The Ruthless (Quantum Meruit Series #1)

21. Boyfriend

21.
Boyfriend

━━━━━━━

It had been a month and some days after the second semester had opened. Malapit na naman ang midterm exams. Ilang buwan na lang, graduation na namin.

It was still weird to me how fast the time flew. Parang noon lang, pumasok ako sa law school na hindi sigurado sa lahat. Pero ngayon, kaunting-kaunti na lang ay lilisanin ko na ito para sa mas malaking bagay.

"Tapatin mo nga kami, Will."

Mula sa pagsusulat ng digest ay nilingon ko si Ate Mira na nakapangalumbaba at seryoso ang tingin sa akin. Samantalang si Bredant naman na katabi niya ay panay ang pagsulyap sa akin, hindi kayang iwan ang inaaral.

"Kayo na ba ni Prosec. Calleja?"

My brows arched. "What kind of stupid question is that?"

"Stop lying to us, okay?" Umayos siya sa pagkakaupo. "So, kayo na nga?"

Ang kulit, a. "Hindi nga kasi. How did you think of that?"

"You're always seen with him. And you brought him to Hettiane's birthday. That spoke volume of you two." She squinted her eyes at me. "Kailan pa naging kayo?"

I groaned and stopped what I was doing to fully dedicate myself to her. "Ate, gusto ko rin siyang maging jowa. Kaso hindi talaga kami."

She blinked like she couldn't believe what I said. "What? Sa lagay na 'yon, hindi kayo magkarelasyon?"

"Oo nga, Will," sabat ni Bredant na ngayon ay sumuko na sa inaaral at bumigay na sa pagiging tsismoso. "Seryoso kang 'di kayo? E madalas ko kayong makitang magkasama nitong mga nakaraan . . ."

Napaikot ako ng mga mata. "Diyos ko. Ang kulit niyo, a. Hindi nga kasi . . ." I raised my right arm. "I swear, hindi ko talaga siya boyfriend."

"E, ba't lagi kayong magkasama?" intriga pa ni Ate Mira, hindi kumbinsido sa sinabi ko.

Nagkibit-balikat ako at ipinagpatuloy ang pagsusulat. "It just happens."

Sigfred was literally everywhere. We were friends — at least that was what I thought. So of course our encounters would lead to inviting somewhere and talking for a while. Ganoon lang naman.

Although I wished the rumor was true.

Ate Mira scoffed. "Ang hina naman pala ni Prosec."

Ngumisi ako at hindi na umimik pa.

Sigfred decided not to teach this semester. Ang pumalit sa kanya ay isang sikat na law book author sa remedial law. Hindi niya nabanggit sa akin kung bakit ganoon ang naging desisyon niya. But I guessed it had something to do with his job. Nahihirapan na siguro siyang isabay ang pagtuturo.

I missed him. Kahit na ba nagkikita rin kami, iba rin iyong kinasanayan kong nagtuturo siya.

"Pero nililigawan ka?"

Natigil ako sa pagsusulat. Napansin iyon ni Ate Mira kaya tumigil din siya at nilingon ako.

"H-hindi."

Ate Mira expelled an annoyed breath. "But he knows you like him, right? In denial pa rin ba?"

"I'm not sure."

"Ay, lintik," Bredant reacted which had me turning my head to him. Bihira kasi siya magmura. "Akala ko naman may progress na kayo."

Tabingi akong ngumiti.

At first, I was sure Sigfred got feelings for me, too. I was confident. But lately, I couldn't say the same thing. Bukod sa hindi na namin napag-uusapan ang tungkol sa confession ko noon, his actions became too friendly. Friendly, like he was treating me like a friend. Wala namang kaso iyon noong una sa akin dahil mas maganda ngang ganoon para mas makilala namin ang isa't isa. But it was getting annoying lately.