#PTG11 Chapter 11
"Good morning," I greeted, biting my tongue to stop myself from saying something inappropriate. It was 7 in the morning. Masyado pang maaga para magulo ang sistema ko. Because I knew that if I say something even remotely flirty, Jax would say something that would shock my system. Na kahit gaano pa ka-inosente iyong sasabihin niya, it would have a different effect on me.
Ganon talaga. Tanggap ko naman na na malala talaga iyong tama ko sa kanya.
"Akin ba 'to?" I asked when I saw a Starbucks coffee on the cupholder.
He nodded. "Iced coffee," he said.
I reached for it, and raised my brow. "Bakit mo alam na ito 'yung usual order ko?"
He shrugged. "You always post a picture of that on your wall."
Mas tinaasan ko iyong kilay ko. "Akala ko ba nag-aaral ka kagabi? You stalked me, noh?" I asked, then I took a sip. Naka-tingin lang ako sa kanya habang steady siya na nagda-drive. I could definitely get used to this. Na siya iyong una kong kasama sa umaga... na nakaka-usap ko siya ng ganito...
Life's finally granting my heart's desire.
Pero syempre Jax being Jax, hindi na naman niya sinagot iyong tanong ko. It's better that way. Mamaya kung ano na naman lumabas sa bibig niya, e!
"Where do you want to go?" he asked nang maka-labas na kami sa village.
"Ano munang subject mo ngayon?"
"Why?"
"Syempre gusto kong makipagdate, pero acads first kaya tayo dapat," I told him, smiling kahit alam ko na hindi niya naman ako nakikita dahil sa daan siya naka-tingin. But my smile quickly fell off nang tumingin siya sa akin when we reached a stoplight.
"Just tell me where you wanna eat."
I frowned. "Grabe. Ako na nga worried sa acads mo."
"Tinapos ko na lahat ng aaralin ko kagabi. San mo nga gustong kumain?"
I bit the insides of my cheek to stop myself from smiling. Talagang nagpuyat siya para sabay kaming kumain ngayon? Nakaka-inis! Nakaka-inis iyong simpleng effort niya na ganito, sobra-sobra iyong epekto sa akin.
I wrinkled my nose to hide the fact that I was too blown away by his response. This meant so much to me. I was aware of how heavy the workload was. Ako pa nga lang na first year, nalulunod na... Paano pa kaya siya? But the fact that he finished all of his readings just because I told him that I wanted to grab breakfast with him?
Sobra ka talaga, Juan Alexandro.
"Recovery Food," I replied, thinking that it was the nearest place sa school na meron nung gusto kong kainin. Pero kung wala naman akong gustong kainin, iyong pinaka-malapit pa rin iyong pipiliin ko. I already appreciated the thought of him pulling an all nighter for me... sobra na 'yun.
Jax and I ate breakfast. I asked him about random things—iyong mga gusto kong malaman sa kanya dati pa. Although alam ko na pwedeng-pwede ko namang tanungin kay Joey, I stopped myself. Alam ko kasi na mas fulfilling kapag sa kanya ko mismo narinig iyong sagot.
And dreams do come true. Four years later, siya na nga iyong sumasagot sa tanong ko.
"Ilan naging girlfriend mo?" I asked.
"One." I pouted kahit alam ko na 'to. Iniistalk ko kaya iyong ex niya! Kahit sa Cebu na based iyong babae pati may anak na, nagseselos pa rin ako. Alam mo 'yun? First girlfriend siya!
"Bakit kayo nagbreak?"
He shrugged, then put a spoonful of tapa and rice in his mouth. I put my hands under my chin, and waited for him to finish eating. Gusto ko talagang malaman kung bakit sila nagbreak para syempre kung anuman 'yun, iiwasan ko.
"We had nothing in common," he replied. So, iyon pala. Kasi nagtataka ako kung bakit sila nagbreak. Ang ganda-ganda kaya nung babae. Nanalo pa ngang Miss Cebu 'yun, e. Tapos binreak lang ni Jax? Topak din 'to minsan.
"Yun lang?"
He nodded. "I don't like wasting my time. Wala namang patutunguhan."
I grinned. "So, I'm not a waste of time?"
He clicked his tongue. "Kumain ka na nga," he said. I just laughed in his face. Malapit na naman yata siyang mapikon sa akin.
