Beyond The Stars, Beneath The Scars

Eight

Lacey? Si Lacey Marie yung dumaan? Yung madalas kong nakikita sa school?

She just nodded politely at Rion, not minding to look at us as she disappeared into my field of vision. She obviated the situation immediately, never got taken aback nor feeling ashamed. She really stayed nonchalant, no "hi, Rion" or even "hey, how are you?"

And again... she looks astonishingly beautiful. No modern day Aphrodite or a model-like figure or maybe flawless features flowering off her-but she's Goddamn beautiful. Parang accessory yung salamin sa kanya, she never seemed like a nerd but intimidating instead. Lacey has a default resting bitch face, but the aura she radiates was ethereal. Gasgas na lang yung maganda para sa kanya, hindi ko pa masabi kung gaano siya kaganda. Unlike Isabelle, na wala pa sa kalingkingan ang itsura, but had the guts to two-time like she's ever worthy of multiple love from men when she's acting like a hoe.

"Uy, kilala mo?" Tanong ni Rion habang nagsisipa ng bato sa daan. "Ini-stalk ko 'yun sa Facebook." He laughed habang naglalakad lang kami. "Kamukha kasi ni Mama Mary, lalo na pag poker-faced. Mukhang inosente at saka maganda. Kilala mo kuya Yedans?"

Oo, i-memeet up ko nga mamaya eh.

I just shrugged as a response. Kael and Caleb remained silent. Kael knows she's the girl I'm asking the name for before. Caleb is rather clueless, listening to us.

"Kaso ang sungit. Naka-ilang 'hi' na ako pero puro tango lang. Hindi ko naman type, nakaka-curious lang." Rion yawned, "Ano plano niyo ngayong hapon? Walang pasok. Tara, laro."

Kael answered. "Tara. Pusta. Kapag natalo ka paggagawa mo ako ng assignments for one week." Rion gaped, and scrunched his forehead. "One on one muna bago party."

"Bahala kayo, iinom ako." Caleb butted in. His eyes are down, like gray clouds looming over his head with his bad walking posture. Alam na, hindi nagbibiro ngayon-nalayo na naman ang nililigawan. "Pass muna."

"Hindi ka inaakit, bobo." Rion spat, his face smug. He patted Caleb's back. "Carlisle Ylleb is heartbroken agaaaaiin. Time to be happy, pare. Let her go."

Caleb just shoved his hands by shrugging his back violently, "Mas bobo ka, pagaling ka muna. Kaya nga pass ako binibigyan kita ng chance na mag-improve. Mabawas-bawasan man lang cancer sa mundo tulad mo."

3rd degree burn. I laughed at the back habang katabi ni Kael na nagpipigil din ng tawa. Rion looks dumbfounded na naglalakad sa tabi ni Caleb na down na down pa rin ang mukha.

Nung nasa may gate na kami, humiwalay si Caleb na seryosong uuwi na nga para uminom. Would the beer compensate for the pain that someone has inflicted to you? I glanced at Caleb that's obviously gloomy habang napasok sa loob ng trike, and when the tricycle drove away with him on it, I looked back on the road para masabayan sa paglakad sila Kael at Rion.

Temporary happiness gets you there-that's why you don't settle for unsure things because it'll get you nowhere. Kung ayaw magpaligaw ng babae, bastedin agad, hindi yung sasaktan pa yung nanliligaw tulad ni Caleb which is a pretty decent guy than me. Most girls are non-sense, honestly. Why leave men holding on then proceed to treat them badly or oust them like their perseverance meant nothing?

Naiwan na ako nung pupunta sa usual kong kakainan. Karinderya across fastfood. It was a good business move, if one was to check if kaya pa ng budget nila bumili nang mahal na pagkain o kung gipit. Diretso computer shop na sila dahil heavy breakfast naman daw kinain nila kaninang umaga. Minsan nakakasawang pakinggan yung palusot nila para lang makapaglaro, tapos amidst the game e may magsisisihan kasi may nakulo ang tiyan.

When I finished eating (of course-expect a girl or two ogling at me and smiling at me from around the corner of the eatery to eye me either because I was annoying to look at or I look decent to want them to somehow talk to me)... nag-toothbrush na ako at nagsuklay sa may daan. And went back to school, 'dun napagkasunduan kasi may gagawin pa yata siya sa school kaya doon ang meeting place.