Our Yesterday's Escape (University Series #6)

23

"Ew, don't come near me, Kuya. You have sipon." 

I laughed at Elyse's disgusted reaction when I tried to hug her the next day I got wet because of the rain. Wala kasi kaming payong ni Kierra and I didn't want her to get sick, so I just covered her up with my jacket. 

"Are you seriously sick right now?" Maarteng tinakpan ni Haze ang bibig at ilong niya gamit ang panyo para hindi mahawa sa akin. I had colds. He even moved his seat away from me. 

"Damn, no one wants me," reklamo ko sa kanila. We were at the coffee shop, and for some reason, all of them visited today. Hindi rin nila pinagplanuhan 'yon. Elyse said she was near, so she decided to pass by. Kuya Roel was waiting at the side, drinking coffee. I couldn't work today because I had a cold so I was just supervising. 

"I'm here, bro." Tinapik-tapik ni Hiro ang balikat ko, pampalubag-loob sa akin. "I don't get easily sick, unlike Haze. It's fine."

"Thanks, bro..." I touched my chest out of gratitude, and he laughed. "You're the only man I ever respected in this house." 

"What does that mean?" Kumunot ang noo ni Haze, nakatakip pa rin ng panyo sa bibig at ilong. "Ah, anyway, I have news..."

"That better be not about me..." kinakabahang sabi ni Elyse. I looked at her and raised a brow, wondering what she was trying to hide. 

"No, but I already know something about you. Anyway, that's not what I was going to talk about..." Haze changed the topic. Elyse made a dramatic gasp and covered her mouth.

"What do you know about me?" Elyse asked again, but Haze ignored her and talked about other people. 

When the Juarez brothers left, I was staring at Elyse with my arms crossed over my chest. She couldn't even look at me. "Do you have a boyfriend now?" I asked her directly. 

"It's not like that!" tanggi niya kaagad. "You know me, Kuya! Studies first and... And I'm busy with cheer dancing!" 

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from smiling. What a bad liar. I didn't probe more since she didn't want to admit it alone. Maybe she wasn't comfortable telling me yet. I understood that she could be really shy about it, given that it was the first time she would ever talk about another boy. 

I became busy afterward with my finals. Wala na akong tulog palagi kakaaral. The most hours of sleep I could get was three hours. Kung papalarin, maybe four, pero madalas dalawang oras lang din. 

When I went to school to take the exam, Miguel already stood up to talk to me, but I raised my hand. "Don't fuck with me right now. I didn't have sleep. I don't have patience for you." 

His lips parted with shock. "You're fucking rude. I'll talk to you after exams." 

I rolled my eyes and just took my seat, ready for the exam. Like what he said, he followed me to the parking lot after exams to talk. He was alone. Hindi niya kasama 'yong mga gago niyang kaibigan.