I am walking down the hallway together with Aly, Lu, and Ak. Just a typical day, We need to enter school before 8 am kasi may mga morning classes kami.
"Aly," Pag-tawag ni Ak.
"Oh," sagot naman ni Aly. Maybe she's not on her usual mode kasi hindi ko pa siya nakitang ngumiti magmula noong dumating kami sa school and it's quite unusual kasi palagi siyang masaya. 75
"That man yesterday, who is he?" Tanong niya. When Aly seems to get wrong ideas "Pinapatanong ni Finlo," biglang sambit nito na ikinagulat ko.
Ano ang kinalaman ko sa tanong na yun? I am not even aware na until now interested parin itong si Ak sakanya.
"Kailan ko tinanong?" Naguguluhan kong sabi dahil wala naman akong maalala na ipinapatanong ko iyon.
Wala akong narinig na sagot kundi ang kurot sa aking bewang.
"Why, you like him ba Fin?" Tanong naman agad ni Aly sabay ngiti. Tignan mo nga ito, kanina lang hindi maipinta iyong mukha pero ngayon nagliliwanag iyong mga mata niya... Tsk.
"No," agad ko namang sagot. Paano ko naman magugustuhan iyon kung kahapon ko lang siya nakita, parang alam ko na kung saan nanaman mapupunta itong usapan namin. Ibubugaw nanaman ako naku po.
"That's Diego, he's a friend of me and Jacob." Pag papakilala nito. "He's nice Finlo," dagdag pa nito bago tumawa.
"Okay," sagot ko bago naglakad ng mabilis para maiwan sila. Ang aga-aga kung ano ano nanaman ang pinagsasasabi nila.
Alistaire and Casper were late, but they're still laughing while they are entering our room kaya naman napagalitan sila ng aming professor mga baliw talaga.
After our morning classes we decided to eat in the school cafeteria nalang instead of eating outside the campus medyo hassle kasi pag lalabas pa ng campus baka ma-traffic pa kami.
"I'll order na," said Casper who seems to be in his good mood kasi kanina pa nakangiti tsk... may nabola nanaman atang babae. "Sama ako," sabi naman ni Alistaire. "I'm also going," sabi rin ni Lu.
Sinabi nalang namin iyong mga gusto naming pagkain tsaka ibinigay iyong mga bayad sakanila so that they can already fall in line. Ang hirap kasi minsan masyadong mahaba iyong pila nauubusan kami ng mga pagkaing gusto namin.
Aly and Ak were talking about random stuffs when that man called Aly. Napatingin kaming tatlo sakanya, and God bless me it's Diego? For sure gagawa nanaman si Ak at Aly ng dahilan para mapansin niya ako.
"Can I sit with you guys?" Malumanay na tanong nito.
Nakita ko kung paano ngumisi itong si Ak na parang may ibang plano.
"Yes, you can join us," sagot agad nito na parang close niya iyong kinakausap niya.
"There," sabi niya sabay turo sa upuan na nasa tabi ko. I was about to react kaso nakita ko siyang nakatingin saakin ang rude naman pag sasabihin kong may naka-upo kahit wala pa naman talaga.
Uupo na sana siya nang biglang inupuan ni Alistaire yung upuan sabay lapag ng pagkain sa harapan ko. Nakita ko kung paano umirap si Ak at inismiran si Alistaire.
"You can sit here," sabi ni Lu while looking at the chair beside her nang mapansing nakatayo lamang si Diego sa gilid ni Alistaire na tila nag-aantay ng sasabihin nila.
We started eating while talking about random stuffs. Hindi kami nauubusan ng pinag-uusapan dahil napakaraming kwento ni Aly na akala mo'y hindi umiiyak kahapon tas idagdag mo pa iyong kabaliwan din ni Casper.
I am just quietly eating while enjoying to see how happy my friends are. Sana ganito kami lagi.
"Diego can I ask you something?" Tanong ni Ak kay Diego na ngayon ay kumakain rin. Kinabahan na ako agad nang marinig kong nagtanong itong si Ak.
