Chapter 29
The next morning, I prepared for my meal like i usually do. Inayos ko na rin ang umagahan ni Lola para naman hindi na siya mapapagod pa mamaya na mag-ayos ng kakainin niya at ng mga gawaing bahay.
I find it very tiring na pabalik-balik na lang ako sa bahay, university, sa bahay, sa university and do the same all things.
I'm tired of living this way and it's making me so sick. I was busy with my thoughts when a car pulled over my way. It was no other than Luke.
"Get in," his voice from the front drive.
Nakakapagtaka.
After I made him the villain of my life and my only enemy, he's now asking me to get inside his car. Nakakatuwa lang how things drastically changed or I don't know if it's supposed to, but I still don't want to entertain this kind of idea.
"No thanks," sagot ko saka naglakad na lang papasok. The good thing about it was hindi na niya ako inistorbo sa unang sabi ko ng hindi.
Nasanay ako sa kanilang dalawa ni Wilbert na kapag tumanggi ako ay pipilitin nika ako na sumakay sa sasakyan. Siguro nagsasawa na si Luke sa mga ka etchosan ko sa buhay.
Pagdating ko sa gate ay tinignan ko sa phone ang next subject na dapat kong puntahan. It was economic development.
Ugh... that made me roll my eyes. I kinda don't know what to expect but at the same time I know what to expect with this kind of subject.
Two things will just come my way. Either bata ang teacher ko for this subject and that prof will be full of energy na magturo ng lessons and the other things are the opposite.
And here it is... pagpasok ko pa lang ng pinto ay binungad na ako ng isang ginang na sa tingin ko ay nasa edad singkuwenta na. She's wearing a coat that hugs her a little bit chubby figure and her aura screams "richness".
Mapapaghalataang sopistikada siya dahil sa maputi niyang kutis, makinis na balat at ang kanyang pulang labi. I just hope she's not boring.
"Okay, good morning. This is my first time here, right, FM121?" she asked while looking at her phone.
"There will be few things na gusto ko lang na paalalahanan kayo. When your names are called, dapat tumayo kayo rito sa harap at basahin ang naka present na PowerPoint." Nagsimula na siyang maglakad-lakad sa harapan.
"I don't want you to just stand up from your seats. Gusto ko na kayo mismo ang tatayo rito sa harapan upang magbasa. If I ask you to discuss what you have read, discuss it. Show me what you're capable of and let me know if you deserve a flat uno."
Na pa wow ang lahat sa sinabi niya, but I'm no longer amazed in what she said. Alam kong magiging bias ang mangyayari. Or maybe it's just for me and my expectations. I don't care.
I rolled my eyes.
"May maganda bang tanawin mula sa labas, Mister?" I didn't notice na ako pala ang sinasabihan niya not until kalabitin ako ng katabi ko.
Eyes widened, I looked at her and raised my brows. "Ano po?"
"May nakikita ka ba sa labas at nasa labas ang utak mo?" That very question made my block mates murmur "Ooohhh".
Hindi nakatakas ang lahat ng iyon sa tenga ko.
"Yes, ma'am. There's something to look at outside," maarte kong sagot at nilaanan siya ng pansin. Nakita ko kung paano namula ang mukha niya nang bahagya.
After she stared at me for a good ten seconds, she continued to discuss her own classroom policies, the syllabus and how we will be graded.
She also made me as an example kung paano raw babagsak ang isang estudyante na gaya ko. And I hate this kind of thing na ang sama agad ng impression ko sa subject na ito kahit na unang week pa lang.
After her discussion, lumabas agad ako ng room. I checked the time and it's just 11 in the morning and I still have a lot of time to spend for the day.
I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed Hyden's number. It was unattended and si Fhil din. Baka may klase pa sila.
Ang sunod na ginawa ko naman ay tawagan si Rowena but she responded with a text na she's currently busy with her work.
Napagdesisyonan ko na lang na tunguhin ang library para doon na lang magpahinga. The library is air-conditioned and we can study, sleep, and do whatever we want inside the library basta huwag lang kaming kakain dito at bawal ang maingay.
Once I stepped onto the floor, a group of girls came to my way. Hindi ko na sila pinansin and decided to do what I really want to which is magpahinga.
I pushed the door open, the cold air welcomed me and the librarian on the front desk. She asked ma na ilagay ang gamit ko sa baggage counter on my own bago niya ako binigyan ng library pass.
As I walked through the occupied tables, there was this deafening silence, soft murmurs, and sound of flipping pages. Marahil 'yong iba ay busy magbasa ng libro na gusto nila o kaya naman ay nag-a-advance study lang.
That's what I hated about college when I first stepped here. Professors expects you na alam mo na agad lahat ng ituturo nila and they will just give you an overview na kung ano ba ang lesson tapos biglang may quiz at magugulat na lang ako midterms na pala.
