Chapter 10
I'm walking my way up to the second floor to attend my last class for today. It's been weeks since I had that conversation with Aiden and I can say that it really gave me a breathing.
We're both graduating students in the architecture and engineering field and I will not lie if I say this course is not deadass tiring but I am happy that he's been with me during the hard times and vice versa.
I encountered Javi a few times dahil nalaman ko na sa McArthur rin pala siya nagaaral. Pero hanggang ngitian lang iyon because Aiden's with me and he's over the top super duper extra possessive. Tss.
Akala mo naman hindi nakikita iyong Sydney na iyon! I'm trying to be mature though because she's somehow working with the Mañagos pala and if Calista's family trusts her then I should too.
I didn't know she was old. JUST twenty six. Really old enough to be Aiden's sugar mommy. Joke!
I got my yellow pad out from my bag and started reviewing my notes dahil may quiz kami sa subject na ito. Unfortunately, si Professor uugod ugod ang aming lecturer ngayon dahil naka leave ang dapat naming prof.
Inaabangan ko na agad ang question and answer portion namin mamaya. Adela's not my classmate here sadly. Pero si Aiden oo. He said he's running late today though. Didn't bother to ask why.
Napansin ko naman ang mga kaklase kong nagsibalikan na sa kanilang mga upuan at tumahimik. Pumasok si Professor Uganda at nakita ko naman si Aiden sa likod niya na magulo ang ayos. Anyare sayo?
"Hi. I'm sorry I am late." He went to me and kissed my forehead. Hindi naman nakalusot sa paningin ko ang pagirap ng mga katabi kong babae. Mangarap lang kayo!
"What happened to you?"
"Someone messed up with my plates and I needed to do them again back from scratch. Badtrip."
"Who did it?"
"Have no idea." Sinong walang awa ang gagawa non? Kaya pala mukha siyang stressed na stressed! Hindi siguro siya mahal ng mama niya. Sana lang maintindihan ng prof.
I don't really understand kung bakit iniignore yung effort ng mga students. Ilang oras mo pinaghandaan pero wala pang five minutes titignan ng teacher. Tsk.
"Prepare for an oral quiz." Napasinghap ako! Pero agad ring nabawi. I stayed up late for this quiz naman and I think I can handle myself.
Sure akong tatargetin nanaman ako ni tanda! I saw how most of my classmates panicked because of the sudden decision by our prof pero alam naman nilang wala silang magagawa dahil si Sir Beki yan!
"Feeling confident babe?" Napabaling ako kay Aiden sa tanong niya. I smirked at him.
"Piece of cake! Sus!"
"Alright. Let's have a bet." He chuckled. Bet? Magaling ata ako dyan.
"Okay, what is it? Think of something hard naman! You'll lose anyway."
"If I get a higher score than you today then you'll grant a wish from me." Yun lang!?
"Come on, Aiden. Anything better than that?"
"Three wishes, My Luna."
I shook his hand as a sign of agreement. Hindi ako papayag kung matatalo lang ako no! Ginawa niya ang plates niya magdamag at sure akong kaunti lang ang time niya para magreview.
Nagsimula na magtawag si Professor Uganda at napapansin kong pahirap ng pahirap ang kanyang mga tanong. Sa index card talaga na iyan ay ang malas ko!
Mas magandang matawag na sa una para tapos na agad. Tatlo nalang samin ang hindi natatawag at isa na ako roon.
"Miss Casal." Siya yung babaeng umirap sakin!
"How would you explain the importance of Iconic architecture?" Nakita ko namang napataas ang kilay ng prof dahil sa tagal ng pagsagot niya.
"Uhhmm i-iconic architecture m-means it exist in every city, every town, and every neighborhood for all ages." Yun na yon? Sobrang basic ng sagot! Pa-safe.
"So? Where's your answer to my question?"
"Sorry sir. Uhh These kind of buildings can affect the way that we feel about a place, often giving residents a monument to be proud of. It is important because it represents a lot of things that reflect's the country's history." She has a point but it's lacking. Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang pero kung tatarayan niyo ko sana may utak rin kayo!
"What about the anti iconic? Do you think iconic buildings are most likely to be built rather than the simple ones?"
"I think it is a benchmark to pursue for most of contemporary designers. These projects are what architects and engineers are known for. It is also producing attractive and convincing environmental images which serve globalization goals."
Saad niya ng may ngisi sa labi.
Katacute!
"Do you agree with her Astrid?" Eto na nga ba ang sinasabi ko. Idadamay talaga ako neto! Tinulak tulak naman ni Aiden ang aking likod para tumayo. Sinamaan ko lang siya ng tingin. Right, may bet nga pala kami.
