Conquering the Barriers

Kabanata 7

Nang masukbit ang bag ay nagtungo na ako sa pinto. Nakababa man ang ulo ay sapat pa rin para makita ang nasa harap.

"Hi, Yara!"

I halted on my steps when I heard the familiar voice on my side.

Nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan ko. Bukod sa humihigpit na kapit sa strap ng bag ay hindi na ko nakalikha ng anumang galaw. The faster beating of my heart is gradually getting painful.

"Kilala mo siya, Frida?" asked by another voice.

Wala sila sa harap ko kaya't hindi ko nakita ang reaksyon niya. Ngunit hindi ko alam kung bakit sa palagay ko ay ngumingiti siya.

"Oo naman.. We used to go to the same school before," she slyly remarked.

Her grinning was very evident in the way she utters the words. "Marami na nga kaming pinagsamahan nitong si Yara eh," she chuckled.

I parted my lips just so I can release air and get some too. It's getting harder to breathe by the minute.

"Ganun?" my classmate Joan asked. "Tapos hindi ko man lang nakitang binati o pinansin ka niya mula pa kahapon. Grabe ka naman, Yara!"

Humigpit pa lalo ang kapit ko sa strap ng bag.

"Oo nga," Hannah interjected. "Napapansin ko na parang masyado kang mapagmataas, Yara ah." her tone was edgy.

I couldn't take it. I couldn't take it any longer.

And so I ran. I ran like a sociopath. I left without even being able to utter a single word. I left without being able to talk like a normal person. It's like I just confirmed their assumptions of me. I just proved that I'm indeed a weirdo and a psycho.

"Yara.."

I wasn't able to instantly process the voice. I continued on my steps and didn't even realize that I already got myself to the parking lot.

"Yara, stop running."

I arrived in front of the car and so I stopped. I looked back to the owner of the voice and I saw Sky effortlessly keeping up with me. I averted his gaze.

"Just open the car, Sky." I nonchalantly said.

It took him quite a while again before he did as I said.

Tahimik kami pareho nang makapasok sa sasakyan. Nakamasid siya at tila nakikiramdam.

"You sure you wanna go home by now?"

No. Actually no. I don't want to go home yet. I know that their band will be performing today and I badly want to watch. But he probably won't like the idea so I'll just sneak. I'll let him drop me home so he won't get suspicious then I'll just take a cab back to school just so I can watch.

Listening to his music is something that I really need right now.

"Yeah," wala sa loob na sagot ko.

Saglit pa siyang hindi gumalaw. Ramdam ko ang titig niya. It's almost as if he was waiting for something.

A few minutes after, he sighed in defeat. He started the engine of the car and began maneuvering it.

Nang makarating sa condominium ay muli akong nagtaka nang pinasok niya sa parking ang kotse imbis na hayaan lang akong bumaba sa entrance.