Chapter 11: This So Called Infatuation
[Not Edited]
Maaga ang pag-dating ko sa school kaya marahil, nagtataka ang mga tao at mga classmates kong iba dahil usually sumasabay ako sa mga kaibigan ko. Tinext ko rin si Kylie na dumating ng maaga to talk to her. Sabi ko pang huwag na muna siyang sasagot sa mga itatanong ni Jayvee sa kanya, emergencey lang. Tinawagan ko siya earlier. I can still remember that conversation we had.
As soon as she answered the call, I yelled her name. "KYLIE!"
"ARAY! Neta Trev! Makasigaw! 'No bang problema mo?!"
"'Wag mong sasagutin lahat-lahat ng tatanungin ng kambal mo ngayon at sabihin mo rin na pumunta ako diyan sa inyo kahapon."
"Ahh.. Ano nanaman pinasok mong gulo Senor Paulito Trevor? Diyos ko, mas malala ka pa sa pinsan ko eh!"
"Wow, parang hindi psycho yung pinsan mo eh." totoo talaga na may pinsan siyang pychotic. Ngayon ay nasa pangangalaga ng psychiatrist kaya medyo gumagaling na rin sa kakaibang behavior niya.
"Huwag mag-iba ng usapan! Sino nanaman natamaan mo? Sinong trip mo?"
"B-Basta! Umm... p-pwede ka bang pumunta ng school ng maaga, at kung maari, 'wag mong sama si Jayvee."
"Luh, seryoso ata problema mo."
"Medyo. May pag-uusapan tayo mamaya kaso hindi ko lang alam kung kailan pwede."
"Pwede naman after class."
UGH! PUPUNTA AKO NOON SA FIELDS NI DON KAEL!
"U-Umm h-hindi p-pwede–"
"O bakit? Hmm... tingnan natin mamaya. May vacant daw tayo kasi may meeting ng hapon, 1 'o clock."
"Pero kailangan kitang makausap! In private, Jenner!"
"Anong Jenner? Loko-loko ka ah! Pero may idea na nga ako kung anong pag-uusapan natin... tungkol sa babae! Advice dahil sa weird feelings, netaaa!"
"Just please I need your time alone."
"Geh. I'll try to do somethin'."
Beep. She ended the call.
Hindi man lang ako nakapag-goodbye noon!
Sakto ng mawala sa isip ko iyon, parating na siya papasok ng room. Nakasuot siya ngayon ng red baseball cap at ang varsity jacket ng Florentin na kulay berde, suot niya ang bag niyang kulay itim. Agad naman siyang napangisi ng magtama ang mga mata namin.
"Naaaaks, nakakaloka ka Trev. Ang dami ng problema mo, daig mo pa ata nanay ko eh." pang-aasar niya ng malapitan ako.
"Pwede ba!" pag-suway ko sa kanya, and sinundan siya papasok sa room hanggang sa mailagay niya ng bag niya sa upuan niya.
Agad ko naman siyang sinimulan. "Look, just help me on this one, okay?"
"Like Trev, I'm always here. Just... spill the beans."
Pero bago ko pa man ituloy, ay napatingin ako sa pinto ng room namin dahil sa boses ni Jamiel.
"Exellor!" pagtawag niya.
Napalingon ako sa kanya, na papasok na sa room namin. Walang emosyon ang mukha niya, and she's on her usual: The red beanie, straight lips and mysterious aura. But she's wearing round glasses today.
Napatitig ako ng di oras.
"AHH! SABI NA EH!" pang-aasar ni Kylie sa akin, at sinundot sundot pa ang tagiliran ko na parang kinikiliti ako.
"Just shut up!"
"Reasons, reasons, Paulito Trevor!"
***
Pagdating ng mga kaibigan ko, agad nila akong pinagsasaksak ng mga tanong nila. Hopefully, I answered them all, leaving them satisfied. And also tricked. Kylie helped me, and she acted like I realy did went to her house yesterday. Of course, classes continued. At lunch time, I was able to go to the cafeteria to do something.