"No Prof. Because if you're in architecture to be famous, you're in this for wrong reasons. Because architecture should always be responding to the society and context that it will sit in. Do most iconic buildings push the boundaries of sustainability in a positive way?" Totoo naman diba? Kung pinapangarap mo lang gumawa ng kalat sa mundo bakit ka pa nasa larangan na ito kung hindi mo naman hangad makatulong sa mga tao?
"Yes. Sustainable iconic projects are oriented to become an ecologically friendly tool that supports economy investments and tourism. There's the Eiffel Tower, Burj Khalifa or the Sydney Opera House to prove my point." Sagot niya sakin. Ngumisi rin siya dahil nakita niyang napangiti ang Prof sakanyang sagot. Tss.
"But the iconic buildings are likely getting enormous successful or deadly failure. Do we need the iconic buildings? I don't think so. They were all controversial like your example, Eiffel Tower. It was originally announced as useless and monstrous structure. Or the Sagada Familia that even after decades it was left unfinished. It just created waste spaces, over-structured elements, left over spaces onto the street."
Don't get me wrong. I love those works. We both have a point. But in this class I am appointed to favor the anti iconic architecuture more.
"You have a point there, Grimaldi. But I want Aiden to help Miss Casal. Mr. Morgan, are iconic structures really controversial?" Wow! Two versus one!? Lalo lang ngumisi ang babae na iyon sakin dahil si Aiden ang tutulong sakanya. Isn't that a bad thing? Pathetic.
"If having a controversial story is crucial to iconic status, then why is the development of sustainable iconic projects is becoming a global phenomenon in recent years?" Bakit ba ako ang binubuhusan ng mga tanong?! Napaisip ako sa sagot ni Aiden. Akala ko ba puyat ang isang to!
"But it only contributes a wall between the upper class men and middle class. Much worse is that it affects how people see things these days that they can downgrade their fellow countrymen. So I think that this idea is only creating more reasons to produce pollution in our world."
I see that as a problem in our time. How millennial kids boast about their riches and stuff.
"Yes I can see that but overcoming any shortfalls in key parameters of what makes a 'good building'. You could say in some circumstances that a weak building can be procurred provided it is a sufficiently branded and marketable."
He smiled. Saaming dalawa ni Aiden siya ang mas matalino. Ang hirap talaga sagutin ng mga sinasabi niya! Ugh!
"I agree with the further development of anti iconic architecture in the world. It has to agree the standard of sustainable design. The anti iconic creates an environment that makes audiences feel ambivalent. Such as the works of Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid."
"However, not all the iconic architecture projects are considered as valuable and timeless design. They can be defined as a double edge sword!" Dagdag ko pa.
"And so the world of iconitecture continues to breed and can sometimes appear to swin against much needs of clients and wider society. It embodies the current state of society, people's satisfactions in terms of art form and further development of the people's life."
Sagot ni Aiden ng may diin sa 'further development'. Ngiting aso naman ang babae dahil hindi ako makasagot. Bakit ba kasi kami pinagdedebate eh pareho namang importante ang dalawang kasong ito. Tss.
"Very impressive Morgan and Grimaldi. As expected from my high standing students. At ikaw Casal ay pagbutihan mo pa lalo. Expect your grades later to Mister Vince. Class dismissed." Ang Casal na iyon ang may mas kailangan ata ng breeding kesa sa mga buildings sa mundo!
Pagkaalis agad ng professor ay lumapit ang asong iyon kay Aiden. Si Aiden naman ay nakagawi lamang ang tingin saakin. Bahala kayo.
"Thank you, Aiden." Narinig kong sabi ng babae. Kailangan talaga non?
"No problem." Hindi ko sila pinansin at tuloy tuloy lang nagayos ng aking gamit.
"Luna, I'm hungry!" Bago pa ako mapabaling sakanila ay sumingit na ang babae samin.
"Can I treat you food? Gusto ko lang sana bumawi sa pagsave sakin kanina." What the freak? Nandito ho ako! Hello! Hindi man lang tumingin sakin at nagawa pang hawakan ang kamay ni Aiden! She really had the guts?
To be a gutierrez? Char.
"I'm fine. Sinunod ko lang naman ang sinabi ng Prof."
"No really! Sobrang kabado talaga ako and I'm thankful you backed me up." Backed you up huh? Lakas rin ng babaeng ito. I looked at her from head to toe. She's wearing an animal print dress. Napansin kong mas matangkad ako sakanya. Ang kapal ng labi at kulay pula pa ang buhok.
Cheetah ka girl?
"Umayaw na nga diba? Tss." Sabat ko sakanya.
"Excuse me? Am I talking to you?"
