David’s P.O.V.
Nothing could beat the happiness that Helena and I felt when our proposal passed the criteria of Mrs. Cheng. The higher office even congratulated us for putting our efforts together that’s why we are now here at Teraza Aculla for our Annual Camp.
Since it was declared signal number one across the area, the school decided that only Junior and Senior students would be allowed to join us. The whole thing wasn’t almost pushed through because of the bad weather, but the students—mostly the Juniors, didn’t give up on persuading the teachers.
This would be a one of a kind team building project that would measure the students’ different strategies, analytical skills, body strength and trust to each other, in order for them to solve a certain problem altogether. After the Junior and Senior obstacle games, one team per division would be declared as the winner.
Helena and I went here earlier than the other students. Kasama ang ibang mga faculty members, training officers at medics, ngayon ay inaayos namin ang mga tutulugang tents mamayang gabi—kasama na rin ang paglalagay ng mga hidden clues, flags, traps at iba pang mga item na gagamitin naman sa isasagawang obstacle race mamayang hapon. Siyempre, as program organizers, hindi kami kasali sa gagawing palaro. It was a good thing na medyo uminit na rin, meaning the weather was in favor of us.
Malapit na kaming matapos nang magsidatingan ang iba pang mga estudyante at guro. Nag-iwas na lang ako ng tingin nang makita ko kung paano makalingkis si Vanessa sa braso ni Drew. I knew I had already moved on. It was easy to forgive but still, I couldn’t forget about what she did to me three months ago.
All of a sudden, I got startled when Helena feeded me with chocolates without even calling my name. With that being said, I was forced to open my mouth and chew them.
“Hi, Cristoff! I just want to check, baka nalipat sa’yo ‘yong trangkaso ko? With that face? I could obviously see some bitterness. Ano? Masyado bang mapait ang panlasa mo?” She was clearly teasing me.
I didn’t know what to say. Napaka-unpredictable talaga ng babaeng ito!
Minsan, todo kung makaiwas at todo maka-walkout. Minsan naman, feeling close sa akin. Minsan, ubod din ng taray! She accepted my Famebook request five days ago but she just kept on placing me on her seenzone column. Hindi ko talaga siya ma-gets! But when it comes to situations involving Vanessa, she was always there to save me and I thanked her for doing that.
Pakiramdam ko ay lumagpas-lagpas ‘yong tsokolate sa bibig ko. I could sense that I also had some in the cheeks, kaya para makaganti sa kanya ay pinunas ko ‘yong nasa gilid ng bibig ko sa pisngi niya.
Pagkatapos niyon ay tumawa ako. “Oh! Ano ka ngayon, Helena? May bitterness bitterness ka pang nalalaman ha… wala nga sa vocabulary ko ang salitang ‘yan! In fairness, ang cute mo! Ang sarap mo sigurong halikan habang may tsokolate ka pa sa pisngi, ano?” I told her.
For me, it was only a witty joke… but why does it feel like my heart suddenly throbbed faster? Why was it that I liked to make it real? And I didn’t want to kiss her only in the cheeks…
Namula naman ‘yong mukha niya. Hindi niya siguro inaasahan ‘yong magiging ganti ko sa kanya. “Eww! Ang baboy mo! Kadiri ka talaga, Cristoff! Yuck!” She gave me back those chocolates by also wiping them back to my cheeks… and here we started bickering again.
“David and Helena, what’s with that commotion? As leaders, you should be the first to follow silence here! Look at the two of you! You two were acting like kids! Go fix yourselves and we will be eating our lunch,” Mrs. Cheng glared at us. That’s when we realized that all of the students’ eyes were stuck at us—including the accusing eyes of Drew and Vanessa.
“We’re very sorry, Ma’am…” we apologized in unison. This was the first time that I didn’t feel any guilt even though Mrs. Cheng got disappointed of us. Maybe because I was with Helena.
We went to the comfort room to clean ourselves. The comfort room was common to all so there was no divison either you were a boy or a girl. It was a good thing that the camp site that we got consists of a comfort room with five cubicles.
It was better compared to the previous Annual Camp where we took a bath altogether with our clothes on, because what we had way back then were only a deep water tap and a bucket. Reminiscing that, I knew that it might not fit Helena’s taste. She was truly a rich kid.
“It was all your fault, hmp!” buwelta ni Helena nang sabay kaming pumunta sa lababo para maghugas ng aming mga kamay at mukha. Ang ganda lang talaga niya kapag nagtataray siya… lalo na kapag umiikot ‘yong berde niyang mga mata.
“Ako pa talaga, ha? Sino ba ‘yong basta-basta na lang akong sinubuan ng tsokolate?” nangingiting tanong ko sabay wisik ng tubig sa kanya.
Gumanti naman siya. “‘Yan ka na naman, Cristoff ha!” nagbabanta pero nakangiting sabi niya sa akin. “Kasalanan mo talaga ‘yon, ‘no! Eh kasi naman… kung hindi pa kita gigisingin sa katotohanan, mawawala ka na naman sa mood mo! Tapos, ano? Maaapektuhan ‘yong obstacle course natin mamaya dahil ‘yong male organizer, wala sa mood para magbigay ng game mechanics? Huwag ako, pwede? It was all over, Cristoff. You couldn’t do anything about what happened. Even if you give them all your deadly stares, even how much you wanted to punch the other guy’s face… nothing will ever change. It still doesn’t change the fact that she betrayed you—” then she stopped.
I guessed, Helena chose to cut her sentence off when Vanessa came to us. I even saw how she looked at the latter from head to toe, before she drastically looked away.
I could even see her murmuring the words, “Speaking of the devil!”
“D-Dave, can I talk to you? It has been three months na rin kasi and yet, we still didn’t have a formal closure…” Vanessa spoke.
When I saw her a few days ago, I knew I had already moved on… but from the moment I saw her with that Drew today, I wanted to confront them and burst everything that I wanted to tell them. Now could be my chance to do so but in contrast, I chose to remain silent.
I realized, she doesn’t worth my time. I was trying to feel if there was still the same attraction that I felt for her a few months back, but I couldn’t feel anything in my heart.
“I’ll go ahead, Cristoff. Parang ang dami kasing linta rito, nangati tuloy ako. Excuse me,” and Helena left to give us some privacy.
“So… how are you?” Vanessa asked when Helena was gone. I wasn’t sure if she got affected by what Helena had remarked.
“Better,” tipid na sagot ko. I mean—best without you. I wanted to add and make her feel ashamed, but I didn’t do.
“G-Galit ka pa ba sa ginawa ko? I’m really sorry,” nakayuko niyang sabi.
Hindi ako umimik. I was sure as hell na wala na akong nararamdaman ni katiting para sa kanya pero bakit bitter pa rin ako? Dahil ba hindi matanggap ng ego ko na ginamit lang niya ako at tanga namang nagpagamit din ako?
“Apology accepted but I don’t want to see you anymore. This is the formal closure that you want so I’m now giving it to you.” I gave emphasis to each word before turning my back on her.
“What about Helena, Dave? Is there something going on between the two of you? No one had ever called you using your second name pero bakit Cristoff ang tawag niya sa’yo? D-Do you like her?” She threw me a series of questions as if she didn’t mind what I just said.