"Ang aga mo naman gumising Jewel."Tumawa ako ng dahil sa sinabi ni Natasha. I turned the stove off and grab a plate and put the hotdogs and eggs. Umupo kami sa upuan at nagsimulang kumain.
"Na-inspired kaba?" Amber asked and I shook my head.
"Hindi no!"
We glance at the stairs as Sapphire heads down carrying her bag and tons of papers.
"Jewel, natapos mo na ba ang assignment?"She asked. I saw how Natasha and Amber shook their head.
"Yup." She sighed in relief.
"Pa-copy nga." She pleaded. I sighed and went to get my paper inside my bag, before giving it to her.
"Here."She smiled widely.
"Hayy, salamat talaga." She hugged me and went to sit down, before copying my work while eating. I only shook my head, took a seat, and continued my meal.
"Hoy Sapphire!Mahiya ka naman kay Jewel."sabi ni Natasha at ngumuso naman si Sapphire at pinagpatuloy ang kanyang ginagagawa.
"No, it's okay."
"Bakit hindi mo ginawa ang assignment kahapon?" kunot noong tanong ni Amber.
"Eh kase nga! Tumawag si Rigel at ganon nag-usap kami. Sa katagal namin mag-usap ay hindi namin napansin ang oras. I think 12:00 a.m. kami natapos."
"Ang tagal naman, mukha naman kayo hindi na nag-kikita. Eh, nagkikita naman kayo sa school."sabi ni Amber.
Hindi ito pinansin ni Sapphire at nagpatuloy sa kwento. "So ganon nga, pagkatapos namin mag-usap ay natulog na ako. Nakalimutan ko na may assignment pala."
"Huwag mo nang gawin iyon ulit, Sapphire. Isipin mo din ang pag-aaral mo." sabi ko at ngumiti naman ito at tumango.
"Okay-"
"Naku Jewel! Wala ng pag-asa na magbago iyan, noong first year ganyan na siya. Hindi gumagawa ng assignment, mas lalo pa nga lumalala na naging kaibigan kaming tatlo. Sa amin palagi nangongopya."said Natasha and Sapphire glared at her.
"Napakasama niyo!"
"Totoo naman. Bakit pikon ka?" Natasha asked, sarcastically. Lalong nainis si Sapphire sa sinabi ni Natasha at sususugod na sana sa kanya pero pinigilan ito ni Amber.
"Tama na iyan." said Amber. Sapphire went back to her seat, glaring at Natasha.
"Sige na, kumain na tayo."
Nang matapos kaming kumain ay binigay ni Sapphire sa akin ang papel dahil tapos na siya sa pag-copy at nagpasalamat din siya. Sabay kaming pumunta sa school at hanggang ngayon marami pa din nakatingin sa akin, hindi ko nalang sila pinansin at pumasok lang sa loob ng classroom dahil magsisimula na ang klase.
"S-sorry." I apologized to the guy I bumped into. I kneeled to pick up his books that lay on the floor.
"No, I should be the one apologizing." sabi niya at tinulungan ako. His gaze went to me and our eyes widened.
It was him.
The guy I met in the cafe.
"Oh, it's you." He smiled.
"Damon."sambit ko. Ngumiti ito at tumango.
"I still didn't know your name." He looked away and scratched his nape.
"Oo nga pala."sabi ko at nag-iwas ng tingin.
"Can we be friends?" tanong niya at napaisip ako. Hindi naman siguro patayin ni kuya ang lalaking 'to kapag maging kaibigan kami. Besides, he's at New York.
"Sure." I smiled at him. "Jewelry Grace Smith. Just call me Jewel. I don't want anyone calling me Grace."sabi ko at naglahad ng kamay at tinanggap niya naman ito.
"Jewel."sambit niya sa aking pangalan."Can we have lunch together?"
"Uhh-"Magsasalita na sana ako nang biglang may tumawag sa akin.
"Jewel."
