Life Of Yesterday (Only a Mémoire)

Chapter 7

"Top 3? Wow!"

Marco exaggerated when we saw the rankings here in our bulletin board. Kaagad akong napatingin sa kaniya. He was just looking at the bulletin board while smiling. He looked more happier than me.

"Ikaw nga top 2." I stated.

He chuckled and looked at me. "Still, I'm proud of you, Beatrice."

"Thanks, I guess?" I replied.

After he said that he like me, I didn't have the courage to speak anymore. He noticed that I'm not comfortable so he said that he should bring me home.

The whole ride was awkward. I don't even remember saying at least a word that night. Then today, parang walang nagbago nang makita niya ako. Sakto pa na release ng rankings namin.

As per Kai and friends, 'di ko pa sila nakakausap ulit. They were absent today so I guessed they really had fun last night. I'm happy for them.

"Let's celebrate?" Marco asked.

"Do we really have to? I'm not even number one."

Napailing siya. "Why are you belittling yourself, Beatrice? You are the top 3 in our batch for this sem, you should be proud."

'Di na ako nagsalita. Dumating ang mga kaibigan ni Marco at mapang-asar pa na tumingin sa 'kin nang makita kaming magkasama.

"Nice, Beatrice. Congrats!" Noah cheerfully said.

I gave him a small smile. "Thanks."

"Aalis kayo?" Alex asked dahil wala na kaming klase. Until friday yata kami half day.

"Yes, pero 'di kayo pwedeng sumama." sagot kaagad ni Marco.

Alex chuckled. "Selfish bastard."

"Ingat ka r'yan, Beatrice." pang-aasar ni Noah.

"Bye, Beatrice." Karl said. He was the most serious among them. Tahimik lang siya, 'di katulad ng dalawa pa niyang kaibigan.

"Where do you want to eat?" Marco asked when he looked at me.

"Ang corny mo, bro!" Noah laughed.

"Inggit lang kayo." Marco rolled his eyes. "Let's go, Beatrice. Huwag mo nang pansinin 'yang mga 'yan."

Nginitian ko lang nang bahagya ang tatlo niyang kaibigan bago kami lumakad ni Marco. Tahimik lang akong lumalakad habang yakap ang mga libro ko.

"Are you okay?" Marco suddenly asked. "Give me that." sabi niya at saka kinuha 'yung mga libro ko. Kusang loob ko namang binigay 'yon.

"Fast food na lang."

"Kumakain ka sa fast food?" gulat na tanong niya.

Kumunot ang noo ko habang nakatingalang nakatingin sa kaniya. "Of course, who doesn't eat in fast food?"

Napailing siya at bahagyang natawa sa sarili. "I just thought... nothing, akala ko lang sobrang high maintenance ka."

"What's so wrong if I am?" masungit na tanong ko.

He shook his head immediately, as if he was scared for a second because of how I reacted. "There's nothing wrong with that. It's fine with me. I mean, it's really the man's responsibility to keep up to your standard."

"Good thing you know." I whispered.

"Of course." sagot niya. "When I said I like you, I like all of you, Beatrice. You have nothing to change about yourself. To me, you're perfect."

Binilisan ko ang lakad ko dahil natatakot ako na marinig niya ang tibok ng puso ko. It was really weird for me because for the first time in my whole being, a person⎯an actual person can make my heart felt drastically ecstatic just by his words.