Dedicated to missHYchii
|Chapter 38|
His POV
"Good morning, Prof. My name is Nicholas Kairo Sevadero," I introduced myself in our class.
This is my first day of being a college student and unfortunately, the course that I got is not really my chosen course. It is chosen by my father, Isaac Sevadero, the governor. Wala naman akong magagawa dahil ilang utos na ang sinunod ko kahit labag 'yon sa akin.
I didn't want him to punch me just because I didn't follow his order. His smiles, his eyes and his innocent look in front of many people are all fake. He is a monster in my eyes. He is the indestructible human for me because no one dares to disobey his orders.
"Oh, you're the only son of the governor, right?" the prof asked me and I immediately nodded. He smiled at me then told me to seat, "You may take your seat."
The prof then started his lesson when someone interrupted our class discussion and excused herself for being late. I looked at her when our eyes suddenly met that made me stare at her face for a seconds.
"Good morning, Sir. Sorry I'm late." she uttered and entered our classroom.
Her intimidating aura and her serious face makes me want to stare with it all the time. Hindi ko alam pero 'yon ang gusto kong mangyari. This is my first day in college yet I think I already found the girl that I will cherish forever.
It's cringe me the heck but I'm saying the truth.
"It's okay, kindly introduce your name in front of our class." the Prof told her.
Napatingin siya saglit sa Prof namin na mukhang tinatanong na 'what? Kahit sa college may pa-introduce yourself pa!?' Her facial reaction says it all, mukhang ayaw niya pa sa una pero ginawa niya pa rin naman.
"Good morning to y'all. I'm Chinlie Jane Caballes, 21 years of age and I don't want to make friends." she said and went back to her seat.
Napaamang ako sa huli niyang sinabi kahit na si Prof dahil sino nga ba ang tao na ayaw makipag-kaibigan? I think, some of boys wouldn't want to make friends with others but for a girl? Mukhang malabo dahil halos lahat ng babaeng kilala ko ay may best friend na tinatawag.
But hey, this girl is different.
She's also wearing tee shirt and a ripped jeans with her old-fashioned books that made her look cool. I might say that she's really cool and a hard-headed young lady.
"Ms. Caballes, bawal ang ganiyang suot mo ng jeans dito sa campus kaya sa susunod ay huwag mo na 'yan susuotin dito. Understood, Ms. Caballes?" the prof uttered.
Tamad siyang sumagot ng 'opo' at dahil kanina ko pa siya tinitingnan ay mismong pag-irap niya ng pasikreto sa aming Prof ay nakita ko. I smiled on my mind when I saw it.
Talagang maldita itong babae.
Dumaan ang ilang linggo sa buhay kolehiyo at ganoon pa rin naman ang nangyayari. Going to school early in the morning and going home with full of paper works to do. It is exhausting and tiring and I felt I'm not happy with the course I chose. Iniisip ko na lang na baka balang araw, magugustuhan ko rin 'tong course na kinuha ko.
"Ka-group kita 'di ba?" I was shocked when the girl I admired for weeks asked me.
I smiled widely at her and nodded, "yes, baby." I answered.
Tumango lang siya sa sinabi ko at nakipag-usap na sa ibang members ng group namin. It's just a simple activity so we ended it immediately. Nabitin pa nga ako dahil ilang minuto ko lang nakausap si Chinlie Jane. She's one of our group member who take the group activity seriously.
Ni-hindi nga kami nakapag-usap-usap ng ilang bagay dahil bumalik rin siya kaagad sa upuan niya. Pagkatapos ng klase namin ay nilapitan ko siya para tanungin.
"Hey, are you already going home?" I asked her.
"Obvious ba? I think you heard our prof said that the class dismissed," she said and rolled her eyes on me.
The heck?! Isang Sevadero, tinarayan lang ng isang babae?
"And don't get me wrong, please. Even though you're the son of the governor, I don't care about it." she told me as if she read what's on my mind.
"May jowa ka ba?" tanong ko na lang sa kaniya habang inaayos niya pa ang gamit niya.
"Tanong mo sa pagong," pabalang na sagot niya kaya napangiwi ako.
"May boyfriend ka ba?" pang-uulit ko sa tanong ko sa kaniya para lang maasar siya.
I'm not referring her to a turtle because she's too beautiful and smart to be a turtle. Sa sobrang talino niya sa klase namin ay mahihiya ang pagong sa sipag at bilis niyang sumagot sa mga quiz pati na rin sa oral recitation.
"Do I look like a turtle, young boy?" she mocked at me and looked at me intently. "I don't have a boyfriend because it's not on my priority, happy now?" aniya at saka naglakad na palabas ng classroom.
