Chapter 20: Gut Feeling
[EXELLOR ONEIRO'S POV]
"What the thing was that?!" bulong na tanong ni Jamiel sa akin habang pabalik-balik ang tingin niya sa aming dalawa ni Paul.
I could ask the same thing. What was that?
Don't tell me it's that tadhana thing agai–
"Ang swerte swerte yata nating dalawa ngayon! Makakasayaw ang dalawa sa mga campus heartthrobs ng Florentin! Kyah~~~!" mahinang tili ni Jamiel, at niyugyog talaga ako. Ngunit hindi pa rin maalis ang tingin ko kay Paul Trevor.
Alam ko gusto niya ang nangyari. That we were partnered for the ball dance. Although, it's the first time at Florentin High, I knew there will be an event like this. Paul's smiling like a child. I can see his eyes were twinkling. A sign of happiness.
Kita ko ang gulat na ekspresyon ni Rhianne, na nakatingin kay Paul, but it seems that he wasn't aware of her. Why is he happy? Why is he happy, to dance with me at the ball?
And I know to myself, that... it seems I like the idea of it.
Just then, I felt a quick, sharp hit at the back of my neck! I winced in pain! *
My eyes shifted to Jamiel, who's looking at me curiously, still her hand near on the back of my neck.
"UY! ONEIRO! Kanina ka pa nakatingin kay– OH MY GOD DON'T TELL ME MAY CRUSH KA NA NGAYON KAY FUNTELO HA?"
I didn't answer... which made her smirk. "Ikaw ah! Atleast nagkakaroon na ng lovelife haha!"
"You know that's not even possible."
"To a guy like him? Na kayang i-sacrifice yung oras sa'yo para lang titigan na nakatunganga sa langit? Handa siya e. Kita mo na yung effort niya for the past few weeks? He can even stay until 6... paano pa kaya kung magpakita ka na ng signs na gusto mo na siya? Eh diba girl... may nararamdaman ka na rin naman? Takot ka lang kasi, pero pag natanggal iyan alam mo, daig mo na ako sa pananawmong bitter..."
"No. He will not accept me when he decides to know me inside out."
"Oh c'mon! I'm already seeing signs that you're interested! At nagkakacrush!"
I raised a brow. She crossed both her arms.
"Oh, don't give me that look girl! Alam mong expert ako diyan at huwag na huwag mo akong ma-correct, dahil FYI, I had experience unlike you na nararanasan pa lang! Past tense na saken, present pa lang sa'yo!" she stated, matter of factly.
She already had 2 boyfriends on serious relationships. She isn't the type of girl who'll date just a bunch of guys.
"Look, he shouldn't know about–"
"That? Seryoso? Alam mo, it's not that crucial. You need to relax at least gurl! Puro ka na lang serious! Dapat maibalik niya yang mga ngiti mo noon na hindi mo na masyadong nagagawa ngayon..."
I just let out a big breath.
I took a glance at him for just a second.
*lub-dub*
He's still staring at me, and I still don't know why I wanted to stare at him again.
***
*R-I-I-N-G-!*
"Okay class, you may take your lunch break."
I closed my notes, as my classmates were already standing and going out of the room. Just as I was packing up, Jamiel lend a hand on packing my things.
"Since I'm here already, I'm sure you're okay with some company?"
I just nodded and followed her way to the cafeteria. While on the way, some students had to greet me with a 'hi'. I just chose to smile back. Some didn't care, but I noticed that some were throwing angry stares at me. I understand. It's not that easy to be friends with one of the school's campus heartthrobs (their words). Jamiel noticed this too, and just shook her head while we waited to get an order from the line to the counter.
When we finally got to my usual table, Chris was already there, holding a tray of his own food. But I noticed another one already on the table. Even before I had to ask, Jamiel already noticed.
"Kanino iyan Chris?" she asked him.
He suddenly turned his head to me. "Para... sa'yo yung mga pagkain sa tray, Oneiro. Galing kay Trevor Funtelo."
