My first day of our second quarter went well, despite Yessenia being my seatmate for the rest of the semester.
Wala akong kakilala sa room na nalipitan ko so I have no choice but to depend on Yessenia when our teacher told us to chose a partner for our term paper.
"Uuwi ka?" tanong ni Yessenia isang beses nang matapos ang klase namin.
"Yup, as usual." walang gana kong sagot habang inaayos ang gamit.
"Na try mo ng maglunch sa canteen?"
"No."
"Ayaw mong itry?"
"I'm not interested. Malapit ang bahay, mas gusto ko don."
Palaging ganito ang scene namin ni Yessenia. It's been three days since I got transferred here and she would always reach out to me.
"Well, of course because it's your home. Pero why don't you try the meal served in the canteen? Masarap kaya."
I don't get the it why she's being all friendly to me. I am very transparent and I hope she can see through me that I hate her.
"Thanks but no thanks."
Sinuot ko ang backpack bago naunang umalis kay Yessenia. I know I needed to make a friend pero hindi ko kayang makipag plastikan kay Yessenia.
There's something in me that really hates her. Hindi ko alam bakit o ano, I just hate her and you can't just change that.
Kasabay ng paglabas ko ay ang paglabas rin ni Reinziel galing sa kaharap naming klase. I guess that is her room.
"Hazel, hi!"
Nilapitan ko si Reinziel.
"This is your room?" sabay turo ko sa klaseng pinanggalingan niya.
Nagsisilabasan na rin ang ibang klase dahil lunch time na.. The hallways are crowded whenever it's dismissal.
"Uh huh." tumango siya, "Magkatapat lang tayo ng room ah, I told Aziel. I hope you don't mind."
"It's okay,"
Hindi nagtagal ang usapan namin ni Reinziel dahil nagmamadali ako. Isang oras lang ang lunch time namin kaya kailangan kong umuwi na.
Nevielle wasn't in his room when I checked.
Mabilis akong naglalakad palabas ng building habang nagtetext kay Nevielle. Hindi na naman ako hinintay!
Ako:
Asan ka?
Pagkababa ko ng cellphone ko ay may nabangga ako.
"Oh.. I'm so sorry, hindi ko sinasadya," I apologized.
May dala itong pink na box. It seems important because she dodged it when she bumped into me.
"Uh, it's okay.."
She checked the box before facing me..
She's very pretty. Black round eyes, straight nose and rosy pink thin lips. Her hair braided in a waterfall...
The way she carry herself is so cool. The fingerless gloves she is wearing screams it all that she's not that girlish type.
Taga dito ba siya? She looks someone who can caught anyone's attention ngunit mukhang ngayon ko lang siya nakita dito.
"It's all good." she said in a cheerful tone.
"Uhmm, buti naman. I'm really really sorry, hindi ako tumitingin." I apologized again
"No, it's okay... And anyway, I guess you can have this." sabay lahad niya ng box saakin.
I gave a questioned look but she only shot a brow to challenge me.
Umiling ako. "No, it's alright. You can just keep it, that's yours." pagtanggi ko.
"Mine but I'd like to give it to you now." she scoffed.
"That's suspicious." sabay tawa ko
"Come on, hindi naman ako mukhang nanlalason."
"You can't blame me... Ngayon lang kita nakita dito."
"Oh! I am a student here! Grade 10, hindi nga lang obvious dahil wala akong uniform. As always."
Tumango-tango lang ako at hindi nagsalita. She must have noticed it so she grabbed my palms and put the box on it.
"Take it," she smiled.
"I just don't see any reason why you are giving this to me."
"I just bumped into Hazel Sierra and believe me, I really really adore you. So, I want to give it to you."
Gusto ko sanang itanong paano niya ako nakilala ngunit natandaan ko na Senate president pala ako sa campus.
I was speechless... I don't want to accept it but I don't want to make her feel bad.
"Are you sure you want to give this to me?" itinaas ko ang box.
"Sure... I actually baked that.." she smiled.
Nagpasalamat ako sakanya at umalis na. Well I guess she's really kind to give a cupcake to me just because I bumped into her.
Nakalimutan kong itanong ang pangalan niya pero sigurado akong magkikita naman ulit kami dahil iisang campus lang kami.
"May nagbigay sayo?" Sullivan pointed at the box of cupcake.
Nakalagay ito sa gitna ng table kaya kitang-kita nila. It was given to me but I'm no selfish, I'm going to eat it with my cousins and Tyler.
I smiled kasabay ng pagtango ko.
"Yup. There's this girl whom I bumped into earlier.. Ang bait niya."
