I feel like floating the whole time after going to engineering department. Kahit panay ang bulungan ng ibang students pagbalik ko sa department namin, parang ingay na lang iyon sa akin at parang hangin na kusa na lang lumalabas sa kabilang tenga ko. I couldn’t find myself be affected from their indifference. Hanggang sa pag-uwi namin ni Bea, napapangiti akong mag-isa. I tried to forget Leo for the mean time but it’s futile. And Bea, being herself, I couldn’t count how many times did she mock me after seeing me acting like a lunatic. 
Wednesday came and I was so excited. Hindi ko alam bakit, maybe because of Leo? I don’t know. Pero one thing is for sure… nagising ako ng hindi pa tumutunog ang alarm clock ko – which is for the first time in history! 
Mom tried to ask me why I looked happy when we were eating but all I could do was to give her a grin. And so, she assumed it was because of Leo. Dad got intrigued by this person mom’s talking about kaya ayon, ikinuwento ni Mom iyong araw na hinatid ako ni Leo sa bahay. I don’t know but Mama seems ok with Leo.
Masaya akong dumating sa academy for the first time. There are still students who are shooting me a dagger stares, but I ignore it all. Who are they para pagtuunan ng pansin? I thought no one would ever succeed in ruining my day until I saw Karina with her murderous gaze. Nasa field pa ako when I saw her with her damn alipuris. And from the gaze she’s throwing me, she’s up to no good. Freaking annoying bitch!
“Look who’s here? The slut of the Academy!” Karina sneered as she walked towards me. Maddie let out a mocking laugh. Lawla uttered bitch. 
Many students stop their track and surround us ready to watch what will happen. No one even dares to stop Karina as they all grin at her encouraging her to do what she’s up to. I know they all want me to suffer but damn it. This is too much! And dami nila at ako lang mag-isa. Kahit nandito pa mga kasama ko, hindi din naman sila pumapatol sa mga ito dahil takot sila!
I step back when my reflexes told me that Karina will grab my hair pero nagtagumpay siya. Napahiyaw ako ng marandamang hindi lang isa ang sumasabunot sa akin. Her damn alipuris grabbed my hair too to help her. Napagiwang giwang ako dahil sa force nilang tatlo pero I succeed on grabbing Karina's hair too. She let out a scream when I used all the force I had.  I badly wanted to separate her hair from her head. Freaking I had to, kasi namamanhid na ang ulo ko sa sobrang sakit. I wanted to cry but I don’t want them to give the satisfaction. Lalo pat marami ang nanood. Some even cheer Karina while condemning me. Iiyak na lang ako kapag wala ng nakakakita. Sanay naman ako!
“Reany! Let go of my hair,” hiyaw ni Karina. Napaluhod ako kaya napasama siya sa akin. I swear my head hurts like hell pero hindi ako bumigay. Kaya ko pa… sana..
“No way! You let go of me bumbasses!” I said as if I'm not hurt kahit deep down ang sakit sakit na. 
Mas lalo nilang pinagtulungan ang buhok ko. I even felt a handful of my hair being pulled out of my head pero tiniis ko lang. 
“Let go of Karina, bitch!” galit na sigaw ni Lawla sa akin. She kicked my side kaya medyo na out balance ako kaya sumama na naman si Karina sakin. She is crying now. Damn, the audacity to cry? Kung umiiyak na siya paano naman ako? Tatlo silang humihigit sa buhok ko. Napagiwang giwang pa ako kapag hinigit nila ako papalapit sa direksyon nila. 
Why is this happening? It’s because I'm a scholar. And I’m sick of being one. Can I just be an ordinary student? 
Saktong binitawan ko ang buhok ni Karina at magpapaapi na lang when someone separate me from the three. Galit na sumalobong sa akin ang mata ni Leo. He was breathing heavily. His jaw set firm as he gritted his teeth. His eyes dark as he looks murderous. 