While ordering, I saw Exellor sitting at her usual table, looking very strange than usual. She's not looking at tables now, but she's looking up! It freaks me out! Students have been looking at her for a couple of minutes but still, she's looking to it like it has something.
WALA NAMAN.
When I got to the counter, I smiled to the cook that's preparing and managing the food for the students. The cook was wearing a green apron with a sewed logo near his left abdomen to signify it's from Florentin.
"Anong order, Sir Trevor?" sabi niya sa akin. I told you I'm really known here.
"Umm... I'll order chicken teriyaki with salad. The usual drink, though, can you make it 2 trays?"
"You mean 2 orders?"
"Yup. Can you deliver the other one to that *pointing at her table* table over there?"
Para naman siyang naliwanagan. "To that girl who's staring up?"
"Y-Yes." tumango naman siya at binayaran ko na ang order ko.
"And oh, can you put this letter on her tray?" I ask the cook.
"Ay oo naman! Certainly Sir Funtelo." sagot naman nito at kinuha ang papel na nasa palad ko. Mga kalahating minuto ang lumipas bago ko nakuha yung order ko, at pumunta na sa usual table ko naman. Nanduon na sina Kylie, Greg at Aimee, pero nag-oorder pa sina Jayvee at Rhianne.
Napatingin muna ako sa direksyon ng table ni Exellor.
Kita ko ang paglapit ng isang waiter sa table niya. Pwede naman kasing magpa-deliver ng pagkain sa table sa cafeteria ngunit may extra service fee kaya bihira lang, tsaka most likely, mga part-timers lang ang nag-wa-waiter. Inilapag ng waiter na iyon ang tray ng pagkain sa table niya, doon pa lang ito napatingin sa kanya. Para bang takot pa yung waiter dahil estatwa ang kilos at galaw nito sa harapan niya. Iniabot rin naman niya ang sulat ko na binasa agad niya.
It says there, "Kainin mo na. Libre ko. -Funtelo"
Pagka-alis ng waiter, kita ko kung paano gumalaw ang mga mata niya, na binabasa ang sulat ko. Tumaas ang kilay niya pagkatapos. Natingin siya sa direkyon ko.
Agad akong umiwas ng tingin.
Naghintay muna ako ng ilang segundo bago ibalik ang tingin sa table niya. And I smiled, dahil sinimulan niyang kainin ang binigay kong pagkain sa kanya. It was the same as mine.
Parang nabubuo na ang imahe niya. Ang buong katauhan niya. Sa tingin ko'y iba ang pamumuhay niya sa akin, at sadyang nalungkot ako roon. Pero hindi ko pa rin talaga mapigilang mapatitig sa kanya.
***
After lunch time, as expected, vacant nga dahil sa biglaang meeting ng mga teachers ng isang oras. Syempre, naghiyawan ang mga kaklase ko dahil walang gagawin. Pwede ring lumabas ng room, pero bawal agad umuwi dahil may dalawa pa kaming subjects. At dahil nga meeting ng teachers, lahat ng mga Seniors ay vacant ng mga oras na iyon.
"Guys!" tawag sa amin ni Kylie. "Gusto niyo sumali ng mga club?"
"Bakit naman?" tanong nitong si Greg.
"Pinapa-announce ng SSG president ng Seniors na pwede na raw sumali sa mga club. Parang gusto ko eh."
"Oh yeah! Thanks for informing me! I'll go to the tryouts of the football team." sabi nitong si Jayvee.
"Pupunta ako ng Glee Club, ikaw Rhianne, sama ka?" aya nitong si Aimee.
"Oo naman! How 'bout you Trev?" aya naman niya. I can't right now, but I'll join.
"I can't right now, I'm not ready and I don't have any–"
"Sandali! Bakit hindi natin ibalik yung Marshall's Death? Wouldn't be a great idea??" Greg suggested with enthusiasm. I was actually on with the idea. Noon kasi nagbabanda kami nina Greg at Jayvee, which we named Marshall's Death. Nawala lang iyon ng maging strict ang parents namin at mas lalong naging focused kami sa pag-aaral 'cause let's face it: Being a Grade 9 student is hard.
