Bewildering Flights with you, Captain

13

"Pia, p'wede bang magpagawa ng essay?" Napalingon ako kay Katalina nang ilapag niya ang pad paper at ballpen niya sa desk ko. "Please? Hindi ko kasi nagawa kahapon dahil nag-swimming ang family ng boyfriend ko at sinama pa ako."

Sasagot na sana ako nang dumaan sa gilid namin 'yung new student. Kung dati na siya rito, kilala ko na sana siya. Matunog ang pangalan niya ngayon sa buong campus. Mukha kasi siyang maangas...

Kung hindi dahil sa event ng school, hindi naman namin siya makakasama. Hinalo ang ibang nursing students sa tourism students. Isa siya sa mga hinalo sa amin para sa isang groupings. Walang nagbalak na kausapin siya kahit na nasa iisang grupo lang kami.

"Kasalanan niya ba na hindi ka nakagawa dahil sumama ka sa swimming ng family ng boyfriend mo?" Our block mates gasped and some went silent. 'Yung mga nursing, napangiti lang. Mukhang sanay na sila...

"Ba't ka ba nangingialam? Kaibigan ka ba ni Pia?! Hindi naman, e! Baguhan ka lang dito sa uni, baka nakakalimutan mo?" I pursed my lips when Katalina grabbed the new student's uniform collar. "Wrong move. Wala nang makikipagkaibigan sa 'yo dahil sa ginawa mo sa 'kin. Kapal ng mukha mo."

"Wrong move?" The new student scoffed. "You know what's the real 'wrong move'? This.." She held Katalina's arm and in just a second, the latter was already lying on the floor. "I hate being touched."

"S-Sigurado akong wala nang makikipagkaibigan sa 'yo!" Tinuro pa siya ni Katalina.

"Sus, dami mo naman salita." Napalingon kaming lahat sa kararating lang. 'Yung isa pang new student na ka-block ko... Akala ko tahimik lang siya?! "Gusto kitang maging kaibigan! Pati siya! Gusto ka rin niya maging kaibigan!" Dinamay pa ako!

Pareho kaming gulat na gulat nung maangas na new student nang bigla naman kaming hilahin nung isa. Lumabas kami ng room at naglakad hanggang sa makarating sa canteen.

Bakit ako nandito?! Hindi ba't dapat umalis na ako? Iniwan kami nung humila sa amin at nagtungo sa isang stall. Nagkatinginan kami nung maangas at sabay ring nagbawi ng tingin. Nang bumalik 'yong humila sa amin, inabutan niya kami ng burger at frappe.

"Ano 'to?" naguguluhang tanong ko. Bahagya ko pang itinaas ang burger at frappe.

"Burger at frappe?" Obviously! I grunted and looked at the other person in the table to ask for some help. "Para sa inyo 'yan. 'Di n'yo kailangan magbayad. Kung gusto n'yong magpasalamat, sa boss ko kayo magpasalamat."

"Boss?" Sabay pa kami nung isa.

"May work ako. Kayo ba, wala? Suwerte n'yo kung gano'n! Anyway, I just want to make new friends here dahil baguhan ako. Galing ako sa probinsya kaya alam kong medyo imposible na matanggap n'yo ako."

"Galing din ako sa probinsya," sagot ko. Ngumiti ako sa kaniya. Nagulat siya pero agad ding nakabawi at ginawaran pa ako ng isang magandang ngiti.

"Hindi ako laking probinsya pero I can be your f-friend." Sabay kaming napalingon do'n sa isa. "I'm Clara Sage Laurel.."

"Qamari Xaia Garcia!" pagpapakilala nung humila sa amin. "Ikaw?" They both looked at me. Hindi pa ba nila ako kilala? "Sophia, 'di ba? Full name?"

"Sophia Ava Zendejas."

"Jusko, beh. 'Di ko talaga kineri 'to noon." Clara pointed at Qams. I laughed when Qams rolled her eyes. "Tanggal angas ko ro'n, beh."

"True! Angas angas mo noon pero ngayon? Nagkapalitan 'ata kayo ng personality. Tahimik na si Qams, ikaw maingay na."

"Sa sobrang ingay ko, tinatakpan ni EJ bibig ko-"

"Huh?! May something sa inyo?!" Sabay kaming nagulat ni Clara kay Qams. Ang dumi ng utak ni bebe gurl!

"Huh?! HAHAHAHAHAHA gaga, bff kami 'no, tinatakpan niya bibig ko kapag nag-iingay ako sa public place. Nakakahiya raw kasi. Ikaw ha, ano nanaman ba iniisip mo?" Mas lalong napikon si Qams dahil hindi siya tinantanan ni Clara.

I decided to visit Markus after my date with my besties ended. Alam kong nasa bahay lang siya. When I got there, the lights were off. But the main door was open. I locked it before going upstairs. Baka tulog lang siya.

I heard unfamiliar voices as I walked toward Markus' bedroom. I stopped by the door, secretly listening to their conversation. The door was slightly opened. I peeked from the outside, trying to look who they were.

"Are you sure about her, bro? My brother's friends with her ex-boyfriend. That woman had sex with a lot of men na. Baka makakuha ka pa ng sakit, bro."

It was as if my heartbeat stopped. A part of me was waiting for Markus to defend me. But I didn't hear a word from him... I smiled weakly and was already planning to leave. I glanced at the door one last time when I heard his voice.

"She had sex with different men?" Why would he ask that? Wala ba siyang tiwala sa akin? Hindi niya na kailangang itanong 'yon dahil sigurado akong alam niya na siya ang una ko.

It was a big slap to me. It wasn't true but the moment my man asked that, those rumors became true.

"I don't want to say this because this is a private matter but if this will make you shut your fucking mouth, then listen. I am her first and I am definitely sure about that. Even if I wasn't the first man to have her, would that change a thing? It shouldn't matter, right? Why is it a big deal when it comes to women, but it's normal when it comes to us?" I covered my mouth when I started sobbing. I thought... He was one of those guys. "You fucking disgust me. You are more concerned about me, getting a fucking disease than thinking of those women you had sex with. Baka ikaw ang may sakit."

"Bro, tama na 'yan. Uuwi na kami. 'Wag kayong mag-away-"

"Tangina mo. Anong problema mo sa 'kin, ha?" Nagkakagulo na sila sa loob.

"You are the problem. Please leave my house now. You're making me mad. Go home before I kick your ass out of my house."

Hindi ako nakagalaw nang sabay-sabay silang lumabas. Napatigil sila nang makita ako. May pag-aalanganin sa mga tingin nila. I didn't pay them more attention. I went inside my man's room, only to see him massaging his temples.

I dried my cheeks before slowly walking. Markus felt my presence, making him glance at me. My heart was shattered into pieces when he smiled at me like nothing big happened. I ran... I hugged him.

"May problema ba? What's our problem?" His voice was so soft that I could no longer think of his tone earlier. He wrapped his arms around me, giving me the right amount of comfort and warmth.

"T-Thank you... f-for defending m-me. I thought y-you would do the same thing. I am s-safe and healthy for you too."

"I know that... I already know that, love. I'm your safe place. You are a woman, okay? Even if I wasn't your first, it doesn't matter. Look at me, love." My lips quivered when I tried to look at him. He placed his hand on my cheek, gently caressing it and wiping the tears off my face. "I love you so bad. I am always here to protect you, Ava."

"D-Do you want to be my b-boyfriend?" His hand stopped when I asked that. Sigurado na ako. Sigurado na ako sa kaniya...

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