Faculty of Philosophy
Brielle and Kane
❝ Seriously talking, Bri. Why are you still single? What are you afraid of? to die due to broken heart? ❞
Tila natatawang usal ni Mace habang umiiling.
Matiim ko itong tinitigan kasabay ng mabilis na pag klaro ko sa aking lalamunan.
❝ That‘s rubbish. Humans are most likely to fear the idea of post-heartbreak and not the perception of having a broken heart. ❞
That's what I frightened the most, to deal with reality after losing someone. I never had a relationship before but after I saw how my mother dealt the pain when my father left us for another woman; I know it was devastating.
❝ And for the record, people can really die due to broken heart. ❞
I snickered.
Muli kong ibinalik ang atensyon sa pagbuklat ng pahina ng librong dapat naming basahin ngayong semester.
❝ Alright i‘m out. I suddenly forgot whom i‘m talking to, Miss philo. ❞
Utas na sambit ni Mace na siyang ikinatawa ko.
❝ You should go back to your department nurse Mace. Faculty of Philosophy is not your territory. ❞
Mahina nitong hinampas ang braso ko.
❝ Gotta go. Let‘s meet at the cafeteria later. I‘ll let you meet someone who‘s worth the heartbreak. ❞
Nakasimangot ko siyang inundayan ng tingin ngunit mabilis itong tumakbo palabas ng classroom habang malakas na humahalakhak.
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❝ Brielle! ❞
Mariin akong napapikit dahil sa kahihiyan nang umalingawngaw ang matinis na boses ni Mace pagpasok ko palang ng cafeteria.
I swayed my vision towards her direction— just to see her waving and gleaming like a dimwit.
Beside her are men who simply look like predators waiting for girls to arrive. However, my eyes shifted on a certain point where a man whose hair is quite curtained; some strands are pushed back while few are slowly falling into its distinctive direction.
Something inside me skipped a sudden beat when his hazel nut eyes met mine. His eyes are exquisitely crafted.
He is sitting next to Mace's table.
Muli kong sinulyapan si Mace.
❝ I‘m not sitting with those men. ❞
I mouthed while shooting her with sharp glares.
❝ Just this once, please. Spare my life. ❞
She did not say those words, I just oddly knew how to read her begging eyes.
It took a few seconds but I ended up walking towards their direction; smashing my books and bag on the table.
❝ You won‘t regret this. ❞
Parang batang sambit nito kasabay nang marahang pagpalakpak.
❝ We‘ve been wanting to meet you, I‘m Sid. ❞
Nakangiting bungad ng isang lalaking may kulay puting highlights ‘yung buhok.
He looks friendly when he talks.
❝ Mace begged for me to come. But to address your expectation, i'm not into this kind of set up. ❞
Tuloy tuloy na panambitan ko na nagpalaki ng mata nila.
❝ No. The thing is we have a friend whose name is Kane. He‘s into you. ❞
Nakangising saad nito na animo‘y natutuwa nang husto.
❝ Where is he then? ❞
A split of silence occurred in congruous with a man who abruptly pulled the vacant chair beside me and sat there while facing my direction.
❝ We had a connection awhile ago. You know? The art of eye contact? ❞
Panandalian akong natigilan nang nakangisi itong nagsalita habang diretsong nakatitig sa mga mata ko.
Pagak akong napatawa. He ruined my idealistic first impression by the second he talked.
❝ That‘s why I don't trust the idea of first impression. You know? it sucks.❞
I witnessed how a ball of amazement crammed his eyes.
He is daunting but also looks like a man who loves to play whoever woman he set his eyes into.
❝ You‘re rude. ❞
Hindi makapaniwalang sambit nito habang tumatawa.
❝ and I like it.❞
Padabog kong dinampot ang ilang piraso kong libro na nakapatong sa ibabaw ng lamesa.
❝ The next time you‘ll let me meet someone who‘s worth the heartbreak, make sure his name is not Kane, Mace. ❞
Bakas sa mukha ng mga kaibigan nito ang pagtawa dahil sa binitawan kong salita. Ngunit hindi ko na ito pinansin at minabuting tumayo na.
❝ I can acquiesce endless objection, miss. You‘ll lose this case, I bet. ❞
Awtomatikong umarko ang kaliwang kilay ko nang marinig ang sinabi nito. By his choice of words, I assumed. He is studying criminal law.
❝ Well then, Attorney. Let‘s see. ❞
Taas noong usal ko bago naglakad palayo sakanila.
I won‘t subside the fact that he is indeed good-looking and intimidating but those are not enough to be tamed by him. It's not a free ticket.
---
❝ Bri, you have some errands to do after class? ❞
Nakangiting bungad ni Mace. Para namang nakalimutan ko na ‘yung kalokohang ginawa niya kahapon.
❝ Why? I don‘t trust your instinct when it comes to men. So don‘t you dare set me up again. I‘ll rip your neck, Mace. I swear. ❞
Nangingiming sagot ko, nakita ko kung paano siya umiwas ng tingin na parang nagdadalawang-isip kung magsasalita pa.
❝ Kane looks nice naman. Why don‘t you give him a chance?❞
Natatawa ko siyang binalingan na para bang isang malaking katatawanan ang lumabas sa bibig niya.
❝ Sam looks nice, you said. But you ended up crying because he cheated on you three times. Lee is kind and honest, you said. But you got yourself wasted after he left you because of someone with the same gender as him. ❞
Naiilang itong tumawa at lumingkis sa braso ko na parang nawawalang bata.
❝ I know right? But Kane is really a nice guy. He is different. You just need to give it a try. ❞
Pilit pa rin nitong pangungumbinsi.
