"So, pupunta ka sa bahay nila Jason? May bagong pool table sila, laro tayo."
Distracted na itinaas ni Rad ang titig kay Paul. Nakangiti ito sa kanya habang hinihintay ang sagot niya. Magalang siyang umiling. "I'm not sure, may gagawin ako."
"Next weekend then?"
Tumango lang siya. "I'll try."
Bumukas ang pinto at nag-angat siya ng mukha. His muscles tensed as he watched Yelena walk toward her seat. Para itong sinag ng araw kapag nasa paligid ito. Bright, dazzling, mesmerizing. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail, exposing the slender curve of her neck. A healthy flush tainted her cheekbones, and her soft pink lips looked moist. Strawberies and cream, she always reminded him of those. Creamy skin with a hint of blush.
Nagtaas din ito ng tingin at bahagyang natigilan nang makitang nakatitig siya rito. But she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin.
He couldn't help a small smirk. Fire, he thought. She was fire, too.
Nagmartsa ito papunta sa desk nito at parang prinsesang umupo roon. His smile widened. Princess Yelena was still angry.
"Morning, Yelena!" narinig niyang bati ni Luigi.
Kunot-noo siyang napatingin sa kaklase. Nakangiti ito habang nakatitig sa dalaga.
"'Morning," sagot ng huli na bumaling din kay Luigi. But she didn't spare him a glance.
He snorted to himself. As if that would affect him.
"Hey, Yelena, ano'ng gagawin n'yo para sa Social Studies project?" tanong dito ni Jason.
She turned toward their classmate, and he watched strands of her hair curl around her shoulder.
"Secret," sagot nito habang malawak na nakangiti.
Tumawa sina Paul at Jason.
"Secret ka pa, ha?" kantiyaw ni Paul.
"It's going to be awesome." Her smile turned smug, but there was a certain charm and excitement in her pretty smile. "I emailed Geraldine and we agreed on the concept. We're going to get a hundred percent for this one."
Tumawa si Jason at pabirong sinipa ang upuan ni Yelena. "Yabang."
Her laughter was like hot caramel laced with honey, and light shone in her soft brown eyes as she smiled at Jason.
He scowled at her.
"Yeah." Umayos ito ng upo at tumalikod na sa kanila.
Bumaling ang titig niya kay Jason. The guy was still grinning like an idiot. He had the sudden urge to throw something at the retard.
Nag-ring ang bell at pumasok ang teacher nila. Nagsimula ang lesson, at nanatili ang titig niya sa likod ng ulo ni Yelena. Naalala niya ang pagpunta nito sa bahay niya nang nakaraang gabi, at hindi niya mapigilan ang pagsimangot. What the f*ck was that?
Natapos ang Math period at dumating ang Art teacher nila. May video ito na pinapanood sa kanila tungkol sa iba't ibang art movements. Pinatay ang ilaw habang nanonood sila. Sinulyapan niya si Yelena, at naningkit ang kanyang mga mata nang makitang papikit-pikit ito. She yawned and covered her mouth.
Ganoon pa rin ito hanggang Social Studies. Pasimple itong naghihikab at pumipikit habang kunwari ay nagsusulat.
Nag-ring ang bell, signaling lunch period. Tumayo si Yelena at nilapitan ang dalawa nitong kaibigan. Tumayo rin siya at napalibutan naman nina Paul.
"Man, ang dami na namang assignment," angal ni Jason.
Nakita niyang lumabas si Yelena ng classroom nang mag-isa. Hindi niya napigilan ang pagsalubong ng mga kilay. What the hell was wrong with her?
Sumama siya kina Jason sa canteen, pero hindi niya nakita si Yelena. Naroon sa usual spot ng mga ito ang dalawang kaibigan nito. He bought two chicken sandwiches and seafood pasta for take out.
"Uy, s'an ka pupunta?" sita sa kanya ni Paul nang makita ang take-out paper bag niya.
"May hahanapin lang ako, sige." Lumabas siya ng canteen.
He found her in the library. Sa may likurang parte ito nakaupo, natatakpan ng malalaking shelves. Nakapatong ang bag nito sa desk, at nakasubsob ang mukha sa nakatuping mga braso. And she was... snoring.
"What the hell?" he muttered.
Umupo si Rad sa tapat nito at ipinatong ang paper bag sa desk. He stared at her. She didn't look tired. She was just probably sleepy. Hindi rin ito namumutla. He ran his eyes over her smooth pinkish cheeks and upturned nose. Napadako ang mga mata niya sa nakapikit nitong mga mata. She had very long lashes, they were dark, thick, and fanned across her cheek. Her lips were slightly parted, and they looked soft and–
Riiinnnggg!
Pareho silang napapitlag ni Yelena sa gulat. Napaungol ito at kinapa ang ilalim ng bag nito.
"Ugh..." she groaned, and lifted her eyes to meet his. And then, she froze.
He leaned back against the seat and stared back at her. "You're drooling."
Napasinghap ang babae at napahawak sa pisngi. Naningkit ang mga mata nito nang malamang niloloko niya lang ito. He fought back a smile. Inis na umayos ito ng upo at pinatay ang alarm ng phone nito. Ilang hibla ng mahabang buhok ni Yelena ang nakawala sa tali at tumabing sa pisngi at leeg nito.
"What are you doing here?" akusa ng dalaga.
He tapped his fingers on the table. Walang papel o libro sa paligid nito, so he supposed she wasn't doing their assignments. She skipped lunch to sleep.
