Why?

xvii

What's with the look, Thomas?

I wanted to ask him that question since he's giving me a weird look for no reason. It was as if I did something wrong, that I need to be punished for doing it. But sa pagkakaalala ko, wala naman. So, instead of looking away, I stared back at him. Makuha ka sa tingin. 

Ilang sandali rin ay umiwas na ito ng tingin ng mapansin siguro niya na hindi ako titigil. He's acting unusual, and it's making me uncomfortable. 

Nung medyo humupa na yung asaran nila Kim at ng iba, ay nag switch na naman sila sa ibang topic. I, on the other hand, finished my food. I still have class pa kasi later. Ang napagtripan na namang asarin ng nina Kim at Carol ay ang lovelife ni Mika. Natawa nalang ako. Mga bully talaga 'to. 

"So, kayo na ba, Miks?" Asar na tanong ni Cienne kay Mika. Iling lang isinagot nito pero halata mong kinikilig kasi medyo nagbublush na siya. 

Sumingit ako sa asaran nila. "Si Ravena ba, Ye?" Asar ko sa kanya. 

Nakita kong nawala ang ngiti ni Mika at napalitaan ng parang pandidiri ang kanyang reaction. Agad rin siyang umiling. "No, let's not talk about that guy."

Napataas ang kilay ng ibang bruha kong kasama, ang boys kasi exept ni Kib ay may ibang mundo. Ano'ng ibig sabihin nung sinabi niya?

"Why? I thought you guys have a thing noon. What the heck happened?" I asked, malamang curious ako. 

"Wala, binasted ko na siya. He did something that I didn't like," simple niyang pahayag. 

Ang nakakapagtaka lang is bakit siya namumula kanina na para bang kinikilig? Wait...

"Does this mean na you like another guy?" Tanong naman ni Carol.

She shrug her shoulders, "I still don't know if I like this person in particular." Pero ngumiti rin siya after nun, kaya lalong naasar. 

"Iba rin, hang landeee ni tangkad." 

"Ay ang landi, kinilig ka na agad. Kaloka!"

Hanggang sa matapos na kaming lahat kumain, ay hindi pa rin tinantanan ng ibang bullies si Mika. Buti nalang talaga at nalimutan na nila yung topic kanina. When we were done paying our food, we headed na agad sa kanya kanya naming klase. May marketing class pa kasi ako. 

---

Our professor had to attend a very important meeting kaya he made us answer a case by doing analysis on it. Naku naman, hindi pa naman 'to ganito lang kadali. We were grouped into 6, kaya siguro enough na rin 'to. Besides, hindi naman ngayon ang deadline. All our professor wanted was yung may masimulan kami, yung SWOT and situation analyses, and also problem statement.

We started reading the case. Nung tapos na kaming lahat ay isa isa naming inidentify yung strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats na makikita sa case na binigay sa amin. It took us quite a long time to have our final answers per category which I consider a good thing since makikita mo talagang hindi sila agad agad nagcoconform sa ideas ng iba. 

When it was already 3:30 pm--the end of our class, we already finished 1/3 of the things to be done. We submitted our partial output in our professor's office. 

What a long day. I sighed, nakakapagod talaga 'tong araw na 'to. Pero, at least malapit nang mag end ang sem. Konti nalang talaga. 

I texted Jeron that my class is already done, and I'll wait him nalang doon sa may Agno. I received a reply from him, saying that he is already on his way. I waited for a few minutes until I saw him walking towards my direction. I gave him a wave. He gave me huge smile. Ang cute, parang saglit na nawala yung mga mata niya.