LOURD EROS HAVIEN
"Why are you confused then?" tanong ni El sakin habang magka chat kami sa game.
This is great actually. Sabi nga nila, there can never be go wrong with sharing to a stranger.
"I don't know actually. Basta ang gulo. You know i'm not really good with people nor expressing myself." chat ko sakanya.
Sinabi ko kasing confused ako sa isang bagay. I told her I think I did something wrong but i'm not really sure if I did. Ang gulo ko lang talaga, promise.
"You are indeed an introvert. Like someone I knew."
"Yeah.. A totally awkward person. Think too much, analyzed too much."
"Wait— that's.. Thanks, I needed that." Biglang chat nya
"You needed what?"
"That. Na introvert tend to think of the worst case scenario before it even happens."
"Akala ko ba ako ang may problema dito? haha" Natatawa kong chat sakanya
"I owe you one though. Let me buy you a skin for that." Chat nya na nagpalaki nang mga mata ko
"You're kidding."
"I'm deadly serious." Sabi nya bago dumating ang skin na binigay nya. (Wala pang ganito, pero isipin nyo nalang meron. Soon naman daw magkakameron nang gifting system sa Valo.)
Wow. just wow.
"I never knew mayaman ka pala. We should be friends." Sabi ko sakanya.
"Aren't we friends already? Aw.. Frienship over na tayo." Natawa ako sa sinabi nya.
Pagkatapos naming magusap at maglaro ay nag out na din ako. Bilib din talaga ako sa sarili ko dahil kahit may pasok kinabukasan ay maaga padin akong nagigising.
—
"You have a week to do that. And remember. I don't want any bugs." Sabi ko habang inililibot ang tingin ko sa klase. It's my way of teaching. No actual eye contact, but looking at them makes them listen to me. So pinadadaan ko lang talaga yung tingin ko sakanila. But when my eyes saw Summer looking intently at me, I got conscious. Okay, that's it for today.
"Class dismissed." I said bago agad nagiwas nang tingin para ayusin ang mga gamit ko. I need to move fast because I can sense danger. And when I say danger, it means her.
"Cripes!" Gulat na sabi ko dahil nang maglalakad na ako paalis ay bigla syang humarang sa tapat ko.
"Why so jumpy Ma'am?" She asked with a slight smile on her lips.
"What do you want Ms Sandero." I said trying to be cold as much as possible. I had students before who wants to be close to me and being cold is the key for them to walk away.
But clearly that isn't working on her. Damn it. Because she just smiles widely.
"I want to ask some questions about the project." Hindi ako sumagot. I just looked at her, waiting. "Can we use other program other than VB (Visual Basic)? Pasta or rice? Lunch or dinner?" Napakurap ako sa sinabi nya.
"Huh?" Nagtataka ko syang tiningnan. Ano bang pinagsasasabi nya?
"I thought that was smooth. It works in movies." She said with a shrug.
Huminga ako nang malalim bago nagsalita "Look. I don't know what you're trying to pull off. But please, not me. Find yourself another target." I said before I walked pass her.
Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang makalabas ako nang room. Gosh! That was suffocating as hell. I'm glad I did it. Thank God hindi ako nautal.
Hindi ko alam kung anong trip ni Summer, but i'm not buying it. I heard she's a lesbian. And a playgirl on top of that. And her showing a little interest in me is kinda makes me feel uneasy. Not because she likes girls, but because that's just who I am. My initial reaction is to push everyone away. I don't know how to handle that and yes i'm an NBSB. I'm not in the I want to get laid mood. Well, I never experienced that— nevermind.
Tsaka isa pa, dun sya sa blonde nya lumandi. tss..
Habang kumakain kami sa cafeteria ay biglang umingay. Maingay naman talaga pero iba ngayon. Lahat ay nakatuon sa cellphone nila at mga mukhang gulat na gulat.
"What's happening?" Talang tanong ni Daisy habang inililibot ang tingin nya.
I just shrug. Wala naman akong pakialam. Let's mind our own business shall we—
"OMG?! Really? Si Summer?" I was ready to mind my own business but then I heard her name.
"Si Summer daw?" Sabi ni Daisy bago hinarang ang isang estudyante na dumaan sa gilid namin "Anong meron?" Tanong nya. Pati ako ay nagaabang nang sagot nito
"See for yourself Mam. Nasa site po nang school." Sabi nito bago umalis
Agad kong kinuha ang phone ko at nag login sa website. There I saw the headline and number one hot topic "Summer Sandero was imprisoned for Sexual Harassment and Physical Injuries"
I gasped after reading the title. Hindi lang ako ang nagulat, lahat ay nagulantang dahil sa post.
"It says that she was caught harassing her friend. Then stabbed the guy who was at the scene helping the victim." Basa ni Daisy "Oh My God! Is this real?!" gulat na sabi nito.
I scanned the cafeteria looking for Summer but I failed. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. Good because she doesn't have to hear people talking shits about her or bad because I need to see her.
Tumayo ako at agad na naglakad paalis not minding Daisy's complaints about me leaving her. I need to Summer.
Naglakad ako kung saan-saan pero hindi ko sya makita. I started to panic. Baka kung anong mangyare sakanya lalo na at kalat na ang balita.
I don't care if that's true. Ang alam ko lang, Summer is not that kind of a person. She looks cold but doesn't hurt anybody. I know that. I'm sure of that.
Napatigil ako sa paglalakad nang may makita akong puno sa gilid nang IT department building. Nasa may likurang bahagi ito at hindi kapansin-pansin. Alam ko ding walang taong nagpupunta doon.
But what caught my attention was a girl laying on the grass under the tree. Malayo palang ay alam kong sya yun.
I walked towards her and saw her sleeping. Nakatakip ang isang braso nya sa mata. Umupo ako sa tabi nya para mapagmasdan sya nang malapit.
Ano ba talagang nangyare sayo? I know for a fact na hindi mo magagawa yung sinasabi nila. Ramdam ko na mabuti kang tao.
"I told you. Staring is rude." Biglang sabi nya bago inalis ang braso nya at nagmulat. Sh adjust her eyes to light before smiling at me.
My heart skipped a beat when she suddenly grab my arm and hugged me. Nanlalaki ang mga mata ko dahil ang awkward nang posisyon namin. Half of my body is on top of hers. gosh!
"Where in the school!" Bulong ko sakanya at aalis na sana pero niyakap nya lang ako nang mahigpit.
"One minute. Please.. Let's just stay like this for a minute." Bulong nya sakin. It sounds like she's begging. "Pagbigyan mo na ako." Dagdag nya dahilan para hayaan ko nalang sya.
I don't know what's happening. Or kung ano man ang nangyare sakanya. But i'm hurting seeing her like this.
"Everything will be fine. Don't worry.." Bulong ko sakanya kahit hindi ako sigurado. But if hugging her can lessen the pain, I can hug her all day.