Iyon ang naging laman ng isipin ko hanggang sa makarating ako sa classroom. Alam kong mali ang i-judge agad yung tao, pero paano kung tama si Cloud? Paano kung may gawing masama si Francis habang si kuya Alvin wala sa bahay? Mag isa ako sa isang unit kasama ang taong hindi ko naman lubos na kilala.
Pabagsak kong nailapag ang T-square sa lamesa ko kaya gulat na napatingin sa akin si Rain. Seatmate ko.
"Girl, what's wrong with you?" pumuhit sya ng pag kakaupo para makaharap ako.
Umiling ako at piniling hindi mag salita pero hindi nya parin ako tinantanan.
She's pretty. She has this long jet black hair that the strands freely hanging on her bare shoulder. She also have this bow-shape lips and pointed nose, and not to mention her almond eyes na kung titignan ka lang nya, iisipin mong mataray sya kahit hindi naman. Although, ang sakit lang sa mata nung bulaklakin nyang off shoulder pero dahil sya ang may suot, nag mukha syang diwata. She's pettite, and most of the boys around here has a crush on her. Well, in short, she's the Quenn Bee of this university.
Bihira ko lang sya makita dahil irregular student sya at ang tanging subject lang na mag kaklase kami ay itong major subject namin ngayon. We're not close but she's nice and I know that her attitude is genuine. She's annoying when she's being talkative next to me, but I'm glad that she's not that bitchy-famous-collage girl and pick-me-girl. I admire that about her. She's true to herself.
"Wait, is Cloud jerking on you, perhaps?" she asked. Her voice slightly rose reason why my other classmate looked at our direction.
Why did he suddenly become concerned? And how did he come to know about Cloud?
Right.
He's famous among the girls. How come I forget that? And I wish I could tell her that I'm living in the condo unit with a complete stranger.
"Wait, what? No!" depensa ko agad. "We're just friends." dagdag ko pa para hindi sya mag isip ng kung ano-ano.
Kung may gusto man sya kay Cloud, mas maiging maalis ako sa listahan nya, right?
She laughed while she fixing her hair and put it on the side. "I'm just concern, just let me know if she's being a jerk to you."
Napakunot ako ng noo. "And why?"
Cloud is a jerk most of the times anyways, at wala nang bago doon. As long na hindi sya lalagpas sa boundery namin as mag kaibigan, wala kaming magiging problema.
"Let say, I'm good at kicking balls. That's my speacialty" she said as she winked at me.
I can't help but to laughed on what she said. Mag sasalita pa sana ako ng biglang dumating ang prof namin para sa subject namin ngayong araw. This is a three hours in hell, so goodluck to myself.
Umandar ang oras na puro discussion, nag pa-quiz rin at sa huli ay binigyan kami ng sandamakmak na gagawin. Binigyan kami ng report at project na kailangan ipasa next month. Binilinan nya rin kami para sa finals which is mag hunt ng lumang gusali o bahay na kailangan naming pag-aralan.
I almost ran out of energy in that three-hour class, but the one next to me? I don't know. I don't know what kind of milk her mother gave her when she was young, and she seemed to be able to drive a ten-wheeler truck.
"Let's go for lunch?" I was currently arranging my things when she asked me to eat.
Ito lang naman ang subject ko para sa araw na 'to kaya feeling ko ay magandang idea ang kumain muna bago umuwi. Kaya naman nang matapos ako mag silid ng mga gamit ay pumayag ako sa gusto nya. Hindi ko lang ine-expect na ikakawit nya yung kamay nya kamay ko na para bang best friend kami since elementary.
"You don't have class?" tanong ko. Halos lahat ng nadadaanan naming studyante ay matic na napapalingon sa aming dalawa. Maybe they are surprise that the Queen and the campus nerd are walking side by side. Ganon 'yung feelig e, though I don't wear thick glasses and looks like a loser. Sumikat lang ang pangalan ko dahil nasa dean's lister ako.
"Meron pa, but I'm hungry. My tummy is more important than my subject." maarte nyang pag kakasabi at tyaka ako hinila papasok sa school caffeteria.
