Chapter Six
"When I Say "Run""
Dani Rouge Gustilyo's Point of View
"Uy!" He yelled at me. "I was just trying to befriend you." Napalingon ako sa kaniya.
"Find someone else to humor out." I retorted then I continued walking, agad namang lumapit sa akin ang escort ko at sinamahan ako pabalik sa canteen.
"Hey Dani!" He called out. The guy kept on chasing after me at sakto namang lumabas si Theo mula sa canteen. Nakakunot noo itong nakatingin sa amin at sa lalaking sumusunod sa akin. He stared at me then shifted his gaze at the guy behind me.
He went closer to me atsaka tumayo sa likod ko and he pushed me to proceed from walking. "Don't mind that idiot." Paalala nito sa akin. "Just walk." Sumunod naman ako atsaka bumalik na kami sa classroom.
...
"How'd you meet Eric?" Asked Theo when we were inside the car.
"Uh, sa banyo?" Sagot ko sa kaniya while I was busy reading sa iPad ko. Theo's eyes begun to widen and his brows started flinching involuntarily, umusod ito malapit sa akin para tanungin ako. He even scrutinised me and touched my hands and tried to examine me. "What?" I yelled out to him. This is getting awkward.
"Did he touch you? Did he do something to you?" Natatarantang tanong nito sa akin. He was holding my arm and was still examining me.
"W-what do you mean?" Nagtataka kong tanong sa kaniya. I pulled my hands away from him kasi he's making me feel uneasy.
He must had realised what he just did. "Next time when you go pee ask me to come with you." He ordered and he looked at me seriously.
"Parang wala na akong privacy nun." I scoffed at him.
"I don't want him to do anything with you. He's a cranker." Maktol nito sa akin, he was looking at the window. Kaya napatingin ako sa kaniya.
"I told him to avoid me, one word is enough naman siguro." I assured him at binaling ang atensyon ko sa pagbabasa.
But I was wrong.
The next day, he approached me. Eric was in his P.E. Uniform tapos may dala-dala itong rosas.
I stopped walking when he was already in front of me. To tell you honestly, Eric Villanueva looks like a good guy, matangkad siya, his hair is chestnut brown at malinis na klaseng tao kahit medyo magulo ang buhok, or he just don't like styling it, he's also clean shaven at maganda ang pagkakahugis ng kaniyang kilay at katangosan ng kaniyang ilong, his lips are luscious too. But I shouldn't be deceived with all this features he has. Diba looks can be deceiving?
At isa pa, I can sense how Theo loathe this guy and I wonder why.
"I have flowers for you." Bigay nito sa akin, na tiningnan ko lang at hindi ko tinanggap. Napatingin naman si Theo sa kaniya at binawi ang bulaklak na ibibigay sa akin ni Eric.
"Eric. Can you stop fooling around?" Utos nito sa kaniya. Eric just smirked at him. "Ayaw sayo ni Dani." He added. "And don't even try flirting with him."
"Her." He corrected.
"Him."
"May class pa tayo." Paalala ko kay Theo, who was about to ball his hand into a fist. Hinawakan ko na mismo ang kamay nito para 'di na niya maikuyom at nagsimula na kaming maglakad.
Tumingin ako kay Eric and he just smiled at me, "See you around baby." He said but I was quick enough to give him a scornful look.
...
As usual, the class was boring. Wala akong ginawa kun'di ang makinig lang sa guro. Even though they are not even speaking that much, parang naging operator na nga lang sila dito. It took me weeks to to cope up with their system actually.
On the other hand, Theo was very attentive, kaya ang talino nito dito. I wonder nga bakit kasing year ko lang siya na nineteen years old na siya? May binalikan ba siyang year?
I observed him as his eyes were drawn to the board. Nakatingin lang ito at nakikinig ng mataimtim, his eyes are the colour of dried leaves, matangos ang ilong niya tapos lalaking-lalaki din ang amoy nito. Bagay sa pangalang Theo Marco.
Suddenly lumingon ito sa akin at napatingin. "If stares can be deadly, malamang kanina pa ako nakaburol." He glared at me at sinabi ito kaya napabalik ako sa huwisyo.
"H-huh?"
"Stop looking at me, you're making me feel uneasy." His brows intersected, siguro nailang. Medyo nag-inat-inat ito at inayos ang kaniyang pag-upo.
"No, I wasn't looking at you." Maktol ko dito at binaling ang atensyon sa board. But I was actually observing him.
Kasi he just looks so perfect.
"Kaya 'di ka nakakacope up sa class because you divert your attention anywhere. Dani, focus." Naramdaman kong pinitik nito ang noo ko. Dahilan para mapasapo ako nito.
"I'll tell your Mom, you just scratched my face." Banta ko sa kaniya habang hinihimas ang balat ko sa noo. His Mom's been taking care of my skin lately dahil ayaw na ayaw nitong magasgasan ako.
"Okay, go ahead and tell her." Theo thretened. "And I'll tell her that someone's flirting with you."
"Eric wasn't — and I am not interested with him. But go off anyway." I yelled back. He just glared at me and then diverted his attention back on the screen.
It took us about another hour until finally we called it a day. Paglabas namin sa classroom, agad akong nakareceive ng message from Mama.
Lumingon ako kay Theo para itanong ito. "Theo, can I go out muna?" Tanong ko rito. "Nandiyan kasi si Mama sa labas. Maguusap lang sana kami."
