Broken To Make Wishes

Chapter 07

My fever lasted for two days so I was absent for two days, also. Same with Placido. But I had been avoiding him. Everytime he touched my forehead, I always reluctantly slapped his hand away and covered myself with my blanket. Hindi siya umaalis hanggang sa maggabi.

He's being patient with me but I didn't care. Pinapaasa niya lang ako. Paasa siya.

Lumipas ang mga araw na iniiwasan ko si Placido. That's how I moved on, perhaps. Paulit-ulit na ang pag-iwas ko, na sa tingin ko ay nahahalata na rin ng mga kaibigan ko. I was trying my best to hide it, though.

Sa umaga ay nananatili ako sa school ni Eirian hanggang sa mag-alas siyete. My reason was that Eirian didn't want me to go until Teacher Ina or some of her classmates comes. Naniwala naman yata sila sa rason ko. Hindi ko alam kung bakit, e, ayaw nga ni Eirian na lagi akong kasama kasi nagsasawa na siya sa pagmumukha ko.

Sa recess at lunch naman ay saksak ng earphone ang tainga ko at naglalaro ng puzzle games sa phone para hindi kung saan-saan napupunta ang tingin at pandinig. Sometimes, some of my friends complained that I was too consumed of my phone to even talk to them. But little did they know, I was just avoiding a conversation with someone.

Sa hapon naman ay hindi na yata kailangan ng excuse. Every four, kung walang utos ang mga teacher sa akin, I instantly went to Eirian's school. And waiting there was Sorin. Minsan ay hinahatid niya kami ni Eirian pauwi, that I thought I owed him everything.

"So, how was your ex-girlfriend? Umiyak ba siya?" I asked while gawking at my pork barbecue.

We're across the school, sa mga food stalls. Dahil nakalimutan kong maglagay ng ulam sa lunch box ko, wala akong nagawa kundi ang lumabas kasama sila Dara para magpaluto ng barbecue. Dumiretso nga lang sa 7/11 sina Dara at Miles kaya naiwan ako kasama si Sorin.

Sorin told me that he broke up with her girlfriend, but it's vague. Ang sinabi niya lang ay okay lang ang nangyaring pangchi-cheat ng babae dahil hindi naman daw talaga nila mahal ang isa't isa. Na naging sila lang daw for pleasure.

Paanong pleasure, e, long distance sila? Paano 'yon? Um, what do they call that? 'Yong something na sa phone... err. Gano'n ba?

Sorin laughed.

"Umiyak? That's the least thing she'd do, Fontanilla. Like I told you, we were both in this relationship to pleasure each other, not because we loved each other."

"So, hindi na siya vir—" My lips parted when my supposedly question registered on my mind. I mentally slapped myself.

Goodness gracious, Sitara! Gusto kitang murahin at sabunutan! Sa publiko mo pa talaga naisipang itanong iyan?! My face literally burned!

Kaagad akong umiling kay Sorin.

"Never mind my question, please. It doesn't matter kung birhen pa siya o hindi. Virgin or not, it wouldn't make her less of a woman."

Binalingan ni Sorin ang isaw niya at kumuha ng isa pagkatapos ay ibinalik sa akin ang kaniyang atensyon. Mas lalo akong namula! I even raised a brow because he's just staring at me as if I was the ugliest girl ever!

"I know that I'm ugly so, no need to stare, really—"

He raised his finger in the air to shut me up. "Wait. Slow down. You're so confident of other women's beauty but you're not to yourself. Don't be unfair, Fontanilla."

I rolled my eyes but pouted after. Kumuha ako ng isang isaw niya at kinagatan ito. Babayaran ko na lang siya mamaya.

"I never asked you this pero paano mo nalaman na Fontanilla ang surname ko? Hindi naman siguro galing sa kapatid ko since Vista naman ang akala niyang apelyido ko."