Chapter 29
"Can you please get the hell out of me?"
I almost punch Stef when he hold my hand when the band starts singing at pinilit na itaas iyon. Tinawanan lang niya ko at nag peace sign.
Inis kong nilibot ang paningin ko sa soccer field at pilit na umiiwas sa mga nagtatalunan, I swear makakasapak ako kapag may nakatapak sa sapatos ko! We're here at the battle of the bands and I'm stuck in here because of Stef.
"Gago pre, quit basketball na tayo tapos gawa nalang banda, daming chicks oh!" Stef shouted beside me.
I only showed him my middle finger to shut him up. Kanina pa kami dito at wala akong nagawa ng dalhin ako dito ni Stef pagkatapos ng training namin.
I roamed my eyes and see the girl who's standing at the side of the railings. Natawa ko ng makita kong pilit niyang sinasabayan ang kanta, her full attention is in the band kaya napakunot pa ang noo ko't sinundan ang tinitignan niya sa stage.
Oh, so she's into guitarist huh?
Ang sakit ng ulo ko pagkalabas ko ng room. Grabe magpa exam ang professor na yon, nagmumukha akong bobo.
"Tara, walwal!"
"Pass," I said to Stef.
"Ang panget mo naman kabonding pre," he said then looked at Grant and Peyton, "Kayo? Porket may mga girlfriend kayo ipagpapalit nyo kami ni Kipp!"
"Fuck off, dude." Grant's said.
"Excuse me po,"
I almost choked when I saw the girl in front of us. She's the girl I saw last year on the battle of the bands! Nakaharang yata kami sa dadaanan niya kaya automatic na gumilid ako para paraanin siya. Marami siyang dala at may plates sa kamay niya. I recognized it because I'm an engineering student.
"Kilala nyo ba yun?" I asked my friends and pointed the girl who passed us by.
He shrugged, "Palagi yan nananalo e, sayang bata. Makukulong ako nyan," natatawang sabi niya.
"Saan?"
"Quiz bee yata pre, matalino yan sa SHS." I nodded and glanced at her again.
I don't know what's wrong with me but almost everyday, pumupunta ko sa harapan ng SHS building para lang tumambay at para makita yun.
She got my attention. Hindi ko na siya nakita pagtapos nung nakiraan siya samin last month. Gusto kong tanungin si Stef kung alam niya pangalan nun pero I stopped myself asking him, knowing Stef, napaka malisyoso ng taong yon, kalalaking tao e.
I always following her everywhere. Minsan pinipilit kong isama ang tatlo kahit nagrereklamo sila para lang hindi ako magmukhang baliw dito na pabalik-balik.
"Library nanaman?" bulong ko at tahimik ko lang siyang sinusundan dito sa hallway.
"Omg, h-hi Kipp!"
Sinenyasan ko lang siyang huwag maingay at nginitian. Siya lang ang hindi nakakapansin sakin, wala ba siyang pakiramdam na ako yung nasa likuran niya?!
How come she didn't know me! I know for sure she knows me, everyone knows me for fuck sake!
Pustahan, kahit maghampasan pa kami ng gitara ng crush niya.
"Tsk, mali naman pag gamit niya ng T-square." naiiling kong sabi habang pinapanood ko siyang mag drawing sa kabilang table.
And right after I said that, she irritatedly crumpled her plate. Nah, I told you to position properly first before you start.
Congratulations to Elya Kristen Llanos from SHS Department for winning 1st place on Science Quiz Bee!
I smiled like an idiot while staring at her congratulatory tarpaulin here in school. Elya Kristen. Elya.
She's beautiful, I admit. She's simple too, parang walang naging kaaway sa buong buhay niya.
"Masyado kang maganda sa tarpaulin na yon. Ayokong may ibang makakita no'n." I said to her while my hands are both inside my pocket.
I don't know why the fuck did I say that to her! I just saw myself walking to her after I saw her and that guitarist talking inside their classroom earlier. Kasalanan ko bang ihatid siya sa classroom nila ng hindi niya alam!
"I thought we're going to the club?" Peyton asked when we arrived in school.
"Oo nga pre, puta nakahithit ka ba? Sabihin mo lang kung naghihirap na kayo, magkano ba bentahan ng tarpaulin?" I rolled my eyes at Stef.
"Just help me get this tarpaulin without getting us caught!" I shouted at them. Nanghiram pa ko sa guard house sa subdivision namin ng hagdan bago pumunta dito. It's almost midnight and we're here at school, stealing a fucking tarpaulin. Grant did not go with us and said that I'm an idiot for planning this, tsk.