"Dadaan ka? Kasi kami oo. Me and Aiden have plans so if you'll excuse us." Hahatakin ko na sana si Aiden pero hinawakan ng babaeng iyon ang braso ko. Tumingin ako sakanya at tinaasan siya ng kilay.
"Baka kainin ako ng cheetah ayoko pa mamatay." Tumawa naman si Aiden sa sinabi ko. Sumama lalo ang tingin sakin ni? I don't know her name.
"Anong pinaglalaban mo Astrid? Gusto ko lang naman magpasalamat."
"Nagthank you kana ano pa bang gusto mo? Just say that you like Aiden and you want him on your bed." I smirked. Lahat naman ata ng babae rito ay may gusto kay Aiden. Hindi na ako magtataka sakanya.
"What!? Ang yabang mo talaga! Akala ko pa naman matalino ka?"
"Atleast hindi ko kailangan ng back up. The debate ended already kaya bakit ka pa salita ng salita?"
"Babe enough. Sorry Andrea but we have to go." Tinignan ko muli ang babae bago tuluyang umalis. So her name is Andrea? Ang liit para siyang gasul. Wala talaga akong laban sa ganon. I smirked.
I didn't know na we have plans for today? So where are you taking me?" Sobrang kulit! Kanina pa niya iyan sinasabi sakin. I said that to only get away with that pathetic girl!
"Hush your mouth now!" Hinarap ko siya at pinanlakihan ng mata. Hobby niya talagang pagtripan ako no?
"Is it a date?" Nakangisi niyang lingon sakin.
"Isa, Aiden." Napahigpit ang hawak ko sa mga librong dala ko dahil sa inis.
"Dalawa, Luna." Nakakainis na to ha! Tumigil ako sa paglalakad at hinarap siya. Pinagkrus ko ang aking mga kamay at galit na tumingin sa kanyang mga mata.
"Shut the fuck up! Hindi na ko natutuwa!"
Naglakad ako ng mabilis at inunahan siya.
"Okay sorry! Sungit!" His both hands are up while grinning wide at me. Seriously? Ngayon ko nalang ulit nakita ang makulit na side ni Aiden! He got my books from my hand and started grinning. Weirdo.
Inirapan ko nalang siya at inunahan ulit maglakad. Inakbayan niya naman ako at sumipol sipol. Hindi ko na iyon pinansin dahil sanay na naman ako sa galawan niyang iyan.
My phone started ringing and I wonder who the caller is. I picked up my phone inside my pocket and answered it.
"Hello, Luna." Bati sakin ng caller.
"Oh?" Walang buhay kong sagot.
"Wala man lang hi!?" Kung magkasama lang kami ngayon kanina niya pa siguro ako nabatukan!
"Ang arte mo Adela! Ano bang meron?" Nang marinig ni Aiden ang pangalan ng kanyang kapatid ay napatingin siya sakin.
"Well, I'm hungry na. Nandito ako sa Bistro puntahan niyo ko! Bye!" Tignan mo! Binabaan lang ako!
"What did she say?" Tanong sakin ni Aiden.
"Bistro daw." Tumango naman siya sakin at biglang hinawakan ang kamay ko.
I stopped.
"Ano?" Natatawa niyang tanong.
"Hands!" He just chuckled and continued walking like nothing happened.
"Hoy Aiden. Wala sa panliligaw ang holding hands!"
"Doon rin naman mapupunta iyon bakit pa patatagalin!" Parang bata nagpapapadyak pa! Seriously? Ano pang side ni Aiden ang hindi ko nakikita?
"Google ka ba ha?" He asked while frowning.
"Kung magjojoke ka please stop." I said while covering my ears.
"Kj! Sabihin mo na kung bakit!" Umirap ako.
"Bakit?" Talo kong sabi.
"Kasi andami mong sagot!" Aba! Aiden na to! For a manliligaw like him, napaka demanding!
"Para kang tae!" Sabi ko sakanya pagkatapos siyang batukan. Ang loko tumawa lang!
"Bakit bakit?" Excited niyang tanong at parang kinikilig pa.
"Anong bakit? Para ka talagang tae!" Pagkasabi ko non ay tinawanan ko lang siya. Akala niya ba magjojoke ako!? Next time na. Magiipon muna ako ng mga banat!
Napailing-iling nalang ako sa naisip.
Habang naglalakad kami sa Bistro ay andaming mga matang nakatingin samin. Who wouldn't? Kasama ko ang Aiden James Morgan. I heard he's popular in their department. Plus the fact that he is a Morgan.
Hindi ko nalang pinansin ang mga bulungan ng mga nadadaanan namin. Sanay na naman ako.
