Obviously, This Is Not Love

3.1| Tomorrow

3| Tomorrow (Part one)

I was right.

As soon as I stepped in in our classroom, I knew that Cather is still not feeling well. Kinausap ko siya kahapon sa Skype, pagkatapos nung work sa shop namin, and I asked her if she's fine, she told me that she was pero hindi pa pala.

SciTech ang class ko ngayon, therefore kaklase ko si Arki. However, he's still not in class pero yung ex-girlfriend niyang si Julien ay nandun sa upuan ni Arki. Baka hinihintay niya si Arki. I was still at the door, hindi pa ako tuluyang napasok sa room nang may narinig akong tumawag sa pangalan ko. I took a step back tapos sinilip ko kung sino yun.

Si Torres.

What in the hell is he doing here?

"Bakit?" I asked.

Nang makalapit siya sa akin, he quickly grabbed my wrist and pulled me with him. Nagulat ako sa ginawa niya kaya hindi pa ako ganun masyadong maka-react. And when I finally came back to my senses, tumigil ako sa paglalakad.

"Saan ba tayo pupunta? May klase pa ako!"

"It's Cather..." Matipid niyang sabi.

Nang marinig ko yung pangalan ni Cather, kinabahan na ako. Kaya ba siya absent ngayon kasi may nangyari sa kaniyang masama? "Oh, shit. Torres, anong nangyari kay Cather?" Konti na lang, maiiyak na ako.

From my peripheral vision, I can see a sly smile from him. "Wait, seryoso ba 'to?"

He didn't speak, he just pulled me. Anong akala niya, aso lang ako na pwede niyang kaladkarin? I think not! I tried to pull myself away from him but his grip was too strong. Kahit ako, nasaktan ako sa ginawa ko. So I have no choice but to follow him wherever we were meant to go.

"Torres, kung may nangyaring masama kay Cather, sabihin mo na sa akin. Hindi nakakatuwa na niloloko mo ako!" I said.

Then he opened a door for me, papalabas kami ng campus gamit yung back door ng mga employee. "Walang masamang nangyari kay Cather, okay?" Then his gestures told me to step out.

I did. "Edi ano 'to? Hindi mo ba nakita na may pasok ako?"

He shook his head. "Tinanong ko sa faculty secretary, hindi makakapasok si sir Josh."  He followed me suit. "Sundan mo na lang ako. Bilis!"

He held me by my wrist and we both ran. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako dadalhin ni Torres. Pero seeing his hand somehow linked to mine (kahit na nasa pulsuhan ko lang kamay niya), nang-iinit kaagad ako. Why am I even like this? Hindi naman ako ganito dati kay Torres.

Please don't tell me... Is this what people call 'feelings'?

Then after few turns, he finally stopped. Ako lang yung nawalan ng hininga kaya grabe ako humingal ngayon. Pero si Torres? Of course, what do you expect from a varsity player?

Nung makita ko kung saan ako dinala ni Torres, napanganga ako. He brought me to wonderland. I didn't know that this place existed. Nasa loob pa rin kami ng campus pero feel ko nasa ibang lugar ako. Para akong pumuntang bundok para mag-sight seeing. Siguro konting linis na lang ang kailangan para maging perfect ito.

"This..." He inhaled, "is Autumn."

Lumingon ako sa kaniya, "Autumn?"

"It's just a name," He began to explain. "Mukha kasi siyang Autumn ng ibang bansa." It was evident that he was mesmerized.

And I look at Autumn. Marami kasing Fire Tree kaya nagmukha ngang autumn season dito. Tapos may nilulumot pang street benches sa gilid. "Hindi ko alam na may ganito pala dito..." I murmured.