"Nakakainis talaga si Vustamante, umagang-umaga eh."
Morning came beautifully, I woke up earlier than I expected. Monday again, 4:30. I can't help but smile and remembered what he said. Ugh! Kinikilig talaga ako ng matindi. What happened to Emeticia I know who doesn't want to have a boyfriend until she graduates.
"Hey, nagdala palang ako ng pagkain, natameme ka na. Magpakipot ka naman, oy!" biro ko sakanya.
He glared at me. He really looked so handsome with that eyeglass, mas magmukha siyang matalino at kagalang-galang.
"I'll eat this later," tanging sambit niya at nag-type sa laptop niya.
I pouted. "Wala man lang, thank you, Emeticia?" biro ko pa.
He sighed. "Thank you for bringing me food, Emeticia," mariing sambit niya at bumaling kaagad sa laptop ang atensyon.
I chuckled. "Bakit parang galit ka, Engineer?" sambit ko at umupo pa sa sofa niya sa gilid.
"Because you're distracting me, go home and rest. I'll see you tomorrow," aniya na ikinagulat at ikinatuwa ko.
I smiled at him. "Okay! Bye, Engineer, see you when i see you," paalam ko na tinanguan niya naman.
Kinikilig ako sa isiping magkikita kami ngayong araw, i don't know where or what time, gayong wala naman akong number niya. Maybe, I should ask Minari for his digits.
Nag-ayos na ako ng sarili. I took a bath. I wear my usual uniform, I also put on some light makeup that I don't usually do. I slide my lip balm in my lips and I'm ready.
It's already 6 am, at 8 am pa ang pasok ko, so I still have time to review my subjects for this day before going to school. I read my lessons for Computer-Aided Drafting and memorizing my Civil Engineering Basic Law. My head aches, naghalo-halo na naman lahat sa utak ko. I also answered some problems in Calculus II.
Lumabas na ako ng bahay nang matapos at nagtungo sa Monumento LRT station, as usual siksikan na naman dahil lunes. Buti nalang safe ako dahil nandirito ako sa gilid, walang makakalapit sa bag ko. Sobrang hassle kapag commute. I waited minutes until the train arrived at Doroteo Jose Station.
Bumaba na ako, naglakad hanggang sa marakating sa sakayan ng jeep.
"Isa po," the driver received my payment. He gave me back my change.
I immediately arrived at the same time I assumed. 7:50 am. Dali-dali akong nagpunta sa building namin.
"Yes, di siya late." I saw Esther, I waived at her.
"Mala-late ako if you chika pa, bye!" I said and ran faster.
Nang makarating ako, ilang minuto nang magdiscuss ang prof ko, at matapos iyon may maikling quiz kami, expected ko na.
"Get one sheet of a yellow pad," my prof announced. As expected.
Maraming umangal dahil first subject quiz kaagad. Mabuti nalang nag-aral ako kanina sa Calculus, kung hindi walang-wala akong maisasagot, ang hirap pa naman ng mga problem na ito.
"Buenavides got a perfect score," anunsyo ng prof ko na ikinagulat ko.
Hindi ko inakala na ako ang pinakamataas sa klase, usually Abigail got the most perfect scores, at ako tamang pasado lang. I saw some of my blockmates rolled their eyes. One of them was Abi who's glaring at me right now.
"What a pabida," I heard her whispered. I just shrugged, huwag patulan ang sira ulo.
Our prof faced us. "For those students who failed again, galing-galingan niyo. Some of you weren't striving hard to pass, kung ganyan kayo ng ganyan, don't expect me to give you uno or even dos," lumabas na siya ng room.
"Looks like may bago tayong genius sa klase, anong sekreto, sis? Sineduce mo ba si sir?" anunsyo ng kaklase kong babae habang tumatawa.
