busy days
——
"Ugh shit! Ang sakit ng ulo ko," reklamo ni Caf sa tabi ko sabay himas sa ulo nito. He's sitting on his desk while waiting for our next class.
I didn't bother to stare at him for another second after mocking him, "That's what you get for forcing me na sumama sa after-party."
Ibinaling ko ang tingin ko sa labas ng bintana at pinagmamasdan ang makulimlim na kalangitan. Bigla na naman akong inantok.
I felt Caf next to me. His face as close to kissing me and whispered, "Pero nag-enjoy ka naman," with a smirk on his lips.
'Eto na naman siya. He's so good at teasing that he just gets on my nerves effortlessly. But instead of letting him get his way, I smirked in return.
"Of course, I enjoyed watching you wasted after all," maikli kong sagot before adding, "Sayang nga at hindi ko na narecord ang mga pinagsasabi mo."
Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa sinabi ko. No one told him what happened yet, all he knows is that hinatid siya ni Basil because he somehow sobered up right after reaching their doorstep, I mean, he can't let his parents see him wasted, unless gusto niyang tuluyan na lang na matulog sa labas.
Bahagya akong natawa sa reaksyon niya bago siya tuluyang talikuran.
"Wait- wait, wait! What did I say? Did- did I say something embarrassing? Ano 'yun? May nasabi ba 'ko sayo about- I don't know, like anything?"
Patuloy lang ang pagdating ng mga tanong niya pero hindi ko ito pinansin and just gave him my sweetest smile as though provoking him even more before turning back to the window again.
"Huy Nic! Answer me, did I say something I shouldn't have? Mababaliw na ko sa hangover tas hindi mo pa ako papansinin? Nicotine," pagpupumilit pa nito.
This time, kumunot ang noo ko. He seems so desperate that I had no choice but to face him.
He stopped, waiting sa magiging sagot ko. I wore a confused face. "Why? What's it that you're not supposed to say?"
Caffeine was taken aback. Hindi na ito kumibo at bahagyang lumayo while avoiding my gaze.
"Wala," sagot niya sabay upo nang maayos sa upuan nito. "Forget it, hindi ko na rin naman siguro maaalala 'yon."
He brushed my question which meant brushing all his questions as well na para bang tama ako, as though I hit the bullseye. Umiwas na siya ng tingin at lahat-lahat pero pinagmamasdan ko pa rin ang bawat galaw niya which seemed to have been cautious, afraid that he may do something he shouldn't, again.
"I'll forget whatever I heard then, after all it's better to hear them from your sober self," I said, trying to ease him a little bit before leaning on my arms on the desk.
He didn't seem to mind it anymore, siguro dahil alam niya ring siya pa rin ang dehado sa kung ano man ang magiging kalalabasan. So instead of insisting again, he just let me sleep in peace.
---
Nagising ako sa ingay ng paligid. I don't know what time it is now, all I know is that I slept on one of my subjects again at hindi man lang ako ginising ni Caf.
When I looked over his seat, he's busy playing with his phone, online game na naman iyan.
I looked around and noticed how messy the classroom had been. The chairs are all over the place at may nagkukwentuhan na akala mo ay nasa kabilang bukid ang kausap.
Looking at this, mas gugustuhin ko na lang na matulog ulit. And I was about to nang may biglang pumasok sa kwarto. No one noticed him, maybe a few but paid no mind to him.
Hawak-hawak niya ang makapal na papel sa kamay while approaching the center front of the room. It seemed that he began speaking sa galaw ng bibig niti pero halos wala akong marinig mula sa upuan ko na ilang metro lang ang layo mula sa harapan.
He looked familiar and it took me some time to remember that it was the class monitor, Pepper, who was at the same time at the party last night. Medyo nag-iba ang itsura niya ngayon marahil dahil siguro sa buhok niya na magulo. He looked anxious too.
It seems like he's trying so hard to catch everyone's attention but no one is doing so. Maingay pa rin ang paligid and it's starting to annoy me.
For the ninth time, I yawned and stretched my arms out in the air before slamming my hands on the table with a full force, causing a loud bang to echo in the entire room. Lahat sila ay natigilan, shock and surprise is evident in their faces, some even looked scared as they look my way, but I don't care, at least I have their attention now.
But I don't need it. Instead, I looked at the guy in front of me. "Sorry, ang ingay kasi. What were you saying?"
This time, they all turned around to see Pepper, just like how I planned it. On the other hand, he simply shot a look at me with sparkling eyes as though thanking me.
And while everyone's eyes are on the person in front, I can't hide how the burning sensation the impact between my hand and the wooden table left me.
"Shit," I whispered, balling my fist while hiding my reddened palms under the table. Tila napansin naman iyon ni Caf at napatingin sa akin.
"What the hell Nic? Ano 'yun?" he asked next to me with confusion and curiosity. "You could've broke the table!"