Kung sa labas ay pinag titinginan na kami, mas lalo rito sa loob dahil para bang huminto ang oras nila nung nakita nila kaming dalawa. Rain looks like she didn't care and walk her way to the vacant table while her arm is still clingy on me. When we got on her choses spot, I immediately sat on the vacant sit while she remain standing on the side, resting her bare hand on the metal table and slightly leaning forward.
"What do you like to eat? I'll order for the two of us." prisinta nya.
"Just the number 17 and a bottled water." sabi ko.
"Okay,"
I stopped her. "Are you fine ordering alone, I can help you tho."
She laughed. "This is the best spot so don't you dare take that ass off here."
Napailing nalang ako at tyaka hinayaan syang pumunta sa counter para umorder. Kaunti palang ang mga studyante na kumakain kaya wala rin masyadong pila sa counter. Good thing dahil gutom na rin ako.
Habang hinihintay bumalik si Rain, sa malayo, nakita ko ang imahe ni Cloud na papalapit sa akin. Sa likod nya ay namataan ko rin ang iilang engeneering student na papasok rin sa cafeteria. Napatingin ako sa wrist watch ko at nakitang sakto alas-dose na ng tanghali. Break time nila.
"God, finally! Gusto ko na mag shift ng course!" bungad nya agad sa akin at tyaka umupo sa bakanteng upuan sa harap ko.
Gusto ko sabihin na may kasama ako pero hindi ko maisingit dahil sa dire-diretcho nyang rants. He complains how difficult his major subject. Of course, wala namang course na madali. Pumangalumbaba ako at pinag masdan nalang ang mole nya sa ibabang labi kaysa mag kumento sa mga sinasabi nya. He's always like this, anyway. Kahit anong reklamo nya ay ayaw nya naman mag shift ng course.
At dahil hindi ko nasabi sa kanya na may kasama ako, nang makabalik si Rain ay parehas silang nagulat sa presensya ng isa't isa.
I'm guessing that they know each other base on their reaction. Not because that they are both famous, maybe for some reason.
"Pinaupo mo 'tong lalaking to, Melody?" iritang tanong ni Rain sabay duro kay Cloud.
I smell something fishy.
"He occupied the vacant sit without my permission, so no." sabi ko sabay kuha sa bottled water at tyaka 'yon ininuman.
"Kailan pa kayo naging close nito?" iritang tanong rin ni Cloud.
Kinuha ko naman ang order ko sa tray na dala ni Rain at tyaka 'yon nilapag sa harap ko. "Kanina lang," sagot ko sa tanong ni Cloud.
I don't know what's between the two of them, and I think it's out of my concern.
While slicing the stake, I felt Cloud move to my side and Rain sat on Cloud's seat. I feel the tension between them kaya feeling ko ay naiipit ako sa dalawang 'to. Walang nag sasalita kaya mas lalong bumibigat ang pakiramdam ko. Inubos ko nalang yung pagkain ko at nag paalam na mauuna na.
Sabay silang napatingin sa akin. "Are you going already?" tanong ni Rain.
"Yes, I have no schedule so I'm going home." I said a matter of fact.
I heard Cloud scoffed. "Just lock your door, if he makes a move call me and I'll beat the shit out of him."
"Cloud!" saway ka sa kanya pero umiling lang sya na para bang hindi makapaniwala.
Rain seems confused kaya hindi narin naiwasan ang mag tanong.
"You'll beat whom?" she asked direct to me.
"Nothing, just eat your damn food." pag kasabing 'yon ni Cloud ay tyaka sya umalis at tumungo sa kabilang table kung nasaan ang mga kaklase nya.
Seriously, having Cloud is more than enough that I can handle, and now, here's Rain and I guess this is not the end of our interaction since..well, maybe the two have something between them. Maybe Rain is one of Cloud's ex girlfriend? Fling? Hindi ko masabi dahil halos madalas naman kami mag kasama, or maybe Rain has a feelings for Cloud and she tried to confess but ended up with nothing, or maybe I should stop thinking of them and think about what Cloud said to me earlier.
