa field! Boy hunting tayo.. tara na!" Sabay hatak ko sa kanya. Akala nila sila lang ang nanghahatak ah.

"Ah-eh, Kate, samahan mo muna ako sa Cr," sabi ni Cami.

"Eh diba kagagaling mo lang dun?" I asked.

Wala nang nagawa si Cami dahil ika nga, two is better than one.

"Cami wag ka ngaaaa! May crush ka siguro sa isa sa mga soccer players ng school natin 'no? Ikaw ha... nagdadalaga naaa," pang-asar ni Jenina. She even wiggled her eyebrows. Funny.

"Impossible. Nasa Japan kaya crush ko," pangontra naman ni Cami tapos ngumisi siya.

"Tama na nga yan. Andito na tayo sa field oh. Upo nalang tayo sa bleachers," inawat ko na sila. Di na nila namalayan na nasa field na pala kami. Bangayan kasi bangayan eh.

Pumwesto na kami doon sa bandang gitna. Nagpupumilit pa si Jenina na sa harapan kami. Pero ayaw namin ni Cami dahil baka matamaan kami ng bola. Yeah yeah. Takot ako sa bola. Sumama lang naman talaga ako kay Jenina dahil mukhang something's fishy kay Cami at ayaw niya atang pumunta kami dito. Or ayaw niya ako pumunta dito. I can sense it. As they say, curiosity kills the cat. And I got curious.

Nagmamasid-masid ako. Ang busy ng senior high life, lahat may kanya kanyang mundo. Either loner or may kasama-

Oh.

Andito pala siya.

Napansin kong tumingin sakin si Cami. Alam niya siguro.

At tama nga ako.

"Sabi ko kasi sayo 'wag tayo dito eh."

Narinig ata ni Jenina ang sinabi niya kaya tumingin siya kung saan ako nakatingin.

"Oh," napa-oh nalang din si Jenina. Huminga siya ng malalim bago magsalita ulit.

"Hala, sorry di ko naman alam. Omg. Sorry, Kate. Nasira ko tuloy pagmomove-on mo."

Cami just smile sadly at her. Mga ilang minuto rin siguro akong natahimik. Nakatitig lang kasi ako sa kanya na nakasuot ng jersey ng Soccer team namin.

Ang galing talaga ni timing. Hindi pa ba sapat na nakita ko siya kahapon? Oo, masaya ako na nakita ko siya. Pero masakit na rin kasi...

I broke the silence. Tumingin ako sa dalawa at ngumiti na wari'y di ako naapektuhan.

"It's fine Jen. Ano ba guys, wala lang 'yon. Makikita't makikita ko talaga siya. Iisang university lang kaya tayo.." I tried to laugh but I fail. "As if naman may past kami, eh wala naman. So I don't have the right to be dramatic. Just a simple unrequited crush? Oh, scratch that--di yan patanong. It is stated."

I gave them my assuring smile para di na sila mag-alala pa sa nararamdaman ko.

The topic already diminished. Instead, they went back to their own businesses. Alam nila siguro na I don't want to talk about him, the guy that I can't have.

Maya-maya, lumapit sa kanya iyong nililigawan niya. Balita ko, ayon kay Frances na close friend niya, 6 months na niyang sinusuyo ang babae. Great. He really loves her huh. I'm happy for him. But, di ko mapigilan na malungkot para sa sarili ko. Double kill. Savage.

To ease the pain, inaya ko nalang sila sa cafeteria. Distractions, food trip nalang mas masaya pa.

Oh well, proven that curiosity kills the cat. In my case, curiosity do killed the cat and that cat is my heart; that cat is me. Sucks.