The Trouble with the Rule

Chapter 35: Two generations

Piper's POV

"Gago ka! Umayos ka," sigaw ni Warren kay Hunter at ihinagis ang can ng softdrinks sa kaniya.

"Pipes! Totoo nga? May secret affair talaga kayo? Bakit hindi mo man lang ako sinabihan? Para saan pa at bestfriend kita?" tanong naman ni Nate.

"Teka, alam mo ba na boyfriend mo siya?" pagsingit naman ni Tamara.

"Serious 'to? Bakit hindi mo kami nakwentuhan, Pipes?" reaksyon naman ni Hailey.

"Joke time 'to 'di ba?"

"Totoo siguro."

"Kailan pa?"

"Paano nangyari?"

"Nagligawan ba kayo?"

"O baka walang ligawan. Sagot agad agad."

"Alam na ba ng magulang mo 'yan?"

"Kaya ba siya sumama sa 'tin ngayon tapos tumabi pa noong lunch?"

"Mabilis palang didiskarte 'tong si Hunter. Astig, Guevarra! Kapag ako may natipuhan pahingi namang tips ha."

Ang dami ng nagsasalita. I can't understand them anymore. Parang naghalo-halo na 'yung mga sinasabi nila. Parang umuulit na lang. Ang gulo na. Sobra.

Kahit sobrang daming ingay ng mga taong nasa paligid namin I tried to talk. "It's not true, guys. Calm down." No luck though. They haven't heard me or they didn't listen. Inulit-ulit ko pa pero busy na sila sa panghuhula kung kailan, paano at saan nagsimula ang relationship namin ni Hunter that only him knows.

I glared at Hunter who seems to find everything amusing. Nang matingin siya sa akin he just shrugged and pretend that nothing happened.

"Wala munang magsasalita sa inyo!" sigaw ni Tita Cass and that caught their attention. Sa wakas! They stopped talking na.

Tinuro ako at si Hunter ni Ate Cass, "Follow me, you two."

"Tita Cass, dito niya na lang sila kausapin," Warren said.

"Sabi ko wala munang magsasalita 'di ba?"

"Pero - "

"Anong sabi ko, Warren?"

Inis na sumandal si Warren at hindi na nagsalita. Tumayo naman kami ni Hunter at sumunod sa kaniya.

"Anong trip mo?" I whispered at him.

"Wala naman."

"Bwisit ka. Do you know that?"

"Wala sabing magsasalita," suway ulit ni Tita Cass.

When we were away from the others, Tita Cass stopped walking and faced us.

"Obviously, hindi kayo."

"Definitely not a couple," I said shaking my head and my hands.

Nagpamewang siya at saka tinanguan si Hunter, "Bakit mo sinabing girlfriend mo si Piper?"

"Boss, that's just - "

"Call me Tita Cass. Ang kulit."

"Boss - "

"Isa, Hunter."

Hunter 'tsked' and continue talking, "Technique lang 'yun. I gave them something to talk about. I don't want them to find out that I'm a working student."

Napakunot ang noo ni Tita Cass sa narinig. "But why? They're your friends. You shouldn't keep anything from them."

"They're my classmates. Not my friends. My life is not an open book. I don't want anyone to know what I've been doing or what's keeping me busy."