I immediately carried my bag with me and walk as fast as she can so that I can talk to her. Good thing I'm a long legged so it's easy for me to follow her.
"Wala akong interes sa pakikipag-kaibigan. So now, stop following me." she said without looking at me.
"You don't have a boyfriend, so can I court you?" I asked.
Nabigla rin ako sa sinabi ko because I didn't know it's coming out on my mouth. But it already happened and she heard it right that made her stop from walking. She faced me and stared at me for a while, I smiled widely to make my question genuine.
"No," she said in finality and opened her car.
Pumunta ako sa harap ng kotse niya kaya napatigil siya sa pagmamaneho at binuksan lqng ang bintana ng kaniyang kotse. I looked at her and smiled. Yes, I'm serious about this, I want to court her even though I'm not really sure of my feelings.
"Kung magpapakamatay ka, huwag dito! Punta ka'ng mall tapos tumalon ka, hindi mo na ata mahal ang sarili mo!" she shouted and drove the car.
Nabigla pa ako kaya kaagad akong gumilid ng muntik niya na akong masagasaan.
Wtf! She's really cool!
Napatawa na lang ako sa sarili ko. Ibang iba sa ibang babae na nakilala ko!
Umuwi na lang ako ng may ngiti sa labi. Kahit na-busted niya ako ay ayos lang sa akin. Hindi naman 'yon ikakawala ng gana ko na ligawan siya. And I want to prove it to her that even though she rejected me, I still like her.
"Sir, bumaba na raw po kayo sabi ni Gov." tugon sa akin ng Mayordoma sa mga kasambahay na meron si Daddy.
I boredly nodded at her then she closed the door of my room. Heto na naman 'yung pinakaayaw ko sa loob ng isang araw ko. To ear in front of my parents is suffocating me. They just keep on asking me if how are my studies, if I'm doing well, or how's their soon to be engineer the family.
"How's your studies, Nicholas Kairo?" Dad asked me the moment I seat on my usual spot.
Some may see it sweet but for me, it feels like they are manipulating me. They are just asking me because they want to know if I'm doing well in the course they chose for me. They are asking me if how's my studies not literally me if I'm still feeling okay.
That's the routine we have every night in our dinner.
Kumuha ako ng kaunting kanin at madaming ulam dahil hindi ako ganoon kumain ng marami. I want to remain my body fit, kahit payat na ako sa ibang tao.
"It's doing well, Dad." I forced a smile and eat.
"That's good then, huwag ka munang mag-gigirlfriend dahil baka 'yan pa ang ikabagsak mo." istriktong tugon niya sa akin kaya napaisip ako.
I have a crush on Chinlie Jane and I was already asking to court her. Napangiti ako sa isip ko ng maalala ko ang mga simple niyang ginagawa ngunit ang lakas ng impact sa akin.
"I'm not, Dad. I'm focusing on my studies," I told him.
Naging tahimik ulit ang pagkain namin hanggang sa matapos na kaming kumain. Bumalik rin ako kaagad sa kwarto ko at nanood na lang ng netflix.
One advantage of having a rich parents is that they don't have time for me. Oo, matanda na ako para sa tinatawag ng iba na quality time ng pamilya pero gusto ko pa rin ang mga ganoong bagay. The memories we are going to share will be forever carved in my heart yet they can't give it.
It was just their love and time all I wanted but they are unable to give to their only son.
Kinaumagahan ay hindi ko na nadatnan si Daddy at Mommy dahil may schedule daw silang hindi ko naman alam kung tungkol saan. They are really a busy people, minsan gusto ko na lang na maging mahirap kami para ganoon ay may oras sila para sa akin.
"Mukhang malungkot ka iho," sambit sa akin ni driver ni Daddy.
My brows furrowed when I saw him. He should be driving for my Dad and not mine.
"Ah... Nagpalit po muna kami ng schedule ng isang driver. Sabi rin po kasi ni Governor na ihahatid at susunduin na lang daw muna kita ngayong araw. Ayaw niya po kasing napapagod ka masyado," he told me that made me confused more.
Hindi ganoong tao si Daddy at Mommy, pero inisip ko na lang na baka kahit nga busy sila sa kanilang trabaho ay concern pa rin naman sila sa aking kahit papaano. I nodded and smiled back at him when he flushed a smile.
"Anong oras po sila umalis ng bahay?" I asked him.
"Kanina pa pong alas kuwatro ng umaga iho," sagot niya sa akin at nag-drive na.
Naging tahimik na lang ulit kaming dalawa sa loob ng kotse at pinag-drive ako. Hindi pa naman ako sanay masyado sa byahe kaya kahapon ay pagod na pagod rin talaga ako. Maybe my body will adjust on my daily routine from now on. Hindi rin ako pwedeng palaging dumepende sa family driver na mayroon kami.