I chose to sit at the very end corner of the library. Hindi hamak na mas crowded dito kaysa sa harap, pero tahimik din. Everyone seems to be minding their own business.
While pulling the chair for my seat, I felt a hot stare lingering on me. When I looked at where I felt it was coming from, it was Luke with his arm around a girl's, a woman perhaps, shoulders.
Isinawalang bahala ko ito and good for him.
Nang makaupo, I lowered my head on the table and tried to sleep. Naka idlip naman ako nang kaunting minuto pero nararamdaman kong naiilang pa rin ako dahil sa mga tingin ni Luke, siguro, sa akin.
I DIDN'T NOTICE that I fell hard asleep. Inangat ko ang ulo ko at nag-unat ng aking mga braso. Humikab din ako saka luminga sa paligid.
Wala ng mga tao, and when I gazed at my back left side, nandoon si Luke na natutulog. And how dare he do this? He's really desperate to get my attention?
Argh... but how could you even begin to imagine that someone with this angelic face could do those devious plans to me?
If he's just as good as his friends, then he'll be good. I know that he is a good catch and everyone dreams of having him, but this? Itong ginagawa niya sa akin is too much.
He no longer wants me. He's clearly obsessed, possessive, and intoxicated. Wala naman akong matandaang bagay na ginawa ko na makakagawa sa kanya nito. Wala akong matandaang bagay na ginawa kong makakapagpabaliw sa kanya.
And to my observations, si Luke lang ang mukhang "kakaiba" sa kanilang magkakaibigan. Fhil is a very kind and gentle guy. He probably got along with Elina even though they were forced to be together. Si Hyden naman is a very humorous and funny guy kahit na single siya. Siguro kaya wala lang siyang jowa is because people thinks that he's clearly out of their league, which is totoo rin naman.
Wilbert? I can't say negative things about him. Siguro sa bagay lang na nagawa niya na sinumbatan niya ako... Yeah... siguro kaya sila magkakasundo kasi Luke and Wilbert is the same while Fhil and Hyden are the duo.
"Library will be closed in 10 minutes!" Narinig kong ani ng librarian.
I don't know kung gaano ako katagal nakatitig kay Luke pero nagtama ang mga mata namin nang dumilat siya. That gently smile softly curved onto his lips and he got up.
Umayos siya ng upo at nag-unat din ng kanyang mga braso.
"I was waiting for you, but then I didn't notice that I fell asleep." Mahina siyang natawa sa sarili at humikab. "Uuwi ka na?"
"Oo?" my answer.
Dapat bang may chance pa ulit siya or shall I use him again? Sksksk. I don't know.
"Ihahatid mo ba ako?" I teased. I saw how the muscles of his cheeks rose and I'm sure he has an indescribable feeling right now.
Tumayo si Luke at inabot ang kamay sa akin. "Let's go, I'll Drive you home."
I rolled my eyes. "Joke lang." Tumayo na rin ako at naunang maglakad kaysa sa kanya. "Kaya ko namang maglakad."
Nag logout ako sa library saka ibinalik ang library pass ko. I don't know if it's usuall sa lahat ng university. Dito kasi sa amin may library pass dahil kaunti lang ang capacity ng library na kaya nitong i-hold na students. Maybe around 200 or less than that.
No pass, no entry para na rin malimitahan ang tao sa loob.
I stepped out of the library with my bag and noticed that it's already dark outside. Gaano ako katagal na natulog?
"Are you sure na uuwi kang mag-isa?" Luke's voice from behind. Naramdaman kong inakbayan niya ako at tumayo sa aking gilid.
"It's past 7 pm and it's dark outside as you can see. At saka hindi ka ba nagugutom? Kumakalan na ang sikmura ko." Napalingon ako sa kanya nang marinig ko ang pagtunog nito. Bigla ring kumalam ang aking sikmura dahil na rin sa nalipasan na ako ng tanghalian.
Luke removed his arm around me and took a deep breath.
"If you want, I can drop you off at your house and before that, we can eat outside. Wherever you want," he said to my side. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin at pinindot ang elevator button.
"Fine. Just don't do anything crazy," pinal kong saad. Nang bumukas ang elevator, ako ang naunang pumasok. I pressed the ground floor button and waited a few seconds bago kami makababa.
Sinundan ko siya hanggang sa mapunta kami sa parking lot ng mga kotse. Sa harap siya sumakay habang nasa likod ako. Nakakatuwa lang dahil hindi ulit siya nagalit na sa likod ako sumakay.
When he started the engine, I sat comfortably, took my bag off of my body and placed it beside me and leaned my head towards the rest.
"Saan mo gusto?" Nilingon niya ako.
"Just go kung saan mo gusto," ani ko kay Luke. He said okay and drove off the road. It didn't take us a long bago kami huminto sa tapat ng isang restaurant.