"Carter."gulat kong sabi. He marched towards us and moved me away from Damon. I gazed at him, perplexed, and Damon looked confused.
"Sino ka?Inaaway mo ba si Jewel?"
"Huh? Wh-what? No, of course not!"mabilis na sabi ni Damon.
"Mabuti, dahil kapag ginawa mo iyon ay ako ang papatay sayo."sabi ni Carter at tinignan nang masama si Damon.
What's happening?
"Calm down, Carter," I said. The last thing I want is a war between the two of them and we would be sent to the dean's office. And I don't want to see him there, smirking and teasing me that I just flirted with two boys. "Si Damon lang iyan, iyong nakilala ko sa cafe."
"Is he your boyfriend?"Damon asked and pointed to Carter.
"No. We're just friends."sabi ko at ramdam ko na napatingin sa akin si Carter.
"Oh."
"Hoy! Ano kaba Carter?! Nakakahiya ka!"sabi ni Amber at binatukan si Carter at ngumiti kay Damon.
"Aray!Ang sakit non!"inis niyang sabi at hinawakan ang kanyang batok.
"Hi!"sabi ni Natasha at naglahad ng kamay kay Damon at tinanggap naman niya ito. "Natasha nga pala, kaibigan ni Jewel."
"Sapphire."
"Amber."
"Damon."
"Woah!Ang ganda ng pangalan mo, parang mafia!" sabi ni Sapphire at pumalakpak.
"Thanks, I guess." He rubbed his nape, looking awkward.
"Don't worry. Hindi niyo na makikita kami, lalo na ang lalaking 'to."sabi niya at tinuro si Carter.
"Enjoy your date."sabi nilang tatlo at ngumisi sa akin.
"Its not a date."I argued, but they left us alone with wide grins on their faces."Sorry about them."He smiled. Pumunta na kami sa cafeteria at pagpasok namin sa loob ay maraming nakatingin sa amin.
"Why is everyone staring at us?" tanong ni Damon pero hindi ako sumagot at umiwas lang ng tingin. Mukhang hindi niya alam ang ginawa ko. Umupo kami sa isang table sa gilid."So, what do you want to eat?"
"Kahit ano."sagot ko. Tumango ito at umalis upang bumili.
"You look uncomfortable, is it because of me?"
"H-hindi. Iyong mga nakatingin sa atin."sagot ko kaya napatango ito.
"Huwag mo na sila pansinin."
"May ginawa kasi ako, kaya ganyan sila sa akin."I confessed and his brows furrowed.
"What did you do?" tanong niya at sinabi ko sa kanya ang nangyari. "Woah!So you were that girl?"he sound amazed, by what I did. "I'm sorry, many were talking about the woman who punched Jace." tawa niyang sabi. "If only I saw that, I would have recorded it." Mukhang masaya siya sa nangyari, pero bakit?Magkaibigan ba sila?
"Are you friends with him?"
"No, we're not friends." sabi niya at umiwas ng tingin. Pagkatapos namin kumain ay hinatid ako ni Damon sa computer room. Maraming nakatingin sa akin ng ihatid ako ni Damon.
"Kamusta ang date?"tanong ni Amber at ngumisi.
"It's not a date."
"Weh?"sabay na tanong ni Sapphire at Natasha.
"Oo nga."inis kong sabi. I started the computer plugged my USB and continued my work.
"Ang cute niyo dalawa."sabi ni Sapphire at umiling ako. Pinagpatuloy ko ang ginagawa ko at palagi naman nila ako inaasar sa 'date' raw namin ni Damon na hindi naman nangyari. Kumakain lang kami sa cafeteria, tawag na date iyon? What if its just friends who are taking their lunch?
"Mag-cr muna ako." sabi ko at tumayo. Kumunot ang aking noo na nakatingin sila sa akin at ngumisi.