I picked up the letter placed beside a drink on the tray. It's hand-written, and... Greek. Even though some words aren't written correctly, I understand it:
Enjoy your meal. Eat more, beanie girl. – P.T. Funtelo
"KYAAAAAH!! Kinikileg akooo!" there goes Jamiel again.
I suddenly remembered how he gave a tray of food a few days back with a note saying 'Libre ko na. P.T. Funtelo'. Why is he doing this?
Why is he doing all of this?
I glanced at his table, and he's looking at me right now. Smiling like a child.
I thought about this these things, and I never thanked him. I return my gaze on our table, and unknowigly smiled on my own.
So, I looked at him again. HE's still looking at me.
"Thank you, Paul." I mouthed. I saw his eyes widen, a I gave a huge smile to him.
He deserves it. After all, he still have some things that he can't tell everyone. Like I do.
I saw his cheeks flush red as he continued eating. I'm really amazed how his friends never noticed him. After that, I decided to eat at our table. Jamiel and Chris decided to eat with me today (although, I don't recommend them to do it everyday) but oftentimes, they don't.
***
Class dismissal happened. Everyone wanted to go home but I have a different thought at hand. Don Kael promised and told me that I should go to the mansion 'cause we'll have a feast for his son's birthday, Jacob.
But a certain thing made me froze to my feet.
"Trev, pinapatawag ka sa office ni Principal." Gregorio told him even before he got hold of his backpack. His face contorted to confusion, "Sandali, bakit naman?"
"Ewan lang bro... may ginawa ka yata e."
They both shrugged and left the room. That's when I followed him and saw that he's really going to the office. The principal's office. I stared at it's brown, oak door.
I shouldn't interfere. I don't even know why would I think of that idea.
I turned around, hoping to get at Don Kael's as soon as possible but... I feel like I can't move. It's not that it's frozen to the ground or anything, but the mere fact that my little brain wanted it to stop and just...
wait.
Why would I wait? My head's nagging me just to stand there and wait for him, for uknown reasons. I have a gut feeling, that there is something why I do this. Am I thankful? Sortof. Scared? Most likely. My face can hide fear but not my mind and my whole existence. Everything is scary, but intriguing.
Why are we intrigued on something that is dangerous? Because of excitement. We want chills running down our spine just to achieve something out of the ordinary. We would want to ride a long roller-coaster just to feel the thrill, not wanting to see the end nor the risks that it'll take just to feel that thrill.
In my case, I'm curious on why he's doing all of this, and it's making me feel guilty.
Like the last time I've haven't felt that feeling before.
I feel like I owe him something, but I can see his intention, is pure. He just wants to spend time with me. He wants to know more about me, as a friend.
Of course, there's the thrill of it. Excitement. Curiosity of attention.
So, I waited.
He came out of the office 5 minutes later, with a frown. His lips molded into a small smile when out eyes met. He gives me a quizzical look, "Bakit hindi ka pa umuuwi?"
"I'm... waiting for you."
"W-What?"
"I'm waiting for you." I repeated for him. His eyes widen at that.
"R-Really? T-Tara n-na? W-Wala na rin sina Kylie?"
I just nodded as an answer.
***
"Wait, we're not going to the fields?" he asked. Once again, I nodded as response.
"Then... where are we going?"
"Sa Mansion."
"Woah! Sure ka diyan? Ano bang meron?"
"Jacob's birthday, Don Kael's youngest son."
"May anak si Don Kael? Akalain mo! Akala ko noon lumpo lang siyang nakatira magisa sa lupain niya. I never knew that."
As we went our way to the Mansion, I noticed how happy and astonished he was, looking around the vast fields, like nothing happened earlier happened. I guess, it's nothing important. Just then, when we got there, we already saw the huge picnic table with a white cloth on it prepared just outside the mansion porch. We also saw Don Kael, already putting charcoals on the grill.
I know he felt our presence when he stopped what he's doing and turned to face us two.
"Oneiro! At ikaw nanamang lalaki ka– sino ba siya?"