Sullivan raised a brow while drinking on his glass. Hindi muna ito nagsalita at nagpatuloy sa paginom.
"Sana may nakakabangga rin pala ako tapos may pa free cake," Nien laughed.
Tyler and Nevielle laughed with him too. I can't believe Nevielle looks so happy these days.
"It's cupcake, Nien. I checked it. Anim ang laman , dalawa akin ha?"
"Return it, Hazel." Sullivan ordered.
"Why? Mukha namang mabait yung nagbigay kaya paniguradong walang lason." I shrugged
"Looks can be deceiving." Nevielle murmured that made me look at him.
That's what he said with Jasper too, pero hanggang ngayon wala naman akong nakikitang masama kay Jasper.
"Duh, it's a girl."
"Nagkakagusto na pala sayo pati mga babae," Tyler laughed
"No! Of course not! Ikaw lang nagiisip niyan."
"You should throw it, Hazel. Wag kang tatanggap ng kahit ano galing sakanya." Sullivan warned
I frowned. Usually Sullivan doesn't meddle with this kind of thing in my life. Hindi naman siya kagaya nina Nien at Nev na nakikisawsaw sa mga nangyayari saakin. So, I find him weird with this.
"Kilala mo?" tanong ko. Grade 10 nga raw ang nag bigay e.
Nien looked at Ivan too. "Nakita mo yung nagbigay?"
"She said she's in tenth grade kaya baka kilala niyo ni Nien."
"It is Aislinn who gave her that" ani Sullivan.
"Ohhh." I heard Nev and Nien reacted.
"Sinong Aislinn?" nagtatakang tanong ni Tyler.
Thank God! Hindi lang ako ang hindi may kilala sa Aislinn na yan. I know she's the girl who gave me the box of cupcakes but I want to know more about her and why Sullivan's acting like that.
"Aislinn Arañas..." sagot ni Nevielle, "and I am pretty sure she didn't bumped into you accidentally... Kasabuwat niyan si Aziel."
Her name rings a bell... Siya 'yong nangunguna sa room kung asan ako ang watcher last election.. But I really am not familiar with her face... Parang hindi nakapasok sa Senate..
"So what if it's from Aziel?" nagtataka kong tanong.
"Just be careful. Pwede namang si Aziel nalang ang nagbigay, bakit kailangan itago pa niya? It's just a suspicious move." nagkibit balikat si Ivan, "but anyway, totoo ba na lumalabas daw kayo?"
I glared at Nevielle. Siguro may mga sinabi na naman 'to.
"I never told anybody." Nevielle defended himself, "alam naman kahit hindi na kami nagsalita. You two are too public."
Nevielle made a disgusted face.
"We're just friends, Ivan."
"But it's weird. Hindi naman kayo iisa ng campus." si Nien
"And why is that weird?"
"He likes you, Hazel. If it wasn't too obvious." iritang sabi ni Nien
"I know. He told me."
Nien gave me an amused look. "He told you? Naniwala ka naman?"
"Why wouldn't I?" my forehead creased.
"Do you like him?"
Napabaling ako kay Sullivan na nagtanong. They all looked at me, waiting for me to answer the question.
"We're still trying to get to know each other."
Tumayo ako at dinala ang plato. I washed my plate and left the kitchen.
Hindi ko maintindihan bakit ganyan sila umasta. It's not like they're also like that when it comes to Claude.
But the case with Claude is, it's one sided. Hindi na naman ako gusto ni Claude at wala siyang pinapakitang motibo. Maybe that's why Claude is okay for them... because he doesn't like me.
I texted Aziel about it.
Ako:
Do you know Aislinn Arañas?
Pumunta agad ako sa school kahit na masyado pang maaga. I just can't talk with my cousins right now.
Hindi naman ako galit sakanya. I'm just confused because the way they act is really confusing.
And how did Sullivan knew it was Aislinn Arañas who gave me that box of cupcakes by the way? What if her name isn't Aislinn? What if they got it all wrong that Aziel is involved?
Dumeretso ako sa canteen at naupo sa pinakadulo. Maraming tao pero may bakante naman so, it's okay.
I texted Shada and Cali that I'm here. Ang alam ko ay dito sila kumakain e.
Nasa loob rin pala sila ng canteen kaya agad nila akong napuntahan. They just finished eating their lunch.
"Hey, Haze.." bati ni Cali.
Nginitian ko lang siya.
"Okay ka lang? Anong nangyari?" si Shada.
Umupo si Shada sa tabi ko habang si Cali naman ay sa harap. Just the usual arrangement.
