The Love that Waits

CHAPTER 02

Weeks had passed, I and Kaiser are still planning on what will happen to the sports fest. Break time ko naman ngayon kaya nagkita kami sa isang coffee shop. Pagkapasok ko amoy na amoy ko ka agad ang aroma ng kape. It calms me, coffee calms me.

Nakita ko na ka agad siya doon sa pandalawahang lamesa. "Hey, Did you eat already? Nakapag-order na ako, may gusto ka bang idagdag do'n?" Tanong ni Kaiser. "Wala na mana," Umiling ako. We started planning from the theme of the sports fest, the host of the sports fest, the panelist of the sports fest, and of course the sports that will be played in the sports fest.

"So, what do you think will be the exact theme for the sports fest?" Tanong ni Kaiser. "Hmm, Maybe...'Go for the Gold'  It will be a good theme for this years sports fest lalo na't, everyone is aiming for the gold. And Sherwood is still aiming for the gold. We can think of a good quote to match the theme, so that the players will be motivated in the sports fest."

"Actually, that's a good idea. We should talk to the chairwoman about this. Pwede rin naman nating sabihin na, every athletes na mananalo sa every sports, will compete to the divisional competition in the next 4 months. Maybe, Sherwood can have the gold that we've been aiming since then. How 'bout that." We exchange opinions about sports fest. Actually, tunay ngang mahirap maging organizer ng iba't ibang events. Not just you need to be physically creative you also need to be mentally creative.

"So, the sports that will be played is; hurdles, sprints, long distance, volleyball, basketball, badminton, table tennis, tennis, swimming, equestrian, and taekwondo. So that's all. The another problem is the players. We need to recruit as soon as possible." Nataranta ka agad ako dahil wala pa kaming nakakausap na mga students. We should start encouraging them to play at the sports fest.

"Hey, No pressure. Malayo pa ang sports fest. And I'm sure your grandmother will give us time to recruit." Ngiti niya sa akin. In this past few weeks, nakita ko kung gaano ka-dedicated at calming si Kaiser sa isang trabaho. Planning and organizing the sports fest is way too hard for me lalo na't hindi naman ako workaholic. But for Kaiser, it's a soft work for him. He enjoys it but make sure everything's okay and fine.

Natapos na rin ang break time ko kaya nauna na ako kay Kaiser. On the way, I was still thinking of him. Hindi ko kasi alam kung saan ko siya nakita o nakilala, pero alam ko na nakita ko na siya before. Hmm, who knows, baka family friend siya. Or baka siya yung....

No, Victoria. Stop thinking about him. He forget you anymore.

Lihim akong nalungkot sa isipin na gano'n. My childhood bestfriend, I don't know where or what he's doing right now. Wala na akong balita sa kaniya for 12 years. Magtatanong man ako kila mama ngiti lang ang ibibigay nila sa akin. Kahit sa lola ko. I just gave up eventually, nakakapagod din. Lalo na kung ikaw lang naman ang naghahanap sa inyong dalawa.

Mabilis natapos ang klase ko kaya uuwi na rin ako kagad. I was in the hallway when someone grabbed me to the restroom. I don't know the guy pero tinakpan niya ng panyo ang bibig ko. Inis na inis pa naman ako ngayong araw dahil nakakabwisit yung professor ko dahil hindi niya nagustuhan ang pag-defend ko sa Principles of Economics. Well, hindi ko na problema 'yon, ang prinoproblema ko ngayon ang lintik na lalaking ito na kung saan-saan humahawak sa katawan ko. Kung naiinggit siya, I can give him some workout tips, baka 'yon kasi ang hanap niya.

"Bitawan mo'ko!" Sinipa ko ang pagkalalaki niya at tumakbo palabas. Inaayos ko ang aking sarili ng may nabunggo ako. "Shit. Sorry. Sorry," It's Kaiser. Nanginginig ako, gusto ko ng yakap pero di ko alam kung papaano. I ended up hugging him. I'm trembling, I'm so afraid to what happened inside the bathroom.

"Hey, you're trembling what happened?" Nag-aalalang tanong niya. Dinala niya ako sa student's lounge, buti na lang at walang tao. I wanted to cry, pero hindi ko alam kung papaano. Muntikan na akong ma-r*pe, I can still feel that ugly man's touching my body. I loner tear fall and then followed by another then another. Nandidiri ako! I know that man is not even kissing me, but I have personal issues about sexual harassment and r*pe.

