Becoming The Man (COMPLETED)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

I was at class pa rin for an oral recitation. It was pass or fail and pwede ka lang maka-labas once you finish answering the question. Nag-shuffle na ulit si sir ng index cards.

"Lofranco."

My gosh! I stood up and buti nalang, na-review ko yung question na in-ask sa akin kaya I passed.

I hurriedly picked up my things and scrammed the room. Papunta ako ng canteen because I know Bailey's waiting there. Kanina pa kasi siya done mag-recite.

When I got there, naabutan ko siyang palabas ng SSG office.

"Pasado ka?" he asked with high spirits.

"Ako pa ba?" I replied, flipping my hair. "Hey, what did you do there? May meeting ba tayo today?"

"Uhm... wala naman," sagot niya. "Kinausap ko lang si Ma'am."

"About what?"

"Nako, 1pm na pala," he replied instead. "Punta na tayo sa court. Hinihintay na tayo dun ng ibang officers."

We've been working on the stage design for the upcoming JS Prom. Before, teachers lang talaga yung in-charge dito but this year, they teamed up with us to get the student's perspective.

Hinati kami into two groups na alternate magse-stay after class. The others busied themselves with the decor while Valerie and I worked on the program flow.

"Sleepy ka na?" Bailey asked. Napa-stop ako sa ginagawa ko. "Coffee?"

"Marami pa tayong ginagawa, e," I replied.

"Well, marami rin naman silang maiiwan," he said. I rolled my eyes. Itong president talaga na 'to, oh! "Plus, mabilis lang naman tayong mawawala. Let's go?"

"Fine," I said, grabbing my wallet, phone and jacket.

I asked Luigi muna to message me if ever hanapin kami ni Ma'am before kami umalis ni Bailey. We were walking side by side under the streetlight. I looked at my watch and saw na it's 7pm na rin pala.

"We're here," Bailey said when he stopped walking.

"7-Eleven?"

"Oo... 'Di ko naman afford i-libre ka sa coffee shop, e."

"You don't have to make libre me naman. I can pay."

"Ako 'yung lalaki, dapat ako nangti-treat sayo."

"Ano ka ba?" I said, bumping his shoulder. "Not because lalaki ka, you're already obliged to make libre the girl na always, 'no. Relationship is, like, give and take kaya dapat."

"Sabi mo, e... So, okay ka na dito?"

"Basta kasama ka, okay na ako," I said before taking his hand and entering the convenience store. Bailey insisted na siya na raw ang pipila so I waited lang sa isang table sa gilid.

"Thanks," I said when he handed me a cup of black coffee.

"Gising na diwa mo?"

"Yeah," I replied, laughing. "Thank you ulit."

"So... ano nang plans mo after high school?"

"Why'd you ask?"

"I don't know... I mean, after high school, mag-iiba na priorities natin, right?" he said. Kumunot ang noo ko. "I just want to know if I'm still part of your plans."

"Huy, ano ka ba?"

"Kaya nga kita tinatanong, e."

"Of course naman, you're still part of my plan," I said. "We'll go to UP together and have study sessions sa lib together, tapos party on Friday nights."