Akala ko mamaya pa ako iiyak kapag wala ng nakakakita. But I was wrong. Agad akong naiyak when I saw him in front. My tears fall out of control. Napatungo ako as I start to hide. I hate to be vulnerable pero hindi ko na mapigilan. Nakakainis kasing Leo, he’s angry, but he has this concerned look on his face na first time kong makita, ever since I entered this school. Wala naman kasing may paki sa amin pero ngayon meron na. 
“You really are getting on my nerves Ms. Ramirez! Do you want to be thrown out of the Academy?”  Leo said coldly. He’s jaw clenched. Wala ng masyadong student sa paligid. 
I titled my head toward Karina na kagaya ko, gulong gulo ang buhok. Her face screwed as she gapped at Leo with distaste on her face. Nakatungo lang sina Lawla at Maddie na halatang kabado. 
Bakit? Mas mayaman ba sa kanila si Leo at ganun na lang ang takot nila dito?
“Get out of my sight before I decide to throw you out!” Leo commands in a menacing tone. Maddie pulls Karina toward her at saka siya hinigit papalayo sa amin. 
“Let’s go!” utos niya. I immediately shook my head. “I have a class!” Hinawi ko ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa kamay ko pero hindi naman natanggal. 
“You’re not going to class with this Reany! Ako na magpapaalam sa  mga prof mo kung bakit ka absent!” I wanted to argue pero hindi ko na ginawa. Nakita na niya akong vulnerable kaya bakit pa ako magmamatigas?
He led me to the clinic at inutusan ang nurse sa loob para gamutin ang mga kalmut sa akin na hindi ko man lang napansin. Paano ko mapapansin kung namanhid na ang ulo ko dahil sa sakit? 
Leo still emitted a dark aura as the nurse did her work. Nakatayo siya sa gilid ko. He’s not saying a thing but he’s staring at me while my scratch is being mended. I would be lying if I’d say, I didn’t appreciate him. Damn! He just made me fall even more!
“Wala ka bang pasok?” tanong ko pagkaalis ng nurse. He let out a sigh as he shook his head. “Nah! I’ll stay here. Baka balikan ka nila,” he said as if being absent isn’t a big deal. I set my lips in a thin line. I don’t like that he will skip his classes just to look after me. 
“I’m not that hurt Leo! Pumasok kana… hindi naman sila tanga para sugurin ako” He shook his head. It irritates me.
“LEO!” I called, a bit pissed. I heard him cussed under his breath. I like it that he cared, but damn I don’t want him skipping his class for me. Kasi I’m a scholar and I feel like hindi ko deserve.  
Nagpumilit pa siyang mag stay pero ng ma-sense niyang galit na ako dahil sa pamimilit niya, napilitan siyang umalis. He commanded something to the nurse bago siya umalis. I forced a smile ng lingunin ako nito. Pagkawala niya ay agad akong nag taklob ng kumot at iniyak ang sakit. Hindi ko alam ilang oras akong umiyak, nakatulugan ko na lang.
Nagising ako ng may marinig akong nagsasalita sa tabi ko. Hindi muna ako dumilat at kunwaring gumilid. Baka mahalata nilang umiyak ko. I secretly fix myself as they continued whispering to each other. I grabbed my bag and took out my eyeglass’s ng hindi nila napapansin. 
“Hindi ko alam Bea. Hindi nga nila dapat sasabihin para magmukha tayong iwan kakahanap. Buti na lang at nasagap ni Kath ang nangyari” Gian said. 
“Paano mo nga nalaman Kath?” rinig kong tanong ni Bea kay Kath. Kung bakit pa niya itinanong ay hindi ko alam. Parang hindi siya sanay na palaging may chismis na dala si Kath ah. Kath knows all the rumors sa campus. She literally had an ear everywhere. 
“Nasa CR ako non and I heard someone talking about Karina. Pinagtulungan pala si Rea ng tatlo kaya hindi magising-gising” Malungkot na kwento nito. Gian sighed. 
