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Chapter 47
Lab
Binangga ako ni Claire at naglakad na siya palayo.
I can't even recover. Everything just stopped when she told me that Jax is her boyfriend. No. I-It can't be... It can't be true. Hindi talaga.
Wala ako sa sariling naglakad papunta sa the Pad. All of my excitement to see my new room and fix my things got drained.
Is Claire telling the truth? I don't think so! She's lying! She must be!
But it's been two years... Things change, Cali. Hindi lang ikaw ang pwede niyang mahalin.
Hindi lang ikaw.
I stopped walking when I saw Grant waiting on my door. I'm pretty sure that that's the new room assigned to me.
"Grant..." I called him.
I was so surprised when he walked to me and hugged me.
Maybe we're friends after all... And friends do miss each other. I hugged him back and buried my face on his chest. It felt so warm.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit nagsimula na akong umiyak. Na para bang pwede. Na para bang okay lang... Kasi kasama ko si Grant.
Jax and Claire are together now. It makes my stomach churn and my knees shake.
Grant started to caress my hair softly, tila inaalo ako. "After two years, iyakin ka pa rin..." mahina niyang sabi.
Natatawa akong kumalas sa yakap. Mabilis kong pinunasan ang mga mata ko. "I'm not!"
He looked at me seriously. Like he wanted to say something, but he just can't...
Grant bowed his head down. I was startled when he suddenly removed his necktie and handed it to me.
"Laban mo, binasa mo, e..." tamad niyang sabi.
Tinasaan ko siya ng kilay habang tinitignan iyong necktie niya. "You're so grabe! Hindi naman masyadong basa..."
Tumalikod na siya at naglakad palayo.
"Grant!" tawag ko pa pero ang bilis-bilis niyang maglakad.
I don't know how to make laba...
I gathered all of my courage to go back to class. Thinking of Jax and Claire crushes me from the inside. I told myself that I will accept it, but it was hard. I need time.
If he used those years to move on from me, I spent those years loving him still.
Now it made me question if I did the right thing before, but then if I could turn back time, I'll still do it for him.
Sometimes, we have to leave the things we love. Not because we didn't love them enough, but for we love them too much.
Now we're on the laboratory located also inside the greenhouse. It was newly renovated. Prof. Somero asked us to were our lab gowns before entering.
"We'll have our first activity today," Prof. Somero said.
He asked Xuri to do the demonstration with him and then told us to choose our partners. By twos iyon.
Hindi pa ako nakakagalaw ay nakita ko na agad si Claire na tumabi kay Jax.
Bumagsak ang mga balikat ko habang tinitignan sila. Why am I still surprised? Syempre nga naman at sila ang mag-partner.
I took a deep breath. At dahil katabi ko lang si Chance, kami na lang dalawa ang naging partners. Tapos si Grant at Gelo naman ang isa pang grupo.
Prof. Somero and Xuri did the activity smoothly. Mukha namang madali iyon.
Chance and I were already starting when my elbow accidentally pushed the test tube rack, causing it to fall on the floor. It made a loud noise at dahil babasagin ay mukhang nabasag pa ang lahat ng test tubes.
My eyes widened. Due to panic, I immediately tried to pick up the pieces.
"Ouch!" I yelped when one of the sharp pieces cut my finger.
"Cali!" Chance called worriedly and went to me right away. "Okay ka–"
Nagulat ako nang biglang lumapit si Jax sa akin. He immediately snatched my hand and held it as lightly as possible. Maigi niya iyong tinignan.
"Let's go to the clinic," aniya at dahan-dahan akong hinila.
"Jax!" tawag pa ni Claire pero hindi na huminto si Jax at tuloy-tuloy lang na naglakad.
Tahimik lang kami hanggang sa makarating ng clinic. The nurse immediately cleaned my wound.
"Kukuha lang po ako ng malaking band-aid," she said.
I nodded at her and looked at my finger. It's a pretty big cut.
"Bakit mo ba kasi pinulot?" Jax asked.
I was stunned that he was still here. Akala ko kasi ay umalis na siya.
"I-I panicked..." mahina kong sabi. I think it was my adrenaline rush. Kahit ako ay nabigla rin sa ginawa ko.
"'Di nag-iisip."
I was both shocked and offended at what he just said.
"I told you I panicked! My instinct was to save the test tubes!"
"What is there to save? Basag na nga." bakas sa boses niya ang pagkairita.
"Bakit ka ba nagagalit? I'll pay for the damages!" my voice almost break.
"Ganyan ka naman, e. Pera-pera lang lagi."
A tear escaped my eye. Agad ko namang pinalis ang mumunting luha.
Galit siya. Galit siya sa akin.
At hind iyon dahil sa mga nabasag na test tubes.
"I'm sorry..." I said, trying so hard not to stutter. "I'm sorry for everything."