Peke akong ngumiti. I don't have any friends, because of past issues. Esther has been with me for years since we were still kids, until now. Abi forbid everyone to get close to me, she has the power tho, his father was one of the chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
Lumabas na ako upang mag-lunch, mag-isa. May klase pa si Esther ngayon kaya naman taliwas kami ng schedule ngayong week. Naglakad ako hanggang marakating sa cafeteria. Mabuti naman at hindi gaanong siksikan rito. I sat down in front, so i can see all the students. Umorder na ako ng pagkain at naupo. I was silently eating alone, when someone sat beside me.
My eyes widened. "Rago!"
"Why are you eating alone?" he placed his hands inside his pocket.
I smiled. "Wala may klase pa si, Esther. We don't have the same schedule this week," I shooked my head.
"Any friends from your blockmates?" while he was unbuttoning the first two buttons of his sleeve.
I even saw some students, staring at him. Dito pa talaga, Rago? I moved aside to block their vision of him, I saw how they simply rolled their eyes at me. I stuck my tongue out and smiled.
Malungkot akong ngumiti. "Wala akong kaibigan sa mga kaklase ko," I shrugged. Hindi naman ako malungkot na walang akong kaibigan sa room, it actually doesn't matter.
He nodded. "And why is that?"
Umiling naman ako at ngumiti. "Long story, ikaw ha! Concerned ka na sakin?" biro ko.
He chuckled. "We barely knew each other," he said and swiftly licked his upper lips.
I frowned. "Ayan ka na naman sa 'we barely knew' mo, kaya pala hinanap mo pa ako dito," I teased him.
"I didn't find you, I just saw you here," he reasoned out.
I chuckled. "Okay lang talaga sakin kung crush mo na ako," pilit ko pa.
He just stared at me, emotionless. "Have you eaten already?"
Baka kasi mamaya hindi pa pala siya kumakain, mas maganda nang sabayan niya na ako. I can order him food or he can order me as food. I let out a giggle, these thoughts.
"Hindi pa, I'm too tired to get up and buy," he reasoned out and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Ako na bibili," I offered but he refused.
"I'll just eat whatever that's left on your plate," he said na ikinagulat ko.
I smiled. "Hoy! Ang bilis mo ha! Wala pa tayo sa stage na yan,".
He just glared at me, mad about my humor. "Don't assume too much, Emeticia. Hindi ako maarte kaya kakainin ko kung anong matira," mariing sambit niya.
I rolled my eyes. "Bakit kasi ayaw mo nalang umamin, ha?"
"I have nothing to say, stop assuming things," and ate my leftover rice and chicken.
And he even freaking used my spoon. Ano ba! Hindi ko alam kung kikiligin ako or magagalit dahil wala siyang manners. Alam niya bang indirect kiss yun? I giggled, I guess not.
"Galing ka pang Parañaque?" I asked him to change the topic.
He nodded. "Yes," tipid niyang sabi habang umiinom ng iced tea na tira ko din. Gosh, he's making me blush.
"Dapat kumain ka muna sa labas or whatever, I'm sure hindi ka nabusog diyan," and wiped my mouth with a tissue.
Tipid siyang umiling. "Stop saying anything, okay? So noisy," inis na sambit niya.
I faked a smile. "Ayos ka din, kanina tawa tawa ka diyan. Such a bipolar,"
"Such a brat," I rolled my eyes for the nth time.
"Mayaman kaya ang brat," I said and he didn't give ma any look.
We stayed like that for the rest of the minutes. Some of the students were looking at us, he's making attention by just sitting beside me.
"What time is your next class?" and stood up.
"After nito, 2 pm." I looked at my watch, it's already 1:45 pm.
We walked in the hallway to go to my next class, nahihiya talaga ako kaya lumayo ako ng kaunti sakanya. As much as I want my name to be dragged by his, ayaw ko naman dito sa school. He's really making a scene.
"What time will your class end?" tanong niya ulit.
Inisip ko ang schedule ko. "Uhm, around 4, tapos wala na, absent daw prof's ko sa next two subjects eh," I responded.
Tumango-tango naman siya. "Do well at class," paalam niya nang maihatid ako sa room.
