A sudden trip to Cebu is unexpected. Many things happened but at the end we've enjoyed our stay.
Now, we have to go back to RU. We were absent for almost a week, so I think I have missed the school.
"You will not still use new car?" Tanong ni Zel habang nakatingin sa sasakyan ko na nakaparada sa harapan.
"Obvious ba?" Nakangisi kong tanong habang deretso ang lakad papunta sa sasakyan ko.
"You even still wearing that eyeglasses and the same outfit." Nakangiwi niyang sabi.
Napailing nalang ako at sumakay na sa sasakyan ko.
We've finally heading our way to school. Just like before Blake went early while Clayd was left behind since later pa ang classes niya.
Nang makarating kami sa RU ay pinagtinginan kami agad ng mga taong nasa parking area. Maging hanggang sa hallway, ay nag bubulungan pa sila.
They surely missed us huh.
"Let's have lunch later again, okay~?" Sabi ni Zel bago siya maglakad patungo sa department niya.
Agad naman akong pumanta sa classroom ko since ten minutes nalang ay mag ta-time na.
"Shein!" Agad na salubong sa akin ni Joellen.
"Oh my god, I missed you. Anong nang yari, almost one week kang hindi pumasok, San ka ba nag punta! Maraming nang yari dito habang wala ka... Well, even Del Castillo and Fajardo wasn't here last week, since ang sabi umattend daw ng importanteng business trip." Sunod sunod niyang sabi sakin habang sunod ng sunod naman sa akin hanggang makaupo ako.
Wait, she doesn't know about the celebration of BTC? Doesn't her parents do business? I'm sure they attended since I think almost all well-known businessman were there.
Well, I guess they didn't told her, might because of what happened, plus she doesn't look like she's knew what here parent does in business.
"May pinuntahan kami ng father ko. Approved naman ang excuse ko." Tanging sagot ko lang sa kaniya.
Wala pa yung dalawa habang ang mga ka-klase namin ay nakikinig sa pinag uusapan namin ni Joellen.
"Ah basta! Nong Friday tinawagan kita but you're out of coverage. Gosh! I don't know what will be your reaction pag nalaman mo kung anong nangyari that day." Frustrated na sabi niya.
"Bakit? What happened ba?" Kunot noo kong tanong.
Ano bang nangyari habang wala ako? And even Joellen look so frustrated.
"Elshein, ang ganda pala ng project niyo." Biglang sabi nong classmate ko na nasa harapan nga nasa harap ko.
I forgot his name.
"Yup, ang galing mong umarte." Sabi naman nong nasa kaliwa niya.
Napa-face palm naman si Joellen at napa buntong hininga.
"Ang ganda mo pala pag walang eyeglasses at hindi naka ponytail." Sabi naman noong nakaupo sa harapan ng upuan ni Alexus.
"Elle?" I confusedly mentioned her name not minding what my classmates telling me.
Biglang bumukas ang pinto kaya napalingon kaming lahat doon.
Nagsitahimik bigla ang mga classmates namin napailing naman si Joellen.
"I don't know who spread our videos, the one we filmed." Sagot niya sakin at sumulyap pa kay Alexus at Ice na kakadating lang.
"I haven't asked ma'am, though I remember her saying na hindi niya e published or I pu-public iyon dahil confidential student's outputs iyon. Hindi niya yon i pu-public without consent from the students." She added at naupo sa upuan niya habang nakatingin parin at nakaharap parin sa akin.
"Malaking tanong din to sakin. Since nasa video ako." Nakanguso niya pang sabi.
Natawa naman ang mga nasa paligid niya kaya napailing nalang ako.
I glance at the guys beside me, but I just saw Ice looking straight infront while Alexus naman ay nanliit agad ang mata ng tumingin ako.
I mumbled 'what?" Pero umiling lang siya.
Tsk...
Tumingin ako muli kay Ice bago ibalik ang tingin kay Joellen na naka-pout parin.
Ice seems fiercer that usual. Mukang hindi maganda ang gising. I haven't seen them again at the hotel after noong sa bar kinabukasan at sa sumunod na araw bago kami mag check out. Seguro ay nauna silang umalis.