Luke stepped out of the car so I did. Napansin kong unang pagkakataon ko pa lang dito kaya susulitin ko na. At sana naman wala nang kapalit itong kabaitang ginagawa niya sa akin.
I'm so tired of his bullshit plans. I just want to live a life. That's all.
Naupo kami sa upuang napili ni Luke saka kami inabutan ng menu ng waiter. While scanning the menu, I saw nothing familiar with me dahil hindi ko alam kung ano-ano ba itong nakalagay rito.
"Waiter..." I called. Lumapit ito sa akin saka ko pinakita ang menu sa kanya. "Sorry, wala kasi akong maintindihan." Tinignan ko si Luke kung may negative reaksiyon siya, mabuti na lang ay nakatuon ang pansin niya sa kanyang menung hawak.
"Ito po ang pasta section, dito po ang roasted chicken then ang beef section po, sir," anang waiter sa akin.
"Can I have this." Nakita kong may itinuro si Luke sa kanyang menu at nilista agad ito ng waiter. Dahil sa pressure kong naramdaman ay may itinuro na lang din ako at hindi na nag-abala pang tignan kung ano iyon.
"15 to 20 minutes, sir," anang waiter saka kami iniwan.
Nagsimula ang larong titigan namin ni Luke na nagtagal ng ilang minuto. Panaka-naka ang pag-iwas ko ng mata dahil naiilang ako sa kanya. Sadyang mapungay kasi at ang kanyang kilay ay nagbibigay ng matinding diin sa mga ito.
"Nga pala, I have something to tell you..." panimula ko. Mukhang nabalot ng kuryosidad ang kanyang katawan. He leaned forward, put his chin over his palm on the table and stared at me intently.
"Tell me..."
I gulped in fear and started collecting all of my thoughts. Nang makalipas ang ilang segundo, nagsalita na ako.
"Do you remember the time na may gustong bumaril at pumatay sa atin?" tanong ko. Napaayos tuloy siya ng upo at sumandal sa sandalan.
"What for?"
"You didn't know?"
"What should I know?"
I sighed. "'Di ba nga may mga teroristang gustong pumatay or kumidnap sa atin but I'm glad it didn't happen. Few weeks ago it happened again, that time I was with Wilbert..."
Pinutol ko muna ang gusto kong sabihin upang siyasatin kung ano ang magiging reaksiyon niya. Nang mapansin kong hindi naman negatibo ito ay akin na itong ipinagpatuloy.
"Apparently, akala ko random guys lang 'yon na gustong kumidnap ng mga tao, but the truth is that they have a specific person na hinahanap." I paused for a little while to keep the tension. I looked around and when I felt safe, I dropped the bomb in front of him.
"They wanted to take you."
Napanganga nang bahagya si Luke sa sinabi ko kaya mahina akong natawa sa kanya.
"Those terrorists caught us. They thought you were Wilbert kaya ipinasok kami sa van. They won't let us go not until mahanap ka nila and sabi ko ituturo ko kung nasaan sila kung papakawalan nila kami-"
"Then binanggit mo kung nasaan ako?"
"Oo." I firmly uttered. "I know you will be safe and most of the time alam ko wala ka sa firm, pero sinabi ko sa kanila that you can be found inside your office."
Nag-igting ang panga niya sa aking sinabi. I know he's mad but hindi ba niya maintindihan? Lahat na lang ba sila hindi maiintindihan ang gusto kong sabihin?
"That's what they were saying..." bulong niya sa kanyang sarili. Binunot niya ang kanyang cellphone mula sa bulsa at mistulang may tinitipa rito.
"May nagawa ba ako?" I asked in a shaky voice. Hindi pa rin siya tumitigil sa pag-asikaso sa phone niya.
Nang dumating ang pagkain namin, a plate full of pasta with sides of veggies ang napunta sa akin while kay Luke ay roasted chicken. We started eating together, but Luke was on his phone for the whole time.
Pero ako dahil ayaw ko ng gulay, hindi ako kumain. Napansin ata iyon ni Luke kaya huminto siya.
"You don't want your food?"
"Ayaw ko ng gulay."
"Palit tayo."
He insisted na magpalit kami ng pagkain that made my cheeks heated. It was like all of my blood rushed into my cheeks when he did that. I ate his roasted rosemary chicken while kinain niya ang pesto pasta ko.
Hanggang sa pagsakay ng sasakyan ay tahimik si Luke. I feel like may mali akong nagawa. I should take some actions.
"May nagawa ba ako, Luke? Bakit ang tahimik mo?"
Umiling siya at nagpalabas ng buntong hininga. "You did the right thing... I was busy with the ranch that day so I wasn't able to go to my office, but I had two securities injured," ani Luke sa akin.
"And don't worry, you did the right thing," he assured me before driving me home.
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