Urgency of Heat (El Refugio #1)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 : Together

It was Monday again. Maaga akong pumasok sa araw na iyon. Gaya ng dati, tahimik akong naglakad sa university, iniiwasan ang mga tingin ng ibang mga estudyante. I always felt awkward around people. I never got the chance to have friends before. That is why, I've always live as an introvert of this society.

Most of my schedule is particularly the same with Esteban. Last week, pumasok siya ng ilang beses sa university. Second week pa lamang ng klase iyon. Kaya ng makita kong wala siya classroom sa unang klase ko, medyo napanatag ako.

We still have our performance together. However, I didn't like it when he's near with me. Particularly, his presence and pheromones.

I'm not gonna lie but he is nice and kind. But I don't trust anything that he have shown me up until now. There's always the doubt inside my heart. That is why, I felt more safe when him not around or just him far me.

Agad akong napasinghap ng makitang pumasok si Esteban sa classroom. Agad natahimik ang kaninang maingay na classroom ar pumako ang paningin ng lahat sa kaniya. He's like a king, entering one of his "small" territory. Suddenly, I trembled. Akala ko ay hindi siya papasok ngayon kaya nanginginig ako ngayon.

"Good morning." Namamaos ang boses na bati niya sa akin nang makaupo siya sa kaniyang upuan.

"G-good morning too." Sagot ko, hindi makatingin sa kaniya.

Our last conversation was on that bench, under the night sky of Manila. Hinatid niya ako noon sa apartment ko kaya alam na niua kung nasaan ako umuuwi ngayon. I thought he would judge me but he never speak anything about the place where I live.

Our class continued normally. Maliban sa bahagya nagdidikit naming mga kamay at katawan, wala ng ibang nagpapadama sa akin ng kaba.

Sometimes, Lucas would whisper to my ears about our topic and I could feel Esteban gaze on us and tightened in his chair.

Our class ended. Mamaya pa ang kasunod kaya may free time pa ako. I'm planning on going to the library alone because Lucas would be going to the basketball varsity team to practice. I couldn't believe that he passed the try-out of the basketball team last week. Good for him, he's tall and maybe good at basketball though I never saw him play.

I walked out of our room with my bag. I never look at Esteban who's still sitting in his chair when I go up. Not to be rude, but I'm afraid and nervous to look at him.

Nakakahiya at nakakaba kung titignan ko siya sa malapitan. He's one of the elite customer of El Refugio that's why I should respect him if inside the El Refugio. Since we are in the school, I should avoid him on my own ways. Iba ang trabaho at eskwela, iyon ang akala ko.

Nang makarating ako sa library ay tumuloy na ako sa mga shelves doon upang mamili ng babasahing libro na related sa aking course. Wala masyadong tao dahil ang iba nasa kani-kanilang klase na. I focused on the books in the shelves, looking for the right books.

Hindi ko inaasahan na makita si Esteban nang binaling ko ang aking paningin sa aking harapan. He was heading towards me, holding one book on his hand. Ang kaninang medyo masikip na lugar ay mas lalong sumikip dahil sa kaniyang presensya. Nasa pagitan kami ng dalawang malalaking shelves kaya may kasikipan iyon, sapat na para sa dalawang tao. Nanigas ako sa aking pwesto hanggang sa dumating siya sa aking harapan.

"What a coincidence to see you here," He said, huskily.

Hindi ako nagsalita. Hindi ko na alam kung saan ko ibabaling ang aking tingin kaya napagpasyahan kong tumingin na lamang sa mga libro.

"You won't talk huh?" He said.

"I..." Hindi ko matuloy ang sasabihin ko.

"Alright, I'll go. Looks like I'm making you uncomfortable." He said, he walk in my side. I smelled his cologne, a very sweet and manly cologne suitable for him.

"Sir Esteban, I d-don't want us to talk inside the university nor get close to each other here." I bravely said. Hindi ko alam kung narinig niya iyon dahil na sa likuran ko siya kaya binalingan ko siya. Nagulat ako nang nakahinto siya sa kaniyang pwesto, nakatalikod sa akin.