Mariin niya akong tinignan. I can see both anger and pain through his eyes. He looked very different now. Pakiramdam ko, nawala na si Jax. Iba na siya ngayon. Hindi na siya gaya ng dati.
"Sorry for what? Leaving me? Using me?" he asked huskily.
Napalunok ako roon. It's not that! I never used him! I did leave, but it's a different story.
"I only did it because–"
"Then I'm sorry too," Jax said. "I'm sorry that I was too stupid to realize that you wanted out. Because in all honesty, loving you was the only thing I felt best at."
My tears started to fall down my cheeks.
"But that was two years ago," aniya at tumalikod na. "Iba na ngayon."
"Jax, please–"
"Nandiyan na ang boyfriend mo," he said and walked out of the door.
Nakita ko naman si Chance na papasok at dali-dali akong dinaluhan. Agad kong pinalis ang mga luha sa pisngi.
"Okay ka lang? Masakit ba?" sunod-sunod ang tanong niya.
"Love, ang bilis mong maglakad nakakabwiset–"
Nagkagulatan na lang kaming dalawa ni Xuri. L-Love?
My eyes widen with malice. Tinuro ko silang dalawa habang nakatakip ang isang kamay sa bibig. Oh my gosh. I was dumbstrucked!
"Ah, eh..." si Xuri habang napapakamot ng ulo.
"Are you two dating?" I asked with so much excitement.
Agad na tinakpan ni Xuri ang bunganga ko.
"It's a secret!" aniya at parang nahihiya pa.
Si Chance naman ay natatawa lang.
"Kayo ha!" I said and hugged the both of them. Napayuko silang dalawa dahil nakaupo ako sa clinic bed.
I am happy for my two close friends. Xuriella's creme of the crop finally made it... After those long list of crushes!
Nakita ko ang pagsilip ni Gelo sa pintuan. Agad ko siyang kinawayan na pumasok. He was about to go inside but when he saw the people that I'm hugging, he immediately took a step back.
"Hala. May naiwan pala ako," Gelo mouthed.
We were told that we won't have any major classes from today, which was good because I really needed to rest.
I was already on my bed when Kuya called.
"Okay ka lang?" tanong niya. "Punta ako, gusto mo?"
I laughed a little. He's being so protective again!
"And why would you, Kuya? I'm fine naman."
"I just don't want you uncomfortable."
I smiled kahit na hindi naman iyon nakikita sa phone. "I'm okay, Kuya. I promise..."
Kuya Kai wanted me to transfer to his school so he could check up on me from time to time. Ayaw ko. I want to graduate here in Sapphire Academy. Plus my friends are all here...
Hindi ko alam kung bakit biglang lumikot ang mga daliri ko at dinala ako nito sa account ni Jax sa facebook. Gaya nang huling bisita ko roon, his last post was two years ago. He never posted anything after that.
Ang huling post niya roon ay ang picture ko habang nag-rereview. Hindi ko alam na kinunan niya ako ng picture.
I sighed and felt a little pinch in my chest. Baka may iba na siyang facebook account at si Claire Ignacio na ang pinopost ngayon.
Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko at pilit na kinakalma ang sarili.
It's okay, Cal... You did your part. At least he's doing good on his studies now. Iyon ang importante, hindi ba?
He is slowly achieving his dreams... Without me.
For my second day of class, we were told that we're going to have a livelihood education and then tennis lesson.
Dahil 4th year na kami, kaunti na lang ang subjects na mayroon kada semester kumpara noon. We still need to stay at school from Monday to Friday, that's why some of the vacant days were filled with sports, livelihood, and other extracurriculars instead. Napag-alamanan ko rin na magkakaroon kami ng self-defense class soon. Na-eexcite ako roon kaya nga lang ay hindi ako siguro kung papayagan ba ako sa ganoon.
All of the classes were asked to go to the gymnasium. Suot ang activity uniform, white shirt and black jogging pants, ay pumunta na kami roon sa gym.
Nakaangkla sa akin si Xuri na parang batang may tinatagong sikreto tapos ako lang ang nakakaalam. Si Gelo kaya? We should at least told him!
Our livelihood instructor announced that for this class, we are going to learn how to wash our clothes! Oh my God! Kaya pala pinadala sa amin ang dirty clothes namin. I should've known!
The next thing I knew, a big planggana, detergents, and brushes were being distributed to each student!
Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako kinakabahan. Although wala naman 'tong grades, may points pa rin kasi na ma-e-earn.
I facepalmed. Kahit 1 point, baka wala akong makuha rito!
"Why do you look so problematic?" Xuri asked.
"Hindi ka marunong maglaba, Cali?" Claire butted in.
It was a question, but the way she said it felt like an insult!
"We have laundry machines, eh..." I reasoned out.
I didn't mean to sound sheltered or arrogant, but she is clearly insulting me! Pag ako natuto, kahit siya pa mismo ang labhan ko.
