Chapter 13
What a weekend!
Kung ano-ano nalang ang nalalaman ko at hindi ko pa ito na-proseso. Who the hell can process that information quickly? Kasama ko si Dave mahigit sa isang taon at hindi man lang ako nagtaka o napansin man lang. They both hid the secret well.
No one inside the school ever talked that Dave is Mayor's illegitimate child. Ako nga, buong akala ko'y si Tito ang tatay ni Dave. Tito is treating Dave as his own child.
Mazro and Dave being siblings explains the similarity of their looks.
The features of Dave's mother are the ones dominant. Hindi rin maitatanggi na may anggulo na kahawig sila ni Mayor. Why didn't I thought of that?
This is making me insane.
Pumasok na ako sa classroom. Some of my classmates are here so as Dave.
Act normal.
Umupo na ako sa upuan ko. I got his attention. Napatingin siya sa akin no'ng umupo ako. Sinusubukan kong 'wag siyang pansinin hanggang sa aking makakaya.
This is going to be hard.
"Pwede ba tayong mag-usap?" dinig kong saad ni Dave.
Hindi ako nag-abalang tumingin sa posisyon niya. I kept myself busy with this history book of mine.
"I'm not available right now. Nag-aaral ako para sa quiz natin sa history mamaya." I said as a matter of fact.
Though hate ko talaga ang subject na 'to, wala akong magagawa. Alam ni Dave kung gaano ko ka-ayaw ang history. We're that close.
Hindi na siya nagsalita pa at nagsimula siyang magsulat. I'm trying my best to know what he's doing with my peripheral vision.
I don't know why I'm doing it, all I just know is that I am not ready to talk with him. Para akong tanga, hindi naman kami ang may issue, ang pamilya naman nila.
I groaned. Why am I acting this way?!
The bell rang and all the students gathered at the social hall for the morning assembly. Mag-isa ako. Sinubukan kong hindi siya makasama kahit sa paglakad lang.
We were so damn close and here we are now. Ako lang ata ang ginagawang big deal ang lahat.
Am I overreacting to what's happening?
I managed to stay lenient with him throughout the ceremony. Naintindihan niya ata ang gusto kong mangyari dahil hindi siya nagtangkang lapitan ako. The real deal is that magkatabi 'yong upuan namin sa loob ng classroom. I don't know the point of what I'm doing.
The classes started and I focused on our lecture. I just need to go through with this day. Hindi naman siguro mahirap 'yon.
Mabuti nalang at wala kaming upcoming play kaya wala kaming practice at hindi ko makikita si Mazro. Well, I haven't seen him this day. Hindi ko nga siya nakita sa ceremony kanina. Hindi ko rin naman alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko sa kanya. Actually, I don't know what to say to both Maz and Dave.
Ano ba naman ang sasabihin ko pagkatapos kong biglaan silang tinanong kung magkapatid ba sila at tumakbo? That was a dumb stunt. I was out of my mind at that moment.
"That's it for today. You can now have your lunch." our teacher said.
"Goodbye, Ma'am!"
Oh! Tapos na pala ang discussion. I was hell spacing out.
Focus, Jenim!
Niligpit ko na ang mga gamit ko para pumunta na sa canteen at mag-lunch. Wala akong dalang ulam, kailangan kong bumili.
"Jenim."
I stopped.
"Bakit?" tanong ko. Hindi ako nagpasyang tumingin sa gawi niya.
"Sa canteen ka kakain ng lunch?" tanong niya.
"I still don't know. Bibili lang siguro ako ng ulam do'n." sagot ko naman.
"Sabay na tayo. Libre na kita." dinig kong saad niya.
This time I looked at him.
"'Wag na. Okay lang ako." sagot ko at pilit na binigyan siya ng ngiti.
I know it looked really fake and he's not buying it.
"Why not?"
Bakit nga ba? I sighed.
"Sabay na tayong kumain at hindi mo na ako kailangang ilibre." sabi ko at tumalikod.
This time, he's not arguing with me. Tama na siguro, tama ng tratuhin ako na walang kakayahan para sa aking sarili. I think I am not born to be treated that way, I know myself.
Nakasunod siya sa akin habang naglalakad kami. How weird. I'm not used to this. Sabay kaming pumila at bumili ng pagkain. Nakahanap agad kami ng bakanteng upuan at umupo. I placed my bag beside me and grabbed my food out.
Hindi ako nagsalita at nagsimulang kumain. Alam kong sobrang salungat nito sa nakasanayan namin... as if I know what to say.
"Spill it." sabi ko.
I sensed that he's been glancing numerous times at me while eating.
"Sorry for what you heard the last time." he started.
"No, sorry for meddling with your bussines." I apologized.
I owe them an apology for being nosy.
"What you heard was right, kapatid ko si Mazro. He's three months older than me. I'm sorry for not telling you because I thought it wasn't something worth telling and I also thought that you wouldn't care about it."
I dropped my utensils and looked at him.
"Nalaman ko ito no'ng nagpakilala sa akin si Mizee at Mazro no'ng unang araw ko bilang high school student. They told me we are siblings. Sobrang naguluhan ako, iniwan ko sila dahil buong akala ko pinaglalaruan lang nila ako. Tinanong ko si Mama pagdating ko sa bahay at umiyak lang siya. That's how I knew what Mizee and Mazro were saying was true."
Bakit hindi niya magawang makipag-ayos? Humihingi naman ng tawad si Mazro, ah.
"I know what you're thinking. Hindi gano'n kadali 'yon. Iniwan niya ang Mama ko at hindi man lang nagpakita sa akin hanggang ngayon."
"Maybe you're not giving him a chance?" hindi ko mapigilang magsalita.
"He's just not trying hard enough."
He sighed.
"Alam mo namang gusto kita diba, Jenim?"
How is that connected to what we were just talking.
I remained silent.
"Why can't you give me a chance to express it? Am I not trying hard enough?"
That's it.
"Alam mo namang ikaw lang ang pinakamalapit kong kabigan, diba? I value our friendship and I don't want to ruin the bond that we have."
I looked at him.
"I don't want to trade our friendship for love." I added.
^_^
