I never thought having a friend can change everything. Okay, not everything, but perhaps something. Hindi ko nga alam kung friend na nga ba ako'ng maituturing ni Miko, but I hoped I am one now.
For the first time in forever ay naging excited ako na pumasok sa school. I hope I can bumped into him this day. I am starting to loosen my tight self, and my first step for it is to be his friend. I have decided yesterday that I'll start to open up more and give myself a chance to meet more friends and just forget those bad memories I've got from my highschool years.
But opposite things happened when I have arrived in school later that morning. Pagkapasok ko palang sa gate ay mga weird glances ang mga natatanggap ko galing sa mga nakakasalubong ko'ng mga estudyante. At first ay akala ko na hindi ako ang tinitingnan at pinag-uusapan nila but when I heard someone says 'She looks like a nerd' ay alam ko'ng ako na talaga iyun.
But why they have to talked about me? May nagawa ba ako'ng mali o baka naman nalaman na nilang ako si DetectiveLove na isang sikat na radio dj na nagbibigay ng mga love tips ngayon sa isang sikat na station? The thought of it freak me out. Pero imposible iyun. I kept my true identity very discreetly at hindi din ako nag-iwan ng kung ano'ng bakas doon para ma-trace nila na si Jasmine Garden Salvador at Detective Love ay iisa. Only the people I worked with in the station knows about my true identity at alam ko naman na hindi nila ako ilalaglag.
At isa pa, kung alam na nila iyun ay dapat mga ngiti at hindi puro irap at masasamang titig ang nakukuha ko.
I wanted to shake it off this bad feeling in my chest and started to walk fast. Akala ko ay makakalusot na ako sa mga mapag-usig na tingin pagdating sa loob ng classroom namin, pero hindi din pala.
Kinabahan na tuloy ako. I was obviously clueless on what is happening right here and right now.
Someone, please enlighten me here?!
Then Cassandra Aquino, one of the 'famous' people in this campus walked into my direction. Sikat sya kase kapatid nya ang isa sa pinakasikat na lalaki sa unibersidad na ito-- Magnus Stephen Aquino, the vocalist of the band, The Wasted.
She's not from my college. I think she's from Business Adminitration.
Nakita ko ang pagtaas ng kilay nya. Itatanong ko na sana kung ano ang kailangan nya sakin nang bigla sya'ng nagsalita.
"Why are you hooking up with my boyfriend?" biglang nanlaki ang mga mata ko dahil sa tanong nya. Magsasalita na naman ulit sana ako ng may inilagay sya na envelope sa desk ko. My hands were already shaking as I tear the envelope's opening. Kinuha ko ang nasa loob nito at dun ko napansin na mga litrato ito. Nakatalikod ang mga litrato sakin kaya hindi ko nakita agad kung ano iyun. Pero nung iniharap ko ang mga iyun ay nakita ko ang mga mukha ko kasama si Miko.
"It's all over the net, so don't you dare deny it." mataray na sagot nya. Gusto ko din sana syang singhalan for acting that way towards me. But I just keep it myself. I'm busy holding my grip dahil nararamdaman ko na naman ang mga familiar reactions na nangyari sakin back when I was still on high school.
"What? Cat got your tongue? Wow! Jasmine. I never really thought you can this be fishy." I saw her nose flared dahil sa inis.
I slowly shooked my head before I open my mouth.
"It's not what you think it is." tumaas lang ulit ang kilay nya na para bang hinihintay ang mga sasabihin ko pa.
"Then enlighten me please? Because, really Jasmine. The least thing I can do to you right now is slap you hard right here, right now."
Napamaang ako dahil sa sinabi nya. I have never meet a hostile person before not until her. I can't believe how can she uttered those things without learning first the truth.
Hindi ko alam pero naiiyak na ako.
So, this is what I get for breaking down my walls around me? I am literally humiliated in front of everyone at hindi ko man lang maipagtanggol ang sarili ko because I don't basically know how.
Bago pa tumulo ang luha ko ay bigla na naman ako'ng nakarinig ng kumusyon sa paligid.
Then I hear him speak -- not to me, atleast to her.
"Cassy, what is it again?" I know his frustrated. I can detect it in his voice.
"You're doing it again, Miko. I thought things will finally change since magkasama na tayo dito sa iisang school but you are doing it again. Cheating behind my goddamn back!" she hissed. Kahit na mahina lang iyun ay rinig na rinig ko ang sagutan nila. Because, basically they were fighting in front of me.
"What are you talking about, Cass?"
"I'm talking about her." this time, nakatingin na sila sakin pareho. Akala ko pa naman na magiging si Kuya Savior ko na ulit si Miko but then I saw him shaking his head like he don't really know what's happening. Like he don't really know me.
"Sorry, Cass. But I don't even know her."
Nanlaki pa ulit ang mga mata ko. This time, I already feel the stinging pain somewhere inside of me. Alam ko'ng kakakilala lang namin kahapon. But it doesn't give him the freaking right to do bullshitting me!
I can't really f-ucking believe I let myself open up again for how many long years and get this in return. And much more, I can't f-ucking believe Miko. Ang galing-galing nya! He just made me look and feel like a fool again. After what I have shared him last night. After all of those promises he said. Huh? I just can't f-ucking believe him. Big Asshole!
Bago pa sumagot ulit ang girlfriend nya ay mabilis ako'ng tumayo at humarap sa kanya. He looked at me quizically before I slapped him hard. Very hard that I heard my classmates gasp loudly. I don't freaking care anymore na dahil sa ginawa ko ay mas lalo ko'ng binigyan sila ng rason na mas maniwala sa kanilang maling iniisip laban sakin.
I saw his jaw stiffened. He unbelievably looked at me and before he can say a single word. I smirked at him and said ---
"Serves you right, Douche."
I picked my things and left that place fast before they saw my tears fall uncontrollably.