Nagsimula na ang demo. It looks easy naman! First, we have to separate the white ones from the colored ones... And then we have to pour an amount of laundry soap into the planggana with water. After that, we're going to make kuskos-kuskos na the clothes!
I started to separate my clothes one by one. Sobrang kaunti lang naman ng mga maruruming damit ko dahil second day ko pa lang naman ngayon. Halos 'yung mga damit lang kahapon ang kailangan kong labhan, my uniform and sleeping wear.
"At bakit ka may necktie, Cali?" Gelo maliciously asked and grabbed the necktie on my pile of clothes.
Almost everyone near us looked at me! Nakakarinig pa ako ng pag "ayie" sa malayong banda. My gosh, is this an issue now?
"G. Saavedra?!" gulantang pang sigaw ni Gelo pagkatapos basahin iyong nakaburdang pangalan sa likod, kaya naman mas dumami pa tuloy iyong mga nakikiusyoso.
I even saw Jax, who suddenly stopped washing his clothes.
I gulped and immediately grabbed Grant's necktie from Angelo Darius.
"N-Nalaglag lang siguro accidentally! Grabe naman, Grant, ang burara mo!" malakas kong sabi tapos ay pinuntahan na si Grant.
I need to think of something! Alangan naman na ibulgar ko na I cried to his chest, then his necktie got wet, and that he want me to wash it? No way!
Agad kong inilagay iyong necktie sa planggana ni Grant tapos ay pumaluhod sa tabi niya. Tahimik lang siyang naglalaba... Walang pakialam sa paligid.
"Ikaw na ang maglaba niyan... Baka masira ko pa," I told him.
"'Di ka marunong?" tanong niya, pero walang halong panghuhusga roon. Hindi gaya no'ng tinanong ako ni Claire na para bang pinapahiya pa ako!
I shook my head like a kid. "Hindi pa ako naglalaba buong buhay ko... Is it a bad thing? It is, right?" I pouted.
Tahimik lang si Grant na nakikinig kaya feeling ko pwede pa ako magkwento.
"Back in highscool, my project kami sa TLE, kailangan maglaba and mag-picture. Sabi ng Yaya ko mag-picture lang daw ako tapos siya 'yung maglalaba... So, nakinig ako!" saad ko habang mabigat ang paghinga.
Nagulat ako nang bigla siyang tumawa tapos ay nilagyan ako ng sabon sa mukha.
"Hey!" sita ko at bumawi.
I put a lot of bula on his face as I was laughing hard.
Nagulat na lang kami ni Grant nang biglang nasa harapan na namin si Jax kaya naman agad akong napatayo kahit may bula-bula pa ang mukha.
"Please go back to your station, Ms. Gonzalez... And do your activity," seryosong sabi niya. "We're not here to play."
Yumuko ako. "Y-Yes, Master Serge."
Bumalik na ako sa pwesto at nakarinig pa ng mga bulungan. Nagpapapansin daw ako sa Master Sergeant kaya gumagawa raw ako ng paraan para masita niya.
It turned out that I'm not bad at washing clothes! I did it all correctly and got some good points!
We had lunch and after that we proceeded to the tennis lesson. I was excluded because tennis can be considered as a cardio workout, which I am not allowed to.
Nakaupo lang ako sa gilid at pinapanuod ang mga kaklase sa field. How I wish I could join them! It looks really fun, while I am sitting here doing nothing!
I was looking at my watch when a tennis ball hit my arm.
"Ouch!" I held onto my arm that got hit.
"Aw, sorry. My bad," Claire said while holding her rocket.
Nandoon naman sina Violet at Jenny sa likuran niya na tumatawa. After two years, I can't believe that there's not even a hint of character development.
Alam kong sinadya ni Claire iyon kaya naman agad akong napatayo sa inis.
I raised an eyebrow. "How can you still be in Star Sapphire Class when you are acting this foolish? Aw, maybe the school needs to re-evaluate you... You definitely lacks in values education."
Kitang-kita ko ang galit sa mukha niya, lalo na nang mas lumapit pa siya sa akin.
"Sino ba sa atin ang hindi karapat-dapat sa Star Sapphire Class? 'Di ba, ikaw? Binayaran mo ang school para ilagay ka sa Class A!" bintang ni Claire.
Natawa ako, because it sounded so pathetic.
"Obvious naman na binayaran! Umalis ng academy, tapos pagbalik Top 2 agad?" singit ni Violet.
Claire crossed her arms. "What's that called then, magic?"
"It's called brain, sis." I said.
I'm not really a palaaway kind of person, but I had enough. Mabilis kong pinulot iyong bola na tumama sa akin kanina.
I was supposed to throw it at her when Jax suddenly came between us and held my wrist mid air. He was holding my wrist strongly to prevent me from throwing it.
Na para bang ako ang masama rito. Na para bang kailangan niyang iligtas si Claire mula sa akin.
Like he is her very own hero.
"Jax, babatuhin niya ako ng bola!" Claire cried.