* * *
After grabbing breakfast, akala ko sa school kami didiretso para mag-aral kaya nagulat ako nang sa coffee shop kami bumaba. Sumunod lang ako kay Jax papasok. Bigla akong nilamig dahil galit naman yata sa AC 'tong may-ari! Parang gusto niyang magyelo 'yung mga tao, ah!
"San ka pupunta?" I asked nung lalabas ulit siya.
"Find a table. Sandali lang ako," sabi niya. I shrugged and looked for a place to sit. Sumama agad iyong mukha ko nang makita ko iyong least favorite ko na classmate ni Jax. She was sitting by herself in the corner while reading a book. Truth be told, wala namang ginagawang masama sa akin si Chinita... but I just didn't like her kasi obvious naman na may gusto siya sa manliligaw ko.
I trust Jax. I just didn't trust the people around him. Marami pa namang babae na hindi marunong magbackoff kahit alam na meron ng nauna.
Doon ako pumwesto sa kabilang dulo para malayo sa kanya. Chinita didn't seem to notice dahil mukhang busy din siya sa pag-aaral. I just made sure na doon uupo si Jax sa pwesto na naka-talikod siya para hindi niya makita. Dami naman kasing tanong nung babae na 'yun tuwing nakikita si Jax!
Nilabas ko na iyong libro ko sa Persons pati iyong capsule case ko. I began to browse while waiting for Jax to come back. But I must've been too engrossed with what I was reading that I only noticed that he finally returned when I saw a fruit cup in front of me.
"Who goes to a coffee shop to eat fruit cup?" tanong ko habang naka-simangot sa kanya. May fruit cup din siya.
"Nagcoffee ka na kanina," he replied. I was about to argue with him na gusto ko pa ng kape, but then, he gave me his jacket. "Malamig," he said.
Once again, I bit the insides of my cheeks to stop myself from being too obvious. Kainis! Lumabas siya para kunin iyong jacket niya? Really, his simple gestures were making it easier to fall harder. Wala na yata talagang pagkakataon para umahon sa hukay na ginawa niya.
"Thanks," I simply said while I was putting on his jacket. I wrinkled my nose to hide kung gaano ako kinikilig. I've seen Jax wear this jacket for a million times! Ito 'yung favorite jacket niya, e! Tapos suot ko na ngayon? Ako na talaga!
After that, bumalik na ako sa pag-aaral. I wanted to concentrate on studying dahil alam ko na kapag sumilip-silip ako kay Jax, mapapansin niya. I didn't want to distract him from studying. I didn't want to pull him down because to me, he's an inspiration.
But in the middle of me trying to highlight something on my book, napa-tingin ako nang biglang may bookstand na sa harap ko.
"Sa 'yo 'yan, e," I said, trying to push the bookstand back.
"Sa 'yo muna."
Umiling ako. "Okay lang ako. Mas marami kang binabasa," I said, throwing a look at his end of the table. May dalawang codal siya tapos dalawang annotated book. May notebooks pa. Isang subject lang naman inaaral ko.
"I'm just memorizing," he said, still being stubborn about me using his bookstand. I felt guilty. Siya may dala nito, e, tapos ako makikinabang? Bakit ba ang bait nito masyado? Kainis.
But I knew that Jax wouldn't drop the topic, so in the end, ako na lang iyong gumamit ng bookstand niya. Binilisan ko na lang iyong pagha-highlight at pagsusulat ko ng notes para mamaya, magmememorize na lang din ako.
"Jax," I called when I'd been going back and forth pero hindi ko makita iyong sagot. He looked at me, his eyes questioning. Minsan, tamad talaga magsalita. "Question... sabi sa Family Code, essential requisite sa marriage iyong marriage license, but what if nagkaroon ng sunog tapos nawalan na sa record 'yung copy nung license? Void na ba 'yung marriage?" I asked. Ganito kasi 'yung mga tanong sa classroom. Minsan 'di mo aakalain na itatanong. Nakaka-lito.
"No," he replied quickly, as if he could still remember every lesson when he was in first year. "Check Article 34, nandun 'yung exceptional circumstances. If they have already been living as husband and wife for at least five years, marriage license becomes immaterial. Hindi magiging void. General exception. But read the article; baka may nalimutan ako."
Muntik ng umawang iyong labi ko. He could still remember the article number like it was written at the back of his hand! Ako nga kahit situation lang na puro letter names, nahihilo na ako. Ang talino talaga ng future ko.