I secretly rolled my eyes. Kaya ayaw kong nalalaman nilang naapi ako eh. I don’t want them pitying me. Kasi I had enough of that. Quota na ako, first year pa lang. 
Nang masigurado kong hindi na nila mahahalata na umiyak ako, kunwari akong nagising. I immediately wore my eyeglasses as if hindi ko sila nakita at saka lang bumaling sa kanila ng masuut ko ito. 
“Oh bakit kayo nandito?” I asked nonchalant. 
“Cause we are worried Reany! Ano na naman ba ang ginawa mo?” Bea asked. I immediately grimaced at her.
“I swear Beatrice wala akong ginawa. That bitch Karina just grabbed my hair out of nowhere. At bakit ba sa akin ka nagagalit? Kay Karina dapat” inis kong sabi dito.
She sighed. “Oh you don’t know how I hated that Karina. Pero may magagawa ba ang galit ko sa kanya? Wala naman diba? I’m just nobody when I’m inside this hell place!” 
Hindi na ako nagsalita. We share that same shitty feeling. And I know pati sina Kath at Gian, ayaw din sa school na ito.  We couldn’t just do something about it!
Hindi na ako pumasok sa whole classes ko at nanatili na lang sa clinic. Iniwan din ako ng mga kaibigan ko pagkatapos nila akong pakainin. I told them na hindi na nila ako susunduin dahil uuwi ako sa class hour time.
It was 2 PM when I decided to go out. It’s an hour class kaya kung may mga student man na walang class nasa cafeteria or nasa library naman ang mga ito.  No one will see me leaving kaya pinili kong umalis sa time na ito.
But then, I was wrong. 
Pagkaapak ko pa lang paalis ng clinic ay natanaw ko na si Leo na nakasandal sa pader. He’s hands crossed. He’s brow furrowed as he was in his deep thought. Bakit siya andito?
Lalagpasan ko na sana siya ng makita niya ko. He immediately scanned me.
“Bakit ka andito? Wala kang pasok?” inis kong tanong ng papalapit siya sa akin. He scowled after hearing my question. 
“I don’t care about my damn class, Reany! Mas importate ka don!” my lips twitched. I felt a sensation in my tummy as he said that. I bit my lower lip to mask that feeling. Kasi this feeling is new and somehow it terrifies me dahil I’m starting to like it kahit gaano ko ito iwasan. 
Hinigit niya ang bag ko at siya na ang nagdala non. I didn’t try arguing dahil from the look he was giving me, wala na akong magagawa pa don. He looks determined. I just keep silent as he guides me to the west side of the academy – where engineering is situated and where their parking lot is. He opens his car and motioned me to enter it. 
I sighed deeply as I walked to get in. I expected him to close the door, but he didn't. He leans toward me at agad nanlaki ang mata ko. “Leo! What are you doing?” His face is literally an inch away from mine. Walang hiya!
He licked his lips. He then took off my eyeglasses na kahit papaano ay tumatabon sa puffy eyes ko. “Did you cry?” malamig niyang tanong. 
“I … did not! Bakit naman ako iiyak? Sanay naman ako!” Iniwas ko ang mata ko sa kanya. He muttered something I didn’t comprehend. Akala ko aalis na siya sa gilid ko pero isinabit muna niya ang seatbelt sa akin bago niya tinungo ang driver seat. 
Hindi na ako nagsalita sa byahe. Hindi na rin naman siya nagsasalita kaya quits lang. I could see his knuckles while driving. 
“Bye! Thank you sa paghatid” paalam ko sa kanya ng huminto ito sa tapat ng apartment namin. He nodded. Akala ko wala na siyang sasabin kaya lalabas na sana ko when he suddenly called me. Limingon ako sa kanya. 
“I’ll call you at night. Make sure to answer it” utos niya. 
“Bakit?” Tinaasan ko ito ng kilay.
“Just make sure to answer it,” pagalit niyang utos. Pagkababa ko ay agad siyang nagmaneho paalis. 
Damn! My heart!