"Uuwi ka na Athena?" Corrine asked. Their preliminary exams have already ended today. Tatlong araw na din mula ng pumunta ng Korea si Jared.
"Oo. Ikaw?" Athena started arranging her things while Corrine was busy putting her makeup on.
"Susunduin ako ni Mommy. We're planning to go to Baguio this weekend kaya kailangan namin bumili ng mga kakailanganin" she said. Athena realized that Corrine's parents were just like hers. They are not pushing Corrine to study real hard and they're making sure that Corrine will still enjoy her teenage life.
Sabay na lumabas ng campus si Athena at Corrine at ng makalabas ng gate ay nagpaalam na din sila sa isa't isa.
Napagdesisyunan ni Athena na maglakad na lamang palabas ng compound imbes na magtricycle, tutal naman ay marami siyang kasabay na naglalakad.
Nang makalabas ng compound ay dumiretso na si Athena sa sakayan ng jeep pero nagtaka siya dahil maraming pasahero ang naghihintay pero wala pang jeep sa terminal.
"Kuya, bakit wala pong jeep?" Tanong ni Athena sa batang barker nang makalapit siya dito.
"Naku ate, nagtigil pasahe kasi yung ibang mga driver dahil nagtaas na naman ang gasolina pero hindi nagtataas ang pamasahe. Kaya konti lang ang bumyahe ngayong araw." Sagot nito. Tumango tango naman si Athena.
"Salamat" tiningnan niya ang pila. Sa dami ng tao ay baka abutin pa siya ng gabi dito sa terminal.
'Tawagan ko ba si kuya Apollo? Kaya lang baka nasa opisina pa yun' she thought.
Kinuha niya ang cellphone at agad na nagtext sa kanyang kuya Apollo. It's better to ask. Kaysa naman maghintay siya dito sa terminal ng matagal.
Habang hinihintay ni Athena ang reply ng kanyang kuya Apollo ay biglang may bumusinang sasakyan sa tabi niya.
Bahagya siyang nagulat at napatingin sa itim na sasakyang tumigil sa kanyang tapat. Agad ding bumaba ang bintana sa driver's seat.
"Hop in" Athena was surprised to see the driver, si Ace.
'What is he doing here?' Kumunot ang noo ni Athena at agad siyang umiling, "Hindi na, salamat na lang"
She still remembers what he did the other day. That was really embarrassing. She's even more embarrassed to think that she was even mesmerized by Ace's looks that time and forgot to push him.
Napatingin si Athena nang biglang magvibrate ang kanyang phone. Agad niyang binasa ang text mula sa kapatid.
Bunso, pasensya na. Mag oovertime kasi ako ulit. Baka gabihin ako ng sobra.
"It's your choice. Don't regret it" akma na nitong isasara ang bintana nang biglang sumigaw si Athena.
"Wait!" Pigil ni Athena at agad namang napatingin si Ace.
Nagdalawang isip si Athena at umiwas ng tingin. Labag man sa kalooban ni Athena ay mas pipiliin niyang makauwi ng maaga. Kung maghihintay siya dito sa terminal ay baka abutin na siya ng gabi.
"What?" Ace asked boredly, waiting for Athena to answer. Earlier, he saw Athena walking towards the jeep's terminal. He was about to pass by her but he saw that there were too many people waiting in line.
"S-sasabay na ako!" Hindi na hinintay ni Athena na makasagot si Ace, agad na siyang umikot sa passenger's seat. Ace opened the door from the inside and Athena went inside.
Ramdam ni Athena ang pag init ng kanyang mukha.
The corner of Ace's lips curled up but he didn't say anything.
BINABASA MO ANG
The Unexpected Romance
Teen FictionAthena Garcia, a simple student who found herself playing a newly launched VR MMORPG. What will she do if she gets entangled with handsome and popular boys whom she met in the game? Find out how Athena encountered a whirlwind romance that she did no...
