"What are you doing?" I asked the girl who's holding my bag.
Pilit ko itong kinukuha sa kanya pero sa tuwing aabutin ko na ay itataas niya pa. What's her problem?
      "Give it back to me!" Singhal ko pero ngumisi lang ang gaga. Malakas ang tama nito sa utak.
      "Just want to check your bag. Baka may tinatago ka pala sa akin." She said. "Masyado ka pa namang patay na patay sa boyfriend ko."
Yes, it's Daphne. One week na sila ni Markhiel. Sobrang bilis pero sinagot niya ito agad. Hindi pa umabot ng isang buwan ang panliligaw ni Markhiel sa kanya ay sinagot na niya ito. Hindi ko alam pero iba ang pakiramdam ko sa babaeng ito.
     "Can you stop? Ginagawan mo ng malisya lahat nang sa amin. I told you, we're just friends. Can't you trust your boyfriend?" Gigil na saad ko.
Bigla-bigla nalang siyang lumapit sa akin kanina sa court habang nagte-training kami. She excused me from my coach. At dahil kilalang-kilala siya ay pumayag si coach na hindi ako magpractise ngayong araw dahil sa babaeng ito. I thought importante ang pag-uusapan namin, but what the heck she's doing. Ang lakas ng tama nito sa utak.
      "Really? I don't believe a girl like you." And she grinned. "Alam ko ang mga tulad mong babae. Once na nag-iisa lang ang lalaki, in relationship man or hindi, lalandiin mo. I know your kind, Nefeltri. So bago mo pa ahasin ang boyfriend ko, ilalayo ko na siya sa isang katulad mo."
That's it! She pushed me into my limit. Ang ayaw ko sa lahat ang sinasabihan ako ng mga ganyan, when in fact, it's another way around. Hindi ko kayang mang-ahas ng iba kahit pa ang best friend ko. I know my place. At alam ko kung kelan dapat ako tumigil.
      "Huwag mo akong igaya sa iba, Guidavaughn." Lumapit ako nang kaunti sa kanya. "Huwag mo akong igaya sa sarili mo." I whispered to her ears.
I turned my back on her, trying to hold back myself not to hurt her. Naiinis ako sa kanya. I hate her so much. Not because she's the lover of my best friend but because of her attitude.
Hindi pa nga ako nakakahakbang ay naramdaman ko na may kamay na humila sa akin paharap at mas lalo akong nagulat nang sampalin niya ako.
Damn it!
Galit akong tumingin sa kanya. Never in my life na nasampal ako ng parents ko or even my relatives. But this girl did it to me. She just slapped me. This is too much. I wanna hurt her so badly.
    "Suits you, right!" And then she laughed evilly.
Gusto ko rin siyang saktan, sampalin kagaya ng ginawa niya sa akin pero hindi ko kayang gawin ang bagay na iyon. Bully man ako pero hindi ako nananakit ng tao.
   "You know what, hindi kita papatulan." I coldly said. "Kasi kapag papatol ako sa isang kagaya mo, it means naiinsecure rin ako sayo." I smirked. Namumula sa galit ang mukha niya.
Pikon. I smiled because of that thought.
Akmang sasampalin niya ulit ako nang bigla nalang itong umiyak. Nagtataka akong tinignan siya. And that explain me why she cried. Umaarte ang gaga nang makita ang isang pigura ng tao na papunta sa direksyon namin. May pag-aalala sa gwapong mukha nito nang masilayan ang babaeng umiiyak.
     "Babe, why are you crying?" May pag-aalala sa boses nito. "Are you hurt?"
But Guidavaughn didn't answered, instead she pointed at me without even looking. Nakita ko ang galit sa mga mata ng taong palagi kong kasama nang tatlong taon. Ang taong palaging nandyan para sa akin. Ang taong una kong nagustuhan. He's looking at me, angrily.
     "M-Markhiel, it's not w-what you think--"
     "Why should I believe you?" He asked, angrily.
Ngayon ko lang ito nakitang nagalit sa akin. Ang sakit na makita ko siyang ganito. Hindi ako sanay na nagagalit siya sa akin. Markhiel is nice and calmly person. Mahinahon ito lalo na kapag pagdating sa akin, but he changed because of the girl whom he love.
      "M-Mar....khiel."