I smiled. "Thank you," I said, feeling really grateful na may Jax na sasagot sa akin kapag sobrang confused na ako sa mga binabasa ko.
* * *
It was almost time for class nang bumalik kami sa school. Mas mauuna iyong class niya kasi dalawa iyon. I walked him to his class.
"Good luck sa class," I said, smiling because I just wanted to make his day better like he did with mine. Buong araw lang talaga kaming nag-aral, pero ewan, sobrang saya ko talaga.
"When's your dismissal?" he asked.
"4:30."
"6:30 ako," sabi niya.
"It's okay. I'll wait," sabi ko.
"You sure?" he asked as if the thought of me waiting didn't sit well with him,
I nodded. "Sus. Two hours lang naman. Compare mo naman 'yun sa four years na pinaghintay mo ko," I teased, which resulted to the end of his ears turning red. Sobrang halata kasi sobrang puti din nito, e! Minsan nga papaarawan ko 'to para magka-kulay naman.
"Kulit," mahina niyang sabi pero narinig ko naman. May sasabihin pa yata siya pero nakita namin na paparating na 'yung prof niya. "I'll text you later."
I nodded. "Alright. Good luck sa class. Make me proud," I said, winking at him, which earned me another blush. Tsk. Cute mo talaga!
Naka-silip ako sa glass sa pinto hanggang maka-upo si Jax. Sa tabi ng lalaki siya naupo. 'Yun siguro 'yung Yago na sinasabi niya. Buti na lang 'di sila seatmates ni Chinita... Although 'di ko naman aawayin si Jax. 'Di naman ako ganon kababaw.
After I was satisfied with seeing him in action, I finally went to my classroom. Papasok na sana ako sa loob nang mapa-tigil ako dahil nakita ko si Iñigo at Maven na nag-uusap. That was... unexpected. Those two were an unlikely pair. Masyadong full of sunshine si Iñigo compared mo kay Maven na full of darkness.
"Hi, Abby," bati ko nang makita ko si Abby. She's too quiet din, but she seemed okay naman. She's better than my other classmates na mukhang ayaw sa akin kahit hindi pa naman nila ako nakaka-usap. Ewan ko ba sa mga 'yun.
She just looked at me before she went inside the classroom kahit na mukhang seryoso iyong pinag-uusapan nila Maven at Iñigo. A few seconds later, lumabas si Iñigo. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang may makita akong pasa sa gilid ng labi niya.
"Ano'ng nangyari sa 'yo?!" I worriedly asked.
He smiled, but winced. "I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"It just looks worse than it feels," sabi niya.
"Papasok ka ng ganyan?"
He shrugged. "Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry," sabi niya tapos nagsimula siyang maglakad palayo, but I couldn't let him go. He's been so nice to me, and he saved my ass a lot of times already.
"Wait!" sabi ko habang humahabol sa kanya. "I'm gonna fix you up," I said, dragging him back inside the classroom habang wala pang tao. Nakita ko na nasa isang sulok si Abby at Maven, but they're the least of my worries right now.
"Wag kang gumalaw," sabi ko kay Iñigo habang nilalagyan ko ng concealer 'yung pasa niya sa mukha. "I'm not gonna ask anymore kung san mo 'to nakuha..." I said, although I had an idea that this was frat related. It's his business, not mine. "But I hope you'll take care of yourself."
He smiled. I frowned.
"Wag ngang gagalaw, ang kulit," sabi ko nang makita ulit 'yung purple spot sa mukha niya.
"Thanks, Ms. Arellano," he said.
"Tss. Next time, bahala ka na sa buhay mo."
"May recit daw mamaya. Gusto mo malaman 'yung tinanong sa kabilang class?" he offered. I appreciated the thought, but Jax said that in the end, ako lang din naman iyong mahihirapan kung puro shortcut ang gagawin ko dito. Ako rin iyong magsa-suffer sa BAR exam kung ganito ang gagawin ko sa law school. He's right. I'd rather suffer now, than suffer later.
I shook my head. "Tinuruan na ako ni Jax," I said, beaming. I was confident today. Feeling ko, masasagot ko kahit ano pa itanong ni Judge Soriano sa akin.
Iñigo's lips parted. "Kayo na?"
I smiled. "Konti pa," I replied. Four years niya akong pinaghintay... paghihintayin ko siya kahit four days man lang.