"Lalaina!" Tila nabingi ata ako sa tiling iyon ni Alex. Napatingin ako sa paligid at nakitang maraming estudyante ang napalingon din sa amin. Hiyang-hiya ako at halos itago ko na ang aking mukha gamit ang mga dala-dala kong libro.
Together with Alex are Florence and Aria. They own a special place in my heart and serve as the lifetime comforts of my life. They are my bestfriends. We've been together since grade school. I never thought of being with them for like almost of my life. We were 7 years old back then. We're so young to the point that we consider each other as treasures without us noticing it.
We play together. Go to school together and go home together. All of that changed when my parents decided to take part ways and go back to how they were before meeting each other. After that, we encountered financial problems that my mother can't even afford to buy me three meals everyday. Later on, my mom decided to sold our house and buy a smaller one instead. I also need to transfer to another school because we can no longer pay for my tuition and other school fees.
I literally cried the moment I went to my new school during the first day. I missed them. I worry about not knowing anyone there so much. I wasn't active for days, maybe because I'm still adjusting.
There comes the day which I never really thought about happening. I was in total shock when I saw Alex, Florence, and Aria in front of my classroom. I thought they were just visiting but they actually transferred too!
That started our friendship, well maybe that's what I thought. Maybe we already started it the first time we saw each other.
"God! Tone down your voice Alex!" saway ni Aria.
"Yeah, you look like in some sort of a basketball game." Humalakhak si Florence matapos sabihin iyon.
"Sorry I was excited, ok? Finally, you're here na! OMG!" Sagot naman ni Alex sa kanila.
Pagkatapos ng maikling pag-uusap ay napagplanuhan naming pumunta na sa classroom dahil ilang minuto na lang ay magsisimula na ang klase. I'm so glad we're classmates.
"Lalaina!" Lumingon ako at nakitang si Sandra iyon. Siya iyong binubully nila Harriet last time. We became friends after that. "Oh, you have your friends with you." Bigla siyang nahiyang lumapit sa'min matapos sabihin iyon.
"Uh yeah. This is Alex, Florence, and Aria. Guys, this is Sandra."
"Hi! Nice meeting you!" si Alex. Napakabibo masyado.
"Hi!" Nahihiyang sumagot si Sandra.
"You know what, you should come with us. We're friends now." Suhestiyon ni Florence matapos malaman ang nangyari kay Sandra. Sa aming lahat, siya itong napakamahinahon plus the fact that she's also kind and beautiful. Sumang-ayon naman ang ibang kaibigan ko doon. Basang-basa ko ang tuwa sa mukha ni Sandra ng marinig niya iyon.
Pagpasok naming ay humanap agad kami ng puwesto kung saan magkakatabi kami. Wala pa yung adviser namin so nag-usap na lang kami habang naghihintay at ganon din ang ibang estudyante na andito na. Nagulat kami nang tumahimik ang buong paligid. Lumingon kami at nakitang pumasok ang grupo nila Harriet kasunod iyong lalaking napakadamot sa lapis. May katabi din siyang dalawang lalaki na matangkad at masasabi kong gwapo rin.
Alalay ba siya ni Harriet? Sa gwapo niyang 'yan? Sayang.
"Oh, we're in the same class." Harriet has a wide smile plastered on her face when she said that. Tumingin siya kay Sandra sunod ay sa amin. "You have new friends, I see. Nice meeting you all!" She said as if she's so friendly.
"We'll get going." Sabi ni Lucius kay Harriet.
"Oh, okay. Goodluck!" Sabi naman ni Harriet at akmang yayakapin nito si Lucius nang biglang tumalikod ito. Mahina akong napatawa dahil sa nasaksihan ko. Masamang tumingin sa akin iyong Harriet na akala mo'y maya-maya lang ay papatayin na 'ko. Napatingin din tuloy si Lucius sa'kin. Umiwas na lang ako kunwari ay may kukunin ako sa bag ko.
"See you later." Paalam ni Lucius. Tiningnan ko uli siya. Before he turned his back, I saw him smirked playfully. Mas lalo siyang gumagwapo 'pag ginagawa niya iyon.
Nang matapos na ang klase ay sabay-sabay kaming nag-ayos ng gamit subalit nauna akong lumabas. I saw Lucius outside our classroom together with his two friends. Nakasandal ang dalawa niyang siko sa railings at bahagyang nakayuko habang mahinang tumatawa sa sinasabi ng kaibigan niya. Pinagmasdan ko lamang siya hanggang sa di ko namalayan na matagal na pala akong nakatitig sakanya.
Nagulat ako ng tumingin siya sa'kin! Our eyes met. I was still in shock and I don't know what to do! Iiwas ba 'ko ng tingin? O hindi? Tumaas ang kilay nito na sa tingin ko'y kinukwestiyon ako. And there he is again and his playful smirk. Napaiwas ako ng tingin ng dahil don. Mabuti na lamang at dumating na din sina Alex.
"O ba't parang natatae ka na d'yan?" Tanong ni Alex.
"Ayos ka lang?" Nag-aalalang tanong naman ni Florence.
"Alam ko na ang itsurang 'yan eh! Itsura 'yan ng mga taong di inaasahang pinansin ng crush nila!" Pabirong sabi ni Aria. Crush? Si Lucius? I immediately grimaced at that thought.
"Tumahimik ka nga!" Asik ko naman sa kanya. Tila napa- "O" ang mga bibig nila na parang may nakumpirma. Matapos noon ay nagtawanan sila. Naiinis naman akong lumakad palayo sa kanila. Hiyang-hiya ako at nag-aalalang baka narinig iyon ni Lucius! Naramdaman ko pang sinundan niya ako ng tingin habang naglalakad.
Napahiya na naman ako!