We successfully got the tarpaulin, I mean steal the tarpaulin from school, I'll probably bring it to my room. Sounds creepy but I rather keep this tarpaulin so that no one will stare at her.
I will never let someone stares at your face, Elya. Especially, your smile.
"Call me immediately when your class is over, " I said as I hand her a piece of paper containing my cellphone number.
"P-Pero, Kipp!" fuck, she called my name, dude! She fucking called my name!
I stopped myself from smiling and then faced her. I suddenly want to kiss her when I saw how cute she was right now. She's pissed and confused at the same time but that expression of her is body-slamming my heart at this moment!
"It's good to know that you already know me. No need to introduce myself to you, Miss One Placer."
Sunday morning, and I just got home after we played 2 games. Hindi na ko sumama kina Grant sa bahay nila para kumain. Magrereview pa ko sa quiz namin bukas. Hindi man halata but I priority my study more than playing basketball.
I stopped when I saw someone familiar standing at that guitarist guy's house. I automatically rolled my eyes when I remember again that I caught her with that guitar player.
She obviously likes that guy. Ano bang meron dun bukod sa paggigitara? Ang corny.
"Miss One Placer?" I called her and she looked at me again with her 'disbelief face'.
She didn't answer me when I asked her what is she doing here, outside.
"Don't tell me, you're one of my stalkers?" I jokingly said and I win when I saw her pissed-off-face. I like that expression of hers, she's too cute.
Pabalik-balik ako sa harapan ng bahay ni rakista at halos lahat na yata ng kwentong barbero ay nakwento ko na sa guard nila pero hindi pa rin lumalabas si Elya!
So I called her, telling how important is she doing in there and asked for my help instead.
"I'm starting to feel jealous." I said and that's fucking true!
Malala na yata naging tama ko kay Elya. Putangina, wala akong pake kung asarin ako nila Stef na nagkagusto sa senior high school.
"Pre, kasabay pala ng game natin ang battle of the bands ah," Stef's said while tying his shoes also.
"Who cares?" tamad kong sabi at sinukbit ang bag ko.
"Yung bine-babysit mo."
"Fuck you," mura ko sa kanya at binatukan siya.
"Awit ka dun, Kipp. Huwag mo ng asahang papanoorin ni Elya laban natin," pang-iinis sakin ni Stef at agad na ginatungan nila Peyton.
Pinakyuhan ko lang sila isa-isa at nagmadaling umalis para puntahan si Elya.
Hindi pwedeng hindi siya manonood ng laban ko, magbago na siya dapat ng sinusuportahan.
I looked at the score board at napamura nalang ako sa isip ko ng makitang malaki na lamang ng kalaban namin.
Kanina pa ko sinisigawan ni coach kung bakit hindi pa ko naka jersey pero hindi ko siya sinasagot. Alangan namang sabihin ko kay coach na, 'sorry coach, ang tagal suyuin ni Elya para pumunta na dito e,'
My cellphone rang and my smile plastered on my face. Our coach is still scolding me as I answered the call.
"Ano ba talagang gusto mong mangyari, Kipp! Nagsisimula na ang laro and yet, hindi ka pa nagbibihis?!" Hindi ko pinapansin ang sinisigaw ni coach ngayon and honestly, wala akong naiintindihan sa haba ng sermon na sinasabi ngayon niya sakin dahil hinihintay kong marinig ang boses ni Elya.
[K-Kipp?] I smiled widely when I finally hear her voice.
"Hmm?" sagot ko at mas lalo yatang nabadtrip si coach dahil nakuha ko pang sagutin ang tawag.
[A-Anong nangyayari dyan?]
"Isa, Esvega! Kinakausap kita!" Prente akong sumandal sa upuan ng biglang sumabat si coach.
"As you can hear, pinapagalitan ako ngayon ni coach."
[Nakakainis ka talaga! Bakit kasi--]
"Pupunta ka pa ba?" I cut her off. Hoping that she would say yes.
Three points for Western University!
I smile and look at Triston who's injured now kaya mas lalo kaming natambakan.
"You don't need to force yourself to come here. It's okay, Elya." No it's not okay.
I hate picturing her now enjoying and singing loudly at the battle of the fucking band, admiring that Montecillo.
But she came. She handed me my jersey and stayed until the end of our game.