#PTG17 Chapter 17
"Katherine..." malambing na tawag sa akin ni Jax. Agad akong napa-tingin sa kanya habang naka-arko iyong kilay ko. Ano'ng nangyayari? Jax never does malambing! May kailangan siguro 'tong lalaking 'to!
I eyed him. "May ginawa ka bang kasalanan?"
We were in the library. It was awfully cold. Puno kasi lahat ng coffee shop sa paligid ng school kaya no choice kami kung hindi sa school mag-aral. Thankfully, walang tao masyado sa med-lib. Ayoko rin kasi i-take iyong risk na sa law library kami mag-aral. Mamaya makita ko pa mga classmate ni Jax, e. Ang lakas pa naman ng inis sa akin ng mga 'yun. Wala pa nga akong ginagawa sa kanila! Paano pa kaya kapag may ginawa na ako? E 'di namatay na sila sa inis sa akin?
Agad siyang umiling. "What? No."
My eyebrows were still on full-attack mode. "Bakit para kang tuta d'yan kung magtanong?" I asked, crossing my arms against my chest. Buti na lang nasa dulo kami kaya walang tao talaga. We were surrounded by books. I mean, books, coffee, and Jax? This was definitely my happy place.
"It's Dad's birthday this Friday. Do you wanna come?"
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Invited ba ako?"
He rolled his eyes. Tignan mo 'to! Valid naman 'yung tanong ko! Tapos nagtataka siya sa akin kung bakit minsan kinukurot ko siya out of the blue? Kasi naaalala ko randomly mga pag-irap niya sa akin!
"I'm inviting you, am I not?"
"Bakit? Ikaw may birthday para ikaw mag-invite?"
"Di ka talaga matino kausap," naiiritang sabi niya tapos binuksan iyong libro niya. Hinarang talaga niya sa mukha niya iyong libro para hindi ko siya makita. Tignan mo 'to! Ang pa-baby talaga minsan! Feeling ko minsan sinasadya niyang magtampo para suyuin ko siya, e. Tsk. Mga galawan mo talaga, Juan Alexandro.
I stood from my chair, tapos lumipat ako sa vacant seat sa tabi niya. I poked his cheek.
"Galit ka?"
"Tsk."
I poked his cheek again. "Sorry na... Saan ba 'yung venue? And ano'ng tingin mong magandang gift for Tito?" I asked, then poked his arm this time. Ang sungit talaga ni Jax. Hindi tumatalab iyong pagsundut-sundot ko sa kanya.
Gusto ko pa sana siyang kulitin, but then, I remembered na estudyante nga rin pala ako. I got my book, and then studied, as well. Doon lang ako sa tabi ni Jax, though. At dahil nasa tabi ko siya, napapansin ko na nagruruler pa siya kapag nagha-highlight! Sobrang OC ni Juan Alexandro.
After a while, I felt a pang of hunger. Tumayo ako para bumili ng pagkain. Akala ko tatawagin ako ni Jax, but he ignored me. Bahala siya d'yan.
Paglabas ko, dumiretso agad ako sa cafeteria para bumili ng food. Habang naka-tayo ako at namimili ng pwedeng kainin, biglang may tumawag sa akin.
"Ms. Arellano."
"Mr. Borromeo."
Iñigo was beaming as he stood beside me. "Uminom kami ng bloc after exam. I sent you a text," he said.
I shrugged. "Wala akong nabasa."
He arched his brow. "Kahit iMessage 'yun? Kahit nakita ko na naging read iyong status nung message?"
I rolled my eyes. "Bakit naman ako sasama? 'Di kaya ako gusto ng blocmates natin," I honestly said. I didn't know who was at fault, really. As far as I could remember, wala akong ginagawang masama sa kanila. Tahimik nga lang ako sa room, e. Si Iñigo and Deanne lang ang kinakausap ko. Minsan, si Maven din kasi inintroduce kami ni Psalm dalawa. Akalain mo magpinsan pala 'yung dalawa na 'yun? Sobrang layo nilang dalawa, to be honest.
Iñigo shrugged. "It's all in your head," he said, smiling. "Come on, try to join us minsan. Law school's no fun kung wala kang kaibigan."
"Okay naman ako."
"With Jax? I mean, it's good na kasama mo siya, but friendly advise, law school is all about building connections."
I frowned. "Ayan ka na naman sa connections na 'yan."
He laughed. "I'm just trying to be realistic here, Ms. Arellano. You can try as hard as you want, but at the end of the day, it's always about the people who know the right people," he said, shrugging. "Life's unfair like that."