"Yeah sure," agad na sagot nito habang umiinom ng binili niyang shake.
"Pinapatanong ni Finlo kung single ka raw ba?" Tanong niya.
Naibuga ko iyong iniinom kong tubig sa harapan ko buti nalang hindi umabot sakanila. Hindi ko alam kong ano ang magiging reaction ko because of that question, they are all staring at me now! Pati si Diego napatingin saakin. I don't even know why, but Alistaire's stares seems murderous. Lord help me I don't really know how to act.
"Yes, I am single," sagot nito habang diretsong nakatingin sa mga mata ko.
Agad akong umiwas sa tingin nito nang mapansin kong nakakunot ang noo ni Alistaire habang walang imik na kumakain.
Ak clapped her hand happily at looked at Aly who is now smiling from ear to ear as well. God I love our friendship but sometimes I'm questioning myself why I befriended these ladies, they are crazy.
"Single rin si Finlo," agad na sabi ni Ak na agad naman tinawanan ng mga kaibigan ko. Magsasalita na sana ako kaso naunahan na ako ni Alistaire.
"Hoy ikaw Ak ibinubugaw mo nanaman itong si Finlo ha," walang emosyong sabi ni Alistaire na seryosong nakatingin kay Ak ngayon. Inirapan lang ulit siya ni Ak sabay subo ng fries.
"Someone's jealous," malisyosong sabi ni Casper bago sumipol.
"Can you guys just eat your food nalang instead of talking none sense," sabi ko bago pa maasar itong si Alistaire.
He's always been protective to me ever since we were young. He's a childhood friend of mine because we grew up in the same subdivision.
They continued talking about random things after we finished eating. Hindi na ako nakikinig pa doon dahil hindi ko naman naiintindihan iyong pinag-uusapan nila. I'm an athlete pero wala akong alam sa basketball.
I was scrolling through my Facebook when I saw Diego looking at me. I smiled at him bago ko itinuloy iyong ginagawa ko. He seems nice naman, but I don't want to trust someone that easy.
Blockmate pala namin itong si Diego bakit hindi ko napansin?
"Finlo have you finished reading Harry Potter?" Alistaire asked. It is one of our common ground, we love the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
"I haven't finished it yet, binabasa ko pa kasi iyong mga notes ko exam is coming hello," sabi ko dito.
They are looking at us while we are talking, but Diego's eyes is looking at nowhere.
"Puro ka aral diyos ko ka, mag enjoy ka naman kahit papaano hoy," biglang sabi ni Ak.
"By the way, Fin bakit daw hindi ka na pumupunta sa bahay sabi ni mama?" Tanong ni Ak saakin.
"Can you please tell tita that I'm a bit busy," sagot ko sakanya. I really want to go and visit tita Marge again, but I don't really have time. Gusto ko sana kapag pupunta ako doon I'll stay for a bit longer since napaka ganda ng scenery sa likod ng mansion nila Ak.
"It's already one pm wala ba kayong balak pumasok sa remaining subjects natin?" Paalala ni Lu saamin.
"I haven't noticed it," rason ko naman.
We left the place and proceed to our remain classes. Medyo boring kasi magkakaiba kami ng subjects this afternoon kaya hindi kami magkakasama.
"Hi, may nakaupo na ba dito?" Diego asked out of nowhere.
"Wala pa naman," sagot ko.
He didn't speak after that and just sat beside me. Why is he here?
I can't concentrate on what my instructor is teaching for the reason that this man sitting besides me keeps on throwing glances.
"What?" I asked.
"Uhm...there's a ketchup," he said bago ituro iyong mukha ko.
I tried to wipe my lips but I wiped nothing at all.
Kinuha niya iyong panyong hawak ko at pinunasan ang gilid ng labi ko. I felt shy because of that. How can he do that without even feeling this way?
"There," sabi nito bago i-abot saakin iyong panyo ko at ngumiti.
