Hiding Behind the Lenses (Arte del Amor #3)

Chapter 23

"Uy, oh. Look."

Inilahad sa akin ni Khali ang phone niya. I didn't know how to react when I saw what she's showing me.

Picture lang naman ni Nikolai at Anika iyon na magkasama.

I know they're friends. Hanggang doon lang. "They're friends."

Shit.

Parang kinukurot ang puso ko. Pero kahit ano namang maramdaman ko ngayon ay wala akong magagawa. She's been there with him since time immemorial, through thick and thin.

Ayos lang.

Hindi ko naman siguro ikamamatay.

"But everyone's speculating that they're together. I don't think that's okay." She watched my expression but I kept my resting face to make it harder for her to read me.

Khali knows about our relationship. On Nilolai's side, Isaiah knows. We didn't exactly tell them, they figured it out on their own.

"It's okay... 'di naman totoo." sagot ko na lang. I don't want to be the kind of person who asks my boyfriend to stay away from a friend just because I'm jealous.

I don't even want to go there. Up until now, something's still foreign about him and I'm pretty sure Anika knows that better.

This gossip about the two of them have been going on for so long. Akala ko ay huhupa rin iyon sa paglipas ng araw pero mukhang mas lumalala pa.

It's not like I can be selfish and announce that we're together when I'm the one who asked for this. I can't even go nor talk to him in the school grounds.

Hindi ko na lang iyon inisip at nagpatuloy na lang sa araw ko. I have classes to worry about.

"Miss Gemini, can I ask you a favor?" My professor called for me just when I was about to leave my classroom.

Lumapit ako sa lamesa niya sa harapan at inabot niya sa akin ang isang box.

"Can you go to the SEA Building and give this to my husband? He's also a professor here. SH-302 ang classroom niya."

Hay. Idadamay pa ako sa honeymoon stage nilang mag-asawa. I smiled anyway and did what she asked me to.

Nang makarating ako sa building ay na-realize ko na ito nga pala ang building ni Nikolai! At may pasok siya ngayon!

I am so excited to see him so I ended up taking a detour before going straight to where I'm supposed to go.

Sinuyod ko ang bawat isang classroom at pasimpleng sumilip sa glass doors ng mga ito. Sa bawat nadadaanan ko ay palaging mayroong napapalingon sa akin kaya medyo naiilang ako.

Buti na lang at sanay naman ako sa atensyon ng tao kaya nagpatuloy lang ako sa paghahanap sa classroom ng boyfriend ko.

Hala. Ang sarap pakinggan.

Nasa second floor na ako nang nakita ko si Nikolai! Nasa harap siya ng classroom nila at mabilis din siyang napalingon sa akin.

I excitedly waved at him. Hindi pa siya nakakapag-react ay nilagpasan ko na ang classroom nila dahil ayaw kong mapansin ako ng professor nila. Nagsasagot yata sila ng quiz o kung ano, baka ma-distract pa si Nikol.

Minabuti ko na lang na pumunta na sa asawa ng professor ko at ibigay 'tong mukhang regalo niya.

Pero bago pa man magsara ang elevator ay nakarinig ako ng magagaan pero mabilis na yakap.

It is so weird how I can tell that it's Nikolai just by the sound of his footsteps.

Pinindot ko ang isang button doon para panatilihing bukas ang pintuan. I automatically smiled when he finally showed up in front of me. "Where are you going?" he asked.