That thoughts started to hunt me and a fear build inside my chest. Pero ang unang pag uusap namin nung gabing 'yon ang nag papatibay sa akin na hindi sya masamang tao, and it's wrong to think ill about him. Maybe Cloud is just paranoid and here I am, being paranoid too because of the thoughts he gave me.
Pag dating sa bahay ay naabutan ko si kuya Alvin na nanonood ng TV. Dahil sa ingay ng pinto ay napabaling sya ng tingin sa akin. He's still on his pajama and wearing nothing.
"Hey," he greeted.
I just nodded as a respond and jump next to him.
"May pagkain na sa kusina kung gusto mo kumain."
"I had my lunch already but I'll eat it later." pagod kong sabi.
Pinatong ko ang braso ko sa sandalan ng sofa at tyaka pumangalumbaba. Tinitigan ko sya pero kahit ramdam nya ang tingin ko ay hindi nya parin inalis ang paningin nya sa pinapanood nya.
"Tell me more about Francis." I said out of the bloom. He lower down the volume but still, his gaze still on the TV.
"You have a crush on him?"
"He's handsome but he's too old for me."
He scoff as he glance at me once and back to the TV. "He's a neuro—"
"Aside from that," I cutted him off before he finish on what he's saying. Of course I know that part. I just want to know him.. more.. deep.
He take a deep breath before he started to speak."He graduated in Ateneo, he's a magna cum laude with flying colors. He takes the board exam in U.S and he came back here with license. I met him three years ago because of his girlfriend that..well.. no longer his girlfriend. After that we became friends—"
"Wait!" hindi ko na napigilan ang mapakunot ng noo. "Ang gulo mo mag kwento!" reklamo ko.
He chuckled. "Sina-summaries ko sayo dahil kung ikukwento ko talang-buhay nya ay baka mahuli ako sa trabaho ko."
He's not helping at all.
"Do you want me to continue?" nanunuksong wika nya.
I rolled my eyes as I stood up and walk to my room. "Forget it!" I said as I slammed the door.
Paano ko mapapatunayan sa sarili ko na hindi sya masamang tao? And how can I convince myself that he's trustworthy enough to live here with him?
Kumuha ako ng band paper at nilatag 'yon sa lamesa ko. I put a tape each every corner just to make sure that the paper won't move. Nag pasya nalang ako na gawin ang plates na ipapasa next month at para hindi na rin ako matambakan ng mga gawain. Gusto ko rin ma divert ang isipan ko para hindi ako nag iisip ng kung ano-ano sa taong 'yon.
I need to make a building plan as demonstrated by our Professor earlier. Though I have four weeks before the due date pero sobrang bilis lang 'non para sa akin. Kaya as much as possible kung kaya tapusin ngayon gabi, tatapusin ko na.
Also, I need to do live streaming. Kailangan ko bumawi sa mga followers ko dahil naging in active ako nung mga nakaraan.
Gosh!
I spent the whole time on my plates. When I felt thirsty, I picked up my tumblr without looking at it, but when I felt that the tumblr was empty, I had no choice but to leave the room and go to the kitchen to refill it.
I don't know what time it is and I just caught up with Francis in the kitchen, wearing an apron and facing the stove. He's probably cooking.
I walked slowly, approaching him when I saw that he suddenly took a glance on my chest.
"Don't tell me that I didn't warn you." that line of Cloud keeps reapeting inside my head at kahit ayokong maniwala sa kanya, hindi ko parin maiwasang hindi kabahan.
"Good Evening," he greeted.
"Good Evening," I greeted back while I maintining the distance between us.
Lumapit ako sa refrigirator at kumuha ng pitchel para salinan ang tumbler ko. Nang mapuno 'yon ay dali dali na akong umalis sa kusina without saying any words.
Pag kapasok ko sa kwarto ay doon ko palang na realize na sobrang bastos ng ginawa ko. I felt the slight of guilt. Paano ko nagawa 'yon sa isang taong puro kabutihan ang pinapakita sa akin? Pero paano kung 'yon ang way nya para ma-gain ang tiwala ko?
Argh! Hindi ko na alam!