Tumango ako. "Ang weird lang kasi ng mga pinsan ko. They kept going against my decisions, pati gusto kong kaibiganin at ainin, pinapakealaman."
I was really planning not to rant about this pero siguro hindi nga ako yung taong ganoon. I love being frank.
"Hala? Iba na yan ha, ano na naman ba ang pinag gagawa mo?" si Shada
"Someone just gave me a cupcake and just because she's related to Aziel ay ayaw na nila saakin ipakain."
Tumawa si Shada sa sinabi ko. "Really? Pagkain ang pinagawayan niyong magpipinsan? Frankly speaking, Haze, mas lalo kayong nagiging bata as time goes by."
"I don't get them, Shada. Ang OA lang kasi. Cupcake lang naman iyon."
"Kanino ba galing?"
"Aislinn Aranas, do you know her?"
"Kaya naman pala! Talagang magagalit yang mga pinsan mo." Cali giggled.
"Feel ko din," Shada laughed too
"Ano bang meron?"
"Basta! Wag mo ng isipin yang sina Sullivan."
Napaisip tuloy ako. May galit ba sila kay Aislinn? Wala naman siguro diba? She looks kind but again, Neviell would always tell me that looks can be deceiving kaya napapaisip ako na baka akala ko lang iyon.
"By the way, there's something I want to tell you." I changed the topic
"Dapat lang ha," Cali laughed.
I wonder why isn't she with her phone right now? Well, another mystery.
"Don't be shocked, I want to get this straight."
"Wait, ano ba yan? Kinakabahan ako e." Shada scratched her head
I sighed.
"Aziel Arañas, first year college student. I guess there's something going on between us." diretsahan kong sabi
Shada and Cali were both shocked. Gulat silang nakatingin saakin, hindi alam kung ano ang sasabihin.
"Guys," itinuro ko ang bibig nilang nakabukas pa rin, "pakisara."
"Lol," Cali laughed, "alam namin 'no!"
"Who wouldn't know? Maraming nakapagsabi e." Shada shrugged
"What?! You knew?"
Tumango si Shada. "Nakita kana rin namin na pauwi kasama si Aziel, e. Do we even need to ask if it's true?"
I rolled my eyes.
"But that doesn't matter, Hazel. What matters is," Shada shot a brow, "do you like him?"
"No." I said without hesitation.
I should've thought about the answer I was going to give but I'm not the type of a person who would do the sugarcoating so I admitted that I really don't like him.
I don't like Aziel... There isn't any romantic thing I am feeling about him... but I know something's going on between us since we've been going out for weeks now.
"But he said he likes me.." I added
"At dahil gusto ka ay gusto mo na lang rin?" Cali have me a judgemental look.
"Don't look at me like that."
"Well, Hazel! If you don't like him then tell him. Alam mo pala na gusto ka niya, wag mong paasahin." Shada lectured.
"He never asked for an answer, at isa pa, nasa getting to know each other stage pa kami. What if I develop something for him on the progress?"
Bumuntong hininga nalang si Shada.
"There's nothing wrong with it kung magkakagusto ka sakanya. That would be easier, actually. But... what about Claude?" Cali said. She used her eye to point at something or maybe someone just at her back.
Sinundan ko iyon ng tingin. Mga grade 12, there is Austin but no Claude. Hindi siguro dito kumakain. or maybe he's avoiding me?
"Actually, you guys are right. Madali lang naman siyang kalimutan, I just need to get him off my head."
"What do you mean?"
"Aziel... Kung magkakagusto ako kay Aziel, then I'm free from Claude... "
Aziel already told me that he likes me. I went out a few times with him and I admit that the first time I went out with him was to make Claude jealous. But it looks like he wasn't even bothered at all.
First subject pa lang sa hapon, inaantok na ako.
Our subject was Filipino kaya nakakaantok rin. I was fighting the urge to sleep when a guy showed up in our door step that made some noises.
Napatingin kaming lahat sa pinto, sa lalalaking dumating na hinihingal.
Si Jasper..
Jasper placed his right hand at the door pane to support his weight and his other hand on his chest, catching his breath.
"Mr. Arcilla?" our teacher asked.
I looked at Jasper suspiciously nang tumama ang mga mata nito saakin.
"Haze..." he panted, "Hazel."
Ano ba namang trip ni Jasper at bigla bigla akong tatawagin kahit na may klase?
"Si...." hinihingal ito kaya hindi makapagsalita ng maayos.. "Si Tyler.."
He doesn't need to finish his statement, I know I have to run.
08/31/20 06:53