Uncontrolled [Baguio Series #6]

03

03:

"Ako na magpatong sa isang plate mo," sabi ni Karlo nang makita niyang dalawa pa ang hindi ko natatapos na plates.

I'm cramming my plates here in an open classroom in our department. Dito madalas naghihintay ang mga estudyanteng maaga pumapasok. Kanina, ako lang mag-isa dito kasi 6:30 a.m. lang ako nakarating ng school. Ngayon, dalawa na kami ni Karlo.

"Ako na, kaya ko naman na 'yan! Mamaya pa namang 4:00 p.m. ipapasa 'yan," I said, taking the tracing paper away from him.

"Tulungan na kita. Wala naman na akong gagawin. Nagising din kasi ako nang maaga kaya maaga akong nakapasok. Tulungan na kita para mabilis," paliwanag niya bago kinuha ang sariling tech pen at nagsimulang gawin ang isang plate ko.

Based on my observations with my classmates, girls like men when they are: first, handsome; second, gentleman and third, intelligent.

Karlo's really handsome but I really liked him for always trying to make me feel comfortable. Simula noong maging seatmates kami sa lahat ng subject, palagi siyang nakikipag-usap sa akin sa tuwing hindi pa nagkaklase. He wasn't the rude guy I sometimes encountered. Marami siyang itinatanong sa akin and in exchange, he will tell me stories about himself.

He's just really great for a man. Bakit ba kasi nagkagusto pa siya sa tanong hindi naman magiging kan'ya?

It's the finals for our second semester and I can't believe that I still like him . . . hanggang ngayon.

"Matutunaw ako. Huwag mo akong titigan."

I almost smirked. Anong akala mo, mai-intimidate pa ako sa gan'yan mo, Karlo? It's been almost a year since I studied here and I've learned quite a lot in interacting with different kinds of people here.

"I don't care. I want to stare at you," I said.

He chuckled without even looking at me. Gusto ko tuloy punitin ang plate kong ginagawa niya ngayon.

"Tama na, baka isipin ko, crush mo ako," he jokingly said.

I smiled. "Crush naman talaga kita."

He laughed again but when he realized that I am serious, he stopped laughing before looking at me.

"Really?" he asked, smiling. I nodded. "Bakit ako? Hindi ako mayaman."

"Hindi rin naman ako mayaman," I said before focusing on my plate and continue tracing the lines with my tech pen.

"You are."

"That's my family, not me."

"Bakit ako?" he asked again.

Tumingin ako sa kan'ya at nakitang nakatingin pa rin siya sa akin, parang hindi makapaniwala.

"Bakit hindi ikaw?"

The way he asked that . . . parang ayaw niya na gusto ko siya. Is it because I am friends with someone he like?

"Seatmate naman tayo. Bakit hindi ako?"

His mouth parted before looking away. He was about to talk when I said something.

"Kasi 'yung kaibigan ko?" I asked as my eyes started heating. "May boyfriend na 'yun."

He sighed before he looked down on my plate and continued tracing the lines.

"Alam ko."

"Bakit siya pa rin?" I asked immediately.

"Hindi ko alam. Hindi ko naman kaya pilitin sarili kong huwag siyang gustuhin, eh."

I sniffed as I felt my tears started to pool on the corner of my eyes.