Feint (Royal Society #3) COMPLETED

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-One

The One with the dimples (Vince Nicholo Part 1 of 5)

"Pang-ilan mo na 'yan?" Yves, my annoying best-friend and seatmate asked when he noticed that I was placing another gift from my batchmates. He was holding a plastic cup mula sa end-of-school-year celebration dito sa classroom. 

I gave him an irritated look. But he just shrugged it off and drank the juice, I guess, from his cup. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako nang makita puno na ang isang bag ng mga regalo. They said it was a congratulatory gift because I ranked the highest among my batchmates...

But I'm not stupid. 

Heck, I won't even spend a single penny for my batchmate who topped the class. Pake ko naman doon? Kung siya ang top, eh di congrats. Kailangan ba talaga may regalo at sulat? Si Ate lang naman ang makikinabang sa mga pagkain dito. 

When I noticed that some of my classmates are preparing to go home, I looked at Yves. But that guy was busy talking to one of our classmates, Tallia. She is Yves' best friend and I don't mind. Hindi naman ako makikipaglaban sa titulo ng pagiging best friend ni Yves. Besides, she is nice. She knows what she is fighting for... the reason why she is stubborn. 

I walked towards them. Napansin naman agad ni Yves ang presensiya ko at tinignan ako ng masama. I smirked at him. "I'll go ahead," paalam ko sa dalawa. Tallia nodded and waved at me. 

And Yves, obviously, over-reacted. Hindi ko alam kung kinulang o sumobra sa buwan si Yves dahil sobrang... lala niya bilang tao. Tyaga at pasensiya lang talaga ang sandigan para matagalan mo siya. Kaya bilib din ako kay Tallia. When Yves is being annoying, I just leave him. While Tallia stays. 

"What? Bakit aalis ka agad? We finished our second-year high school, Nicholo!"

"Yeah," I said. "Hindi naman ako gumraduate ng highschool para magcelebrate ng ganito ka tagal." Iyon na ang huli kong sinabi bago umalis sa harap niya dahil kung hindi, walang katapusan ang pagtatanong niya sa akin na para bang hindi siya nauubusan ng stock ng mga tanong. 

Hindi na ako magtataka kung minsan itatanong sa akin ni Yves kung ano ang paborito kong numero o kung ano mang walang kwentang bagay na ginagawa niyang importante.

Dala ang backpack at bitbit ang bag na puno ng regalo, naglakad na ako papalabas ng room. Sa pagliko ko ay may biglang lumitaw na sulat. A girl was holding the letter like she is offering it to me. 

"Vince..." She called nervously. Hindi ako sumagot at nanatiling nakatingin sa kaniya. This isn't new to me but this is the only one who actually has the guts to utter a word before handing me anything. Halos lahat kasi ay basta-basta na lang iniiwan sa lamesa ko o di kaya naman ipapa-abot kay Yves.

"Uhm... congratulations! I-I made this letter for you... to admit my feelings," she said and looked me in the eyes. "But I swear! I am not asking you to reciprocate my feelings. I-I am not asking for anything in return." Mabilis ang bawat salita niya at halatang kabado siya.

Contrary to everyone's stereotyping, I don't like it when someone is confessing their feelings for me. It's liberating on their part but it's a burden for me. Now, I have to say something that would not hurt her. Because if I don't, this girl will surely be embarrassed and humiliated. 

I am not that rude. I have a sister and I don't even want to see her cry or more be embarrassed. Kay heto ako ngayon, tinatanggap ang letter na gawa niya. Pwede na kaya ito? 

"T-thank you," she said in relief. But when I placed it along with the other letter and gifts, the emotion that I was trying to avoid plastered in her face. 

I cleared my throat. "Why do you like me?" I asked para lang mawala sa isip niya ang kahihiyan. At least, I talked to her, right?

"H-huh? Uhm... because... uhm... you look so good. Your dimples... and your smile! And... you're nice and s-smart."  

I scratched my nose a little when I heard her answer. For me... that's shallow. To like someone base on physical attributes and second-hand description. Bakit ba ayaw nila sa mga taong kilala na nila ng lubusan? Mas ginugusto pa nila yung mga taong hindi naman talaga nila kilala.

"Thank you, " I curtly said and bowed my head to her before excusing myself. I noticed that some people were whispering in the hallway but I couldn't care less. Kaya nga hindi dapat sa public umaamin ng ganon. It's an embarrassment for her and pressure on the other party.

When I got home, I saw my sister playing with her daughter, Blaire. Hindi muna ako lumapit at dumiretso na lang sa kwarto para maligo at magbihis. My sister is very strict when it comes to hygiene kaya ito na ang naging routine ko kapag gusto kong makipaglaro kay Blaire.

Ate left Blaire with me for a while dahil may biglang tumawag dito. I tried catching her attention but she won't budge! Ang maldita naman ng batang 'to! Kalaunan ay umiyak na ito kaya naman bumalik si Ate para buhatin siya.

Ang laki-laki na binubuhat parin. Napailing na lang ako habang pinagmamasdan ang bilugang mukha ni Blaire. Bata pa lang pero halatang mataray na agad. Halatang nagmana sa tatay.

"Oh, ano iyan?" Tanong niya nang makita ang bag na puno ng pagkain at kung ano-ano. She randomly picked a food and opened it. Pinakain niya din si Blaire kaya naman ngumiti na rin ang maldita. 

Tahimik ang mag-ina habang kumakain kaya naman kinuha ko ang pagkakataon na iyon para basahin ang mga dapat basahin ni Ate Louise. Alam ko naman na masyado siyang occupied kay Blaire kaya naman nakasanayan ko na basahin ang papel niya. 

Wala rin naman akong ginagawa. 

"Ask them for further research. It may be years from now but for them to foresee the loss of income in rice, it's not a good hunch." I nodded and marked the paper with the note. Ganoon ang nangyari sa mga sumunod na oras. Hindi ko din namalayan ang pagtakbo non kung hindi lang namin narinig ang mahinang hilik ni Blaire.

Nagpaalam sa akin si Ate na aakyat muna sa itaas para makahiga nang maayos si Blaire. Nanatili naman ako sa lamesa at binabasa pa ang mga report. Pero napatayo ako sa gulat bago yumukod sa kaniya. He just nodded and went upstairs.

King is indeed intimidating and cold. Parang kabaligtaran ni Ate. I'm not against their marriage in the first place kahit na arranged lang ito. Ganoon naman palagi. But I saw how he took care of my sister and that was enough for me to give him my approval silently. 

Bumalik din agad ako sa binabasa ko pero huminto ulit nang makita ko ang pagbaba ni Ate. She sat on the floor with me na parang hindi siya reyna. Umiling-iling ako sa kaniya at nagpatuloy pero nagsalita siya. 

"Nicholo." Umangat ang tingin ko sa kaniya, nagtatanong. "Wala ka bang balak magkaroon ng relasyon man lang? I mean, isn't normal at your age to explore and enter into a relationship?"

"Are we seriously talking about my love life now?" Natatawa kong tanong. 

Namula si Ate kaya mas lalo akong natawa. Alam ko naman na mahirap sa kaniya kausapin ako tungkol sa mga bagay na ito. Pero hindi na niya dapat inaalala 'to. Sasabihin ko din naman sa kaniya kung sakaling meron na, hindi naman ako nagtatago ng kung ano mang bagay sa kaniya. 

Umiling ako sa kaniya bilang sagot. "Wala," may pinalidad na sabi ko. "Wala akong balak."

***

June 11.