"Wag na nga kasi Ares!"
"Sige na Astra, just let me walk you in the school, hanggang gate lang naman ako."
"Hindi na Ares, ang lapit lapit ng school bakit kailangan mo pa akong ihatid?"
"What's with you? Dati naman okay lang na hinahatid kita ah?"
"Hinahatid o binabantayan dahil iniisip mo na lalaki ang aatupagin ko?"
"Hinahatid Astra, at binabantayan dahil maraming lalaki ang tingin ng tingin sayo."
"Whatever Ares, basta wag na."
Agad ko na siyang linampasan. Since tapos na ang weekends balik school nanaman ako.
Ares has been annoying since nakalabas siya ng kulungan. I can't believe he bought the apartment beside mine just to be my neighbor.
Wala akong nagawa ng may malakas na pwersa ang humatak sa bag at mga librong dala ko.
"Ares!"
"Huwag kana ngang magpa-hard to get wala ka rin namang magagawa."
Tila nagpantig ang ugat sa ulo ko ng marinig ang sinabi niya.
"Hindi ako nag-papahard to get sayo Ares! Pwede ba, ang gusto ko lubayan mo ako."
Mabilis akong naglakad para iwan siya. Napatigil lang ako ng hatakin ako nito pahinto.
Galit akong bumaling sa kaniya.
"Sorry, let's not fight over this, just let me walk you until the gate of the school. How will I be able to prove myself to you if you keep on pushing me away?"
Inipit nito sa tenga ko ang buhok na tumatabing sa muka ko.
"I'm sorry sa sinabi ko, I'm sorry Astra, you can push me away as much as you want, just try harder dahil kahit anong tulak mo babalik at babalik pa rin ako sayo."
He smiled and tapped my head.
"Damn, I'm falling harder and harder."
Diko narinig ang bulong bulong nito kaya kinunutan ko siya ng noo. Ngumiti lang siya ulit at binitawan na ang ulo ko.
"Tara."
Nauna na siyang maglakad sa akin kaya wala na akong nagagawang sumunod na lang.
As usual hindi nanaman ito tumupad sa usapan. He told me na hanggang gate lang pero ang kumag umabot hanggang sa department namin, wala pa ang mga kaklase niya dahil nga 9:30 ang start ng klase nila at anong oras pa lang. The guard let him in since maayos naman ang suot niya, t-shirt at jogging pants, although hindi siya naka-uniform, but his name will make the guard or even anyone do what pleases him.
"You should not really use your name for your advantage Ares, students are not allowed to enter the school without proper uniform and I.D, being you in here with your get up today is unfair for them, for us. "
Tinaasan lang ako nito ng kilay, hindi nagkumento sa sinabi ko at tuloy lang sa paglakad hanggang sa makaabot kami sa room ko.
Lots of students are looking at us, especially to him, marami rin ang bumabati sa kanya dahil nakalaya na siya. He's just so popular on campus.
"Being the son of a governor is always advantageous Astra, but I'll try to avoid it if that is what you want, yet I will surely make use of it anytime if for you."
Pinanood ko lang siyang pumasok sa loob ng room namin at ilapag ang mga gamit ko sa upuan kung saan niya ako pinaupo dati. Mula sa labas ay nakatingin lang ako sa kanya. Iilan pa lang ang kaklase kong nasa loob dahil maaga pa naman.
After he puts my things down, bumalik na siya sa akin.
"Let's spend our break time together later."
"Hindi pwede, may group review kami dahil exam week na."
"Where are you going to review?"
"I don't know yet, hindi pa kami nakakapag decide."
He nodded his head, tila sang-ayon at may iniisip.
"Can you text me the location later?"
It took me aback, the way he asks permission seems impossible and just part of my hallucinations.
"I'll try."
"Why? Don't you have loads? Papa-loadan kita mamaya paglabas ko ng school."
"Hindi na Ares, sige ite-text kita, makikigamit na lang ako sa kaklase ko mamaya."
Agad kong tutol sa sinabi niya. Hindi kasi talaga ako mahilig magpa-load pwera nalang kung kailangang mag search sa internet for school purposes.
"Hindi na, ayokong kumakalat ang contact number ko."
"Hindi ko na lang sasabihin na ikaw ang ite-text ko."
"What if your classmate asked who you text? Can you lie?"
Matagal akong walang kibo.
"You can't, I know. Sige na okay?"
Hindi na lang ako nagsalita, wala na rin naman akong masabi.
"How about lunch, can we eat together?"
Umiling ako.
"Gagamitin namin lahat ng freetime namin for our group review."
Kumunot ang noo nito, tila tinitimbang ang sinabi ko.
"You won't eat lunch?"
"I'm not really sure Ares, yun pa lang ang napag-usapan namin, hindi ba clear ang ibang details." He sighed.
"Okay fine, I'll call you later at lunch, at break time text me where your group will have your review."
Tinanguan ko na lang ang mga sinabi niya.
"Pasok kana, aalis na ako."
He waited for me to settle myself into my seat bago siya tumalikod at nagsimulang lumakad paalis.
After a few minutes, I received a worth of 200 pesos load.
Ares Calling:
"Have you received the load, sorry it's only 200 worth, sabi ko sa tindera 1,000 pero 200 na lang daw ang available na load sa cellphone niya, is that okay or should I load you some more?"
"Ares hindi na, kahit 10 lang okay na, anong gagawin ko sa 200 load?"
"You can use it in social media, or search on Google since you are not into socmed."
"Wala naman akong dapat i- search Ares, wait for the load isesend ko sayo, 10 pesos lang ang kukunin ko."
"No Astra, kung hindi mo yan magagamit for data then use it on texting and calling me. I still remember how you ignored my text when I was still in jail, lagi mong sinasabi na wala kang load, and because I don't have enough money hindi kita mabigyan ng load dati. Now that I have enough, I'll give you so much load, and I will no longer accept you not replying to my messages for you."
"Ares…"
"Kailangan ko ng ibaba ang tawag, maglalakad na ako pabalik sa apartment natin. Don't you dare send the load back to me o talagang sa apartment mo na ako titira."
Hindi na ako nakasagot sa banta niya dahil agad na niyang binaba ang tawag.
Ilang segundo lang ay tumawag ulit siya, kaya agad kong sinagot para bweltahan siya..
"I called again because I forgot to say goodbye to you, goodbye and take care. Focus on your studies and don't think about me so much."
"Ang kapal…."
Naputol na ang linya dahil pinatay na niya ulit. "....ng mukha mo, hindi kita iisipin noh!"
BINABASA MO ANG
INNOCENT SEDUCTION SERIES #1 (Ares and Astra)
Romansa"Go on and seduce all the men you meet! You dirty woman!" His angered voice thundered like in a stormy night. He glared at me with his cold lifeless eyes that made my whole system shivers. "I will never do that! How long will you make yourself beli...
