Chapter 36: Bizzare Notice
It was Monday at tila hindi pa nakaka-get over ang mga estudyante sa kasiyahan dahil sa nagdaang School Festival. My phone is back. Andi retrieved it dahil naiwan ko pala ang clutch ko sa function hall. We're back to our normal classes with the lessons and quizzes. I am not feeling well today and I don't feel like talking too.
I am purposely ignoring Gray. Yes, I'm still mad at him. Nang araw kasi na bumalik kami ng Bridle ay hindi ko siya kinausap. It was because it took him a long time to remove the small snake on my foot. I know I'm acting like a brat pero galit talaga ako. I just can't stand snakes clinging on my body.
I arrived a minute before the first period kaya hindi siya nagkaroon ng pagkakataong kausapin ako. When it was time for the break ay nauna rin akong lumabas and bought some food. I stayed for a while at the convenient shed near the library at saka lamang bumalik sa room nang tumunog ang bell.
On our next period ay pinapunta kami sa AVR para sa isang informational film showing about chemicals and chemical reaction. I sat on the last side of the upper row at katabi ko si Jeremy. All those flashed on the projector are not new to me kaya humalukipkip na lang ako and only half listened to it. I saw Gray emerged from his seat at lumingon sa paligid, as if he's looking for someone. Inisa-isa niyang tingnan ang mga row and walked on our direction nang makita ako sa pinakadulo. Mabuti na lang talaga at nasa pinakadulo ako dahil hindi siya makakatabi sa akin. Gray sat on the vacant seat.
"Why are you mad?" he asked in a loud voice enough for me to hear habang nakatingin sa harap. I know he knows a lot about chemistry too kaya kahit hindi na ito makinig ay makakasagot ito. Talking about Mr. 2 points above genius-level IQ!
"Amber, kinakausap kita. Don't tell me you're still mad about that little snake?" he asked again and I still ignored him.
"Was it about bringing you to that place wherein there were so many snakes?" Patuloy niya and I still pretended that I didn't hear him. I'm going to kiss myself later for such pretending.
"Fine! I would think that it's about you and me worrying for your underwear," he said at napalingon ang ilan sa mga kaklase namin na nasa paligid. Mabuti na lang at madilim doon dahil kung hindi ay makikita nila na pulang-pula na ako! Now that statement is impossible to ignore!
"Shut up pervert! It's about the snake!" I hissed at him. I don't care if my voice is loud. Mas malakas pa rin naman ang sound system ng AVR.
"Why would you get angry over that?" he asked. Oh he doesn't know?! Snakes make me pale as if I'm dead!
"You took too long before removing that snake! Halos mamatay na ako sa takot, moron!" I said. Yeah, I'm planning to name him with all the names that I could think of!
"It's because you're clinging on my neck! How could I remove that snake if you're on the way? I mean you hugged tightly on my neck and I can't even move!" he said. Now everyone who's near us had all their attention on us. Hello? Nagfi-film showing tayo! Focus sa harap and not on us! I'm really so red now!
"Kahit na! You should have thought of other way! Yeah, I'm alive but I feel like I'm dead that day! Stupid!" I told him. I glared at some of our classmates at nagkunwari naman ang mga ito na ibinalik ang atensyon sa pinapalabas. I know their ears are still on us!
"Oh well sorry for being stupid! But I'm still the one who removed that snake! And why are you freaking out over it? It's too small! A shoelace is even longer than it, not to mention that it's fangless so it's totally harmless!"
"Harmless, my ass!" Yeah I really sounded like a bitch throwing her tantrums.
"Uhhhm, would you like to trade seats Amber? Makakapag-usap kayo ng maayos sa ganitong paraan," wika ni Jeremy na napapagitnaan pala namin! Gosh, we're shouting and I called Gray with names and I totally forgot that Jeremy is sitting right in the middle of us.
"No thanks! I'm not staying here anymore," I said at tumayo.
I went out the AVR at bumalik sa classroom. I sat on my desk at nagpakalumbaba when I noticed a black envelope on my desk. Uh, what is this? Kinuha ko iyon at binuksan. There wasn't anything written on the back except for an X which was cut out from a magazine and glued on the envelope. Weird.