We tapped our ids to go inside the Bistro. Hinanap naman ng mga mata ko si Adela. But before I could find her ay nakita na siya ni Aiden.
Napakunot ang noo ko ng makita ko siyang tulala at hindi ginagalaw ang pagkain. This is so not Adela. Tsk.
"Ads." Aiden called her attention. Kanina pa kami nakaupo rito pero hindi man lang niya kami kinakausap.
Kanina lang sa phone ang taas ng energy niya ah?
"Oh. Uhm umorder na ba kayo?" Mahina niyang tanong. I can also see how she's faking her smile.
"What happened to you, Adela?" Diretsahan kong tanong. Something is really not right.
"Ha? Anong sinasabi mo dyan babe?" Tumawa siya ng kaunti. I hissed.
"Where's Jax by the way? Himala at wala siya rito." She ignored my question. Iniwas niya lang ang tingin niya sakin at walang sinabing sagot.
Sinenyasan ko si Aiden na umorder ng pagkain namin at hayaan kaming maiwan ni Adela.
"What do you want to eat?" He whispered on my ear while his hands at the back of my seat.
"Anything. Go." Mabilis kong pagpapaalis sakanya.
"Alright. I'll be back." He leaned forward and kissed my hair. I saw Adela smiled.
"He really likes you no? I can see how caring he is to you." She said while giving me a small smile.
"I guess so." Kibit balikat kong sagot.
"Sino nga pala ang partner mo sa project?"
Pagiiba niya ng topic. Napataas naman ang kilay ko.
"Huwag mo ibahin ang usapan, Adela. You're acting strange. Anong problema?" Napatigil naman siya at natulala nanaman. This has something to do with Jaxon. I am sure of it.
"W-wala naman." Sinong maniniwala sayo?
I am her bestfriend. I know everything about her. Kilalang kilala ko na ang mga kilos niya.
"It's Jaxon right?" Nakita ko ang pagtulo ng kanyang luha at mabilis na pinunasan ito.
"Tell me, Adela. Bakit ka umiiyak?"
"Okay lang. We're alright. I hope." Hay. I moved to her side and hugged her. I hate seeing my friends cry. Para bang pag may problema sila ay nararamdaman ko rin ang kanilang kalungkutan.
"Just cry. Let it all out. Hindi na kita pipiliting sabihin kung ano man ang nangyari sainyo. I am here. Aiden's here. We're all here for you." She cried on my shoulders as I caressed her head.
"No, it's fine I'll say it. Alam ko namang worried kayo sakin. Kailangan ko rin ilabas ito dahil baka sumabog na ako." I pulled her away from me and stared at her eyes. Ngayon ko lang napansin ang pamamaga ng kanyang buong mukha. I think she's been crying all day.
"Okay, what really happened? Maybe I can help you." I smiled at her. My bestfriend needs me.
"I-I saw him yesterday. Pupunta dapat ako sakanila pero he cancelled it. That s-same night nakita k-ko siya sa mall. With his ex." That's so messed up. What's so important with his ex? He ditched Adela to be with his past? Unbelievable.
I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Afterall he's still my friend. I'm sure there's a reason behind it. Sana.
"Motherfucker." Narinig namin ang pagmumura ni Aiden. Kahit ako ay nakaramdam ng takot sakanya.
"Ads sabihin mo kung nasaan ang lalaking iyon!" Nakaluhod siya sa harap ni Adela at mariing hinawakan ang kanyang mga balikat.
"No! Aidy! Baka kung anong gawin mo! I said I'm alright!" Napapatingin na ang ibang mga tao samin. Nagulat ako sa pag bagsak ng kamay ni Aiden sa mesa. He's fuming mad.
"Alright? Yaan ba ang alright? You're crying!" Naiinis na sabi ni Aiden. I can see his veins on his neck. Mukhang galit na galit na talaga!
"Ngayon lang to, please. Leave me alone. You're out of this." Umiiyak na sabi ng kanyang kapatid habang nakayuko.
"In case you forgot I am your twin
Ofcourse I'm in this!" Inis na sabi ni Aiden. Kinakabahan narin ako sakanilang dalawa dahil ngayon ko lang sila nakitang nagsisigawan.
"Alam ko pero hayaan mo na!" Sabi ni Adela na napalakas narin ang boses.
"Sabihin mo kung nasan siya." Hinawakan ko ang balikat ni Aiden dahil napansin kong kaya niyang sugurin si Jaxon kahit ano mang mangyari.
"Wala kang gagawin, Aiden. You're not going anywhere." Sinubukan kong pigilan pero mabilis siyang lumabas ng Bistro.
Naiwan ang mga pagkain namin sa table pero sinenyasan ko nalang ang janitor na sakanila nalang iyon.