❝ Mace. You‘re swaying your bestfriend to someone I just met. He is a player, a womanizer, a lothario. ❞
Puno ng iritasyong protesta ko.
❝ You said it yourself. Kane is someone you just met, so what makes you think that he is a player, a womanizer and a lothario? ❞
Puno ng pagmamalaking usal niya.
❝ Shut it, Mace. Kane's verbal approach was rhetoric. It was nonsensical. It was good to hear but the absence of his sincerity was evident. ❞
Sinimulan ko na ulit ang paglakad na naudlot dahil sa pangungulit niya.
❝ But what if Kane is not like that? ❞
Habol pa nito.
❝ Back it up. I‘ll say this once, if he is unfeigned. He must court me, tame me and let's see how this will end. ❞
Matalim na sambit ko.
Sa hindi ko malamang dahilan ay lumawak ang ngiti nito na animo‘y nagpipigil ng tawa.
❝ I was about to use force without an abidance of law. You can sue me for that. ❞
❝ But as you said, I‘ll court you, tame you and see this at the end? ❞
His lips formed into a wide grimace.
My heart pounded when he started to walk towards me.
Philosophy says that feelings aren‘t facts. I may be dazzled by his existence but it's not what it is. I may be feel this way but it does not mean I need to be enslaved by it.
❝ I-I am retracting all my words. I was impulsive. ❞
Mariin akong napapikit dahil sa pagmumuo ng kahihiyan sa loob ko.
❝ So I can‘t trust your words then? That‘s a shame. ❞
Nanlaki nang husto ang mata ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Kasabay nang paghinto nito.
❝ Kane. ❞
❝ Words are truly powerful. When it comes to court, it can be used against you. I am objecting your request to retract all your words. ❞
Nakangising sambit nito na lalong nagpainit ng ulo ko.
❝ I am not asserting for request, you displeasing little swine!❞
Malakas na sigaw ko.
Napako ako sa aking kinatatayuan nang mapansing isang hakbang na lamang ang layo nito sa'kin.
❝ Back off. ❞
Halos kumawala at tumalon ang puso ko dahil sa labis labis na kaba. I never felt stiffened and daunted because of someone with the opposite gender. Normally, it's the other way around.
❝ Watch your words, little brat. You‘ve casted aspersions towards me awhile ago. Womanizer, a player, lothario? I can sue you for defamation.❞
My knees wobble abruptly when he bend forward to reach my height. He grasped my chin just to prevent me from looking away.
My hands became sweaty as his lips began to make a smile.
❝ Your dismissal will be at? ❞
❝ 4-4 pm.❞
Para akong natanggalan ng tinik sa dibdib nang umayos ito ng tayo at ipinasok sa dalawang bulsa ang magkabilang kamay.
❝ 4 pm. I‘ll see you then. ❞
Ilang beses akong napakurap nang tumalikod na ito at nagsimulang maglakad papalayo.
What the hell did just happened?
---
From : Mace
We had an early dismissal. Nauna na akong umuwi, Kane will pick you up anyway. ^^
Halos mapunit ang bawat pahina ng aklat ko nang mabasa ang text message ni Mace. Ako na lang ang naiwan sa loob ng room dahil ayaw pa rin gumalaw ng mga paa ko para lumabas kahit gustong-gusto ko nang makauwi.
4:20 pm.
Okay lang naman na ma-late ako ng konti. Magpapalusot nalang ako kay mama.
❝ Alright, I‘ll just read. Mabilis naman ang oras kapag nagbabasa ako. ❞
Ilang minuto ang lumipas at wala rin akong naintindihan kahit ilang salita sa libro.
❝ This is your fault, Kane. ❞
Ipinasok ko na lamang sa loob ng bag ang aklat.
Nakangiti akong lumabas ng room at sinipat ang screen ng cellphone ko.
It's already 4:30. He won't wait for thirty minutes. I bet.
❝ You‘re smiling? I remembered we agreed to meet at 4 pm. Did we have a miscommunication? ❞
I almost jumped in fear when I suddenly heard a very familiar voice; and then I saw him smirking while comfortably lying his back at the edge of the wall.
❝ What are you doing here? ❞
Bakas pa rin sa mukha ko ang labis na pagka gulantang.
❝ Let's go, hard-headed.❞
Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na buntong hininga bago sumunod sakanya.
❝ You won‘t bug me after this, right? ❞
Paninigurado ko habang hinahabol ang malalaking paghakbang niya.
❝ Are you hungry? ❞
❝ Sort of. Wait, you didn‘t answer me. ❞
Nakasimangot na sagot ko.
❝ What do you want to eat? ❞
Napa-atras ako nang biglaan niya akong lingunin. Matiim siyang nakatitig sa mga mata ko na para bang normal lang sakanya.
❝ W-why do you have to stare at my eyes? I-Is that your nature? ❞
He's not even aware how much his eyes affect people.
❝ Strange, you‘re the only one who can withstand an eye contact with me. ❞
Para bang puno ng pagka manghang turan niya.
❝ Is that the reason why you‘re bugging me? ❞
Walang sino man sa aming dalawa ang naglalakas loob na umiwas ng tingin.
❝ No. ❞
❝ Then why? What‘s your reason? ❞
❝ Is it necessary to always have a reason for everything? ❞
❝ Philosophy has a principle of sufficient reason. A philosophical principle justifying that everything must have a reason, cause or ground. ❞
Tuloy-tuloy na sagot ko.
My heart throbs impulsively as I saw his both eyes yielded into a line in congruence with a smile coming from his lips.
❝ Date me if you‘re eager to know. ❞
Tuloy tuloy pa rin sa pag-alpas ang puso ko kahit pa nakatalikod na siya.
His eyes are smiling too whenever he do.