Umiling ako. "Still, hard no. If I make that connection, I know something's to be expected from me rin. And I don't like to be burdened like that."
You scratch my back, I'd scratch yours.
Ayoko.
In my brief time here in law school, I had learned a few horrifying truths. Na iyong mga tao na inaasahan na mamumuno sa bansa in a few years? Some of them are already corrupted to the core. As in legit. Ayoko lang na magkaroon ng utang na loob sa gaya nila. Who knows kung ano ang kakailanganin nila sa akin sa future?
"If you say so," he said, smiling. Iñigo's... intriguing. I know that beneath that smiling face of his, marami siyang tinatago. But as long as he's not doing anything wrong, there's no reason to be wary of him.
Sabay kaming kumain ng lunch, but nagmadali ako. Binilhan ko ng sandwich si Jax, pero bago pa man ako makalabas sa cafeteria, nakita ko na agad siya sa pintuan.
And boy, Juan Alexandro was frowning.
"Sandwich?" I asked, trying to fill the void of silence. I didn't like when he's silent like that. It was making me nervous. But when after a few seconds he still didn't talk, I gave in. "Sorry. Nakita ko lang si Iñigo kaya sabay kaming kumain. Galit ka ba?"
There was still just silence from his end. I felt guilty. Alam ko naman na nagseselos si Jax kay Iñigo pero kumain pa rin ako kasama siya... Hindi ko naman kasi kayang sabihan si Iñigo na 'wag kaming sabay kumain. Friend ko naman kasi iyong tao.
But si Jax... I knew I should put his feelings first.
"Hey, I'm sorry," I said, pulling the sleeves of his shirt.
Hindi pa rin siya nagsimula. I cupped his face to force him to look me in the eye. I didn't care that we're in the middle of the freaking cafeteria. I didn't care if people were watching us. My priority was to make Jax know that he's the only one for me.
"Kakain lang naman talaga ako nang mabilis. I even bought you sandwich para susubuan kita sa lib. Akala ko kasi galit ka sa 'kin kaya 'di na kita inaya..." I said as I stared into his eyes intently.
Jax closed his eyes, clenched his jaw, and took a deep breath before he looked at me. "I'm sorry."
Umiling ako. "No, it's my fault. Bati na tayo, ha?"
A small smile was visible. "Yeah, of course."
I wrinkled my nose. "Ang seloso ng boyfriend ko. Tsk."
Jax shook his head, but he was smiling. Sabay kaming naglakad pabalik sa cafeteria. I could feel some eyes on us. I know may mga nagkaka-crush kay Jax sa school, but as far as I was concerned, mas maraming naghahabol na babae kay Maven—kay Maven na tamad na tamad magsalita.
Girls and their penchant for masungit guys.
Anyway, better for me. Ayoko ng kaagaw kay Jax. He's all mine. I refuse to share him with anyone other than his family. Kung pwede ko nga lang iuwi 'tong lalaki na 'to, sa amin na 'to uuwi talaga.
We just bought food from the cafeteria tapos sa mini-garden ng school kami kumain. We took time eating. After all, we needed a break from studying. Pagkatapos nun, balik aral na naman kami hanggang magsimula na iyong class.
* * *
Days flew quicker than usual. It was already Friday. It meant I'd meet Jax's family! God! Kilala ko naman talaga sila Tita, but syempre ang alam lang nila dati, best friend ako ni Joey... and crush na crush ko si Jax. Ang tagal na kaya akong tinutukso ni Tito kay Jax! Kasalanan ko ba na ngayon lang ako pinansin ng anak niya? Four years akong pinaghintay!
"Ang ganda mo naman ngayon," bati ni Yaya na naka-ngiti. I was wearing a pale yellow dress. My hair was straightened, and I was wearing light makeup. Sabi naman ni Jax dinner lang sa bahay nila with some of his Dad's close friends. This should be okay.
"Kinakabahan ako, Ya."
"Bakit naman?"
"Papakilala ako ni Jax sa family niya."
"Bakit ka kakabahan? Aba'y kahit sinasabi palagi na ang swerte mo kay Jax, mas ma-swerte siya sa 'yo. Saan pa ba siya makakahanap ng babae na mahal na mahal siya?"
I wrinkled my nose. "Ya naman... 'Wag mong ipaparinig kay Jax 'yan. Lalaki lalo ulo 'nun," I replied, to which Yaya laughed. Totoo naman kasi! Lagi na lang ginagamit ni Jax sa akin iyong katotohanan na crush na crush ko siya!
"Nasabi mo na ba sa Mama at Papa mo?"
