David’s P.O.V.
Fuck!
I saw my girlfriend kissing Drew and they were almost making out! Ni hindi man lang binibigyang pansin ni Vanessa na nakalantad na ang mga strap ng bra niya.
I clenched my fists in an instant. I really wanted to hit that Drew in the face, but I calmed myself and decided to let this pass. I didn’t want this to affect my standing in school. I would become this year’s class valedictorian. Hindi dapat ako nakikipag-away.
Pinili kong umalis na lang, ngunit sa isa pang hindi inaasahang pangyayari ay nakita ko sa kabilang gilid ng garden si Helena at katulad ko ay nanlalaki rin ang mga mata niyang nakita ang tagpong ‘yon.
I immediately went to her, grabbed her wrist and pulled her out for us to leave the garden area. Napuntahan ko na nga si Helena pero hindi pa rin natitinag ang dalawang naglalampungan. I was still calm but God knew what was really running inside my head.
Tang-ina, ayokong makapatay ng tao kahit gustong-gusto ko nang gawin ’yon!
“Teka, Mr. Rivera… saan mo ‘ko dadalhin? Let me go!”
Helena’s loud voice that mentioned my surname suddenly caught the attention of Vanessa and Drew, and that made them stop from what they were currently doing.
Parang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig ang dalawa nang mapagtanto nilang nakita ko ang mga kagaguhang pinaggagagawa nila sa likod ko. Sana nga ay may dala na lang akong malaking timba ng malamig na tubig dito para sana ay nabuhusan ko talaga sila. But hell no! They didn’t deserve water. They deserved… blood!
I dragged Helena again but we were not yet far when Vanessa ran closer to us. “Dave, wait! Let me explain!”
I was still holding Helena’s wrist when I faced Vanessa. As much as possible, ayoko talaga ng gulo lalo pa ngayong may ilan na ring nakakakita sa amin dito.
Masakit! Actually, hindi talaga ako makapaniwala na kayang gawin sa’kin ‘yon ni Vanessa. Halos ibinigay ko naman ang lahat sa kanya. Pero ‘yon siguro ang mga natututunan niya sa librong palagi niyang binabasa… to the fact that she didn’t even mind her unbuttoned blouse as she came to us!
“Explain what? Enough of this, Vanessa!” Kinuha ko sa bulsa ng pantalon ko ‘yong sweet photo nilang dalawa ni Drew at saka ko patapong ibinigay iyon sa kanya. “Since when have you been cheating on me?” pasigaw na tanong ko.
Vanessa’s shaking fingers slowly opened the folded paper and she gasped upon seeing their picture together.
“Let me go, Mr. Rivera. Nasasaktan ako!” nagpupumiglas namang sabat ni Helena habang hinihila niya ang kamay mula sa tindi ng pagkakahawak ko.
Sa sobrang galit ko, hindi ko napigilan ang sarili kong pati siya ay masigawan, “Shut up!” Pagkatapos niyon ay bumaling ulit ako kay Vanessa sabay sigaw, “Since when?” I gritted my teeth. Gigil na gigil na talaga ako sa galit.
“I’m s-sorry, Dave… but D-Drew is my boyfriend since second year,” she said it with guilt.
Tumango-tango naman ako. So, sila na pala bago naging kami last year? Magaling!
“Putang-ina naman, Vanessa! At ako? Ano ba ako sa’yo? Katulong na tiga-edit ng mga picture mo? Alalay na tiga-gawa ng mga assignment mo? ‘Running for valedictorian’ boyfriend na pangharap mo sa mga plastic na kaibigan mo? We’re done here!” I clenched my right fist as I laid my eyes on Drew, who doesn’t seem to have balls to look at me straight in the eyes. “At sabihin mo riyan sa boyfriend mong duwag na huwag na huwag siyang magpapakita sa akin kahit kailan—dahil kahit varsity player pa ‘yang gagong ‘yan, tang-ina, walang makapipigil sa akin… babangasan ko talaga ‘yong mukha n’yan!” Dinuro ko pa si Drew na tahimik lang na nasa likuran ni Vanessa, bago ako umalis at tuluyang hinila palayo si Helena.
When we got inside the Music Room, I immediately locked the door so that no one could enter aside from us.
“Hey, what are you doing? Can you let go of me now?” Pilit pa ring hinihila ni Helena ‘yong kaliwang kamay niyang mahigpit ko pa ring hinahawakan.
Saka lamang ako nalinawan sa mga nangyari. I was totally heartbroken and angry. Nabulag ako sa tindi ng aking galit. Nakapagmura pa tuloy ako! Anytime ay pwede akong ma-report sa office at ipatawag ng Guidance Counselor.
Binitiwan ko ang kamay niya. Sa nakita kong pamumula niyon ay saka ko lamang naisip na hindi na siya dapat pang nasali sa gulo. “I’m sorry!” I sincerely said. At the same time, I was silently asking for her forgiveness. I just didn’t know if I deserved it.
“Well, you should be! You know what? I can sue you for this… pero dahil nakita ko kung paano ka lokohin ng girlfriend mo, pagbibigyan kita. Pero ngayon lang ‘to, ha!” She was gently massaging her left wrist and guilt continued to occupy me knowing that it was still reddish.
“Ex-girlfriend,” I corrected her before letting out a hopeless chuckle. I guessed, I was completely out of my mind.
“Whatever! I’ll go ahead, I still have to go to the library and do my assignment. We don’t have an afternoon class anymore but it doesn’t mean that you will just waste your time destroying yourself here. Let me give you some advice… grow up, dude! Be a man. Yes, she betrayed you… but you should be thankful enough that at this early stage, you were able to see her true colors. You won’t even have to reach that point in your life where you will find it real hard to totally move on!” Papunta na siya sa exit door para tuluyan nang lumabas ng Music Room nang hinawakan ko naman ang kanan niyang kamay para pigilan siya.
“H-Helena… s-samahan mo naman ako, kahit ngayon lang.”