Chapter 22 - L
June 13, 2011
"Hi!" Masiglang bati ni Lee sa mga ka-klase. It's the first day of classes. Finally! 4th year high school na sila. And finally, after a year of being apart, naka-tuntong na naman si Lee Gabriel sa Pilot section! Hindi niya akalain na kahit may sayad siya ng 3rd grading period, sobrang nag-excel naman siya ng 4th grading— kaya heto, kahit nasa laylayan siya ng Section 1, at least umabot siya.
"Hi! Hi Jekjek! Hi, Cams! Hi, Eli!" Panay bati niya sa mga classmates niyang maaga ring pumasok nang araw na 'yun.
Dahil naka-akyat na rin naman siya sa section 1 noong second year siya, pamilyar na rin naman siya sa mga classmates niya ngayon, kaya gumanti rin ang mga ito sa kanya ng bati sabay lingon sa kinauupuan ni Odyssey na parang automatic na tinatanong niya ito.
Of course. It wasn't really official dahil walang announcement. Walang pagpapalit ng facebook status. Walang pagse-celebrate. But everybody kind of knew that after the prom last school year and all the circumstances after that, the giant ice cube that is Simon Odyssey Lee has finally melted for the other Lee.
Sino pa ba namang makakatanggi pagtapos ng holding hands at ng isang nakaka-eskandalong halikan na nagpa-suspend pa sa dalawa.
And even though the last two months of their junior year went like a blur, walang makakalimot noon. Kahit pa sabihing hindi na naulit ang ganitong klaseng skinship pagtapos nilang bumalik matapos ang suspension, they all knew that Lee's persistence finally paid off.
Of course, there were still people who have raised their eyebrows saying napakabata pa nila para sa relasyon. They were even particularly hard towards Lee dahil ito ang babae. And for being the one who has been chasing a guy— even venerable deity in the academe world like Odyssey, iniisip nilang hihilahin lang nito pababa ang lalaki.
But good thing that the opposite happened. It was Lee who have bounced back to reach to his levels.
Sinundan ng tingin ni Lee kung saan nahahati ang daan papunta sa kung saan nakaupo si Odyssey and she finds him talking to Danielle.
Lee felt something rammed in her heart. Alam niyang sila na. Kahit hindi siya nito niligawan. Kahit siya lang mag-isa ang nag-set ng Feb 16 as the day they became together because that was the very day he kissed her in front of everyone and gave her that shiny necklace that is now proudly hanging around her neck. She just knew he is finally hers.
Kaya kahit nagselos ng kaunti, being the aggressive Lee that she is, she took big imposing steps towards where they are sitting at the corner of the classroom.
"Odyssey." Her pitch was so high, napatingin agad ang dalawa.
"Lee." It was actually Dani who spoke first. She wasn't even surprised to find her there. Siyempre, a few weeks naman bago magpasukan, they've already known their sections. Kaya alam na rin ni Lee na alam ni Danielle na magkikita sila ngayon.
But why is she still sitting beside Odyssey? And unlike their other classmates na nagbigay pa nga ng daan sa kanya papunta kay Odi, Dani wasn't even moving away from the seat beside Odi's.
Instead of acknowledging Dani's presence just like what she did, Lee's petty self ignored her and went to grab Odyssey's hand.
"Namiss kita." She said with a coquettish tone. This is her first relationship. She didn't realize that what she was doing deserves a thousand eye rolls.
"Lee." Sumagot naman si Odyssey. But he didn't deign himself to her level of pettiness and even dropped her hand.
But Lee is still unfazed. She kind of knew that Odi will act like this. Like all those two months last school year where he maintained his proprietary. Aside from that holding hands and kiss, he never did anything like that anymore— inside the school.
So she dropped the whole holding hands thing at tumayo na lang sa gilid.
"Upo na lang ako diyan?"
"No." Odyssey replied firmly.
"B-bakit?"
