It Started in the Library (Completed and Editing)

Chapter 46: Gathering Storm

"Ma, isasama ko po siya. Please naman, wag nating pag-awayan 'to. I love you Ma."

"I love you pero hindi mo naman ako sinusunod. Ang tigas ng ulo mo. Ang daming babaeng nagkakagusto sa'yo, bakit sa magulo ka lagi pumupunta?"

"Ma, hindi nga po ganon 'yon. Please, ma?"

"Ewan ko ba sa'yo, parati na lang ikaw ang nasusunod sa sarili mo." I heard a click and the line went dead. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako.

I went back inside my room to find Aya sleeping soundly. I sat down beside her as gently as I could and checked her temperature. Halos wala na yung lagnat niya. I got up and fixed the covers around her and went outside to make a call.

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I was surprised to see her eyes brim with tears.

"Z?"

"Ang kapal mo!" There was a resounding crack before pain bloomed on my left temple.

WTF?!

"Sh*t ," I cursed softly as my vision blurred and the world spun.

"Anak ka talaga ng tatay mo!" I felt her kick my shin and I was left in a writhing, painful mass. "First kiss ko 'yon! Bw*sit! Hayop!"

"What the h*ll, Z?!" 'T*ngna, sa ilong ko lang naman siya hinalikan ah?! "Teka, tekaaa!" I got a few more thumps on the head. F*ck, nahihilo na 'ko.

"Ang gago mo! Palakang hayop ka!" Oh shit, she's... crying?

"Z?" I groped around in the dark. I could hear her backing away from me.

"F*ck you!" My vision is slowly returning and I can see her blurry figure.

"Sorry na," I tried to reach for her. "Sorry na,please?"

"Walang sorry-sorry, mababalik mo ba yung... arrgh!"

"Teka, di pa naman kita ki-niss ah? I mean not like..." she gave me a look of horror before she turned and ran away from me.

The f*ck? Anyare dun?

I scrambled up and followed her. 'Takte, ang bilis naman tumakbo ng zebra ko.

"Irinaa!" I called out to her pero hindi niya ako pinansin. She's already gone when I got up from the ground. "Z!!" I sighed deeply and followed the trail she left. Nakabuti siguro na galit siya because she didn't care about masking her trail. I shook my head to clear the ringing on my ears.

Dear, you have one h*ll of a kick.

I took my time walking among the undergrowth. I tried to compose what I would say to her.

Teka, hinalikan ko lang naman siya. I mean, yeah pero it doesn't count. I mean, ang definition ng first kiss sa lips di ba?

Kailan pa nila sinabing pwedeng maging first kiss yung sa ilong? I mean, well technically baka ako nga unang nag-kiss sa nose ni Z na hindi niya kamag-anak pero sobra naman yung reaction niya. Like... watdahel?

Oh, shit parang ang layo naman nang narating nitong si Z. I breathed deeply as I pushed through the dense undergrowth. Ang dilim pa naman, paano pag nakagat siya ng ahas? O kaya madapa siya tapos mahulog sa bangin?

Shit, Adam ang gago mo kasi.

Adam sabi niya sa'yo, agent siya hindi kamote. Stop dwelling on the worst-case scenario. 

I found her sitting on a clearing by the waterfalls. Mabuti na lang nakita ko siya kaagad kasi mala-camouflage yung zebra-striped na jacket niya. Maingay ang lagaslas ng tubig at napapalibutan ng madulas na bato ang daanan. She's hugging her knees while hiding her head on her arms on the ankle-deep water. I took off my slippers on the edge and treaded close to her side.