Obviously, This Is Not Love

3.2| Longest Day

3.2| Longest Day

"If you were given a chance to do three things before you disappear, what would it be?" Jemima asked, isa siya sa mga kasama ko dito sa Thompson Media (isang organization dito sa school and I'm in it. I told you, I am not alone).

Parehas kasi kaming ni Jem na nakatambay lang habang busy rin sa pag-eedit ng video kaya heto ngayon kami, talagang bored at inaantok na. Jem could get any weirder if she's bored.  For example, her random question out of nowhere.

"Drag race. Get high. Travel," sagot ko naman.

When Jem heard my second choice, she scoffed. "Get high?"

Tumawa lang ako. "Because a girl like me would never do that in real life. So, why not? It's just a what-ifs."

"Hmm," napaisip bigla si Jem.

"Bakit?" It was my turn to ask her, "Ikaw?"

"Read 200 books. Be on space. And... Dylan..." Did I hear it right? Si Dylan daw? As in si Torres? Yung kakambal ng bestfriend ko?

Pinanglakihan ko siya ng mata. "Anong Dylan? Bakit yun?"

Umiling si Jem. Instead, she pointed something behind me... Or rather, someone.

Obviously, it was Torres. Ano na naman ba ito? I tried to ignore him. Hindi lang naman ako siguro ang pinunta niya dito. After all, member din siya ng Thompson Media. And he's actually the Second. I mean, parang vice president na rin ng isang organization pero tawag lang namin ay Second. Ako naman, member lang ng Video Production team.

Imagine. Dating varsity player ng basketball noong HS tapos naging Second sa Thompson Media nung nag-college. That is Dylan Torres, everybody.

Tumayo kaagad si Jem tapos may nilabas na papel mula sa bag niya. It was a script, I suppose. May bagong project ang Thom Med (Thompson Media). Magpro-produce kami ng short film na magiging entry namin for the University Films. That's 8 months away, actually. Hindi rin magtatagal, magiging busy na rin ako - taga-edit ng video.

But before he even replied with Jem's questions, sa akin siya humarap. "Cather said I'll take you home."

Nagkatinginan kami ni Jem saglit. She was kind of surprised. Bakit? Alam naman niyang best friend ko ang kakambal ni Torres ah? That shouldn't surprise her.

I grabbed my bag and easily hung it on my shoulder. "Hindi na kailangan. May kasama na ako pauwi," I told him. Then, I left them. Wala namang sinabi si Torres kaya tuloy-tuloy na ako sa paglakad. I can hear Jem's questions already.

Nang makalabas ako ng Media room, saktong nag-ring ang bell. Meaning, 15 minutes na lang ang natitira bago magsimula ang afternoon class, so I went straight in my next class where boredom awaits for me.

* * *

Unusual for any normal day na maghintay sa labas ng room ang isang Arki Frey Lewis. He was on his phone when he spotted me exiting the room. Kakatapos lang kasi ng quiz namin kaya medyo badtrip pa ako. Hindi kasi ako nakapag-aral kaya ineexpect ko na na itlog score ko dun. Patakbong lumapit sa akin si Arki tapos tinawag pa niya pangalan ko. The crowd noticed it. It was a major face-palm moment. Gusto ko sana huwag maka-attract ng atensyon. But who am I kidding? This is Arki.

"What?" I hissed.

Then he flashed me his innocent smile. "Bakit?"

Hindi na lang ako nagsalita. Naglakad na lang ako. Nakabuntot naman si Arki sa likuran ko. He was still on his phone. When his conversation ended, nasa labas na kami ng campus. "So..." He started. "Bawal nang umatras ha. Pumayag ka na na ikaw ang magiging 'kasama' ko sa anniversary."