"Kamusta ang buhay college, Kairo?" Kuya Anthon asked me out of the blue.
I looked at him with my brows furrowed pero kalauna'y ngumiti rin ako sa kaniya. Wala pang nagtatanong sa akin ng ganiyan simula noong unang araw ko sa college.
"It was tough, tiring and exhausting," I told him.
Ngumiti siya sa akin ng malawak at kahit nagmamaneho siya ay tinapik niya pa rin ang balikat ko.
"Ayos lang 'yan, alam kong kaya mo'ng lampasan ang kahit na anong problema, Kairo. Mahirap talaga ang bawat daan na tinatahak natin sa buhay," aniya na parang anak niya ako kung magsalita siya.
I smiled at him and nodded, "do you know that my course was chosen by my parents?" I bitterly asked.
"Pasensya ka na, Kairo." wika niya na kaya naguluhan ako at ng nahalata niya ang naging reaksyon ko ay ngumiti na lang siya sa akin. "Hindi naman kasi natin kontrolado ang buhay, kontrolado pa tayo ng gobernador, ng t-tatay mo. Minsan kahit ano pa'ng gusto at disgusto natin sa ibang bagay ay wala tayong kontrol doon. Kailangan na lang natin makisabay sa takbo ng buhay kung baga," he uttered.
"I know naman po that this will take time to accept the fact that I didn't have the privilege to chose my dream course." I told him.
Hindi ko alam pero parang magaan ang loob ko sa kaniyang sabihin ang nararamdaman ko. I can also see through his eyes that he's sincere of what he told me and his eyes saying that he is somehow concern to me. I don't know but that's just what I feel.
"Hayaan mo na, baka sa mga susunod na araw ay magustuhan mo rin ang kursong kinuha mo. Malay mo baka kaya 'yan ang kinuha mong kurso kasi diyan mo makikilala ang 'the one' mo," he joked that made me shook my head.
"Maybe but we don't know," I said. "Hanggang dito na lang po ako, salamat sa paghatid, Kuya Anthon. Ingat po kayo," I told him and walked away.
Pakarating ko sa classroom ay nahagilap kaagad ng mga mata ko si Chinlie Jane kaya lumapit ako sa kaniya at tumabi ng wala pa naman ang seatmate niya. I nodge on her and smiled widely when she looked at me with her serious face.
"Ang maldita mo namang babae kaya ka siguro walang nagiging kaibigan," I told her when I remembered the phrase she introduced in our first day of school.
"Ang kulit mong lalaki, sana pinutok ka na lang sa kama ng magulang mo," aniya kaya namilog ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya.
I somehow laughed on what she told me. And it looks like she didn't regret what she told me just a seconds ago.
She's really straight to the point, huh?
"Para kang tanga, doon ka nga sa upuan mo!" asik niya sa akin pero hindi ako umalis at tinitigan ang mukha niya. "Anak ng tupa ka, para mo na akong niri-rape sa isip mo." she told me that made me laugh even more.
"You are really a wild girl, ilang taon ka na ba?" I asked her to annoy her even more.
"I'm already 21 years old, bakit may problema ka ba sa akin? Alam mo kung wala kang gagawing matino dito, umalis ka na dahil nag-aaral ako ng mabuti dito." she told me.
Itinaas ko ang dalawa kong kamay para sabihing suko na ako sa kaniya pero natatawa pa rin ako sa kaniya.
"Ligawan nga kasi kita," wika ko ng maalala ko kung anong sadya ko dito.
"Back off, I'm not interested." she told me with her furious voice.
"Guys, kami na ni Ms. Not interested! May girlfriend na ako!" ani ko para lang lalo suyang maasar.
Our blockmates laughed of what I announced, some also teased the both of us. "Naks! May loveteam na kaagad sa block natin, huh!" wika ng kaklase kong lalaki.
"Damn you, Mr. Sevadero!" she shouted at me kaya napatawa ako ng mahina.
She is indeed cute when she's mad.
Naging ganoon ang palagi kong ginagawa sa kaniya. I always teased her until I fall deeper to her. May gusto rin nga sa kaniyang makipag-kaibigan na siyang si Laina Scott, but she always ignored her.
Mailap siya sa tao na parang kahit na sino ng mapalapit sa kaniya ay pwede siyang saktan. I still don't know her family background but it doesn't matter anymore. I love the way she is and she has nothing to do to prove herselc to me.
Hanggang sa dalawang taon ang lumipas at third year college kami, wala akong ibang nagustuhan ibang babae. I focused myself on my studies, on myself and to her.
"Hindi ka pa rin ba sinasagot o nagiging close kay Chinlie Jane?" Laina asked me while we accidentally bump on each other going to our building.
