Renegade

Chapter 5

Hindi ako nakakilos. Sir Zaragosa was looking at me with a deep frown. Kaagad kong punasan ang mga luha pero kaagad ding may papatak ulit. Bwisit. Bakit ba napakaiyakin ko?!

"S-Sir..." My voice cracked. Halos magusot na ang mga papel na hawak ko.

Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin ni Sir sa akin 'tapos sa loob ng prep room. After some moments, his face seemed to come up with a conclusion. "Boyfriend mo ba siya?" Natigilan ako at natulala kay Sir. His jaw clenched and his face hardened. "If he is, you should slap him and his mistress." Then, he looked at the prep room.

Kumuyom naman ang mga kamao ko. Sir Zaragosa's question hit me hard. Boyfriend ko ba si Alex para mag-react ako nang ganito? Shit ka, Clarisse. Tama si Garnet— baliw ka na.

"I-Ito na po 'yung mga reports." Inabot ko sa kaniya 'yung mga papel— nang makuha niya na, kaagad kong pinalo ang dalawang pisngi ko. Then, I wiped away the tears. "Uuwi na po ako—"

I was about to turn away when Sir Zaragosa held my arm. My eyes widened.

"Don't tell me you're just gonna leave? Just like that? Confront him. Slap him for making you cry, Miss Marquez."

I was more than appalled with the next thing he did; binuksa niya nang tuluyan 'yung prep room. That's when Alex and his girl stopped making out and look at our direction.

"Sir!"

Sinubukan kong kumawala sa pagkakahawak ni Sir. Pero sa halip na bitawan, mas hinigit niya lang ako palapit. Before I knew it, I was inside the prep room— my gaze met Alex's confused eyes.

Embarassment crept in me. Napayuko ako dahil hindi ko matigil ang pagtulo ng mga luha. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"You are in a Biotechnology Institute and you had the audacity to make out inside the prep room? This is a violation, Mr. Lao."

Silence filled the room. Mas tumindi ang sakit at hiya na nararamdaman ko. "Sir please... L-Let me go."

"But do you know your major violation? That's making out with another girl while you're in a relationship. I think you owe Miss Marquez some apology."

Tumiim ang bagang ko. 'Yung galit na nararamdaman ko sa babaeng lumandi kay Alex ay nabaling kay Sir Zaragosa. Bakit siya nangingielam?

"Confront your boyfriend, Miss Marquez."

Tangina.

"Bitawan mo ako, Sir." When he didn't let go of my arm, I forced him to do so. Nang mabitawan niya na ang braso ko, buong tapang ko siyang hinarap. "Bakit ka ba nangingielam, Sir?!"

"Excuse me? Concern lang—"

"Clarisse is not my girlfriend, Sir Zaragosa. I never see her on that level. She's like a sister," Alex said which doubled the pain— on top of the intense jealousy that I was feeling.

I can't take this anymore. Masama ang tingin na ibinigay ko kay Sir habang patuloy na umiiyak. Sa pangalawang pagkakataon, he embarassed me again in front of Alex.

I hate him.

I turned away— with a heavy heart. Mabilis ang lakad ko palayo sa kanila. Hiyang-hiya ako at the same time, nasasaktan. I've been loving Alex from afar for about four years now. I was being patient— I was trying my hardest for him to notice me as a woman. Pero dahil sa mga nangyari ngayong araw— nauwi sa wala ang lahat.

I was about to go down the stairs when I remembered the woman in Dr. Zaragosa's girlfriend. Napapadyak ako dahil sa inis. Bwisit.

Padabog na bumalik ako. Oo. Bumalik ako kahit ang gusto ko na lang ay lamunin ng lupa.