"I mean... We c-could but only to those related to our class... Just like for our performance..." I said, after a minutes of silence between us. I thought he was mad because he remain still in his position.

"Alright, we could talk about performance here and now?" He said, turning back to me. He smiled.

He smiled. He smiled beautifully to me. Nagulat ako roon. Agad na tumatak sa aking mukha ang kaniyang mukhang nakangiti. I didn't know if its true or not.

Biglang uminit ang aking mukha dahil sa kaniyang bagong pinakita. He never smiled before. On his pictures or while talking to someone he knew. I thought he is a person who couldn't smile. Tinalikuran ko siya at nagkunwaring naghahanap ulit ng libro.

"Y-yeah, we c-could talk." I said. "But after I'll find the book I'm looking for." I added.

"Look at me." He said.

Hindi ko siya pinansin at nagpatuloy sa paghahanap ng libro.

"Look at me." He said again.

"I said, look at me." He said again, medyo galit na ngayon.

"Is this the book you're looking for?" He said again. Ngayon palang ako bumaling sa kaniya. Pinakita niya sa akin ang librong hawak niya kanina. Hindi ko napansin ang librong iyon kanina. And that was the book that I'm looking.

"Yes..." I said, bumaling sa kaniyang mukha. Nakatingin siya sa akin, medyo nagdidikit na ang kilay at kita na ang kaniyang ugat sa kaniyang panga. Ang kaniyang mga matang nakatingin sa akin ay para bang sinasaksak na ang aking kaluluwa. Galit siya.

"Kanina pa kita tinatawag pero hindi ka lumilingon sa akin." He said. Medyo naalis na ang galit sa kaniyang mukha.

"I'm sorry..." I said.

"Hmm... This is the only one book here in the library." He said, sinabi nga iyon ng librarian kanina na isang libro lang mayroong ganon dito sa library. Kailangan na kailangan iyon dahil sa assignment namin.

"Yeah, I know. Bibili nalang siguro ako mamaya pag-uwi kung ganon." I said. Kahit na labag sa loob dahil kunti lamang ang aking perang naipon.

"Do you have money?" He said, no arrogance heard in his voice. "We could share on this one and do our assignment. After that, we could talk and practice for our performance." He suggested.

I couldn't agree more. When I heard he said that, I immediately grab that opportunity. Ayaw ko ng mabawasan pa ng pera lalo na't mahal pa naman ang librong gaya niyon. I don't mind if its Esteban, the most important right now is the book.

I immediately regretted that I agreed to share on the book. Masyado kaming magkadikit ngayon sa lamesa. Dahil may katangkaran siya sa akin, masyadong malapit ang kaniyang mukha sa aking sa pagbabasa ng libro. We were looking for the formula to answer our assignment in one of our major subjects.

"Uh... Ikaw nalang muna ang magbasa, ihahanda ko lang ang papel ko para sa pagsusulat ng assignment." I said. Medyo tinulak ang librong nasa pagitan naming dalawa patungo sa kaniya.

"We can read it together and answer together later." He insisted. Hindi na ako tumanggi. I mean, hindi ako makatanggi.

That continued until we finish our assignment. Masyado akong kinakabahan lalo na dahil sa espasyo naming dalawa. Masyado kaming magkadikit kaya amoy na amoy ko ang kaniyang pabango at hininga. I could smell also some of his pheromones. Pero ang kaniyang hiningang tumama sa aking mukha kung nagsasalita siya ang mas lalong nagpapakaba sa akin.

Natagalan kami doon kaya naabutan na kami ng time para sa next subject ko. Naudlot naman ang pag-uusap namin ulit tungkol sa performance naming dalawa. Nang mag ring ang alarm sa aking cellphone, agad akong umalis doon at hindi na nakapagpaalam sa kaniya ng maayos.

To be continued...