"A-Ah... pasensya na po. Trevor Funtelo po pala.." Paul introduced himself to him, and shaked hands.
"Ikaw bata ka, anong intensyon mo sa inaanak ko?"
"A-AH WALA PO. Nakikipagkaibigan lang po."
"Siguraduhin mo..." he turned his attention to me, wearing a weak smile. "Tara, samahan mo ako magluto ng mga steak roon para kay Jacob.."
I followed him to the grill, but abruptly stops, pointing a finger at Paul. "OP! Ikaw, anong gagawin mo?"
"A-Ah... Sasamahan–"
"He'll help." I interrupted him. His head quickly turned to me while Don Kael's trying to contain his laugh.
"Ha? E-Exellor, ano kasi–"
"WONDERFUL!" Don Kael announced. "Kunin mo yung dalawa pang long stool para sa picnic table, tsaka na rin yung mga kahoy para mamaya sa campfire, nanduon lang naman sa loob iyon, just ask the workers."
"Workers?"
"Oo, yung mga trabahador ko."
He just stood there looking at him, speechless.
"Sige na, kaya mo yan, Funtelo." pagpupursige pa nito sa kanya. He immediately ran to the mansion, and probably gonna do what he has to do.
Later on, Jacob with his family came at 6. I saw how Don Kael's eyes twinkled, seeing his youngest son, so happy with his wife and 3 kids. All of them knew me, since Don Kael introduced me to them way back. Jacob hugged me, and so as his wife. The three of his children, did the same. The two are already adults, but the other one, Kai, was the same age as me.
"Hi, u-uhm...Xellor.." he greets me shyly, nudging his eyeglasses with his finger, as his face was tainted with rose colored blush.
"Hello."
"Uhm...M-Musta?" it's not that he's really intimidated to me, I'm used to the stuttering because it's a condition of his.
"I'm okay. How about you?"
"Haha... okay l-lang r-rin hehe."
"HI!" a voice boomed behind me. Knowing that vanilla scent (which I totally forgot to mention, probably his perfume or something), and that manly voice I hear, it's Paul.
"AH! H-H-Hi...p-po." he looked behind me. And a second letter, he emerged to my side, smirking.
"Sino ka?"
"K-Kai T-Torejos..."
"Ah, Paul Trevor Funtelo." he intrduced himself.
They stared at each other for like a moment, until I heard his mom call his name. He excused himself and went inside the mansion. I turned to look at Paul. I can see a vein nearly popping out of his neck.
"You angry?"
"No." he simply answers.
***
Later on, his birthday celebration commenced at 6, with Don Kael's workers, and us... by that I mean me and Paul. Everyone was laughing, trading stories and what not. They talked about business, trading, stuff that involved Don Kael's fields. His farm. His whole land is actually a farm, but he decided just to make it half, so he would have the space just to breathe fresh air and enjoy the scenery.
What he didn't know, was Don Kael had a farm behind the mansion, but it wasn't noticeable because his workers would stay there, and was off limits to the fields. I was the only one who could wander around it, and now him.
There was a big vanilla cake on the middle of the table, along with other dishes prepared by Don Kael and his workers. I had to eat much, and so as Paul, enjoying what he is into now.
"Y-You drink?"
"Yes. But only light ones." I say, after I gulp down the whole glass of red wine that I took from the table.
"Woow..." he sounded so astonished, looking at Jacob with his family. "I never thought that could exist." his voiced dropped so low. He was staring at them sympathetically, and with that, his shoulders slumped, and his smile faded just like that. His hair danced with the wind, and so as his pandora's box, the things that he kept hiding.
I just saw how a star lost its light.
He felt so vunerable, still staring at Jacob's son, laughing with their mom. A sudden feeling of heaviness panged inside my chest. My tastebuds turned so sour, and bitter at the same time. I felt my throat go dry, as If oxygen was sucked outside me.
A series of dark scenes flashed right before my eyes!
I felt like crying, but I'm too tired to cry. I can''t.