Its almost been a month na nang hindi ko na nakikita si Mama. Kaya I'm dying to see her again. Napatingin naman ako sa escort namin. "Can I?" I asked him.
"You're not allowed to talk to strangers that's your Mom's order." Seryoso nitong sinabi sa akin, while trying not to look at me. Nalungkot ako bigla sa narinig ko sa kaniya kaya napahinto ako sa paglalakad. Lumapit sa akin si Theo at tinanong ako, "Where's your Mom?" Tanong nito sa akin.
Nakatingin parin ako sa sahig habang nalulungkot, I've been missing her already. "Nasa labas ng gate daw." Sagot ko naman sa kaniya.
Theo cupped my chin para magtama ang tingin naming dalawa, he suddenly whispered, "Do you trust me Dani?" He asked. Napakurap ako kasi hindi ko siya maintindihan.
"When I say run — run with me." He added, naguguluhan ako sa sinabi nito. Suddenly he took a deep sigh and yelled, "Run!" He exclaimed.
And we did. Hinawakan niya ako sa kamay ko at hinigpitan nito ang pagkakahawak habang tumatakas kami sa mata ng escort namin. While we were running, mabilis din ang pagtibok ng puso ko habang hawak-hawak ako ni Theo ng mahigpit.
It feels like time slowed down, and the only thing I can hear is my own heartbeat. It was beating... fast?
We ran as fast as we can, hanggang sa maka-abot kami sa side gate ng school.
I saw Mama waiting at the gate. She looks tired — I noticed. Nang makita ko ito, tumakbo ako sa kaniya atsaka niyakap siya.
"I missed you." I cried.
Napaiyak ako habang yakap-yakap siya. Hinigpitan ni Mama ang pagyakap niya sa akin. At nang kumalas na ito, napatanong ito sa akin, "Kamusta ka? Nag-aaral ka ba ng mabuti?" She asked while cupping my cheek. Tumango lang ako. "Tinatrato ka ba nila ng mabuti?"
Isang buwan na nang hindi ko ito nakita. I was flabbergasted dahil namiss ko. I'm just trying to remember her face again.
Napatingin siya kay Theo. "Eto ba si Theo na kinukwento mo?" Tanong niya sa akin. Theo was just looking at me, habang nakapamulsa at nang maramdaman niyang nakatingin si Mama agad naman itong tumango.
"Please take good care of Gelo, para sa akin ha?" Ani mama sa kaniya. Tumango ulit si Theo dahil hindi ito nagsasalita sa 'di niya kakilala. Tumingin ulit si Mama sa akin atsaka ako hinawakan sa braso.
"I missed you Ma." Ani ko habang umiiyak na naman.
"I missed you too." Ani nito atsaka niyakap ulit ako. "Osiya, aalis na ako. Mag-ingat ka palagi ha?" Paalala nito sa akin atsaka kumalas sa akin. Hinalikan ko ito sa pisnge niya atsaka nagsabing, "I love you."
Tiningnan ko lang si Mama na umali at hinila na ako ni Theo paalis atsaka na kami naglakad dahil alam kong mahuhuli na kaming dalawa dahil sa ginawa namin.
...
"Now whose fault was it?" Nagagalit na tanong sa amin ng Mom ni Theo. Nakatingin lang ako sa sahig habang si Theo naman ay nakatingin kay Mom niya. Hinawakan niya ako sa kamay ko ng mahigpit. He doesn't want to let go of my hand.
"Sabi ko sinong may kasalanan?" she raised her voice in front of us.
First time kong marinig magalit ang mabait na babae na'to. She looks like an evil witch already. Nabigla ako nang humakbang palalapit si Theo at binitawan ang kamay ko.
"Mine." He surrendered. Lumapit ako sa kaniya but he just gave me a disapproving look and mouthed, "Go back." Na kinagulat ko naman.
"Why on earth would you just pull Dani away ha?" Galit na galit na tanong sa kaniya ng Mom niya. "What if matapilok siya? What if magasgasan ang balat niya ha?" She lectured. "Marco, you're already nineteen yet you're acting like a kid." She exclaimed.
"I just want him to feel free Mom. It's not like Dani's going to be hurt or ano. Dani's been surrounded by escorts na wala namang ginagawa kun'di ang bumuntot." He bawled out at his Mom. "I just want those godamn escorts to go. He doesn't need one." He added.
Indeed i feel so secured dahil may mga escort. Pero I think its very outrageous na may susunod pa sa amin, especially sa akin. "Dani's been weirded out with that over protective scheme of yours."
"At ayaw ko ding na binubuntot-buntotan kami ng mga tao mo." He added.
"What do you want me to do then? Gusto mong mawala mo si Dani? Do you want Dani to run away? Do you want him to die too?"
"No Mom. Ayaw ko lang na masyado mong hinihigpitan si Dani."
"Then what do you want me to do?" Hinawakan ko si Theo sa kaniyang braso pero lumingon lang ito atsaka tumingin kay Mom niya at sumagot.
"I will protect Dani instead." He yelled out.
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An
[061920] Alam ko na madami akong wrong grammars so please pakicomment kung may nakita kayo it'll be really helpful 😩 but anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter so Vote and Comment please and also, happy 1k reads and 120 votes we're #62 sa boy