I kept staring at her and didn't say anything. Logically speaking, if you keep on staring at people's eyes, they'll feel uneasy, and I was right, she looked away. That's my cue to leave.
"Teka nga kasi! Para naman tong timang." she complained. My patience snapped because of it.
"Can't you just tell me? Walang paligoy-ligoy..." I said with glaring eyes. She gulped and nodded. Mabilis niyang binuklat ang notebook and read its content. My blood boils after I know what she's plotting.
"Hindi ba maganda? This will help you and---" hindi ko na natapos ang sasabihin niya. I grab the notebook and throw it on the river behind her. She's shock and didn't expected what I did.
"Who do you think you are to decide on what I must do?" I irritatedly ask. Masyado siyang nanghihimasok sa buhay ko.
"I'm just...I..." she's stuttering, finding good words to say. She's spooked and she deserves it.
"Don't cross the line, we're not even close..." After I said that, I left her behind. Twenty things to be done before Leaving? What a crap.
"Ang aga aga, ganyan ang pagmumukha mo. Kaya ka single eh..." Professor Jed said as we run into each other sa tapat ng gate ng university.
"My face is always like this. Nabagok mo rin ba ang bungo mo?" I bluntly asked.
He just laughed wickedly. Nang-aasar na naman tong gurang na'to.
I entered the school, passed through and didn't wait for him. The start of the day isn't good, ayokong dagdagan pa niya ang pagkayamot ko.
"Mr. Meneses! Pakidala naman tong textbooks ko sa office! Sige ka, di kita i recommend for Conduct Award!" sigaw nito sabay tawa ulit nito.
"Act according to your age. You're 29 years old for goodness sake" napaka-isip bata niya, but he's just six years older than me. Conduct Award? What am I? A middle schooler?
I took my classes as an Architect student. It's not that troublesome because I believe I suit the course. I don't socialize. I interact if I had to, but if it isn't necessary then why would I bother? Interacting with people is too tiring and it pisses me off.
I stretch my arms as the class dismissed. It's time for me to do my usual thing. Pumunta ako sa art club. I took my usual area near the window and arranged my materials, also prepared a new canvas. That moment I thought it was gonna be fine.
"Eve!" A lady shouted outside the art club.
I glared at the club door at andoon na naman ang nakakainis na babaeng yun, kasama si Paolo na nasa likuran niya.
Nagsimula nang magtinginan ang mga nasa loob ng artclub. Their attention diverts on me which I hated the most. I have no choice but to leave my area and deal with the two.
"Don't call me in such a familiar way. What do you need, AGAIN?" I asked her after I exited the club room.
"Tinapon mo" she started. So she's not giving up with her delusions.
"Okay, let's settled this. Wag na kayong gumawa ng eksena" awat ni Paolo sa tensyong nabubuo sa'ming dalawa nung babae.
"Would you mind telling her to stop her delusions already?" I asked him nonchalantly but he looked at me with the same intensity.
"Alam kong nakakairita nga 'tong ginagawa ni Darlene, pero mukha rin yatang sumosobra ang trato mo sa kanya. Might as well apologize for not helping her earlier. Iniwan mo lang habang may dumudugong noo tsaka pasa sa paa" sabat niya na nakakapagpakunot ng noo ko. I took a deep breath. I need to be patient.
"I'm sorry. Now, can I go back to what I'm doing? Hindi ko kasalanan na aanga anga yan..." I said and turn my back away from them.
"Hoy, tara na. Wag mo nang ipilit ang sarili mo sa taong ayaw. Nagsasayang ka ng oras" mapaklang pagkakasabi niya. Is he mad? Maybe he can try more next time if he wanna fight.
Buong akala ko'y matatapos na roon pero naramdaman ko ang paghatak sa akin sa braso.
"Hindi naman ako nandito para kunin yang sorry mo. I am here so I can ask you again" She's not gonna back down. Her perseverance irritates me to the core.
"Hindi mo ba alam na nakakairita ka na? Who would hang around with an average girl like you?" I mocked. Logically, people tend to stop minding you once you show your darkest side. It's her fault for annoying me.
"Teka, maghinay hinay ka sa mga salita mo..." palag ni Paolo at agad akong kinuwelyuhan.
I smirked at him to trigger him more but I stopped when I gaze at her. She's a bit crying. Tsk. This is annoying...
"Fine. I'll do it" Out of nowhere, I said like it automatically came out without any other thoughts.
"Talaga!?" she exclaimed with those glittering eyes. Pinanlisikan ko silang dalawa ng mata. I can't do anything now, I spoke it.
Another day came at ngayon ay dismissals. It's Friday afternoon, kaya dadaan ako sa artclub para kunin ang materials at maiuwi ko.
There's no one at this hour so it'll be tranquil. I only come to the art club when there's not much crowd. However, the said tranquillity was spoiled when I'm about to sit. The door sprang open.
"Gabi! Tara! Kung anong napag usapan!" Darlene shouted at pumasok.
"Not now. And what's with the name?" naiinis kong sagot at agad tinakpan ang canvas ko.