I opened it at inilabas ang papel na laman niyon. It was encoded. What was it? A poem?
My beauty beguiles them and they ignored my thorns for they focused on my red petals..
One have to taste my wrath ..
Come at once if convenient - if inconvenient come all the same.
PS. This is a declaration of war! - X!
Napakunot ang noo ko matapos basahin iyon. I felt a chill run down from my back. Was it a prank or not? But that notice puzzled me. It says someone must have to taste the wrath of whoever sent this. Who the hell is X? What now? Is this another faceless who likes Zeus before, who comes my way? The sender even quoted Sherlock Holmes' line. If ever the sender has a negative intention as stated in this notice, how dare him to use Sherlock's line! It was supposed to be for the right and justice! Not the other way around.
And this is a declaration of war? Hindi ko alam kung paniniwalaan ko ba ang sulat na ito but a part of me says that I should. I had this feeling that something's going to happen. Something bad is going to happen.
I've been sulking and acted so bratty for the whole day. I must say I still haven't reconciled with Gray, uh, I don't even know if reconciliation is the right word. Fine! I'll tell the reason behind this bratty attitude I have now. I'm on second day of my period and I have this feeling of being grumpy. I don't know the reason behind this ngunit totoo nga na mainit ang ulo ng isang babae kapag meron ito.
I felt guilty somehow. Si Gray yata napagbuntunan ko. He's right, even though it took him time to get the snake from my foot; he was still the one who did it. At marahil ay kasalanan ko rin kung bakit natagalan siya sa pagkuha niyon. I've been clinging tightly on him. Yuck! I don't even want to picture out myself doing so. Now I'm mentally fighting with myself whether to apologize or not.
In the end I decided I have to. I decided to take action of my Operation: Apologize to Gray.
I bought two coke in can and two dark chocolate bar. Bumalik ako sa classroom at hinanap si Gray ngunit wala ito roon. I looked on the nearest convenient sheds and checked if he was there. Along the way, I passed on the roses planted in the flower box that outlined the pathway at naalala ko ang kakaibang sulat kanina.
Dito ba ang ibig sabihin ng sulat na iyon? The roses there were red and thorny. Could it mean that if something happened, this is the place where it would be? Iwinaksi ko muna iyon sa aking isipan. I'm not even sure if that was serious or something that bored people comes up with. As of now, I have to accomplish the Operation: Apologize to Gray.
Nakita ko siya sa isa sa mga convenient shed doon. He was talking to someone on his phone. Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kanya at hinintay na matapos itong makipag-usap. It seems like he was talking to his mother. Nakatalikod siya sa akin habang may kausap sa cellphone.
"Come on Mom, why make a big fuss about it? I told you, she's just my classmate and it's due to some circumstances that made me decide to bring her there," narinig wika niya. "Don't make stories." He paused for a while at nakinig sa kabilang linya. Wait, are they talking about me? I'm his classmate whom he brought to their home right?
"Argh! You're no Cupid, so stop with the matchmaking. Hindi ko siya type. She's stubborn and bratty sometimes."
Sandali! He's telling his mom bad things about me?! What the hell?! Sinisiraan niya ako sa mama niya?!
"She's smart and pretty, yeah but please Ma, stop it. As I've said she's a trouble herself! She loves trouble so much that she put herself into. She's also skinny and flat-chested." Gray said.
NOW THAT'S BELOW THE BELT! OPERATION: APOLOGIZE TO GRAY has been terminated and replaced with OPERATION: KILL GRAY instead. Call me anything but never a flat-chested! Not when I'm in my not so good mood due to my period.
Sa inis ko ay binato ko siya ng isang chocolate bar. Tumama iyon sa likod ng ulo niya kaya napalingon siya sa akin.
"What the —" he frowned nang makita ako. "I'll hang up now Mom. Bye!" he said at pinatay ang tawag. Pinulot niya ang chocolate bar na tumama sa kanya. Pasalamat siya at ang chocolate bar at hindi ang lata ng coke ang ibinato ko sa kanya!
"Hey, how long have you been standing there?" he asked. Pakiramdam ko ay may mga itim na usok ang nakapalibot sa akin. It's doom's day for Gray!