Haist! Pag malaman ko lang na hindi si ma'am ang nag upload ng video namin. I will definitely punch him or her hard!
Lunch time came at sabay kaming bumaba ni Joellen at pumunta sa cafeteria.
I didn't glance again to the guys at deretso ang paglabas lang sa classroom kasama si Joellen.
Habang nasa hallway kami ay marami ang nakatingin sa amin at nag bubulungan pero hindi ko na yon binigyan pansin.
"Gosh, look at them! Nakakainis talaga. I know minumura na nila tayo sa mga utak nila." Dinig kong inis na bulong ni Joellen.
"Don't mind them. Lilipas din yan." Tanging sinabi ko sa kaniya.
"Sana nga..." Mahinang bulong niya.
Napangiti nalang ako at nang makarating kami sa cafeteria ay pumunta siya sa table nila ng best friend niya habang ako ay dumeretso sa table namin ni Zel.
As usual, eyes were on me. Mas maraming tao kaya mas maraming mata ang nakatingin sakin plus nagbubulungan pa!
Nagtanong agad siya sakin kung anong gusto ko, at agad na pumila para maka order ng food.
Zel seems normal like usual. So I guess she haven't seen the video yet. Kasi once mapanood niya yon, tatadtarin na naman niya ako ng tanong.
"Oh my god!" She suddenly exclaimed at the middle of our lunch.
"OMG!" Sabi niya ulit habang hawak ang phone niya.
"Put your phone down, Zel. Tapusin mo muna ang pagkain mo." I told her bago muling sumubo ng pagkain.
Sinulyapan niya lang ako at hindi pinansin ang sinabi ko.
Bahala siya kung uunahin niya ang pag ce-cellphone kase ang pag kain.
"Gosh!" Bulong niya na naman after a minute of silent reactions.
"Ano bang tinitingnan mo jan? Tapos na akong kumain ikaw hindi pa." Sabi ko sa kaniya pagkatapos ko uminom ng tubig.
"Ito oh! Jusko Shein, anong ginawa mo..." Naguguluhan niyang sabi at ibinigay sa akin ang phone niya at nagsimulang kumain ulit.
Takang binuksan ko ang cellphone niya at tiningnan kung ano ang tinitingnan niyan kanina.
My eyes widened a bit and glance at her who were eating her lunch habang nakataas ang kilay na nakatingin sa akin.
"Galing mo talagang umarte, I bet, bukas may mag hahanap na sayo para ipasok ka sa pinoy big brother." Sarcastic niyang sabi.
Napatingin nalang ulit ako sa video na pinanood niya kanina.
"My classmates told me about that, kaya na curious ako, so I've looked for it.... Jusko Shein, that was the project you made with your classmates?" Agad na sabi niya pagkatapos niyang kumain.
"Yeah, didn't I tell you my filming kami?" Tanong ko naman sa kaniya.
"What? When? I don't remember." Tanong niya naman.
Napailing nalang ako at ibinalik sa kaniya ang cellphone niya.
"Isn't that the guy with the jerk at the mall?" Tanong niya ulit.
"Are you pertaining to my partner at the video?" Tanong ko naman at tumango lang siya, napabuntong hininga nalang ako.
"Yup." I simply answered.
"Where did you filmed it?" Tanong niya na naman ulit.
"In his house." Taning sagot ko.
"Who did the editing?" Tanong niya ulit.
"He, but I help a little." Tumango naman siya sa sagot ko.
Sinasabi ko na ngaba. Hindi to titigil hanggat hindi ko nasasagot ang mga tanong niya. Hay!
Hanggang sa matapos ang aming lunch break ay hindi parin siya maubusan ng tanong. It is almost time ng lumabas kami sa cafeteria.
We were in the hallway when I saw Alexus and Ice at a bench having a talk with the two girls they're with in Cebu.
Really? Kahit hanggang dito? Tsk.
I saw Ice looked at our direction kaya bago pa ako mahuling nakatingin ay umiwas na agad ako.
"I'll see you later Shein." Zel said and I just nodded. She immediately walk her way to their building, while I did the same.
