All that Matters (Absinthe Series 3)

Kabanata 3

Kabanata 3

All That Matters

Napalingon ako kay Muriel nang tumawa ito nang malakas. She was clutching her stomach as she continued on staring at her phone that was her source of entertainment as of now. Lumingon siya sa akin at natatawa pa rin before she shoved her phone on my hand.

Taka akong napatitig sa kaniyang cellphone only to find out some funny comments on a page.

" See those comments, Adi? You should read some of them so that you'll know why our crushes don't like us back..." sabi ni Muriel. Ngumiwi ako bago nagbasa ng iilang comments at ang iba ay pinipigilan ko na lang matawa.

Oh how it made my day. Some comments were hilarious, yung iba parang seryoso rin ang dating. Both Muriel and I could really relate or maybe students who are the same age as us could really relate. Hindi ko alam kung seryosong problema na ba iyon pero kadalasan ito rin ang naitatanong ko sa sarili.

Bakit nga ba hindi rin ako mapansin-pansin ni Trance?

Is it because I am so focused on being the school's president and he doesn't want to deal with a girl like me? O dahil mas nagagandahan siya kay Camila kumpara sa akin? Either way, the answers would really hurt because his status right now is a slap to me. Hindi niya rin naman ako mapansin-mapansin kasi nga na kay Camila na ang kaniyang atensyon. Maybe he would pay attention to me if ever I catch them looking so lovey-dovey and touchy around the campus.

" It's really funny how you exert so much effort in being so beautiful in front of them and then they'll just reject you. Siguro talagang mas marami lang na mas maganda sa atin at mas malandi kaya hindi natin deserve ang ganoon. Just like Trance, no offense Adi, but you're beautiful but I guess tinalo ka lang sa landi at sa attitude." Muriel flipped her hair in a sophisticated manner. Ibinalik ko sa kaniya ang kaniyang cellphone matapos mabasa ang comments. She held her phone before turning it off and chucked it inside her bag.

I chuckled. " Yeah, I guess. But still, there's nothing wrong naman if maghangad akong mapansin niya diba and it's not a crime if I like him kahit na may girlfriend siya."

" Yeah and I know you, hindi ka naman siguro atat na magkaboyfriend, to be specific, maging boyfriend si Trance." Aniya na siyang ikinatawa ko.

" Right." Tumango ako. " Aalis ka na?" I eyed her as she fixed her bag and rippled blouse.

" Yep. Dito ka lang ba? Pupuntahan ko si Arunika sa classroom."

" Yeah, I mean I wouldn't miss the fresh air and all that." I rolled my eyes.

" Cool. I'll go now, see ya." She waved her hand before storming off. Pinagmasdan ko lang siyang lumayo bago ko hinarap ang mga papel na nasa aking harapan. Kaming dalawa lang ang magkasama ni Muriel dahil kumuha ng special test si Aru. She's absent yesterday so she had to make up for her grades. I even doubt she'll pass the test considering na nasanay siyang magtanong ng sagot.

I began scribbling some notes while I ignored the distant chattering on the fields. Sometimes I'll just find myself lost in my thoughts while I made up most of some words on my notepad. I am fond of writing poems during my free time. Hindi ko alam kung bakit nakagawian ko na iyon. Kapag nababasa ko na ang mga natapos kong gawa ay napapangiti na lang ako. And there are times na ibinubuhos ko na lang sa pagsusulat ang frustrations ko kasi ayaw kong napupuno ako. I can't say it to my friends so I'll just write it down on a piece of paper.

I was so much of a bookworm, huh? Mahilig rin akong magbasa ng libro which my friends find boring. Kahit na si Muriel na medyo matino ay hindi gaanong nagugustuhan nag pagbabasa. She said watching the movie version was a lot more interesting than reading the book.