Umiling ako. "No. And it's not like they gave me a choice. Sabi nila may ipapakilala daw sila sa akin. Can you believe them, Ya? Ano'ng tingin nila sa akin? Business deal? Walang sariling desisyon?" I said in dismay. 'Di na nga sila nagpapakita, tapos ganoon pa gagawin nila. And they wonder why I'd choose my friends over them. At least iyong mga kaibigan ko alam ko na mahal talaga ako.
Yaya comfortingly combed my hair until we both heard Jax's voice. I turned around, and bit my lower lip when I saw him wearing a suit. Halos mahigit ko ang hininga ko nang makita ko siya.
"Stop staring," nahihiya na sabi niya nang feeling ko nakaawang na talaga iyong labi ko habang naka-tingin sa kanya. Lord, bakit naman po ganito?! Gwapo na nga siya on a normal day, pero grabe naman kapag naka-formal attire siya! Baka atakihin na talaga ako sa puso kapag lawyer na talaga siya! Sigurado ako sobrang gwapo niya lalo in the future!
I could imagine him wearing suit and carrying a brief case. Tapos he'd be arguing in the court of law. Tapos medyo kukunot pa iyong noo niya. And he'd be waving his hand tapos mapapa-tingin ako sa veins sa kamay at arms niya. My God. That would be my fantasy.
"Stop staring," he repeated, flickering his fingers against my forehead.
I kept on blinking. "Ang gwapo mo."
Jax groaned. "Stop."
"Totoo naman. Ang gwapo mo, Jax. Bakit ka ganyan? Totoo ka ba?" sabi ko habang kinukurot iyong pisngi niya. Narinig ko na tumatawa si Yaya sa aming dalawa. Nagpaalam muna si Jax sa kanya bago kami dumiretso sa sasakyan niya. Kahit nasa loob na kami, sinusundot ko pa rin iyong pisngi ni Jax habang nagda-drive siya.
After a while, napikon na yata siya dahil nagpullover na siya sa isang gilid.
"Ang kulit mo," sabi niya habang naka-tingin sa akin. Rinig na rinig ko iyong ingay ng mga sasakyan mula sa labas, pero wala akong pakielam. My eyes were focused on Jax—maybe my whole system, too. I didn't know. All I knew was that I love Jax. With all of my heart. I was sure of it.
"I love you," I said. I couldn't contain it anymore. I felt like my heart was going to explode from all the feelings that he was making me feel. I needed to say those words; otherwise I'd drown from loving him too much.
And I wanted him to hear it.
I needed him to hear it.
So that he wouldn't worry anymore. Kasi siya lang naman. Kasi siya lang talaga. I knew I could try looking at someone else, but I'd be just fooling myself. No one's gonna be as good as him. He already ruined all the guys for me.
"I know... I know I already told this to you a couple of times before. Ilang notes na iniwan ko dati sa pintuan ng kwarto mo, sa notebook mo na pinapalagay ko kay Joey, sa birthday cards na binibigay ko sa 'yo dati... I knew I love you then... but this time? I love you. Sobra. Sagad."
Jax was looking at me. His eyes never left mine. The intensity of his stares was making it harder to breathe.
"I'm not saying this to put pressure on you. You can take as much time as you need. I just want you to know..." I said, and then cupped his face, and smiled. "I love you, Juan Alexandro Castillano Yuchengco."
Jax's jaw clenched. I waited for a word from him, but all I heard was the sound of the seatbelts being unbuckled. Everything happened so fast.
Suddenly, I was straddling him.
Suddenly, his lips were on mine.
I could feel his lips moving dangerously against mine. His hands were roaming on my back. I kissed him back. I gave it my all. I wanted him to know that I wanted him so much. He's the one for me. I had no reservations anymore.
Jax's kisses were intoxicating. Lunod na lunod na ako sa bawat paggalaw ng labi niya. Pakiramdam ko ay mauubusan na ako ng hininga.
And when he kissed me so hard that my back accidentally pressed the horn, agad kaming napa-tigil. We were staring at each other, breathing heavily.
"Stop stealing all my lines, Katherine," he said, biting my lower lip. Pareho kaming humihingal mula sa paghalik sa isa't-isa. Kita ko ang pagtulo ng pawis mula sa noo niya.
"I was just being honest..." I said, then pressed my lips against him. "I love you so much, Jax."
"I—" Jax said, but he was stopped by the knocking on the window. Pareho kaming napa-tingin at nakita na nasa labas si Joey at Psalm. Shit! Tinted ba 'yung window?!