Walking alone surely caught a lot of attention. Tsk
Habang naglalakad ako paakyat sa classroom ko ay madami parin ang nakatingin at nag bubulungan. Well, talk all you like. The hell I care, wag lang silang mag simula ng away, because I don't know what might happen.
Hanggang sa makarating ako sa classroom. Joellen immediately went beside me para makipag chismisan.
Then bago pa man dumating ang prof namin ay dumating na yung dalawa. I didn't even glance at them, untile the last period at mag dismissal.
I immediately go outside while Joellen's following me. Mukang nasasanay na siyang sumabay sakin paglabasan na.
"See you tomorrow Shein." She waved her hand as she walked towards the building where her best friend is.
I haven't meet her best friend even once. Though, I've meet her other friends before when we were not that close. She's totally friendly, I envy her.
We were dismissed earlier than Zel so I'll be waiting for here for more than fifteen minutes. Kaya sa may bench malapit sa parking muna ako naupo kung saan ako palaging naghihintay sa kaniya.
Hindi masyadong madami ang taong pumupunta sa parking lot since hindi pa naman dismissal ng iba.
I was playing candy crush saga on my phone when I heard familiar voices walking their way to my direction.
"Hi Shein."
Lumingon lang ako saglit sa kanila then back again to my phone.
"Bat ang snob mo lately?" Tanong nong isa.
I didn't give any reply and just focus on playing.
"Don't disturb her Al, she's playing a hard level." Natatawang sabi naman ni Martin.
Pinatay ko agad ang cellphone ko at tumingin sa kanila.
"What do you want?" I wearily asked.
Wow huh, talagang pinalibutan nila ako. Except Ice who were just behind Cian, as if walang paki sa ginagawa ng lima.
"Wala na ba kayong pasok, at talagang pinuntanhan niyo ko dito?" Naiinip kong tanong muli.
"We do, but nag excuse kami." Nakangiting sagot naman ni Luca.
Really? Nag excuse talaga sila para saan?
"We just want to asked some questions, Shein." Sabi naman ni Martin.
"Just tell her, you're just curious of what you saw." Natatawang sabi naman ni Eiderson.
"As if naman hindi ka din curious?" Sabi naman sa kaniya ni Alexus pero nagkibit-balikat lang si Eiderson.
"You're a lot different than the Shein we've met." Cian suddenly said.
"Which really is the true 'you'?" He seriously asked again, even emphasizing the word 'you'.
Nag-iba agad ang temperatura sa paligid. Even how they stare and stand. As if I am hiding a really hideous secret, and I was just caught.
Which made other people who were near at the area look and stare as us.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I calmly said.
"What are you doing there, Shein?" Suddenly someone from behind interrupted this little tension.
"Zel..." I slightly mumbled when I saw her walking to my direction.
Napatingin din yung mga lalaki sa kaniya.
"I've been looking for you." Bored na sabi niya.
"What are you doing talking to some parasite?" Kunot-noong sabi niya ulit habang nakatingin kay Cian na seryosong nakatingin lang sa kaniya.
"Let's go." Sabi niya sakin at hinablot pa ang kamay ko.
"Wait! We're not done talking to her." Seryosong sabi ni Cian sa kaniya.
"So? Now you're done." Mataray na sabi ni Zel sa kaniya then finally drag me with her.
Di naman na ako lumingon pa at sumunod nalang kay Zel hanggang sa harap ng sasakyan namin.
"Why are they there with you?" Agad na tanong niya.
"Don't know. Maybe asking while they saw us in Cebu." Bored kong sagot at binuksan nalang ang pinto ng kotse ko.
"Ano namang pakialam nila. Tsk." Inis niyang sabi.
"Don't mind them." Tanging sabi ko sa kaniya at sumakay na sa kotse ko.
I don't want to mind them at all. But they're giving me shits. Does seeing me like that in Cebu a big deal to them? Well, I can't blame them. Even just the days I spent with them, feels like I've known their personalities, especially Alexus who's a classmate, except Ice, who's already hard to read. Tsk.
Nang makauwi kami ay deretso agad ako sa kwarto para makapagpalit ng damit. I've spent the night as always with the three.
Kinabukasan, just like yesterday, the moment I stepped on the university's ground, madami agad ang nakatingin.
