Euphonies of Bleeding Strings

Chapter 3

"Sinong Shanelle?"

She stopped taking down notes and faced me. "Yung babae kanina." Yung walang modo na nag utos sakin na ipasa sakanya ang bola? "She's the volleyball girls' captain ball. At matangkad pa!"

I twitched my lips. "Stop admiring her Glyde, she doesn't even have the manners."

"Kaya nga, sayang." Pagsang-ayon niya saakin. "Boyfriend niya na pala si Cantellego." Nag pantig ang tainga ko ng marinig ko iyon.

"You know him?"

Tumango siya.

My god! Ang dali niya naman makahanap ng girlfriend kaagad. He just broke up with Daika few months ago, I can't believe him.

"Last year basketball varsity siya. Nag volleyball lang siya ng maging sila ni Shanelle."

At talagang updated siya sa buhay ng idol niya huh? "I'm not asking Glyde.."

"Sungit naman." Tawa niya.

"Anong grade naba yung Shanelle na yon?" I can't help myself not to ask.

Glyde chuckled. "Akala ko ba hindi ka magtatanong ng tungkol sakanya?"

I rolled my eyes, "Right, don't answer it."

"Grade 11 na yun. At balita ko ay she'll transfer nadaw after this school year." Too much information naman tong binibigay ni Glyde.

"I can't believe you have so much information about her. Do you idolize her that much?"

Tumawa siya at inayos ang glasses niya. "I just idolize her volleyball skills. Hindi ko lang talaga maiwasan na makasagap ng mga chismis na tungkol sakanya."

Sabagay, yung captain ball din ng volleyball girls last year sa school ay ini-stalk niya sa facebook parati.

Agad naming niligpit ang mga gamit namin ng biglang mag ring ang bell, hudyat na uwian na. Sinabihan ko si Glyde na sumabay na saakin ngunit tumanggi na naman siya dahil out of the way daw.

I keep insisting her na it's okay but she also keeps on saying no. Ayaw ko kasi sanang mag commute siya dahil mausok ang sasakyan niyang pedicab.

Manong texted me na he's already waiting outside. Habang naglalakad ako patungo sa labas ng gate ay namataan ko si Joan at Reon na nag-uusap sa may gate rin.

Mukhang masaya silang nag-uusap, kaya hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko na mag-isip ng iba.

"Challes! I've been waiting for you." Ani Joan ng makarating ako sa gate. "Wala na naman kasi si Mom sa bahay.." Kaya saamin na naman siya magpapalipas ng gabi.

"Hi Challes.." bati ni Reon.

"Hello." I awkardly greeted him back. I can't even look at him directly in the eyes!

"Mauna na kami Reon ha?" Paalam ni Joan kay Reon.

Tumango naman si Reon. "Ingat kayo."

Tinalikuran na naming dalawa si Reon at lumabas na, pagkatapos ay pumasok kami sa loob ng sasakyan.

"I didn't know you're close with him Challes."

I bit my lower lip, "Sabay kasi kami tuwing may training."

"I see." Nakangiting sabi niya. "Naikwento ka nga niya saakin, and I think he likes you."

Kinabahan ako bigla ng sabihin niya iyon. Paano niya naman nasabi? At bakit naman ako magugustuhan ni Reon?

"I don't think so Joan." Tanggi ko, pero sa loob ko ay umaasa talaga ako na totoo.

Kinurot niya ang tagiliran ko. "Uy kinikilig." Tukso niya.

Hindi ko naman mapigilan na ngumit dahil sa sinabi niya. Could it be possible for Reon to like me too?

"Panay kasi kuwento niya tungkol sayo, that's why I think he likes you.." huwag mo naman ako paasahin Joan. "Do you like him too?"

Nag-iwas ako kaagad ng tingin ng tanungin niya iyon. Nag-iinit ang pisngi ko at pakiramdam ko ay namumutla ako.

"Oh my God! You like him!" Sigaw niya sa loob ng sasakyan kaya agad kong tinakpan ang kanyang bibig. "I thought you were a lesbian Challes! Thank God you're not!"

Si Reon ang unang lalake na nagustuhan ko. I thought I wasn't going to like a guy forever.

But don't get me wrong, I am not rushing things. Oo gusto ko si Reon but that doesn't mean I am ready for relationship.

My goodness Challes! Why are you even thinking about relationships? Reon doesn't even like you! Huwag kang umasa sa mga sinasabi ni Joan, at baka masaktan ka lang.

That's what she thinks, and it doesn't have any assurance. Calm down okay?

I glanced at Joan, and she's doing something on her cellphone. Nakita ko ring nag ta-type siya, siguro ay katext niya ang ilan sa mangliligaw niya, o di kaya ay yung mga kaibigan niya.

Joan really socializes that much, unlike me. Ligawin masyado, at madaming lakake na nagpapapansin. She has a lot of circle of friends, at kadalasan sa kanila ay mga kilala talaga sa paaralan.

"What the hell.." aniya habang nakatingin sa screen ng cellphone niya.

She looked at me and furrowed her eyebrows. "You messed up with Shanelle?"

Umiling iling ako. Seryoso? That's really a big deal for her? At talagang sinabi niya sa ibang tao ang nangyari. "She asked me to pick up the ball impolitely."

"And you did not?"

I nodded.

She let out a heavy sigh after I said that. "Dapat lang! Ang lakas ng loob niyang magsalita ng ganon sa isang Asmarind.." why does she seems so mad about it?

"Pano mo nga pala nalaman?" I curiously asked.

She rolled her eyes on her phone. "My friend told me that she bad mouthed you." Inis na sabi ni Joan habang madiin na nag-tatype sa phone niya. "Humanda talaga siya saakin." Banta niya dahilan upang tumawa ako ng bahagya.

It's not a big deal for me, she bad mouthed me? Then fine, I don't hold grudges..

"And she even said that your friend who was with you that time are prettier than you!"

Ano naman kung mas maganda si Glyde? Maganda naman talaga ang kaibigan ko. Is that how a grade eleven thinks? Ang shallow ha.

I smiled at her, "It's okay Joan. I don't mind."