"Hindi yan makikinig. Once she made up her mind, there's no turning back" aniya na nakasunod kay Darlene at nagsimulang mag-ikot ikot.
My solitude is already ruined by the two, pero dahil pumayag na ako, I can't take it back anymore.
"Let's just be quick." I said and fixed my things.
Ngayon ay nasa labas na kami ng campus. I don't know where exactly we're going.
"Hindi ko naitatanong pero ano bang pumasok sa isip mo't may listahan kang ganiyan?" Paolo asked.
"Mamaya ko na ikukwento" sagot naman ni Darlene.
They're talking like I am not around. Though I don't mind, I still didn't like the idea, pero wala namang mawawala kung susubukan. Oras ko nga lang ang mawawala.
I'm silent the whole time while they keep on talking hanggang sa makarating kami sa isang old japanese restaurant.
"Tada! Masarap ang beef nila dito kaya ipapatikim ko sa inyo, lalo kay Eve!" masayang pagkakasabi ni Darlene.
"Baka mahal naman diyan. Wala pa naman akong pera..." reklamo naman ng isa, pero halata namang gusto niyang makakain.
Sabay silang napatingin sa akin. I frowned because of it. May masama akong nararamdaman.
"Wag kang mag-alala! Si Eve ang bahala..." Darlene said and tap my back.
Pinukol ko siya ng matalim na titig, yung tipong mapupugot ang ulo niya. She's a danger to my pocket. Even so, I just let out a sigh. Just this once Eve, let her do this thing today and there'll be no next time.
I pick up a meat and grilled it, habang ang dalawa, abala kumain.
"Sarap nga ng beef lalo't bagong grill..." wika ni Paolo habang ngumunguya. How ironic. I feel embarrassed in place of the two. I'm grilling their beef and meat while they're just eating.
I sighed and just took a bite. Masarap nga ang grilled beef ng restaurant. I am silently eating while listening to them talking about a lot of stuff. Hindi na nila ako kinukulit na sumali sa usapan dahil hindi ko rin naman sila sinasagot.
"Tingnan mo, dumidiskarte yata yung babae sa gwapong lalaking andoon" I heard Darlene murmured. Tsk, kung ano anong nakikita. Bakit ba hindi na lang siya kumain ng tahimik.
"Naiinggit ka ba?"
"Hindi naman pero pogi yung lalaki, deserve talaga ligawan..." sabay hagikhik ni Darlene. Nagkunwari na lang akong walang naririnig.
"Parang may mas ibubuga pa nga ako sa lalaki, lalo na'tong si Eve..." usyoso ni Paolo at dinamay pa ang pangalan ko sa usapan.
"Oh ano? May nanligaw ba sa inyo? Wala naman yata eh..." Darlene smug before looking at me. Agad na nagsalubong ang kilay ko.
"Is courting a guy normal for girls?" I asked that both caught their attention. Medyo nag-isip pa ang dalawa bago sumagot sa tanong ko.
"Normal na yan ngayon. Marami na yatang gumagawa niyan eh..." Darlene said.
I tilted my head and stared at her. I'm amused to know such details.
"Don't normalize it. Do you think it's good to see a lady courting a man? I think it's not..." I countered.
"Eh anong magagawa mo, yan na uso ngayon..." she said and shrug her shoulders habang nakakagat sa karne.
"Girls must know that they're the ones that need to be courted. Like a rare flower blooming at the top of a mountain, a man should make the effort..." I stated that made them stare. Hindi ko alam kung anong problema nila. I just gave my opinion.
I frowned at Darlene dahil titig na titig ito na parang nakakita siya ng mga bituin sa ulo ko. Her eyes were glittering.
"Tsk, don't throw away your million worth" I added to conclude my say but it worsened as her eyes kept on glittering. Am I some creature that popped up in front of her?
Agad kong pinitik ang noo niya at bumalik na sa pagkain.
"Aray ko naman! Kasin dilim talaga ng pangalan mo ang ugali mo!" reklamo niya. I frowned and I started flicking her forehead inside my mind.
"Your words contradict your actions..." bulong ni Paolo at mabilis na nag-iwas ng tingin sa akin. Problema ba ng mga 'to?
"Though, I agree with Eve. Kung ako lang din tatanungin, mas gusto kong ako ang manliligaw. Girls must be valued like a jewel..." dagdag niya.
I sighed and look at my food. Elders said that it's a bad habit in front of the meal. Pero mapapabuntong hininga ka na lang dahil sa dalawa.
"Order tayo ng ramen!" Darlene exclaimed. At dahil sa napag-usapan, ako rin ang magbabayad.
We eat on our hearts content, I mean THEIR hearts content bago nila maisipang umuwi.
We're walking our way back home para daw matunawan. They keep dragging me into this.
"Salamat kay Eve dahil sa libre niya..." sabay tapik sa balikat ko ni Paolo.
A heaved a deep sigh again dahil nagsimula silang magtalo kung sino ba talagang dapat pasalamatan. If I or Darlene.
To evaluate, what happened today is not bad. It's just my money and time that has disappeared.
"Now bago tayo mag-end, let me introduce our next destination!"
End of Chapter 2:
Nerve-wracking