Embracing the Cold

Chapter 2

Hindi pa rin humuhupa ang usap-usapan kahit mag-iisang buwan na simula nung camping. Not that I care, naririnig ko kasi ang pangalan ko everywhere sa school.

Nasa cafeteria ako when a group of girls approached me.

"Hi Quish! Totoo ba yung nangyari---" I don't know her, really. She was wearing our school uniform, she was pretty with her heavy make ups. Tiningala ko lang siya since nakaupo na ako at nasa harapan ko silang apat, nakatayo.

"Yeah." Tamad kong putol sa pagsasalita niya. Napasinghap silang apat. Inirapan ko lang.

"You kissed Bryce Lim?" Nag-iingat niyang tanong.

"I don't consider it a kiss." Simple kong sagot bago inikot ikot ang pasta sa tinidor at kinain.

"That was a kiss. We saw you---" sabat ng isa. Cheerleader ata ito sa isang cheering squad.

"You saw it pala, why do you have to ask me?" Tamad kong sagot sa kanilang apat.

"We just want a confirmation from you, you know." Sabat ng isa pang di ko kilala. Wala naman talaga akong kilala sa kanila. If there's someone I know, it's only Andrea and Anthony. I don't socialize that much. Alam ko naman ang habol nila sa akin. Just because my family name is famous and rich, they wanted to befriends with me.

"The moment you saw it, iyon na ang confirmation." Walang pakealam kong sagot, patuloy na kumakain. Hindi ko na nga sila tinatapunan nang tingin.

"You're a relationship wrecker, didn't you know he broke up with his girlfriend because of that?" Nanliliit ang mata ng isa habang pinapaliwanag sa akin iyon.

"I don't care. I don't know that guy, anyway." Balewala ko sa sinabi niya pero napaisip ako.

He broke up with his girlfriend because of that? What an asshole.

Siya pa ang nakipaghiwalay? Sinong matinong lalake ba ang makikipaghiwalay for that reason. He could save their relationship by telling his girl the truth. That I initiated a.. smack. Well, that was a smack. Besides, marami ang nakakita. Sino man ang girlfriend niya, good for her. That guy was an asshole.

Umalis ang apat sa harapan ko na nakabusangot. Papalapit naman si Andrea, dala-dala ang tray niya. Nilapag niya ito sa harap ko.

Nakangiti siya, inirapan ko naman.

"Why do you have to be here?" tanong ko kaagad sa kanya.

"To eat?" Natatawa niyang tanong pabalik.

"Go find another table," simple kong sagot. Umiinom na ng tubig.

"I stalked Bryce Lim's facebook account and he is so gwapo---" nanggigigil ko siyang tinapunan ng tingin.

"Can you just get over what happened? It's already a month!" Iritado kong putol sa kanya.

"Chill, I'm not teasing you here. I just want to say na I chatted him---" Nanlaki ang mata kong ibinalik ang tingin sa kanya.

"You.. what?" Now I'm all ears.

"I chatted him last night---"

"What the fuck, Andrea? You did that? Why?" Sunod-sunod kong tanong.

"Stop assuming. I just added him and he confirmed me right away. I chatted him, and you're not our topic." Paliwanag niya, natatawa. Para bang it's unusual for me to let her hear this long.

"Do what you want. Just don't mention to him na we know each other." Sabi ko bago tumayo. Naglakad na ako patungo sa classroom. Boys greeted me in the hallway and I maintained my bitch face.

Nilabas ko ang cellphone ko nang nakapasok na ako sa classroom. I logged in to my Facebook account at sunod-sunod ang beep nito. This is why I hate social media, napakaingay. Hindi ko na tiningnan ang notification and messages. Dumiretso ako sa search bar at itinype ang 'Bryce Lim'. Marami ang lumabas pero pawang mga fan page or fan account ata. The fuck? Celebrity ba yun? May isang 'Bryce Alleo Lim' ang niclick ko. I guess ito yung official account niya. Base na rin sa likes and shares ng profile pictures niya. Famous pala. Ia-add ko na sana nang napansin ko na may nakalagay na sa baba ng profile niya na