Almost, But Not Quite (COMPLETED)

Chapter 23

Para kaming dalawa na nagtutulakan hanggang sa dumating na iyong professor namin.

"Don't hide from me later," he said, standing up.

Inirapan ko siya. "Ako na lang mag-isa."

He laughed. 'Di talaga ako sini-seryoso nito! "Later, Joey," sabi niya bago bumalik sa upuan niya. At saka ko lang napansin na wala na si White Lady. Tignan mo 'yun, napaka-weird! Nakiki-classroom lang! Bakit ba hindi siya kay Austin dumikit e iyon ang ka-year niya?!

Nung bumalik na si Psalm sa pwesto niya, naupo si Kitty sa tabi ko. "Ano'ng sabi ni Psalm? Nagsorry ba?" she asked.

"Bakit magsosorry?" tanong ko na nagtataka.

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Tsk. Ako lang ba talaga naiinis kay Kia mang-aagaw?" she murmured to herself before we began to listen to our professor. After all, we're still students.

Nang matapos iyong klase namin, nagkita kaming friends sa labas ng classroom. Matt and Simon looked at Kitty weirdly dahil itong baliw na si Kitty, naka-ngiti. But not the usual kind of smile. Iyong smile na alam mong pilit.

"Ano'ng nakain mo?" nagtataka na tanong ni Matt sa kanya.

Kitty was still smiling weirdly. "Nothing," she innocently said, but there's really a trace of malice in her smile. Iyong parang may gagawing mali? "Aalis ba kayo?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah... pero kung mag-aaway kayo—"

Kitty widened her eyes even more, trying to look innocent. Mas lalong kumunot iyong noo ko. "Hindi kaya ako nang-aaway... Sorry kung medyo moody ako nitong mga nakaraang araw... Nag-away kasi sila Mama..." she said, then began to tell stories about her parents. Itong si Matt at Simon naman, agad na inalo si Kitty.

Baliw na babae! Kakagaling ko lang sa bahay nila nung isang araw kasi nag-aalala ako sa kanya dahil parang anytime aatakihin na siya sa sobrang inis kay Kia, e! Okay naman parents niya. Baliw talaga! Ito yata iyong sinasabi niyang 'plano' niya.

At the end of Kitty's story, Matt and Simon were patting her head. Sabay silang naglakad palabas ng building. Hawak ni Matt iyong bag ni Kitty, while Simon was holding her books. That girl.

"What did just happen?" Anj asked after the three left.

Steele laughed. "Kitty happened," he said. Tumingin siya kay Psalm. "Tuloy kayo?" he asked.

Psalm nodded, then looked at me. He was just looking at me, not saying anything. Nailang ako bigla kasi naka-tingin sa akin si Psalm, Steele, and Anj. Iyong tatlong tao pa na nagka-issue ako! Grabe, nakaka-pressure na naka-tingin sila sa 'kin!

"Oo na!" sabi ko kay Psalm. He was grinning wildly. Baliw din 'to, e! Parang ang saya niya na kasama ako, e siya naman dahilan kaya 'di kami nag-uusap nitong mga nakaraang araw kasi puro siya Kia. Kulang na nga lang lagyan ko ng malaking Kia iyong gitna ng noo niya, e.

"Una na ko," Steele said. He looked at me, then smiled a little. "Alis na ko, Jo."

I smiled a little, too. "Ah... sige."

Nang umalis si Steele, mabilis na nagpaalam din si Anj—na parang ayaw niyang maiwan kasama kami ni Psalm.

"That was weird," I commented nang makaalis na talaga sila sa paningin namin. I was still staring at the direction they disappeared to, when I heard Psalm talking.

"Because of Steele?" he asked.

Agad akong napa-tingin sa kanya. "Steele? Bakit?"

"Because he's your ex?" he asked again. While he was saying the words, seryoso siyang naka-tingin sa mga mata ko kaya naman nakaramdam ako ng konting awkwardness. Bakit ba topic na naman namin si Steele? 'Di na nawala sa uso!