"May seat plan." It was Dani who answered next sabay turo sa may papel na nandoon sa may pinto.
Lee didn't notice this when she first came in because her thoughts are into finding Odi.
"Baka pwede makipagpalit?" Lee still tried her luck. How many times had her puppy eyes worked with Odyssey. Well, not all the time. Ang totoo, minsan lang din, but still, it worked quite well in the past.
And she also knows that the seat plan thing just works at the beginning of the period. Nagkakagulo-gulo din ito sa kalagitnaan ng school year— o kahit nga ng grading period pa lang.
But upon seeing Odyssey's knitting eyebrows, alam niya ng hindi siya uubra.
She immediately felt mad at first.
Ngayon na nga lang sila nagkita! She felt her indignation pouring from her throat, wanting to burst out into cusses. Kung hindi lang sila nagbakasyon sa ibang bansa at umuwi last minute, makikipagkita siya sana kay Odyssey bago ang first day of classes.
Pero dahil nagkaroon ng delay ang flight nila, sobrang tindi ng jetlag niya hence she allowed her self to sleep the whole day yesterday to accustom her body clock back to PST.
Then her anger subsided as she looked at his tired face. He must have been so tired yesterday. Alam niya kasing kumuha ito ng summer job na hindi daw matatapos hanggang 1st week ng pasukan.
Meekly, she conceded and approached the seat plan to look at her seat. Mas lalo pa siyang nagmukmok nang makitang napakalayo niya kay Odyssey. But she still tried her best to look at the bright side. Kahit hindi magkatabi, at least ngayon, makikita niya na minu-minuto si Odyssey. That alone can make her school days better. Hindi na siya magaantay na mag-recess at lunch pa.
Tumingin na lang siya ulit kay Odyssey before she settled to her seat. Doon niya nakita si Eliseo na classmate niya last year na kasama niyang umakyat ngayon sa Pilot.
"Uy!"
"Hi, Lee." Ngumiti si Eli na nagpasingkit dito at nagpabilog sa mga cheeks nito.
"Ang taba mo ngayon ah. Dami ka kinain 'nung summer?" Halos kurotin ni Lee ang pisngi nito.
"Grabe ka naman Lee, walang preno." He even scrunched his face that made him look even cuter.
Kinurot na tuloy ni Lee ng tuluyan ang pisngi niya.
"Aray!"
"Apir na lang tayo! Ang galing natin last school year!"
After their high-five, Lee was just content na hindi na niya kailangang makipag-small talk sa ibang ka-klase dahil kumportable siya sa katabi niya.
3rd period nung hindi na mapigilan ni Lee 'yung antok. Hindi niya maintindihan sa sarili niya kung bakit inaantok pa rin siya kahit na isang maghanpon na siyang natulog.
"Eli, gisingin mo ako! Kurutin mo ako."
"Baliw."
"Anong gagawin ko?!" She muttered under her breath dahil nagaantay na lang sila ng teacher na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa dumadating kaya nagdadaldalan lang ang mga estudyante.
"Magkwento ka na lang. Kayo pa ba ni Odi?"
"H-ha? Oo naman. So far, parang kami pa rin naman!" Nakitang nag-ningning pa ang mga mata ni Lee as if talking about her pride.
"Anong so far? Ano hindi sure?" Natatawang sagot ni Eli. "Ikaw lang yata nakakaalam na kayo eh. Baka mamaya break na pala kayo."
"Eh! Sampalin kita diyan."
Eli managed a few chuckles.
"Ilang months na kayo."
Doon lang napa-isip si Lee.
"4 months na kami sa Thursday!"
"Naks ang tagal na." Sagot ni Eli. Dahil totoo naman. In their age, matagal na 'yung 4 months lalo na't dumaan ang bakasyon.
Kaya nang dumating ang break, Lee immediately went to walk with Odyssey at pinilit na namang hawakan ang kamay nito.
"Lee..." Ani Odyssey habang dahan-dahang binibitiwan ang kamay ni Lee.
