It's You

Seven

CHAPTER 7
HER REASON

Chesca, Zack and I decided to spend our remaining time at the library after we had our lunch at the cafeteria before proceeding to our next class.

I can't concentrate with what I'm reading right now because of the incident this morning. Monday na monday at ganoon pa ang bubungad sa akin. It keeps on bothering me kahit di naman talaga sana big deal yun or is it?

"You've grown beautifully iha," Mr.Montreal said and smiled, nasa hallway padin kami pero tumabi lang sa gilid para di makaabala ng mga dadaan. I've already said my apology and he said that it's okay.

"T-thank you po," I said shyly. I don't know how to approach him kaya I asked nalang kung pano niya ako nakilala because this is the first time that I get to face to face with him.

"So kinukwento ka pala ni Seb sa Dad niya noong bata pa kayo?" biglang nagsalita si Chesca, dahilan para bumalik ako sa ulirat ko.

"Yes? Iyon ang sabi ni Mr. Montreal kaya daw pamilyar ako sa kanya," I answered at tiniklop ang librong di ko rin naman napagtuunan ng pansin.

"Bilib din ako sa memory ni Daddy Montreal ah," singit ni Zack kaya napatingin kami sa kanya. "Biruin mo namukhaan ka niya. He said that he only saw you on pictures that Seb brought home after your 7th birthday," he continued.

"Sabi ni Zack tinawag ka daw na Tori ni Mr. Montreal, why?" takang tanong naman ni Chesca.

I held the pendant of my necklace and showed it to them. I told them that this was Seb's birthday gift to me. It is a simple gold necklace at manipis lang siya. The pendant is a halved sun with my cursive name written next to it. I haven't wore this for some time now. Di ko rin alam kung anong pumasok sa isip ko at sinuot ko 'to ngayon.

"Then why 'Tori'? Bakit 'di Alex or Alexis, o kaya Victoria?" Zack asked and held my necklace inspecting it's pendant. I slapped his hand kasi parang sinasakal na niya ako. Tinawanan lang niya 'ko. So sinasadya niya talaga!

"Because Seb usually calls me Tori when we were kids kaya ganon," I answered Zack.

Back then, dahil nga madalas kaming dalawa lang ni Seb ang nakakapaglalaro, naisipan namin na gumawa ng tawagan. He called me Tori, short for Victoria. Siya naman, I called him Ian, short for Sebastian.

"Kailan pa kaya natin makikilala itong si Seb no?" Chesca said at nag-lean sa sandalan ng inuupuan niya. "I bet pogi din yun just like his Dad," she continued at pumalakpak pa na animoy kinikilig kaya sinita tuloy kami ng librarian. Napaisip din naman ako sa sinabi niya.

Kumusta ka na kaya ngayon, Ian? Sambit ko sa isip ko at napabuntong-hininga

"Okay enough with Seb, si Eli naman pag-usapan natin daliii!" sabi ni Zack at naglean sa desk giving his full attention to me, ganon din ang ginawa ni Chesca. Napailing nalang ako sa dalawa.

Di talaga nila ko titigilan hangga't di ko nachichika sa kanila 'to eh. Siguro dahil alam nilang Eli and I were inseparable back when were still in highschool. She's my OG bestfriend, kaya lang one day bigla nalang siyang hindi namansin without explanation. Hanggang noong dinner namin last Saturday, doon lang kami nagkausap ng masinsinan.

Nasa gilid kami ng pool nang gabing 'yon nakaupo habang nakalubog ang mga paa sa tubig. She's the one who approached me and ask of we could talk. Hinayaan nalang din kami ni Ali because he knew what happened between me and his twin.