La Union Series #01 : The Secret Contract

01

"Please Riva! sige na please!! Hindi ko talaga magagawa yun kasi birthday ng pinsan ko, Gusto ko man pero onti na lang kasi bibingo na ako kay daddy!" Ngumuso pa nga si Erika habang nakapulupot ang mga braso sa akin. We are part of the School Paper committee. We are both writers, and now ako ang ginugulo niya dahil may tinanggap silang isang interview na gusto niya ipasa sakin.

I shook my head, "Wag na ako, hindi ko pa tapos yung akin eh!"
"Pleasee!! libre ko na lunch mo for the whole month. Saka interview lang naman, ako mag-susulat." Her offer is tempting especially ngayon na kailangan ko magtipid dahil next school year ay graduating na ako.

"Two months." Ani ko sabay halukipkip.

She sighed in defeat, "Kung hindi lang talaga badtrip sa akin si Papa hindi ako papayag, pero sige two months free lunch..." Ngisi niya.

"fine akin na!" I laughed saka kinuha sa kanya ang papel na naglalaman ng mga tanong for her interview. "Saan mo ba siya iinterview?" I asked.

"Library. Kilala mo naman si Theo ng section 1 diba? I mean sino hindi nakakakilala sa kanya?" she laughed sabay kinilig kilig pa. I nodded, "Oh sige na mauna na ako, magbibihis pa ako ang asim ko na!" kaway niya bago naglakad palayo.

I sighed bago tumungo sa kung saan ang mga locker, it's already 3:30. Kinuha ko doon ang mga gamit ko bago lumakad papunta sa library, when I was about to enter the room ay may nakabungguan pa nga ako, "I'm sorry." Ani ng isang baritonong boses, I groaned as I squat to pick up my books, "Sorry nagmamadali ako." Ani ko, I looked up and sighed in relief.

"Theo right? Ikaw yung iinterviewhin ni Erika? Ako ang mag-interview sayo, She got busy with family matters." I explained. He just nodded. He pushed his glasses upwards bago iniabot sa akin ang mga gamit na nalaglag ko. "Don't worry hindi naman matatagalan."

Theo and his brother Tyron is known sa buong Lorma at ng buong San Fernando for being a Vertuso, a prominent family here in La Union. Yun nga lang they aren't as privileged as their other cousins. Ang sabi sabi, ay hindi sila tanggap ng pamilya ng ina dahil hindi naman galing sa mayaman na pamilya ang kanilang ama.

"Okay.. tara sa loob?" He asked. Tumango ako, binuksan niya pa ng mas malawak ang pintuan para makadaan ako. "Salamat."

I started asking him questions na nakasulat sa papel ni erika, halos lahat naman ay tungkol sa kanyang academic achievements and how he's gonna represent the whole La Union for the Region 1 Math Quiz Bee.

Tipid siya sumagot and very proper. He looks cold, he doesnt look arrogant neither looks friendly. He's just... him. He stands out, not because he's smart but he got the looks. His hair is styled carefully, matangos ang ilong, kanyang mga kilay akala mo pinagawa pa, his jaw is strong, unlike his little brother his features is on the rougher side but in a good way. His skin is perfectly tanned. No wonder girls falls for him, but for some odd reason he's never been linked with anyone, nor is he close with any girls.

"and last question, are you gay- what the.." Agad ako napatingin sa kanya at kinabahan cause now his expression changed, tinaas niya ang isang kilay na tila ba naasar. "I swear hindi ako yung gumawa ng tanong, sinusunod ko lang yu-" Hindi ko naman inaasahan na pati ganitong tanong ay kailangan FOR A SCHOOL NEWS PAPER!

"I'm not gay." He said as if trying to save my face from further embarrassment. I nodded and muttered an apology. That ended with him just walking away right after I said thank you.

Dudurugin ko talaga si Erika bukas, nakakahiya pinag-tripan ata ako nun eh! Pagkalabas ng gate naabutan ko pa si Theo but this time kasama niya ang kapatid. May iniabot si Tyron sa kanya before they seperated ways. He was heading towards the direction kung saan din ako dadaan.