"Hey, shush. Tell me what happened? May masakit ba, Victoria?" Umiling ako at napahagulgol sa balikat niya. He's comforting me and in that little gestures of him, I calmed down. He looked at me genuinely. "What happened, beautiful?" He asked worriedly,

"I don't want it to happen again, I'm afraid, Kaiser. What if he follows me again? What if he kills me? What I-" Naputol ang sasabihin niya ng yumakap si Kai. His hugs make me feel at ease. It makes me calm down somehow. Niyakap ko siya pabalik. I took a deep breath and told him about what happened in the bathroom.

"That ugly freaking guy touched me, Kai. He touch me in my intimate part kaya nasipa ko siya sa ari niya. Deserve niya naman 'yon. Masyado siyang manyak para mapabilang sa Sherwood. I'll make sure that I'll find that idiot, and put him where he belong." For me it's sexually harassment. He touched me without my consent and even pulled me forcedly to the restroom.

Kaya naging big deal sa akin 'to dahil sa side ng mother ko ang nakakaranas ng sexual harassment or even physical harassment, mostly women. That's why I stand to what they're empowering, but, not to the point where I need to become feminist. It means I only support women's safety than other genders. Let's make equality people, everyone's safety is dominant.

Napatingin ako kay Kaiser. Nag-aalala pa rin ito. "I will talk to the Dean, they deserve to know about what happened to you." Hinila niya ako palabas. Pero sakto ring nakasalubong ko yung lalaki sa banyo. Napatigil ako at sinamaan siya ng tingin. Hmmp! Inisin mo na ang lasing, wag lang ang taong may napkin!

Inagaw ko ang kamay ko kay Kaiser at di na nagdalawang isip pang sugorin ang lalaking hinarass ako kanina. "How dare you touch me like that,huh?! You're such an idiot! Siguro hindi ka mahal ng nanay mo kaya apaka horny mo! Oh baka naman ilang araw nang hindi masarap ang ulam niyo kaya naghahanap ka ng mas masarap! Bastos! Manyak! Wala kang modo! Kahit na si satanas tatanggi sa'yo! Shit you!" In my peripheral vision Kaiser was just looking at me punching the guy, sakto rin na dumating sila Alexis at kasama na ang Dean.

"What's happening here?!" Tanong ng Dean sa akin.

"Sa susunod na magpapa-enroll kayo sa Sherwood, make sure na taasan niyo ang standards niyo. Kung ganiyang tira-tira na lang ng ibang school ang meron, bakit kukunin niyo pa!" I walked out. Feeling pissed. Well, I'm fucking pissed. Buwesit! Punyeta!

"Hoy! What happened, you look like you're so done to the whole wide world, Tori. What happened?" Nag-aalalang tanong sa akin ni Gabriella. "I'll talk to the chairwoman." I leave them hanging and go to the chairwoman's office. Pagka-pasok ko, andoon si Kaiser, yung garapatang lalaki kanina at ang Dean.

"What had happened, Ms. Celestial?" Tanong ng dean. Magsasalita na sana siya ng magsalita ang kayumad.

"She came on me! She attacked me! I don't know why!" Sumbong ng kayumad na di ko matiris. Lalo akong nainis. Pumikit ako at huminga ng malalim. Then, I raged.

"He attacked me first, he grabbed me and the pull me to the bathroom! He touched me without my consent, which is, you can consider that as sexual harassment! And now! You have the nerves to do reversing here! Hello?! Ang kapal-kapal naman ng budhi mo?! Hindi ka ba nahihiya?! Sa itsura mong 'yan?! Kahit si satanas aayaw na sa'yo! And I'm not dumb, nakilala ko kung sino ang gumawa sa akin no'n!" Huminga na ako ulit ng malalim at kumalma.

The man cried, he beg not to remove him on the university because of blah blah blah reasons. He even said, 'please, understand me.' Sorry, not me, horny idiot.

"I wish we or I could understand you, darling. But, I don't talk with dogs and I can't bark, so, Sorry." I leave them hanging. Inis na inis ako kaya padabog kong sinira ang pintuan ng chairwoman na nakalikha ng malaking ingay. Inis akong tumingin sa kawalan. Hindi ko alam na nadoon halos lahat ng mga kaibigan ko maging sina Andreas nandito.

"Are you okay?" Tanong ka agad ni Sylar. Tumango ako. Napatingin kami sa taong lumabas doon, Si Kaiser. Nagkatinginan kami, he smiled at me.

"Damn, woman. I didn't know that you can raged like a cat." He unbelievably said. Napa-iling pa siya.

"Yeah. Yeah. The last thing I want is to go home. It's a tiring day." Napa-tingin ako kay Kaiser na nakatingin din sa akin.

I, somehow, felt the tiredness goes away whenever I looked at him.

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