Kung tatanungin, iba-iba kami ng genres ng songs when we sing it, we can play rock, blues, rap and even pop songs, that signifies the name itself. A Marshall is considered to be a highest rank of a miliraty officer, but it's death would mean no authority. That we were free from anything.
I was the vocals, while Greg holds the electric guitar or sometimes the bass, Jayvee does the piano and you will not believe it but Kylie does the drums. Aimee and Rhianne would be vocals sometimes, or sub-vocals.
"Actually..." I say. "That's a great IDEA Greg. Kala ko lumipad na yung utak mo sa Baguio!" pang-aasar ko at tumawa naman sila.
"And since we're Grade 11, the band's not a hassle to our studies!" masayang tugon ni Jayvee at tuwang tuwa sa suggestion ni Greg.
"Ngayon na ba kayo sasali Rhianne? Aimee?" tanong ni Greg sa kanila. Tumango sila at siya naman 'tong nag-aya sa kanila na samahan sila.
"I'll be watching Jayvee. My voice's not ready yet and... I'll just join tomorrow."
"YIEE! I'll be expecting you tomorrow Trev!" pagpapaalam ni Rhianne, bago napalayo sa paningin ko at pumunta sa Clubhouse, a building where you can find all the clubs created at Florentin. So far, there are plenty of clubs to join, but the talk of the town were the Glee Club, Florentin Dance Troupe [both for Junior and Senior], IT club and mostlikely, the SSG.
And like what I've said, I watched Jayvee play at the field for the football tryouts. I was with Kylie as she watched him and cheered him to go for it. So, this is her idea.
"Galing mo ah." I compliment, but she just smirks and rolls her eyes.
"Sabi ko sa'yo. Masyado akong tago eh."
"So... what now?" I asked her. We were sitting on a long bench with a bunch of people who were also cheeing for the other players. I can't hardly hear Kylie's voice, so I pulled her hand to get out of there and sit somewhere quietly.
"AYY, SILA NA BA??"
"IHH, BAKIT SILA NA NI KYLIE??"
"TREEEV! BAKIT MY HUSBAAAND!"
"SAKIT SA HEART BES, LET'S SUPPORT NA LANG."
Whut? Kylie and I are not– Ugh... nevermind.
Reaching the other end of the field where there are small benches around with trees covering the sunlight, we sat there and finally had peace from those girls who were shouting.
"Wow, lakas maka-assume ah!" Kylie commented, but I just chuckled.
I immediately stopped when she gave me a menacing stare. "What? Don't you like me?"
"Awww... Hindi eh... Masakit ba sa ego mo Trev?" sarkastikong sabi pa niya. "Here, let me put salt on that burn, btch."
"Kylie!"
"Just kidding! Anyway, nandito na tayo, may support ba ng benches and sunlight, ano na bang pag-uusapan naten?"
Huminga ako ng malalim before talking. "It's about the dream I had."
Napakunot tuloy ang noo niya. "What about it?"
At doon ko kinuwento ang kakaibang dream na iyon, from me, running to see Rhianne crying, to the point where she slapped me but luckily I woke up very sweaty, and nervous.
"That's actually... pretty... obvious?"
Obvious?
"Obvious, Kylie?" I asked her. She nodded.
"Halata naman kasi kay Rhianne na may gusto siya sa'yo, but I don't get it why Exellor was at the scene, at talagang... sinabi mong may gusto siya sa'yo at nag-kagusto ka na." she says, scratching her head.
"Tell me nga Trev, madalas ba kayong magkita ni Exellor?"
To be able to let her help me, I must tell her the truth. She's pretty good at giving advices. She even gives advice on her own twin.
"I'm gonna tell you something but please, don't tell anyone." madiin ang pagkakasabi ko noon, at kita ko naman ang paglapit ng mukha niya sa akin, waiting for me to tell what's what.