She became really really sad. Hindi niya alam pero biglang nagbalik sa kanya 'yung mga salita ni Eli noong naguusap sila. Baka nga hindi naman talaga sila.
She just approached him because she wanted to tell him that they are now approaching their 4th month on Thursday. Napayuko na lang siya as thousands of questions flood her head.
Kanina pa siya nagpapaka-positive, but with recurrent rejections, and without validation, sumasakit talaga 'yung dibdib niya.
Dala-dala niya 'yun hanggang sa uwian.
Kaya nang mag-ring ang pinaka-huling bell. She didn't bother approaching Odyssey.
Not that she is giving up. Not that she's mad, but she's just too wary. And yes, too afraid that her advances might get rejected again.
Kaya nang dumaan si Odyssey sa harap niya, she just looked at his feet.
"Hindi ka pa aaalis?" He asked.
Parang nagulat pa siya nang tanungin nito at naunang maglakad. She wanted to punch him. Who gave him the right to order her around like this samantalang hindi nga siya nito pinapansin buong araw.
Pero mas nainis siya sa sarili niya na isang salita lang nito, tumakbo na siya, matching his large strides, na parang siya pa 'yung may nagawang mali. Ganoon ba siya karupok?
As soon as they reach near the gates, Odyssey's pace became slow, hanggang sa sabay na silang naglalakad.
Lee tried to catch her breath. She's getting ready to give him a mouthful. Pero bago siya makapagsalita. Hinawakan nito ang kamay niya and took her towards the other gate.
"Ha? Wait, nandoon sa North sundo ko."
Pero hindi sumagot si Odyssey at hinila lang siya sa West gate. Doon sumakay sila ng jeep papunta sa bahay nila Odi.
Lee can only look at their hands. Itong mga kamay na 'to 'yung hindi niya mahawakan kanina!
Pagbaba nila, hindi na siya nakapagpigil. Tinanggal niya ang kamay niya sa pagkakahawak dahil nagpapawis na.
Pero biglang hinawakan ulit ito ni Odyssey at dinala siya papunta sa street papunta sa bahay nito.
"Wait lang kasi pasmado." Angal ni Lee.
"Eh ano?"
"Ha?" Naguguluhan siya. "Kanina ayaw mo magpahawak, pinagtutulakan mo ako palayo, tapos ngayon ayaw mo bumitaw."
Hindi siya nito pinansin at pumasok sa loob ng bahay.
"Perci nandiyan ka na ba?" Sigaw ni Odi nang makapasok sila.
Walang sumagot kaya pinagpatuloy ni Lee ang righteous indignantion na naipon buong araw.
"Ano, bakit hindi ka sumasagot? Alam mo bang na-miss ki—"
She didn't expect what happened next.
She was suddenly pushed at the wooden wall separating his room, and the small sala. Hinawakan rin ni Odi ang dalawang kamay niya.
"Odyssey!" She shouted as his kisses went down her neck. "Odi, ano ba!?" Tinulak niya ito.
"I missed you, too." He hissed.
"Baliw ka!"
In truth, he is just refusing to act cozy with her because just like any other gentleman, he is just a patient wolf. And he didn't want all the skinship because it might lead to this.
How many times have they made out here? Hindi pa ba alam ni Lee na hindi dapat sila ganoon sa school? After their trip to the guidance office, hinding hindi niya na 'yun gagawin sa school.
Didn't she know that her simple touch gives him so many different sensations?
Naniniwala na siya ngayon kila Jerico at Lovely.
They're both speaking what's true. It was really good to have someone to hug and kiss. And this girl was testing him since the first time she stepped in the classroom. Hindi niya ba alam how her coquettish voice sounded the first time she called him?
Suddenly, he was kissing her chest. Nandoon ang necklace na binigay niya. The letter L. It was her name. But it is also his surname, on hers.
But right now, L might mean a different thing.
"Enough!"
"It's not enough, Lee!"
*later*