Play The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 11

"We had nothing in common," he replied. So, iyon pala. Kasi nagtataka ako kung bakit sila nagbreak. Ang ganda-ganda kaya nung babae. Nanalo pa ngang Miss Cebu 'yun, e. Tapos binreak lang ni Jax? Topak din 'to minsan.

"Yun lang?"

He nodded. "I don't like wasting my time. Wala namang patutunguhan."

I grinned. "So, I'm not a waste of time?"

He clicked his tongue. "Kumain ka na nga," he said. I just laughed in his face. Malapit na naman yata siyang mapikon sa akin.

* * *

After grabbing breakfast, akala ko sa school kami didiretso para mag-aral kaya nagulat ako nang sa coffee shop kami bumaba. Sumunod lang ako kay Jax papasok. Bigla akong nilamig dahil galit naman yata sa AC 'tong may-ari! Parang gusto niyang magyelo 'yung mga tao, ah!

"San ka pupunta?" I asked nung lalabas ulit siya.

"Find a table. Sandali lang ako," sabi niya. I shrugged and looked for a place to sit. Sumama agad iyong mukha ko nang makita ko iyong least favorite ko na classmate ni Jax. She was sitting by herself in the corner while reading a book. Truth be told, wala namang ginagawang masama sa akin si Chinita... but I just didn't like her kasi obvious naman na may gusto siya sa manliligaw ko.

I trust Jax. I just didn't trust the people around him. Marami pa namang babae na hindi marunong magbackoff kahit alam na meron ng nauna.

Doon ako pumwesto sa kabilang dulo para malayo sa kanya. Chinita didn't seem to notice dahil mukhang busy din siya sa pag-aaral. I just made sure na doon uupo si Jax sa pwesto na naka-talikod siya para hindi niya makita. Dami naman kasing tanong nung babae na 'yun tuwing nakikita si Jax!

Nilabas ko na iyong libro ko sa Persons pati iyong capsule case ko. I began to browse while waiting for Jax to come back. But I must've been too engrossed with what I was reading that I only noticed that he finally returned when I saw a fruit cup in front of me.

"Who goes to a coffee shop to eat fruit cup?" tanong ko habang naka-simangot sa kanya. May fruit cup din siya.

"Nagcoffee ka na kanina," he replied. I was about to argue with him na gusto ko pa ng kape, but then, he gave me his jacket. "Malamig," he said.

Once again, I bit the insides of my cheeks to stop myself from being too obvious. Kainis! Lumabas siya para kunin iyong jacket niya? Really, his simple gestures were making it easier to fall harder. Wala na yata talagang pagkakataon para umahon sa hukay na ginawa niya.

"Thanks," I simply said while I was putting on his jacket. I wrinkled my nose to hide kung gaano ako kinikilig. I've seen Jax wear this jacket for a million times! Ito 'yung favorite jacket niya, e! Tapos suot ko na ngayon? Ako na talaga!

After that, bumalik na ako sa pag-aaral. I wanted to concentrate on studying dahil alam ko na kapag sumilip-silip ako kay Jax, mapapansin niya. I didn't want to distract him from studying. I didn't want to pull him down because to me, he's an inspiration.

But in the middle of me trying to highlight something on my book, napa-tingin ako nang biglang may bookstand na sa harap ko.

"Sa 'yo 'yan, e," I said, trying to push the bookstand back.

"Sa 'yo muna."

Umiling ako. "Okay lang ako. Mas marami kang binabasa," I said, throwing a look at his end of the table. May dalawang codal siya tapos dalawang annotated book. May notebooks pa. Isang subject lang naman inaaral ko.

"I'm just memorizing," he said, still being stubborn about me using his bookstand. I felt guilty. Siya may dala nito, e, tapos ako makikinabang? Bakit ba ang bait nito masyado? Kainis.