Even If It Fades

Chapter 2

"The problem of being used to solidarity, is that no one would really ask if you are happy."
- rikkamisama

ARTEMIS

I bit the last nugget before looking at the sky. Maulap ito ngayon. Hindi mo makita ang haring araw. Mahangin pa. Palagay ko uulan. Taliwas sa sinabi kanina sa weather forecast na magiging maaraw ngayon.

I tsked. Hindi ko dinala payong ko kaya sana kapag umulan man, may klase pa rin o kaya nakauwi na ako.

Inayos ko ang baunan ko bago uminom ng tubig. Nasa rooftop ako ngayon ng old building. Lunch break malamang. The school grounds was quite noisy but I didn't mind. Hindi naman ito nakaka apekto sakin.

"So?" I sighed  before looking at Achilles who was sitting beside me, eating his lunch quietly. Tumingin siya sakin nung nagsalita ako. "Anong plano mo?"

Binaba niya ang kutsara't tinidor niya ang tumingin sa kawalan na tila nag-iisip bago nagkibit balikat. "Ikaw, anong suhestiyon mo?"

I instantly rolled my eyes. "Seriously, Achilles? Wag mo akong tanungin. You dragged me into this. Be responsible."

Naiiling siyang tumingin sakin. "Maka salita kala mo ang laki ng ginawa ko."

Ngumiwi ako. I just realized I was over reacting. Eh sa may hangover pa rin ako sa mga sinabi niya kahapon eh.

Sumandal ako sa pader. "Pero seryoso, nagulat ako sa mga sinabi mo kahapon."

Girlfriend? As in talagang yung may romance na halo? Hindi yung girl na friend? Anong---ano raw?

Kunot noo akong nakatingin sa kanya. Usually it'd be really sweet to ask a girl to be his girlfriend but our situation versus that romantic situation was very, very different. Una sa lahat, magkaklase lang kami. Ni hindi nga namin kilala ang isa't-isa. Pwera sa pangalan, wala na kaming alam sa isa't-isa. Our only relationship was being project partners in our Science Project which I expected to vanish since the project was already done. Pangalawa, wala akong romantic feelings sa kanya at alam kong ganun din siya. At pangatlo, he obviously was uncomfortable to people. He couldn't even look at people's eye what more to have a girlfriend who would usually by his side abmbd do things he wasn't capable of because he was socially awkward?

"Nabibingi lang siguro ako." I tried to convince myself. "Pakiulit nga Achilles."

He sighed. "I said I want you to be my girl--"

"--friend? So hindi nga ako nabibibingi. Anyway, the answer is no."

"Ni hindi man lang nagdalawang isip?"

Nginiwian ko siya. "Alam mo naman kung bakit di ako papayag nagtatanong ka pa. Ano ba problema ha?"

"Marami akong problema. Kung pwede ko nga lang ibigay sayo binigay ko na."

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko. "Anong--"

"Friends? I want you to be my friend. Okay na ba?"

Hindi agad ako nagsalita. Nagtitigan muna kami bago ako bumuga ng hangin. I put my indoor school shoes in my locker than locked it. Ganun din ang ginawa niya. Pagkatapos nun, naglakad na kami paalis ng school.