I don't know what to say. Natatakot ako na baka kaya niya na rin akong saktan. Hindi ko gusto ang nakikita ko sa kanya ngayon. He's not the Markhiel that I knew. He's not my best friend anymore.
      "Tell me honestly Hera, sinaktan mo ba ang girlfriend ko?" Umiling ako. "Then bakit siya umiiyak?" Singhal nito sa akin.
I can't hold back my tears any more. Sa tatlong taon na magkaibigan kami, kailanman hindi niya ako magawang singhalan. Pero bakit bigla siyang nag-iba? Dahil ba sa babaeng umiiyak ngayon?
   "Listen to me--"
   "Yes, babe! She hurt me." Guidavaughn butt in. "That girl slapped me. W-Wala naman akong ginagawa but your friend approached me here." She was trying hard to act like a victim in front of him. "Akala ko i-congratulate niya tayo but it was the other way around. Nagalit siya sa akin that's why she hurt me physically."
Liar. Liar.
I know Markhiel, hindi siya maniniwala sa sinasabi ng babaeng iyon. He knew me better than that. Never akong nanakit ng iba. But I thought he's really not believed what his girlfriend said about me. Of course, she's his girlfriend! Syempre ito ang paniniwalaan niya.
    "What the hell, Hera? Ginawa mo 'yun sa girlfriend ko." It's not a question, it's a statement. "Kilala pa ba kita? Kilala ko pa ba ang best friend ko? You can't do such a thing like this." Disappointed niyang wika.
I know! I know! He's disappointed on me because of what I did. But I'm also disappointed on him of what he said. I am hurting right now because of him. How can he said those words to me? Na parang hindi niya ako talaga kilala.
    "Markhiel." I looked down. "Isipin mo ang dapat mong isipin," I looked into his eyes. "Pero alam mong hindi ko kayang manakit ng iba."
Ano pa ba ang magagawa ko? No matter how many times I explain my side to him, he will not believe me. Who I am? I'm just his best friend. Not her girlfriend. This is the reality. Mas mananaig ang pagmamahal niya sa girlfriend niya.
Tumalikod na ako sa isang taong akala ko kakampi ko. That, he'll always on my side. Protecting me from those people who will hurt me. But I'm stupid as fuck! Hindi lahat ng oras, nasa akin ang huling halakhak.
    "You're crying again." I startled when I heard a voice behind me. "Why do you always cry every time I see you?"
When I faced that person, my eyes widened to see that man, again. Naipasok ko ang kanang kamay ko sa bulsa ng palda ko and I hold the handkerchief that he gave to me that day.
     "You're my stalker, aren't you?" Lakas-loob kong tanong dito.
I know, makapal ang mukha kong itanong sa kanya ang bagay na iyon pero hindi ko rin maintindihan kung bakit palagi nalang siya ang nakakakita sa akin kapag umiiyak ako.
He laughed and that made me stop to breath for a moment. Hindi ko maintindihan, bakit pakiramdam ko huminto bigla lahat ng nasa palagid ko. I can't take away my eyes on him. The way he laugh, it really made my heart leap.
What is this? Why did my heart leap?
Bakit ganito ang pakiramdam ko? He's a stranger. And I don't even know his name.
   "Na-starstruck ka yata sa akin." He grinned.
Bumalik ako sa ulirat dahil sa narinig ko mula sa kanya. My face crumbled because of what he said.
     "Baka ikaw. Ikaw nga itong ini-stalk ako." And rolled my eyes.
What the hell? Did I just rolled my eyes.
    "I never thought na mataray ka pala."
    "You didn't answer my question earlier." I asked again. Trying to avoid my embarrassment moment earlier.
He smiled a little and turned his back on me. Seryoso? Tatalikuran na naman niya ako. Bastos talaga.
     "I did, but you're spacing out that's why you didn't heard what I said." Then he faced me. "But I'll repeat it for you." Walang emosyon niyang wika. The atmosphere between us has changed. Naging mabigat ang pakiramdam ko dahil sa pag-iiba niya ng mood. "I'm not a stalker. I'm not your stalker. Will never be. Satisfied Miss Nefeltri?"
    "Wait! How did you know me?" I gasped.
    "You're famous. Everyone knows you. Dapat ba hindi kita kilala?" He asked and he put both his hands inside the pockets of his pants, and then he faced me.
