Kapit Bitaw

Chapter 11

"Kayo na?! Congrats!"

We were in the student council room that day, Ray had his arms around me as Lexi came and stood in front of us. Mayroon siyang ngiti sa kaniyang labi habang sinasabi niya iyon. Halatang halata na masaya siya para sa amin dahil siya mismo ang tumulong kay Ray noong inimbita niya ako sa fest.

Of course back then, I had no clue.

Wala pa naman siguro namamagitan sa kanila noong panahong ito. If I pinpoint the first time naging badtrip si Ray sa akin, it was during his game. Akala niya hindi ako pupunta and when I got there, I was expecting him to be glad. Pero basungot lang ang mukha niya the whole time. I vaguely remember Lexi there, on the bench. Wala siyang kasama. I didn't know why she was there kasi wala naman ata siyang kaibigan dito sa basketball team and lalo namang 'di siya fan ng basketball games.

Now that I loob back on it, it all became clear.

The stares, the times I caught them together, the 'friendly' hug they had for each other whenever they bump into each other. They pretended na parang wala ako doon sa tabi nila.

I knew it. I saw the signs. But I still chose to ignore them.

Stupid.

"Juliana." someone disrupted me from my thoughts as he shook my shoulders. I opened my eyes. Kanina ko pang pinipikit iyon ng madiin. I blinked once or twice as I saw Julian staring at me, unsure of what to do.

"Nasaan tayo?"

"Cavite."

My eyes widened. Gano'n na kami katagal bumyahe?! Bakit dito sa Cavite?! "Ano?" I didn't want to go home right now. I'll feel alone in that big empty house. Atleast nga ngayon may kasama ako 'e. Even though that person was Julian, I was grateful. I unbuckled my seatbelt.

"Sa'n ka pupunta?"

I was about to open the door when I saw what was outside. Hindi naman ito ang bahay namin ah? The roads were empty. Sobrang tahimik ng place, I think I only saw 3 people? I looked around and saw a local tindahan near the houses pero medyo malayo pa ito sa kinaroroonan namin.

I looked in front. We were at a beach. Although it wasn't a public place. Walang katao-tao. Mataas ang sikat ng araw kaya medyo mainit sa parte ng tubig. I looked at the person beside me who was still looking at the waves crashing on the rocks. "Bakit dito?"

He looked at me. "Ayaw mo ba?"

I bit my tongue to stop a remark coming this way. Ganiyan pa rin ba siya ka-iritable kahit ganito na sitwasyon ko? I took a deep breath instead to talking back. Tumingin muli ako sa labas ng isa pang beses bago buksan ang pinto. Lumalaban ang simoy ng hangin sa maaliwalas na araw. I hugged my arms as I walked forward.

May namataan akong bench malapit sa mga puno. Medyo mataas ang lugar na iyon kaya ino-overlook nito ang katubigan. Mabilis akong naglakas papunta doon. Mabuti nalang tinatakpan ako ng mga puno mula sa mainit na sikat ng araw. Kung hindi, siguradong masusunog ako.

I needed a breather.

Nakatanaw lang ako sa malayo noong umupo si Julian sa isang gilid ng bench. We weren't close because of the gap between us, and I was thankful for that. Pakiramdam ko, I would feel suffocated again if he sits close to me. I just... needed space from everyone.