Chapter Eight
"Mariaaa!"
Napalingon ako sa kabuuan ng gym at hinanap ang pinanggalingan ng boses na kilalang-kilala ko.
Sitting on the bench na malapit sa net ng volleyball court with her teammates is my cousin--Denise. Mukhang nagre-ready palang sila para sa practice nila sa hapong iyon.
I slightly waved my right hand on her direction and pointed at the trainer's office kung saan ang destination ko.
They said that they have a letter for my Dad and so I'm here to pick it up.
"Ms. de Ocampo, good afternoon." Mr. Bello, our P.E. instructor, greeted me pagkapasok ko sa office nila.
"Good afternoon po..." I smiled as I looked around.
I saw Jayson and Jared getting cold water from the water dispenser near the door. They are both wearing their basketball uniforms. Maybe they also have a practice with their team this afternoon.
"Hi, Mary..." si Jayson ang bumati sa akin.
"Hello..." tugon ko at binalingan na si Mr. Bello na nakaupo sa may desk niya.
"I am here to pick up the letter po na sinabi ni Sir Warren." I said.
Saglit siyang nag-isip at saka dali-daling tumayo at lumapit sa isa sa mga mesa doon.
"Ah... makikisuyo sana kami na ibigay itong invitation letter kay Mayor kung okay lang sa'yo. Para ito sa upcoming intramurals natin." he said
Tumango naman ako at nakangiting inabot ang ibinibigay niyang envelope.
"Sure po, Sir."
"Thank you, Ms. de Ocampo."
After namin magka-ngitian ay napadako naman ang tingin ko sa dalawang kaklase na kumukuha pa rin ng tubig.
Seriously, ilang tumbler ba ang nilalagyan nila ng tubig at parang ang tagal nilang matapos?
Hindi ko nalang sila pinansin at naglakad na ako palabas ng room.
Pagkalabas ko doon ay ipinasok ko muna sa bag ko iyong letter kaya naman naabutan pa ako nung dalawa nang makalabas na rin sila.
"Mary, di ba pinsan mo si Salazar? Iyong captain ball ng women's volleyball?"
Napatingin ako ng makahulugan kay Jayson dahil sa tanong niya.
"Uh... oo pinsan ko siya. Why?"
"Sabi sa'yo eh. Ayaw kasi maniwala ni Mavy." singit naman ni Jared mula sa likod niya.
Lalong nangunot ang noo ko sa kanilang dalawa.
"Wala! Wala naman. Sige, ingat ka." depensa ni Jayson at nag-jog na sila papunta sa bench kung nasaan ang team nila.
I already have a hunch kung bakit nila natanong iyon but I just shrugged the idea off and went to the parking lot already where Kuya Eric is waiting for me.
May ballet class ako kaya naman umalis na kami agad para hindi ako ma-late.
The whole class, my mind was occupied by the thoughts na kanina ko pa naiisip habang nasa sasakyan. Mabuti nalang at hindi ako masyadong pinagtuunan ng pansin ni Ms. Rose because she is focused on the three girls that I think will be competing somewhere.
I was walking my way out of the building when my phone started ringing.
With a tumbler on my left hand and my gym bag on my right shoulder, binagalan ko ang paglakad ko at saka kinapa ang cellphone sa loob ng bag.
Natigilan lang ako when I saw the registered name of the caller.
Calvin calling...
Huminga muna ako ng malalim.
"Hello?"
"Hi! I'm sorry sa istorbo... but have you gotten home?"
I continued walking slowly towards the lobby.
"Uhm... pauwi palang. Why?"
Kuya Eric immediately came to me when he saw me walking out of the building and took my duffel bag and tumbler from me.
"Thanks, Kuya..." I whispered.
"Ah, wala naman... It's already seven kasi and I thought you're already at home." Dahan-dahan niyang sabi.
I can hear his friends talking from the background so I assume na he's still at school.
Sumakay na ako sa kotse while I'm still on the phone with Calvin.
Kuya Eric looked at me with his makahulugang stare from the rear view mirror pero hindi ko siya pinansin.
"Hmm... I just had to do something." Hindi ko alam o maisip kung paano ko sasabihin na nagballet class pa ako dahil baka maturn off lang siya. "But pauwi na rin ako." I just said nalang.
"Oh, okay. Pauwi na rin ako eh."
"Ingat..." Sabi ko nalang.
Since the time when I told him kasi about my so called identity, he became more casual talking with me. With more I mean he calls a lot and texts me almost the whole day except pag may class of course.
"Magkita kaya tayo?"
"What?!"
Napakapit ako ng mahigpit sa seatbelt ko when Kuya Eric suddenly stepped on the brakes dahil napasigaw ako sa sinabi ni Calvin.
"Seatbelt?" Agad niyang lingon sa akin sa backseat.
"It's on." Mabilis kong tango sa kanya.
We both sighed and makahulugan niya ulit akong tinignan mula sa rearview mirror nang umandar na ulit kami.
"I'm just saying, tutal pauwi ka palang and pauwi din ako... we can have dinner together."
Tuloy pa rin si Calvin sa pagsasalita from the other line.
"Sino ba iyang kausap mo? Para ka nang naiihi diyan." Singit ni Kuya Eric kaya napa-poker face ako ng wala sa oras.
"Uh... malapit na kasi ako sa bahay." Pagdadahilan ko.
"That fast?"
I can hear the dismay from his voice.
Aw. If only I can.
"Maybe next time?"
I heard him sigh.
"Sure, next time..." but his voice is already down.
"I promise..."
"Sige na nga. Sabi mo yan ha!" Finally his tone went back to being jolly just like how it is whenever he calls me.
"Yep!" Nangingiti kong sagot.
"Alright. Text me when you get home."
And our text and call convos went on like that.
Hindi ko lang alam kung hanggang kailan ko kakayaning mag-isip ng idadahilan ko sa kanya whenever he asks to meet. With the identity that I told him, I'm sure he already have a guess if sino ako. Iisa lang naman ang pinsan ko that is currently admitted to Perpetual also. And it's not a secret to everybody else.
Gusto ko rin namang sabihin nalang kay Calvin iyong totoo but I don't have the courage to say it. Sa tagal na naming nag-uusap, I'm sure he'll get angry with me. He'll think that I'm toying him.
Buti nalang everybody became busy the next week because of the upcoming intramurals.
Our exam was scheduled earlier to make way for the event.
We still text and call pero pagkauwi na galing sa school. I know he's more busy kasi pinagsasabay niya ang studies niya at ang pagpractice nila ng basketball.
"Goodnight, cutie."
I smiled as I read his pop up message then I closed the lecture book that I was reading for tomorrow's exam.