He really looks cool. Hindi mo talagang masasabi na nerd ang lalaking ito when he spoke. Especially his aura. It's really different from what I see on him. I can clearly feel the dangerous side of him.
    "I-It's not that. I..I." Darn! Wala akong masabi.
   "Speechless, eh." I looked away. "Don't worry, I just know your name but not the whole story of you. So don't be nervous, hindi ako nananakmal." And he laughed again.
Naningkit ang mga mata kong tiningnan ang lalaking tumatawa pa rin. Pinagloloko niya lang talaga ako. This man! Argh.
     "I don't know kung bakit ka natatawa sa akin kahit wala namang nakakatawa but..." I paused. "I'm really grateful that you're here." I sincerely said.
Yes, I am very much grateful because of him. Kahit papaano ay nawala sa isip ko ang nangyari kanina. And he made me smile, too. Thanks to him.
     "Is that a sign that you have a crush on me?"
That's it! Masyado na siyang makapal. Lumapit ako sa kanya at hindi nagdalawang isip na suntukin siya sa tiyan. Lumalaki talaga ang ulo ng isang tao kapag pinupuri. Pero Markhiel is different from them.
Markhiel. Markhiel. Puro nalang Markhiel ang nasa isip mo. My mind said.
Nakaramdam ako ng kirot sa puso ko dahil kahit anong gawin ko para makalimutan ang nararamdaman ko para sa best friend ko, hindi ko pa rin magawa. What I'm supposed to do about my feelings for him? Mahirap pala burahin ang nararamdaman mo sa isang tao. Lalo na kapag sa best friend mo ikaw nahulog.
     "Grabe, babae ka ba talaga? Ang sakit mo manikmura."
Doon lang ako natauhan dahil sa lalaking nakayuko habang hawak-hawak ang tiyan niya. Did I hit him hard? Parang mahina lang naman ang ginawa ko a.
      "Did I hit you hard?" He looked at me and nodded. "Really? I'm sorry--"
      "Locklan. Locklan Marchan."
Huh?
      "Locklin Marshan?" Takang-tanong ko.
Anong salita yun? Ngayon lang ako nakarinig ng ganung word.
      "Its Lock-lan Mar-chan. You'll spell it L-O-C-K-L-A-N M-A-R-C-H-A-N, not Lock-lin Mar-shan but that is the pronounciation of that." Okay? Why did he spelled it for me? "It's my name."
Huh? Name? That weird words are his name?
     "For real?" My eyes widened in disbelief. He nodded. "No way."
     "Yes way Miss Nefeltri. Do you find it weird?"
Tinatanong pa niya talaga!
    "Yes, ang weird ng name mo." And I laughed.
Ghad! I never thought na siya lang ang weird, pati rin pala ang pangalan niya. Ano kayang iniisip ng mga parents niya while giving his a name? Is it an anime's name? A famous hollywood actor? But I never heard anything like that.
     "So you're mocking me Miss Nefeltri, aren't you?" He turned his voice into a serious one.
      "No, I'm sorry." I apologized. "And call me Hera. Iyon ang pangalan ko."
      "Hera?" I looked at him, confused. "Just Hera?" May pagtataka sa kanyang mukha.
      "Yes, Hera. Nickname ko 'yun. Scheherazade kasi ang buo kong pangalan. I know mahirap siyang banggitin kaya Hera nalang for short."
And why I'm explaining myself to him? This is really weird. I don't know him and he's totally a stranger to me pero bakit magaan ang paraan nang pakikipag-usap ko sa kanya.
     "No, it's not. I call you Scheherazade then, instead of Hera."
     "Wow! Hindi ka nabubulol?" I asked him, surprisingly.
Siya lang ang kauna-unahang tao na hindi nabubulol sa pagbanggit ng pangalan ko. Of course, except my parents and my professor. Ni hindi nga kayang banggitin ito ni Markhiel. And why I am comparing him to Markhiel?
    "You seems surprised?" He asked.
I smiled. "I am. You can call me that."
    "Okay, Scheherazade."
And that made me smile once again. Hindi ko aakalain na masarap pala pakinggan ang pangalan ko na binabanggit ng ibang tao. Well, my nickname is good, but right now I really love my name. It's somewhat comforting.