"Long enough to hear everything you said!" wika ko at lumapit sa kanya. Inilapag ko sa mesa ang dalawang coke in can at dumapo ang kamao ko sa kanyang mukha. It was a strong punch at sabay kaming napangiwi. I hurt my fist while hitting his face.
"No blood? I'll give you another blow!" wika ko and positioned my fist to give him another punch but he held my hand.
"Hey! The first one hurt!" wika niya. Of course, I hit him in between his nose and eyes!
"I don't care! I'm going to kill you!" I hissed at him. "I was here to apologize for my rudeness kanina! I even brought you coke and dark chocolate as peace offering since I know that dark chocolate somewhat helps in lighting up someone's mood tapos maabutan ko na lang na ganito! You're badmouthing me to your mom, aren't you?"
"She's teasing me about it that's why I told her those things so that she would stop, Awww!" he answered and I was able to give him a good punch in the stomach.
"Hey, stop hurting Gray bitch or else I will report you to the guidance office!" I heard a student shouted.
May nanunuod pala sa munting palabas namin ni Gray. I glared at her. Did she just call me bitch? Now I'm really pissed to the highest level! I'm the only one allowed to call myself a bitch if ever I want to.
"This is how we greet each other because we're friends!" I gave emphasis on the word friends. "Why, you want to be friends with us? I'll be greeting you like this everyday then!" I said and I saw her frightened. Umatras ito at tumahimik.
Pinipigilan ni Gray ang ngiti nang muli akong humarap sa kanya. "Look Amber, I'm sorry okay? Totoo naman na matigas ang ulo mo diba? You're also pretty and smart. The last ones were kind of negative but--"
I cut him off. "Ipagpatuloy mo ang sasabihin at tatama 'tong lata sa'yo. Sana pala ay ito ang binato ko sayo kanina and not the chocolate bar!" wika ko and he smiled.
Oh, why is he smiling? Gano'n lang iyon? I'm furious and he will smile? What the hell?! Kinuha niya ang isang chocolate bar at binuksan iyon. He took a bite at ngumuya. Akmang aagawin ko sana ang chocolate sa kanya ngunit nauna niyang iiwas iyon. Binuksan niya rin ang isang coke at uminom.
"Hmm! Sarap!" he said. I have changed my mind in giving it to him as peace offering but now he is eating it?
"Bakit mo kinain iyan?" I asked him. He licked his lip nang may kumalat na chocolate doon and he looked so sexy in doing it so. Damn you Amber. How the hell did you got that idea of a guy licking his lip a sexy one?! Uh, I don't want to answer my own question though.
"It's for me so I should eat this," wika niya. "Now my mood has been lightened up. Why don't you eat your share?" tanong niya sa akin.
"Nagbago na ang isip ko kaya hindi mo dapat kinain 'yan," sagot ko sa kanya. I'm still a little bit pissed.
"Sorry but I haven't changed my mind in accepting it."
I rolled my eyes at him. "Whatever." Kinuha ko ang isa pang coke at chocolate bar at tumalikod na sa kanya. Afternoon break is almost over kaya kailangan ko ng bumalik sa classroom.
I walked away ngunit nagulat ako nang sumunod siya sa akin. He was directly behind me, just a few centimeters away. What is he doing now? He's so close at baka maapakan niya ang likuran ng sapatos ko dahil sa lapit niya sa akin. What is this? We're falling in line? I tried to ignore him but his presence right behind me is difficult to ignore. I stopped and he also stopped right behind me.
Patience Amber, Patience! I calmed myself at naglakad ulit but he's still tailing me. Hindi na ako nakatiis, tumigil ako at akmang lilingunin siya but he spoke first.
"Don't look back. Just walk straight," wika niya at naguluhan ako. Why?
"Why would I listen to you and your stupid instruction?" I asked but didn't really look back. It's like I'm questioning his instruction but following it on the process.
"Leak."
Kumunot ang noo ko. "Ano?"
"Tsk, I said you've got leaks. I know you don't want to walk around with such leak at the back of your skirt," wika niya and I turned as red as the tomato.
Crap! This is really awkward!