I shrugged ny shoulders at ibinaling ang atensyon sa harap. Nagkuwari akong walang narining mula sa kaniya and he just let me off the hook as Pepper began to speak in front.
"Ah- take your seats everyone," he began, still holding the pile of paper in his arm as others listened to him. "Miss Peach is currently busy so she told me to take charge for today as your class monitor."
Pepper then began to distribute the pile of paper. Nagtaka pa ako kung para saan iyon nang maalala ko ang quiz last week. There was no need for me to see my paper, I know for a fact how much I bombed it.
When it reached my hands, I don't intend to sound proud nor boastful, but my intuition was right. Hindi nga halos umabot ng kalahati and score ko sa kabuo-an ng quiz.
I was in the middle of the mourning for my quiz while thinking of how to find a cheap apartment in case things get worse, when Pepper broke into my thoughts.
"For those who didn't pass the quiz, pinapasabi ni Miss Peach that you have to make amendments for it, unless you want to fail her class," he said to which almost half of the class reacted, giving me hope na hindi lang pala ako ang namomroblema, at least I don't feel so alone now, except that Caf next to me doesn't seem to have the same problem as me.
Hindi lang halata but Caf does just fine with his academics, kaya nga madami ring nagkakagusto sa kaniya. Not only that he excels in sports, he does in his academics too. Meanwhile, I suck at both.
Another reminder came from Pepper that I shook all the thoughts coming to my head. "Pinapasabi rin ni Miss Peach that since the Foundation Festival is fast approaching, kailangan na nating mag-isip ng booth and submit it to her for approval. She gave us this time for that exact purpose as well."
"So if you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to speak up," he added.
A couple of students raised their hands as the discussion continued where I didn't pay much attention to anymore.
"Karaoke booth!" One guy suggested.
"Ang pangit kaya ng boses mo!" Someone shouted back, mocking him.
Pero hindi siyt nagpatalo at bumawi. "Hindi naman ako ang kakanta, ungas!"
Nagsitawanan silang lahat but I no longer have the energy to keep up with them and their silly jokes. I'm sleepy as fuck already since I was barely able to sleep last night kakaisip what Bacon meant with what he said. To add up, there's also Caf whose words keep on bugging me.
I took my time with a good nap while they argue which booth to go with.
——
When I woke up, there are now less people in the room. It seems na tapos na ang meeting nila as well as a few subjects I missed.
Nabaling ang atensyon ko sa harap at nagtama ang tingin namin ni Pepper habang abala ito sa pagpupunas ng blackboard. He hurriedly finished what he was doing and walked towards me.
"You're up," he said.
"Obviously," I replied and covered my mouth as I yawn.
He was still as a statue in front of me as though trying to remember what he came for. Nang malala niya ito, nagliwanag ang mara niya at may ini-abot sa aking dalawang pares ng papel. As I read the first one, I immediately understood what it was for.
"That's the booth we're planning to make, everyone already agreed," he added while I scan the paper. It said that we're having a 'Butler Cafe' and the votes are majority to it. "Hindi ka na namin hinintay since as you can see, wala rin namang magbabago."
I nodded my head, quite amazed how he was able to have this detailed hard copy if earlier's meeting, as expected from the class monitor. Pero agad din along napatingin sa isa pang piraso ng papel na binigay niya sa akin. "And what's this?"
"Pinapasabi ni Miss Peach na ibigay ko raw sa'yo," he answered without a change in the tone of his voice. "Your grade in her class is at the edge of failing, she told me that if you join this performance task, it might help you a bit."
Hindi ko masyadong naintindihan ang sinabi ni Pepper dahil nakatuon lang ang atensyon ko sa papel na hawak ko. I don't think I know what's going on here but this seems to be a script for something. It's interesting but I don't know how interested I am to take this stuff for the sake of my grades.
"I know what you're thinking," Pepper interrupted my thoughts. "But give it a chance, besides, it's not like you have any other choice. Ang alam ko nasa third floor room 308 sila."
Tinitigan lang ako ni Pepper, as though he really knows what's going on inside my head.
I heaved a sigh and nodded my head at him before leaving my seat. Pero isang hakbang pa lang palayo nang muli ko siyang nilingon. "Thanks ulit and by any chance, alam mo ba kung nasan si Caffeine?"
He looked puzzled at first and when he digested my question, he shook his head.
"Nasa office siguro, the council president herself came to fetch him earlier. He tried to wake you up to save him but you didn't budge," he answered.
Bahagyang napakunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. Hindi ko na lang ito pinansin at nagmadali nang umalis ng kwarto. I mindlessly walked to where Pepper told me to go. It's already lunch break kaya medyo magulo na sa hallway but I still made ny way to the third floor knowing that chances for someone to be in there is low.
But then again, wala naman akong ibang gagawin. It might be late to say this especially now but it has only been Caffeine who has been keeping my days chaotic and without him, it can oddly become quiet.
And as I've expected, Caf will surely be busy this festival and it might be too boring for me to bear. I guess I should busy myself too.