High School

Chapter 17

"So tell me Mr. Ramos, are you accepting your defeat now?"

Tiningnan nang mariin ni Ken si Xandrea dahil sa tanong nito.

Kahapon pa nagtatalo ang isip ni Ken kung magso-sorry ba ito sa Empress o hindi. Napagdesisyonan niyang mag-sorry nalang pero ngayon lang siya nakakuha ng lakas ng loob para lumapit dito.

Nang pauwi naman siya kahapon, may tumambang na naman na mga estudyante sa kaniya at binugbog ulit siya. Alam niyang wala ng iba pang gagawa non kundi ang Devils. Hinayaan niya na lang na bugbogin siya no'ng mga estudyante. Iniisip niyang baka sa pamamagitan nito, maibsan kahit papano ang sakit na naidulot kay Xandrea dahil sa pagtangka niyang pagsuplong dito sa kaniyang ama.

"Are you just going to stare at me like that? I'm asking you. Are you accepting your defeat now?"

"No."

Because of Ken's answer, shock was written all over the Devils' face. He already expected that this would be their reaction to his answer. Sino ba naman kasing matino ang magso-sorry pero hindi naman aamin ng pagkatalo niya?

"Kami ba pinaglalaruan mo?" Seryoso na si Craine ngayon at mukhang kaunti nalang ang natitirang pasenya sa katawan nito.

"No." Seryoso din si Ken sa pagsagot. "I am really sorry. I am really sorry towards Xandrea. I failed to take into account other things before doing that stunt yesterday. I am sorry for that. But if you're asking if I'm accepting my defeat, my answer would be no."

"Ginag*ago mo nga talaga kami!" Tumayo na si Craine at agad tinulak si Ken. Sasapakin na niya sana ito nang pigilan siya ni Xandrea.

"Stop that, Craine!"

Wala namang nagawa si Craine kundi tumigil nalang.

"What are you trying to say, Ramos?" tanong ni Xandrea.

"What I'm trying to say here is that I'm sorry for what I did yesterday. That's it. I don't need to hear whether you accept my apology or not. Aalis na ako." Nag-umpisa na ngang maglakad palabas ng cafeteria ang lalaki.

Humingi ito ng tawad kay Xandrea dahil sa nakita nito kahapon sa parking lot. Humingi siya ng tawad dahil sa panghuhusga nito sa babae pero hindi niya inaamin na talo na siya dahil totoo naman ang mga sinasabi niya tungkol sa mga pinanggagawa ng Devils.

Ngayon ay hindi na niya alam kung ano ba dapat ang sunod niyang gawin. Should he try to be closed to Xandrea for him to know her real reason as to why she's doing all of these? His conscience is telling him that there's something more about Xandrea's reason and he thought that that is the thing he failed to take into account yesterday. Also, that is where he feels sorry right now.

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"What's wrong with that guy? He said sorry but he's not accepting his defeat. Does that mean that he will still continue to bug us?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Venice.

Naiwan ang Devils sa cafeteria na nagtataka pa rin sa sinabi ng lalaki. What he said won't fit together.

"Kahapon ba no'ng pinabugbog niyo siya, ano'ng sinabi ng 3rd class? Did he try to fight with them or did he cast brave words to them like what he'd done before?" Sinusubukang alamin ni Xandrea ang totoong motibo ng lalaki.

"I was able to ask that to the 3rd class yesterday pero sabi nila, tinanggap niya lang ang mga suntok at sipa nila and he didn't try to fight." -Venice.

"So unusual. Hindi siya 'yong tipo ng lalaki na hindi manlalaban at magpapatalo nalang." -William.

"Kailangan nating mag-ingat sa lalaking 'yan." -Craine.