This Is Not Strange

Chapter Twelve

Bridgette

After the shocking reveal of Ella, I can't look at Sir Bob the same way again. I want to help her but I don't want to get her into trouble rin, baka mapano siya sa mga pinaggagawa niya. I am genuinely concerned about her, especially now na sobrang invested siya sa pag i-imbestiga. Palagi rin akong natutukso na puntahan siya sa room niya at samahan siya pauwi. Not that it's a bad thing, but I'm a little nervous na baka mahalata na niya ang ginagawa ko.

  I've thought about this for a week na. It's impossible kasi not to have a crush on her. Aside from being pretty, she's also kind, feisty, intelligent, knows what she is doing, and she is amazing. I don't want to tell her yet, baka kasi magkaroon ng gap sa friendship namin. I'll take a risk na if I'm sure with my feelings.

  I volunteered to go and bring our papers to Ma'am Tina, Gen Math teacher namin and Math subject teacher naman nila Ella. Everyone is surprised pa nga when they asked kung sino raw ang maghahatid sa room ng Grade 10, na room nila Ella, ng mga papers and I volunteered. Hindi kasi ako nag vovolunteer noon. I don't want to annoy Ella, I just want to see her sa room nila kahit saglit. I asked Pen to come with me para may katulong ako sa mga papel. She is surprised too, hindi naman daw kasi ako nagvo-volunteer noon na maghatid, pero I smiled lang. I don't want to keep her guessing, kaya balak kong ikwento na sa kanya ang nararamdaman ko kay Ella. I am guessing today is the perfect time for a confession.

  “Pen, I have something to tell you, ” I said, my voice sounding a little nervous. We both stop in the middle of the oval, nasa kabilang side kasi ang room nila Ella.

  She stared back at me, her brow lift in question. “Mukhang seryoso. Ano ba ang sasabihin mo?”

  “I am not straight,” mabilis kong sabi.

  She looked confused for a moment, before bursting into fit of laughter.

  Nagkasalubong ang dalawa kong kilay. “Why are you laughing?” Hindi ba dapat yakapin niya ako or lalayo siya at mag wawalk out?

  She shakes her head bago ito umayos para tignan ako. “Akala ko kasi aamin ka na nag cutting ka noong nakita ko kayo ni Ella sa bahay mo.”

  My eyes grew wide at what she said. “What? How did you know?”

  “Bago ako umuwi, nagtanong ako sa guard sa bahay ninyo kung nakita ka ba niyang nagmamadali o mukhang masakit ang tiyan, sabi niya naman hindi. Sinabi niya rin na narinig niya na nag uusap kayo ni Ella about consequences sa pag cut ng class. Sinabihan ko naman si kuya na huwag kang isumbong kina Tita, baka mapagalitan ka pa,” she explained.

  I frown and recall that moment. Oo nga pala, maingay nga pala kami habang papasok. Pero aside from it, nagtataka na rin ako kung bakit kaya hindi siya nagulat sa pag-amin ko. “Wait, aren't you shocked that I'm not straight?”

  She shook her head, no. “We are like twins na kaya. I know kung may tinatago ka. Napaghalataan ko rin ito noong nakita ko kayo ni Ella sa bahay mo, and the other times na magkasama kayo. Sobrang halata mo tignan kapag may gusto ka.”

  My eyes grew wide again, not wanting to believe what she just said. “Hindi kaya. Ella doesn't even know na I like her.”

 
  It's now her turn to get surprised. “What? Akala ko mag jowa na kayo!”

  “What? No! Ako lang naman ata ang may crush sakaniya.”

  “Gosh. Palagi kasi kayong napaghahalataan, akala ko tuloy kayo na. So may gusto ka nga kay Ella Banana ko and hindi mo ito sasabihin sakaniya?”

  I shook my head. “Wala pa akong balak mag confess.”

  “Ang hina mo naman,” she said, walking toward Ella's room again. I didn't bug her na because I got busy thinking about what she said.

  Was I really that obvious?

  When we got into their room, I spotted Ella immediately. She is sitting at the center row, near the front desk. Wala pang nakapansin sa amin because seryoso si Ma'am Tina habang nagpapaliwanag.

  I heard a girl talk, she is sitting near the window kung saan kami nakatayo. “Ang galing talaga ni Ella mag lipat ng discussion. Biruin mo, Math ang subject natin pero ang pinag uusapan nila ma'am ay langit at impyerno?”

  I shook my head at Pen to stop her from speaking. I want to hear what Ella is talking kasi.

  “Ma'am Tins, paano naman po kung mamamatay ako ngayon? For example, biglang may mahulog na bala sa bubong tas ako ang tinamaan, tapos hindi ako nakapag repent. Saan naman ako mapupunta?” I heard Ella ask.

  Napataas ang kilay ko. It's math, what in the world is she asking? Is this her way of shifting the attention of teacher para hindi makapag lecture?

  “Sa Hospital, alangan naman ideretso ka sa punerarya. Matagal mamatay ang masamang damo!” I heard a familiar voice replied. Which I recognized as Ynnah.

  “Tanga ka pala, sa ambulance muna ako mapupunta.”

  I can't help but laugh at her response. One of her classmate noticed us and she called Miss Tin kaya all of their attention moved to us. I focused my gaze at her side, and I almost passed out when my eyes met hers. She smiled and waved at me, which made my organs do backflips.

  Damn this silly crush.

  “Ito na ba ang pinagawa ko sainyo?” the teacher asked.

  Me and Pen nodded. We entered their room and put all papers into her desk. She thanked us after we bid our goodbyes. Nagtama pa ulit ang mata namin ni Ella bago ako hinila ni Pen papalayo.

  “Ella is hilarious. Did you hear their talk?”

   My smile is wide as I nod at my friend.

  “You smile like a creep. Ang weird talaga kapag nagkakacrush ka. ”

  I just shrugged. Hindi naman masyadong madami ang nakakuha ng attention ko noon, kaya I don't know how to react to my new found crush. As for Ella, this is how my entire system reacts to whatever she does.

  “Alam mo ba na may nakita akong shared post ni Ella tapos may nag comment doon. Para silang mag jowa.”

   Agad na pinatigil ko siya at dali-dali kong kinapa ang cellphone sa bulsa.“Where? Who?”

  “Joke lang, Bridgie. Selos agad?”