"Kylie, I-I tried following Exellor. She led me at Don Kael's fields. We would talk there, though I wouldn't consider us having a conversation 'cause she's not fond of talking to me... Naiinis ako kasi hindi man lang siya kailanman maalis sa isip ko kahit nasa harapan ko na siya. I don't get it!"
Then, I remembered how she stopped me from kissing her.
"I also told her that... she likes me since I've noticed that she's always looking at me and she told me that my actions were... obvious to her, kaya nagbabakasakali akong may gusto siya sa akin kaso... and weird lang talaga..."
"Kaso what?" Kylie asked. I couldn't continue and just stared.
After a few seconds, he smiled like it's the best day of her life.
"Seriously... Trev?" natatawang sabi niya, pero I kept my poker face since talagang namumurit na 'ko sa nangyayare.
"The dream is just a message..." dagdag pa niya.
Bigla akong kinabahan. "It wouldn't happen in real life, wouldn't it?"
Nag-isip siya bago nakasagot. "It may happen, since dreams are glimpses of the future, pero hindi naman katotohan halos dahil pabago-bago ang nagiging desisyon ng tao according sa mga nagyayari sa kanya sa paligid, sa mga taong around him/her and sa sarili niya."
Natahimik ako, kaya pinagpatuloy niya.
"Bakit hindi mo na lang kasi aminin sa sarili mo?"
"What do you mean Kylie? Na ano?!"
"Alam mo bang, isa kang mahanging torpe?" sabi niya at nagmala-Kuya Kim na boses, parang nagsaabi ng trivia. WTF??
"Hindi ako torpe! Isa pa, hindi ako mahangin! Totoo naman kasi mga sinasabi ko!"
"Alam mo Trev... pangit mag-assume!"
Why would you say that? Assumptions?
AAH! Bakit naman naalala ko yung mga sinasabi ni Exellor??!!
"And sa torpe part... bruh, gusto mo na siya. You're already infatuated to her."
"Infatuated?"
"Dios mio Trev, nagmumukha kang tnga, CRUSH MO NA SIYA BALIW!"
"SSHHHHHHHHH! PWEDE BANG HINAAN MO NAMAN!"
Tumawa naman yung hamag! Eh pano kung may makarinig?
"Bakit hindi mo kasi ligawan?" tinapik niya ako sa braso.
"Kylie–"
"Iyan kasi ang problema ng IBANG mga lalaki. Masyadong torpe, ayaw umamin sa feelings. Pakipot! Tapos ang taas-taas ng pride, akala mo sinasabon lang yun pala talagang dala ng personality." reklamo ni Kylie.
At parang hindi rin ginagawa ng mga babae yun.
"Trev, it's obvious that you like her. The first time you saw her, she already caught you. Ikaw 'tong ayaw umamin dahil imagine, a weird girl like that, magustuhan ka? Imposible nga? Pero sa panahon ngayon, it can happen Trev. Tsaka parang actually, ikaw ang nagpapalapit sa kanya para magustuhan ka rin niya. Wala naman akong sinasabi na gusto mo siya. Infatuation, hindi naman ibig sabihin eh mahal mo na, ang ibig sabihin lang non, nagiging interested ka na. Your curiousity will drive you insane. Tama ka eh, she's anti-social, pero the weird thing is, kinausap ka niya. Hindi naman masama kung gustuhin mo siya e, yang mga katulad niya e baka may thrill kaya go. Support naman ako."
"No, hindi ako naniniwala, I don't like–"
"For heaven's sake bruh, 'wag ka nang mag-deny! Halata na kita! Why would you sacrifice your time for that? Para lang sa katahimikan niyong dalawa dun sa fields? Eh noon mas importante pang makasama mo si Rhianne at kami keysa sa iba. 'Wag kang matakot! Gawin mo na yung gusto mong gawin dahil kung ako sayo? Kung anong ipinapahiwatig ng damdamin ko, ay gagawin ko na, keysa magsisi pa ako sa huli at ako rin ang matatalo."
"Nagseselos ka ata–"
"Trev, trust me. Sundan mo yung dikta ng damdamin at isip mo."
Lub-Dub.
Lub-Dub.
Is it possible for me to like her?