Scarcity of Chances

Chapter 14

I was voiceless in my entire morning class. Different people tried to engage me in conversations by asking things that I mostly did not understand. So the only choice that was left for me is to either nod or shook my head. All based on my gut feeling.

What else should I say when they kept asking me about what happened to Gelsie and Hans that I certainly had no idea about? And they even asked me if I like Hans or does he stand a chance.

I mean, yes, I like Hans. I cannot just unlike him easily especially when I've been having this feeling for so many years. However, the thing is I don't want to like him anymore. Not after what he and Shannon did to me. It was not entirely his fault but I already made a choice that I will move on.

But now, amidst all these drastic changes that are terrorizing my sanity, everyone will tell me that so suddenly, he has feelings for me?

Is this a sign of a doomsday? Oh, dear heavens. Please help us.

"Prepare for a quiz next meeting regarding conic sections. Just the circle, ellipse, and parabola first. Hyperbola's not included. If you don't have further questions, you may now leave the room," our Calculus professor announced.

Halos manigas ako sa kinauupuan ko sa narinig. Dahil sa lahat ng nangyayari ngayon, hindi ko nagawang makinig sa klase nito ngayong araw. Pagkatapos ay malalaman ko na lang na may exam na pala kami sa susunod na meeting? And it's about conic sections?

The last time I remember, we were still at the logarithmic operations! That means that I have to study conic sections on my own.

I opened my bag and searched for my filler for this particular subject. I skimmed through the pages and exhaled a huge bag of frustration when I saw some notes. It's my handwriting, very... very similar. But there's no way I wrote all of these.

Damn.

"Vine, hindi ka pa lalabas?" my seatmate named Archie asked.

I sighed and zipped my bag. "Uh... lalabas na."

Hindi pa rin ako kumportableng makipag-usap sa kanya. Ni hindi ko nga magawang suklian nang bukal sa puso ang mga ngiti nito sa akin e. I only met her earlier.

Sumabay ito sa akin kasama ng iba pa niyang kaibigan palabas ng pinto. Wala akong nagawa kung hindi sumabay sa kanila dahil isa lamang ang labasan.

Napuno ng kantiyawan ang hallway na nagmumula sa ilang estudyante, kabilang na sina Archie. Noong una ay hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit hanggang sa natanaw ko ang nakatayong si Hans Joaquin na nakatitig sa akin.

"Mukhang hindi ka sasabay mag-lunch sa amin ngayon," saad ni Archie at bahagya akong siniko.

Halos itulak pa ako ng mga ito palapit kay Hans na mabilis naglakad palapit sa akin. I gasped when I almost tripped because one of the girls pushed me a little bit harder.

But that didn't happen because Hans just caught me on time. Dahil sa pagkakasalo nito sa akin ay mas lumakas ang kantiyaw ng ilang mga tao sa paligid.

"Are you alright?" he asked while his arms are wrapped around my waist. There's a hint of worry in both his baritone voice and face.

When I realized what our position looks like right now, I immediately pushed him and put some distance between us.

"Yes," I simply replied.

He only beamed at me, sweetly. I noticed that the teases subsided because the students around us started to leave the hallway, granting both of us some privacy.

"We'll see you later, Vine!" Archie exclaimed.

Napangiwi ako at sinundan sila ng tingin. Hindi ako kumportableng kasama sila subalit mas gugustuhin ko na atang pagtiisan iyon kaysa sa maiwan dito kasama ang lalaking ito.