"Mag-cr ba talaga o pupuntahan si Damon?"tanong ni Natasha kaya napatingin ako sa kanya ng hindi makapaniwala
"Ano?Hindi no!"inis kong sabi at tumawa naman sila. Umiling ako at lumabas sa computer room at pumunta sa comfort room. Pumasok ako sa loob at nagsimulang umihi.
Paglabas ko sa comfort room ay nakita ko si Jace.
"The heck!?"sabi ko at napahawak sa aking dibdib. "What are you doing here? Sinusundan mo ba ako?"
"What is your relationship with Salazar?"tanong niya kaya kumunot ang aking noo. He didn't look as amusing as I hoped he would be. His jaws were clenched as he waited for my answer.
Sinong Salazar?
"Salazar? Wala akong kilala na Salazar."I said with a hint of confusion.
"The guy you were with at the cafeteria."sabi niya kaya napatango ako. Salazar pala ang apelyido ng lalaking iyon? I nodded by realization. But why did he ask? Anong Meron sa kanya at parang galit siya?
"Ah. Si Damon." sabi ko. "Bakit gusto mo malaman?May gusto ka ba sa kanya?"I joked and he glared at me.
"I'm not gay."
"Magkaibigan lang kami."sabi ko at humalukipkip.
"Stay away from him."sabi niya at napatingin ako sa kanya ng hindi makapaniwala.
"Joke ba yon?"
"I'm not fooling around, Miss Smith."sabi niya at biglang lumapit sa akin.
"Lumayo ka nga sa akin!"sabi ko at pilit siyang itulak pero dahil mas malakas ito ay mas lalo itong lumapit sa akin."Layo nga, sabi!" He smirked. My eyes widened when I felt the cold wall behind me. His hands then went to the side, caging me. I glared at him. "May plano ka bang halikan ako?" inis kong tanong at mas lalo ito ngumisi.
"Why? You still didn't get your first kiss?" ngisi niyang tanong at tumingin sa aking labi. F*ck no!
"Ano? Hindi no! Marami na kayo ako nahalikan, mas gwapo pa nga sayo eh!" I shouted at him. His hands left my side and backed away.
"Whatever," he said. His cold demeanor is back. This guy sure has mood swings. "Just stay away from him."
"Bakit ako susunod sayo?"I asked as my arms crossed my chest. I even arch my brows.
"Kung ayaw mo mamatay, susunod ka sa akin." A scoff escape my lips. Mamatay talaga? Another level na yata ang pagiging overthinking niya.
"Hindi masamang tao si Damon. Kapag ikumpara ko kayong dalawa ni Damon, mas masama ka pa sa kanya." He chuckled, like always, finding this all amusing.
"How sure are you that he's not an a**hole?"
I am very sure that he's not an a**hole just like you.
"Mabait si Damon." sabi ko at mas lalo itong tumawa.
"He's wearing a mask." walang ekspresyon niyang sabi. "You should really practice to know if a person is faking or not."sabi niya at pinitik bigla ang aking noo. I touch my forehead and glared at him.
"Good luck. You're gonna need it," he said and left me in the comfort room, wondering if I should believe what he said or not.
I sighed and checked myself in the mirror. I still look..fine. No hair was out of place, so I need to leave this comfort room now. I can still hear Jace's words inside my head like he's just standing beside me.
It couldn't be. Damon isn't a bad person. He's good. His face appeared in my head and he was smiling at me.
I sighed and left the bathroom. As I started walking back to class, I saw a woman staring at me. No. Not staring. She was glaring. I already know that a lot of them don't like me because of Jace, so this wasn't something unfamiliar to me.
However, I don't think this is the glare of an angry fan, but this looks personal. She was walking towards me and I wondered. Is she gonna slap me?
And as she continued to walk towards me, her hair was in a high ponytail and it sways from side to side as she walked. I continued to walk and she continued to glare at me. Then we passed each other and she didn't do anything. I turned around and she continued to walk towards the comfort room. My brows furrowed. I thought something bad might happen to us.
I shrugged my shoulders. Maybe I was deluding myself.