"Bakit puyat ka?" tanong ng binata.
Sumimangot ito at hinila ang tali nito sa buhok. He watched her thick brown hair fall across her shoulders and back like silky waterfall. She ran her fingers through her hair, and he couldn't stop imagining his own fingers running through her silky locks.
"I'm just sleepy," she muttered.
"Why?"
"None of your business."
Hinila nito muli ang buhok palayo sa mukha para itali.
"Ah," daing nito at pilit hinila ang tali mula sa buhok.
Napakunot si Rad at napatingin kung ano ang problema.
"Shoot," she muttered as she tried to pull the hair band.
Tumayo siya at naglakad patungo sa likuran nito.
"What are you doing?" angal ni Yelena.
"Don't pull your hair." Hinawakan niya ang kamay nito at hinila iyon para bitawan nito ang tali.
Inis na siniko siya nito. "Ano ba!"
"Shut up. Don't move."
Nabuhol ang ilang hibla ng buhok nito sa black nitong tali. Maingat niyang hinila ang mga iyon para lumuwag sa pagkakabuhol. Her hair was as soft as it looked. It felt like strands of silk in his fingers.
"Natanggal na?" she asked.
He gently tugged the remaining strands away from the hair band and let her silky locks slide across his fingers. "Yeah." He couldn't help it. He wrapped a few strands of her brown hair around his fingers and and gently rubbed them.
"Are you playing with my hair?"
Kumunot-noo si Rad. "No."
"What? Balak mo bang maging parlorista at gusto mong kulutin ang buhok ko?"
He scowled, and he tugged at her hair.
"Aw!" angal nito.
"Quiet, we're in a library."
He ran his fingers through her hair and pulled them up.
"What are you doing?"
Hindi niya ito sinagot at ipinagpatuloy ang paghila sa buhok ng babae para i-ponytail. The scent of apples and flowers wafted around him, and he resisted the urge to burry his face in her locks and inhale that soft feminine scent.
"What? 'Wag mong sabihin dream mo talagang maging hairstylist, Rad?"
"Shut up." Hinila niya ang buhok nito para sa huling pag-ikot ng tali. He let his fingers trail across her nape, his thumbs gently brushing her skin. He saw goosebumps pimpled her smooth flesh and his lids grew heavy.
"What... What are you doing, Rad?" she asked, her voice breathy and low.
He gently rubbed her nape with his fingers and watched a slight flush taint her skin. "I wonder," sagot niya, mababa rin ang boses.
"Bipolar ka ba? One moment you're cold and harsh, on the next, you're nice. What the hell are you trying to do?"
Parang may gumapang na yelo sa kanyang mga ugat. Nice, huh? Hinayaan niyang bumagsak sa kanyang gilid ang mga kamay.
"Playing you, what else?" mabigat niyang sagot.
Bumalik si Rad sa kanyang upuan at malamig na tinitigan si Yelena. A pretty flush still stained her cheeks, and her soft brown eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and annoyance.
He cocked his head. "What? You think I like you?"
Mapait itong tumawa at umiling, sabay kinuha ang paperbag na nakapatong sa katabi nitong upuan.
"Chicken adobo." Ipinatong nito iyon sa mesa sa pagitan nila. "Nagpatulong akong magluto kay Nanay Ima. It's good, I assure you. Kaluluto lang namin n'yan kaninang umaga, so bago pa 'yan. I can't come to your house today, I have something to do. Let's just extend the two weeks to one more day to make up for today."
Tumitig si Rad sa paper bag sa pagitan nila, at inangat niya ang titig kay Yelena. Muli itong naghikab at pinahid ang kaunting luha sa sulok ng mata dala ng paghikab.
"You woke up early for this?" untag ni Rad.
"Yes, and I stayed up late because I was doing something for the Socio project. Anyway, mauna na 'ko, di pa 'ko nagla-lunch–"
Itinulak niya ang paperbag ng take-out food.
"Ano 'yan?" kunot-noong tanong ni Yelena.
"Eat."
Bumakas ang gulat sa mga mata nito, pagkatapos ay naningkit. "What? You're feeding me again? I'm going to start thinking you have a crush on me."
Siya naman ang sarkastikong tumawa. "Yeah, it's my way of showing my undying love for you."
Pinaikot nito ang mga mata at sinilip ang laman ng paper bag. "Pasta and sandwich?"
"Hindi. Pansit at bibingka."
"You need to polish your jokes, Rad. They're so lame."
"Eat," ulit ni Rad.
She huffed and looked around. "We can't eat here."
"I doubt kung mapapansin ng nagbabantay. Busy si Mrs. Ferer sa pakikipag-chat sa Facebook." Nilabas niya ang sandwich at pasta, at napakunot-noo si Yelena.
"Masyadong maraming carbs 'to."
. "Are you f*cking kidding me?"
"Shh! 'Wag kang maingay." Nakasimangot na kinuha nito ang pagkain sa kanya.
Nagsimula siyang kumain. He watched Yelena take a small bite of her sandwich, watched her mouth move as she chewed. "Saan ka pupunta mamaya?" he asked.
"Para sa Socio project namin."
"Saan?"
"None of your business."
He scowled at her, pero balewala lang itong nagpatuloy sa pagkain.
"Ano nga pala'ng project n'yo?" tanong nito.
"None of your business," balik niya.
Sumimangot din ito at muling sumubo ng pasta.