Belonging Season (COMPLETED)

Chapter 10

FRIEND.

"Thought about it?" bungad sa akin ni Milleth pagkapasok ko ng room.

"Not a bit," blangko kong sabi.

"As in? It's an opportunity na," she exclaimed.

"Ikaw na lang. Ayoko sa mga ganoon," ako, na papaupo pa lang sa aking upuan.

Nakakapagod rin talaga 'tong babaeng 'to. Ang lakas mamilit. Sinabing ayaw nga.

Sumimangot siya.

I looked at her and said, "Not all opportunities are open doors, some are dead ends." I said in a monotone.

"Deep," iyan lang ang tanging naisagot niya.

"But, if you want it, if it will cross your mind again, don't hesitate to tell me, this time," sabi niya.

I don't know why she keeps on pushing me to my limits. I don't know why she's sticking with me, although I treat her awfully. I don't know why being a friend to me doesn't seem like a big deal to her, but it does to me.

Dumating na ang prof pero kalaunan ay umalis rin agad. Hindi na siya nag discuss dahil finals week na next week, kaya pointers and coverage lang ang ibinigay niya sa amin.

"Caf tayo?" Aya sa akin ni Milleth.

I shook my head, indicating a 'no'.

She pouted. Mamimilit na naman ba 'to?

"Tara na," I just nodded. I felt guilty about the thought in my head earlier kaya sumama na lang ako.

"Wala rin daw tayong klase mamaya kasi absent si Ma'am," sabi noong isa pa naming kaklase nang palabas kami ng room.

I am not aware that it's not a very busy week. Pero as the old students say, it's the calm before the storm. It is the surge. Dahil sa susunod na linggo, exams week na. Mainit at maaliwalas dahil paparating na ang bagyo.

Nasa likuran lang ako nina Milleth at Jamira. Sumabay kasi siya sa amin patungong canteen. Pansin ko rin kasing close rin sila ni Milleth mula pa noong unang buwan palang ng klase.

"Dito tayo," aya ni Jamira na doon kami sa may malapit sa counter maupo.

Tumingon si Milleth sa akin at sinabing, "Okay lang doon?"

Tumango lang ako at hindi na dinagdagan ang sasabihin at dumiretso na sa upuan. Si Milleth na ang tumungo sa counter para sa aming tatlo.

"She's always like that," paunang sabi niya.

"Always what?" tanong ko.

"Friendly? Cheerful? Enthusiastic?" she answered with an intonation kaya hindi ko alam kung sinasabi niya sa akin dahil iyon ang palagay niya, o kung tinatanong niya ba ako.

Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya at hindi umimik.

"Sa unang tingin pa lang, masasabi mong she has the best social circle. Or things like that. But actually, siya ang may pinakawalang kwentang kaibigan," utas niya.

Is she referring to me? Wala rin ba siyang kwenta? Because they're friends, right?

Kunot-noo akong tumingin ulit sa kanya pagkatapos niyang sabihin iyon.

"Oh, no," she abruptly said, when she realized it.

"Hindi ikaw. I mean, the old ones." she said like a defense.

Hindi pa rin ako nagsasalita kahit ang dami niya nang sinasabi.

"I mean, she was betrayed," kwento niya.