Adelaide

Chapter 9

A/N: The remaining chapters contain flashbacks. This will be on full, unlike the previous chapters where flashbacks are only shown partially. More than several chapters will be detailed in the past. Fasten your seatbelt.

ADELAIDE

Months passed and the conflict between Zaya and I is resolved. She isn't as bad as what I thought or what everybody says.

Gov. Montemayor is a good man, a good leader and exactly because of that, he lost time for his only child.

"Messing around was my way to get his attention. I love it when he sees me as a disappointment. It's the only way he sees me." She grinned. We are drinking Heineken at the moment. Kakatapos lang kasi ng finals namin this first semester.

Zendaya is a little drunk now. Siya rin ang tanging dahilan kung bakit umiinom na ako confidently. But we have limits tho.

"Ikaw ba? Kamusta naman mga magulang mo? Magkwento ka dali." Inaantok na usal niya. Napangiti ako dahil magaan ang loob ko sa kanya.

"Hmm, nasa Marawi sila. Kasama ang kapatid ko, dalawa lang kami magkapatid. High school pa si Avery pero susunod din yun dito pag magkacollege na siya. Si mama at papa naman ay may maliit na negosyo. Karenderya, malapit sa eskwelahan namin dati. Mahilig kasi sila magluto." Kwento ko sa kanya.

"That's good, miss mo na ata sila. Puntahan kaya natin sa sem-break? Ano?" Napangisi siya sa ideya niya. Napaisip naman ako. She then pinch my arm pero hindi namn yung tipong masakit.

"Wrangler yung gagamitin nating sasakyan kaya wag kang mag-alala sa transpo. Isama natin sina Aze, Patty at Ginger kung gusto mo pa?" Ngumiti siya at pilit nilalabanan ang antok.

Hindi naman siguro masama kung papayag ako. Ito lang yung pagkakataon ko. "Sige. Salamat ha? Akala ko talaga apat na taon ko silang hindi makikita." Pag-aamin ko. Naiyak ako dahil sa saya.

Niyakap niya ako at may sinasabi pa pero di ko maintindihan bago siya tuluyang natulog. Inalalayan ko na lang siya patungo sa kwarto ko, nandoon din kasi ang dalawang maarte nakahiga sa kama ko.

Naglasing kasi kaming apat sa pagcecelebrate dahil tapos na ang first sem. Unang nalasing ang dalawa. Si Aze naman ay sumama sa mga blockmates niya sa Crim na sina Greg at Dane. Nag karaoke yata sila.

Kinuha kong course ang Human Rights and Ethics sa field ng Forensics Science. Si Zaya naman ay Crime Scene Investigation under pa rin sa Forensics. Si Ginger ay kinuha ang Zoology at si Patty ay Psychology. Si Aze lang at si Patty at si Zendaya ang nagkataong classmates sa iba pang subjects dahil Criminology naman ang kinuha ni Aze.

Naglapag ako ng extra mat na mahigaan sa sahig kasi nagsiksikan na sina Zaya sa kama, ang likot-likot pa ni Patty. I was about to lay on the pillow when Ginger fell on the mat. Mabuti nalang at foam ito kung hindi ay mababalian siya ng buto sa likod.

"Ouchhh!" Her sleepyhead squirmed.

She is crying right now nakakatawa siyang tingnan. I looked up at nakitang si Patty, tinatandayan na ng kanyang paa ang mukha ni Zaya. She occupied Ginger's supposed space. That's why nahulog naman ang isa.

"Shhhh. You're okay now." I massaged Ginger's back. I wiped her tears with my thumb and comforted her. She stopped crying and started snoring. I just smiled at the sight of her cuteness.

"I like you Addie, I like you so much." She unconsciously mumbled. It took me by surprise. Parang hindi ako makagalaw. That night I started questioning myself bakit ako?

I know deep in me that she doesn't deserve someone like me. I'm just gonna shake it off my mind. I have a degree to hold. I have a sister to finance. At last, I closed my eyes drifting myself to sleep.

I woke up to a sensual feeling. I realized Ginger is kissing my whole face to wake me up.

"Goodmorning" She smiled.

Nagulat naman ako. I pushed her away and started wiping my face with the back of my hands.

"Ano ba? You can't just kiss someone like that." I told her. She just surpressed a giggle.

"Oh Addie, You are not just someone like that." Sabi niya pa.

"I don't want you Ginger. Let's just stay the way we're supposed to." I said as I walk passed her.

She stared at me a bit hurt. "Fine." She surrendered giving me a cup of coffee. I arched my brow by her actions.

"Ano yan?" I looked at the cup trying to figure out kung ibubuhos niya ba sa mukha ko ang laman.

She just hit my arm. "Bobo! Malamang coffee." Putangina sana hindi nalang ako nabuhay.

"Alam ko. What I mean is bakit mo ako bibigyan niyan?" I massaged the spot where she hit me. Masakit kaya.

"It's to help your hangover dumbass. Wala ka kasing ingredients for soup." She explained and insisted to give me the coffee. Tinanggap ko naman kasi sumasakit na ang ulo ko.

"Where is everyone else?" I asked. Umupo ako sa sofa while drinking my warm coffee. Bakit parang hindi tinamaan ng hangover tong babaeng 'to?

"They went out to buy breakfast. Nakauwi kasi si Aze kanina lang. He even offered me his bedroom but I love laying next to you so I refused." Bumabanat si inday niyo. Napa roll eyes naman ako, ang corny niya kasi.

A while has passed at wala pa ang tatlo. Ginger went near me and held my head. I was gonna complain but she started to massage my forehead. It was soothing and relaxing. I could fall asleep at any moment.

"Always remember, you deserve to set your mind free from all thoughts. It's okay to just stare at nothing sometimes." She said while continuously massaging me.

Just when we were done, dumating na rin ang three idiots.

"Bakit ang tagal niyo?" Nagtatampong tanong ko. Iniwan kasi nila ako kay Ginger.

"We went to the public market eh ang daming tao tapos si Aze lang ang may alam kung anong bibilhin." Paliwanag ni Zaya habang pinupunasan ang kanyang pawisang braso at katawan.

"Pwede naman na kayong umuwi, gumastos pa kayo." I stood up to help Aze with the meat and vegetables.

"Mas feel ko yung umaga dito." Sagot naman ni Patty.

"Agreee!" Zendaya seconded her opinion before approaching Ginger.

Patty just looked at Aze mouthing him a thank you. Ngumiti naman ang isa habang hinuhugasan ang gulay.

Nakakatanga ang pag-ibig, I tell you. Kaya ayaw ko rin sumabak sa mga ganyan.

We are gonna cook porkchop and law-uy while the girls are busy watching tv and asking if it's cooked already.

"Parang gusto ka ata ni Ginger. Iba kung makatingin sa'yo pare." Pagsisimula ni Aze.

"Hayaan mo, titigil rin yan." Sabat ko dito. Patuloy ako sa paghihiwa ng karne at pag peprepare ng batter para dito habang si Aze naman ay sinasaing na ang gulay sa pinakuluang tubig with all the spices and seasonings.

Ilang saglit pa ay nakahain na ang pagkain sa mesa. Inalok na namin ang mga yayamanin para kumain.

"Wow, this looks so tasty!" Patty exclaimed in excitement. Natuwa naman ako sa narinig. Even though they grew up in a different atmosphere, hindi sila naging mayabang at maarte sa pagkain. Although maarte nga sina Patty and Ginger but not in a cringeworthy way.

I never thought I'd meet this people and surpass some of the challenges this college life brought us. It feels great to have someone in a place far from home.