Some of my classmates were murmuring and whispering things I wished I couldn't hear. Most we're bashing me, and some weren't.
Tipid akong ngumiti sakanya. "Don't mind them," at tinulak na siya papalayo.
He softly chuckled and walked away with his hands inside his pockets. I'm sure my cheeks were blushing, bwiset na engineer. Abi and her girls rolled their eyes at me. Napailing nalang ako, lagi nalang ako nabubully dito sa school na to, but still, I love this school.
"My name is Freena Saavedra, I'll be your Hydraulics professor since Mrs. Dimaculangan has retired,"
My Hydraulics class started. I advanced read this lesson yesterday so I know and I can still remember some of them.
Ilang minuto pa bago matapos ang klase, biglang nagtawag si Ms. Saavedra, my professor. Naalarma naman kaming lahat, especially ako. I know that I reviewed this lesson, but I can't help but think what if's.
"Fernandez," pagtawag ng prof ko sa isang kaklase.
She stood up. "How many hydraulic cylinders are used to move the animatronic Spinosaurus? What is the weight of the Spinosaurus?" Ms. Saavedra firmly asked.
She gulped. "The weight of a Spinosaurus is 24,000 pounds, this creature model can perform...both under and above, and it is fully powered by hydraulic. In conclusion, more than 41 hydraulic cylinders and 670m of hydraulic hoses are required to complete the said model,"
She nodded. "Uno, sit down." nagitla ako nang makatanggap siya ng uno. Sana ganyan din ang maging sagit ko.
Tumawag pa ng ilan, at halos sakanila ay hindi nakasagot. "Fontabella," that's Abi.
"Where are pneumatics used?"
Abi gasped, her brows curled. "Ms. Saavedra, I'm sorry, b-but that question belongs to lesson 5, and our former professor said to review our next lesson," she reasoned out.
Totoong pang lesson 5 pa nga iyon. Abi has a point.
"Let me remind you, Ms. Fontabella. Mrs. Dimaculangan said to review your next lesson, you're right. But she didn't say how far should you review it, he just say next lesson, I will ask you, if lesson 5 won't be our next lesson?" napatahimik naman si, Abigail.
"Tres, sit down," my eyes widened at her graded recitation. I saw how teary the eyes Abi was.
"Buenavides, same question," she asked me kaya naman napatayo kaagad ako.
I gulped many times. "Pneumatic systems a-are most...commonly used in construction, factories, mills and other areas of building and technology. In addition to that fact, it is often used centralized source of...compressed air to the power needed motion in its place," I nervously explained.
She stared at me, then she slowly nodded. "Very good, I'll give you uno, sit down,"
That's when I remembered what my Mama said. "In order to test your memory, test your knowledge first, by reading a lot," she said.
I shrugged my thoughts off, and listen to what my professor was saying. She said a lot of reminders of her rules in her class, etcetera. I was on my way to went outside our building when someone called me. It's Dianna, one of Fin's friends.
"Bakit?" she was panting so hard and her sweat was running down into her face.
She gave me a letter. "Fin asked me a favor to gave that to you, he still has classes eh," she said wiping her sweat with a tissue that came from her bag.
I smiled at her. "Sige, salamat."
Umalis na siya matapos yun. The paper used in the letter was scented, sobrang bango niya. I opened it.
'Emeticia,
I wanted to say sorry for everything. I may not be a good boyfriend or MU, call it what you want but please know that I treated you much more of a girlfriend.
I'm sorry for being shit in our relationship and not giving you the importance you deserve. I know, I'm getting cheesy but, I wanted you to know that you are the most important person that came into my life. Please always take care and remember that I loved you, and sorry for bringing back the answer in your voice mail you sent me this late.
Love,
Finnigon.
I smiled. Finally, napatawad na niya ang sarili niya sa ginawa niya sakin. Yes, he's been an ass lately but I know that he's only doing that because something's bothering him. Ayoko naman magtanong dahil wala na ako sa posisyon para doon kaya sinasabayan ko ang mga trip niya na pang-aasar. Aw, Fin.