"Pau!" I exclaimed when his face welcomed me on the entrance. What is he doing here? I wasn't expecting him today. He doesn't say anything. Tumitig lang siya sa akin bago inilipat ang tingin sa katabi ko. I smiled at him, but he didn't smile back.
"Shall I walk you inside?" Tanong ni Adi kaya napalingon ako sa kanya. I almost forgot that he was still here.
"No need, Paulo's here already." Sagot ko sa kanya. He nodded and slowly let go of my hand as Paulo support my other hand. Iniabot ni Adi ang mga gamit ko na agad naman niyang tinanggap. I don't know if that was just me, but the air became thinner as the two off them look at each other in the eye. Good thing, Adi turned his gaze to me after a moment.
"I need to go." Adi said before storming away. I bid my goodbye before he run. Ngumiti siya akin. Kumaway lang ako habang tinatanaw ang sasakyan niya na unti-unting lumalayo. Nang tuluyan na siyang mawala ay saka ako tumingin kay Paulo.
"What are you doing here?" I asked. It's already dark and he's here waiting for me. Right, inabot kami ng kung anong oras sa hospital. Ang bagal pa namin maglakad. Pinag-wheel chair pa nga ako sa hospital kahit tumanggi ako. Paulo was here without notice. Paano kung hindi ako dito umuwi?
"Anong nangyari sa paa mo?" Tanong niya. I rolled my eyes. Hindi man lang niya sinagot ang tanong ko. He just ignored me!
Ready na ako mag-kwento nang makita ko sa reception area sina Ariesa. Guards were flocking over them kaya naglilingunan ang ibang residents. Are they complete? Mukhang nakuha ni Paulo ang expression ko. "Friday kaya napag-usapan namin na puntahan ka dito. Walang klase ang lahat bukas kaya may oras. Dapat sinabi mo sa amin na busy ka." Saad niya gamit ang seryosong tono. Kumunot ang noo ko. Busy? Anong busy?
I'm busy but not to the point that I'll ignore them. Hindi ko lang siguro nabasa ang messages nila dahil focused ako sa sakit ng paa ko. Mabuti nga at nandito ako ngayon kahit wala sa plano. They should be thankful!
"Joerrelle!" Sigaw ni Ariesa nang makalapit kami. She's acting as if ngayon niya lang ako nakita kahit kanina pa silang nakapanood sa amin. Tatakbo dapat siya para yakapin ako pero inilayo ako ni Paulo at saka humarang sa pagitan naming dalawa ni Ariesa.
"Jowa ka?" Tanong ni Ariesa at saka umirap. Tumawa ako bago ipinakita ang paa ko. She awfully looked at it like it was some sort of serious problem. Lumayo si Paulo kaya lumapit si Ariesa at tinitigan ang paa ko na walang medyas at balot ng bandage. Right, I look pitiful!
"Bobo, bakit mo hinayaang magkaganito ka?" Overacting na tanong niya kaya sa halip na pansinin ay nagsimula akong maglakad papunta sa reception. My classmates are complete kaya halos hindi ko na maintidihan ang tanong nila na sunod-sunod. Even the receptionist couldn't understand what I am saying. I sighed and faced all of them with a bored face.
"Guys." I said calmly. Some heard it but some did not. Good thing that President is fast. Hinila niya palayo ang ilan. I took that chance to talk to the receptionist to say that they were all my guests. I've brought them here a lot of times already, but it was the towers protocol not to let anyone in unless a resident told them to do so.
"Mukha ka nang mayaman Joerrelle. Compared noong junior high tayo." Saad ni Kyla sa tabi ko habang nakatingin sa suot kong uniform. A five inches heels, long socks, two inches above the knee gray skirt, white long sleeve with a bow tie and a gray vest outside. Yeah, this looks like a uniform outside the Philippines. I shrugged and got my phone to order some foods for us.
