Deal with the Bad Boy

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Okay class, get one whole sheet of paper. We'll have a quiz."

Napuno ng ingay ang buong classroom dahil sa sari't saring reklamong nagmumula sa mga kaklase ko. Napailing nalang ako at kumuha ng papel. The noise was stopped when our professor distributed the questions. Wala silang nagawa kung hindi ang magsagot, maging ang iba na halata mong hindi talaga nakinig sa klase.

Napabuntong-hininga ako. Tahimik akong nagsagot at nang matapos ako ay itinago ko ang ballpen ko. Napatingin ako kay Clove at nakita siyang nakaubob sa mesa at mukhang natutulog. I bit my lower lip. Hinimas ko ang buhok niya at bumalik sa alaala ko ang mga nangyari sa isla.

We enjoyed our stay there, actually. Pansamantalang nawala sa isip ko ang mga problema ko nang makarating kami sa islang pagmamay-ari ng pamilya ni Clove. It was indeed beautiful there. Only their rest house is built there but I can't really tell if it's a rest house or a mansion. It's too big to be just a "rest house".

I tried my best to be normal while we were on vacation. Tinanggal ko sa isip ko ang lahat ng tanong na bumabagabag sa akin at sinubukang ibalik ang sarili ko sa dati. I tried and it kinda worked. Ilang araw na nawala sa isip ko ang mga tanong na yun.

"Okay class. Pass your papers now together with the questions."

Tinigil ko ang paghimas sa buhok ni Clove at kinuha ang papel niya pati narin ang sa akin. After I pass it in front, bumalik ako sa paghagod sa buhok niya habang nakatitig lang sa natutulog niyang mukha.

He looks so peaceful right now.

"Nara." May kumulbit sa likuran ko dahilan para mapatingin ako dun. I saw Kelly looking at me while pointing at her wrist watch.

"We'll go to the cafeteria. You coming?"

Umiling ako. "Mauna na kayo. I'm still not in the mood to eat."

"You sure? I'm sure Clove won't mind if you wake him up right now." Jia said, glancing at Clove over my shoulder.

"He looks tired. I'll feel bad if I wake him up." Sagot ko.

"Nara's right." Denver shook his head. "Their practice yesterday killed him. He needs to rest."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Nagpractice sila?"

Tumango si Denver. "You didn't know?" Binato nito si Nick na nakaubob din sa mesa dahilan para mapatingin ito sa kanya.

"What the fuck, De Leon?" Iritadong usal nito.

"You had a practice yesterday?" Agaw ko sa atensyon niya. Napatingin sa akin si Nick.

"Kinda?" He said, unsure.

"Come on, man. Tell her." Zick whispered but I still heard him.

"Anong dapat mong sabihin?" Tumaas ang kilay ko.

Napatingin sa akin si Nick bago umiwas ng tingin. "We had a practice yesterday, and Clove was kinda beat up."

"What do you mean by beat up?"

"The practice was intense. I knew that it will be a serious practice but I swear I didn't know that it will be that hard. If only I knew, I wouldn't have asked Clove to come."

"Get straight to the point, Nicolai." I said, glaring at him.

Nick gulped. "He.. he was sick yesterday and didn't handle the practice well. Ilang beses siyang malakas na bumagsak sa field and his body was really beat up."

"He was sick and you let him play?" Jia asked, completely shocked. "What the fuck, Nick?"

"Ayaw niyang pumunta sa ospital dahil baka mag-alala ka." Sabi ni Denver habang nakatingin sa akin. "He won't tell you too because he knows what your reaction will be."