Geez, I don't like this kind of attention. I've never had this numerous death glares before. Tsk. I know most of them are girls. Tho, I know there are some, specially boys who's not sending death glares and just plain stares. Tsk, what a life -.-
Don't care!
The moment I stepped on our classroom's floor. All eyes are on me. I was surprised since they're not like this yesterday.
"Hi." A new face suddenly appeared infront of me. She's just beautifully smiling at me.
I think I've seen her somewhere.
"I'm Ellejah Bea Gregorio. I'll be your new classmate." Nakangiti nitong sabi sakin.
Kaylangan pa ba talaga akong salubongin. Tsk.
Hindi ko siya pinansin at deretso upo nalang sa chair ko.
I've saw some of my classmates gasped and the girl just passed behind my back and naupo sa kaharap na upuan ni Ice.
Diba may nakaupo na don? Hinanap ko ang nakaupo doon at nakita ko siya sa katabing row nina Joellen.
I saw Joellen winched and mumbled 'later'. Nangunot naman ang noo but the door suddenly opened again kaya napunta doon ang attention naming lahat.
"Hi Aiz~"
Nagulat kami sa malakas na pagsalita ng new classmate namin.
Napatingin ako kay Ice na walang kahit na anong emosyon sa muka at tumingin lang sa babae while si Alexus naman ay ngumiti at just waved his hand.
Sumulyap siya sakin na may ngiti sa labi. Pero umiwas agad ako ng tingin at naramdaman ko nalang naupo sila sa mga upuan nila.
"So, you finally transferred." Dinig kong sabi ni Alexus kay... Ano nga ba ulit name non?
Ella? Ejah?
"Of course. Dad made my transfer anyway." I heard her answered.
"How 'bout Lyz and Hillery?" Alexus asked once again.
"I don't know." She simply answered.
"You don't know? You're Hillery's cousin." Cold na sabi naman ni Ice. This is my first time hearing his voice again after that night.
"Well... I'm sure she'll be here soon." Tanging sagot lang nito.
"But aren't you happy that I am here in you class? I'm your classmate!" She widely smiled infront of Ice.
Tsk...
Hindi ko na sila tiningnan at tumingin nalang sa iba. Bakit ang tagal ng prof!
"Nah, I'm sure you talked to my dad to let you here." Dinig kong sagot ni Alexus.
"So?" Natatawang sabi naman nong Elljah ba yon?. Ewan wala akong paki.
The door opened once again and a girl I saw many times already had appeared.
"Hi Lyz!" Masayang bati nong Eljah sa bagong dating.
Don't tell me she'll be our new classmate too?
"Hi." Allyza simply answered her then she glanced at me for a second and just smiled.
Dumaan siya sa likoran ko at sa left side ko.
"Hi, can I have this seat?" Nakangiti niyang tanong sa classmate naming nakaupo sa harapan ni Alexus, it means mas malapit sakin.
Hindi naman sumagot ang classmate ko at tumayo nalang then lumapat ng ibang upuan.
"I thought, your dad won't approved your transfer." Dinig kong sabi ni Alexus sa kaniya.
"Well... Matitiis ba ako ni dad." Sagot ni Allyza at umayos ng upo.
"How about Hillery?" Tanong ulit ni Alexus.
Bakit parang siya lang ang nag sasalita. Isang beses ko lang narinig si Ice na nagsalita. Dakilang yelo talaga.
"She's already on her way to her department." Allyza simply answered.
Buti pa siya, alam niya kung nasaan yung tinatanong nina Alexus. Yung pinsan nong Hillery hindi alam. Psh!
Then I was surprised that she suddenly looked at me and then smiled.
"Hi... You were with the girl I bumped into before right?" Nakangiti niyang tanong sa akin.
Napasulyap naman ako kay Joellen na napaiwas agad ng tingin.
"Oh~ siya yun." Dinig kong sabi ni Allyza at itinuro si Joellen.
"You know them?" Dinig kong tanong noong si Ell-ewan ko.
"Ahm... not really. I just had a sudden encounter with them when I visit here." Sagot naman ni Allyza.
"By the way... I am Allyza Gwey Matias. Nice meeting you again." Nakangiting sabi niya sa akin at tumango lang naman ako.