"Hindi pa nga eh, ewan ko ba doon sa babaeng 'yon. Gwapo naman ako pero hindi niya ako nagugustuhan, palaging ekis." I boredly said to her.
"Ayos lang 'yan! Bilib nga rin ako sa'yo kasi natiis mo siyang ligawan at suyuin ng magtatatlong taon. That's very rare to the guys," she uttered that made me smile.
"It's because when I fell in love, I take it seriously,"I told her and smiled widely.
I'm proud to myself because I did it until now. Hindi ko alam sa sarili ko pero siya lang talaga at wala na akong ibang napusuan pa. Even though there's a lot of girls out there, I still want to be with her.
"I thought they hurt you," wika ko habang yakap-yakap siya dahil sa biglaan nuyang pagsugod sa loob ng bangko na may mga holdaper.
I hugged her tightly and I felt relief when she didn't pushed me away. Ngayon lang ako nakalapit sa kaniya ng ganito, 'yon bang yakap-yakap ko siya. Ako na rin ang naghiwalay sa yakap ko sa kaniya at niyakap siya.
"Kilala mo 'yung pulis na 'yun?!" I asked her with my worried look. "May masakit ba sa'yo? Ikaw raw ang tumalo sa mga holdaper? Totoo ba? D*mn it! Paano na lang kung nabaril ka nila?" Sunod-sunod na tanong ko sa kaniya dahil labis ang pag-alala ko sa kaniya.
I will never forgive the person that will hurt her.
"Agent Caballes," napatigil ako sa kakatitig sa kaniya ng tawagin ang apelyido niya. "It's been a long time, sorry we're late," the boy said to her and I was shocked to know who really she is.
Agent siya?
"You're an agent?" I asked her with my shocked facual expression while Laina on the other hand is also surprised.
Hindi siya sumagot sa akin at binigay ang baril sa guard ng bangko. Maglalakad na sana siya pero hindi pa rin ako gumagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko na tila ako'y naestatwa kaya inis na naman niya akong binalingan.
"I just can't believe, y--ou're an agent." sambit ko na hindi pa rin makapaniwala. Hindi niya ako sinagot muli at may, tumawag sa kaniyang co-agent niya ata.
Pakatapos ng kanilang pag-uusap ng lalaki ay nakaramdam ako ng kakaunting kirot sa hindi malamang dahilan. I don't know, maybe because she never talked to me like that. She always snob my presence.
The moment I know that she's an agent gives me hint why she's very cool to act. Ang alam ko kasi ay kapag agent ay mga badass at matatatag ang loob kaya ganoon na lang siya kung kalakas ang loob na paaukin ang bangko na kahit mag-isa lang.
She's strong and an independent woman.
"Kairo, kamusta ang pag-aaral mo?" Dad asked me. The usual question that I will answer him just the same as always. "May nagsabi sa aking Prof mo na pinalabas ka raw dahil ang ingay niyo ng kaklase mo?" he asked me with his furious face.
I know that this moment will come the moment I entered the mansion. Naalala ko tuloy na kung hindi lang dahil sa pagpapalabas sa amin ng Prof namin ay hindi sana nangyari ang mahalikan ko siya.
We kissed, our first kiss and my first kiss for a girl was her. She's my first love to be exact. Sa kaniya lang ako nagmahal ng ganito katagal kahit walang kasiguraduhan.
"Do you know that how impact it will bring to your grades, Kairo?" kalmadong tanong nito sa akin pero may diin doon.
"It's just a piece of information, Dad. I can cope up from it besides I can do self-study," I told him but he just raised his brows to me.
"Piece of information, Kairo? Hindi mo ba naririnig ang sarili mo? Importante ang bawat detalye sa kolehiyo, isang liban mo sa klase ay pwede ng bumaba ang grado mo!" now he shouted at me.
"It's just a grade, Dad and it doesn't matter to me if I got a low grade from your expectations because this is me. Bakit ko pipilitin ang sarili kong makakuha ng grado kahit na hindi naman na ako masaya sa ginagawa ko?" I asked him.
Finally, I've been waiting this moment to finally said what's on my mind and what I feel about this thing. Matagal kong kinimkim 'yung galit sa puso ko kung balit siya na lang palagi ang nasusunod. Yes, he's the one who supports me financially in my studies but it doesn't mean that he has the right to manipulate what I really wanted.
"Do you also know that after all, I didn't chose this course because it was you?! Para akong palaging asong laging sumusunod sa'yo, Dad!"
TRIVIA :
Zirconium is pure state exists in two forms: the crystalline from (soft, white, ductile metal) and the amorphoys from bluish-black powder). It burns in air at 500 C or 932 F.