Mistakes We Can't Laugh About (Loser #2)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Amari Sloane Mendoza: Hi, Paolo. Can we talk?

Matapos akong ihatid ni Leon sa kanto ng apartment namin ay iminessage ko na si Paolo. I wasn't lying when I said that I don't usually reply to him. Sumasagot lang ako minsan kapag may tanong siya tungkol sa school. But other than that, I don't entertain his messages.

Paolo Ramos: Hi, Mari! Kauuwi mo lang ba? How's your thesis? And what do you want us to talk about? So glad you messaged me first :)

I breathed out as I leaned back on the sofa. Karsen was on her phone next to me while Mill was working on something with her laptop on the floor. Si Kat naman ay namamlantsa ng uniform niya para sa Lunes.

I was glad that Mill was preoccupied because otherwise, she could have teased me about how red I looked at the moment. Paano ba naman kasi ay hindi pa rin ako makakalma sa pag-uusap namin ni Leon.

Umiling ako at nagtipa na ng reply kay Paolo. I shouldn't let Leon dominate my head again. May kailangan pa akong kausapin para matigil na ang pag-iinarte niya!

Amari Sloane Mendoza: I don't want to be rude, but I'm not comfortable getting messages from you. I'm sorry.

Paolo Ramos: Oh.

Paolo Ramos: May mali ba akong nasabi? Ayaw mo bang tinatanong ka kung ano'ng ginagawa mo o kung kumain ka na? I'd like to know why so that I can make improvements to the way I do things.

Amari Sloane Mendoza: I'm just not comfortable, Paolo. I'm sorry to be so direct with you, but I don't see the point in getting to know you. You're a really nice guy, but I honestly don't think we'll get there. Thank you for understanding.

I closed our chat box after I hit the send button. Maiintindihan niya naman iyon. It wasn't like I misled him into thinking we could date. Bilang na bilang nga sa daliri kung iilang beses kaming nag-usap . . . and I'm not feeling it.

"Amari . . ."

I felt a rush of warmth on my face when I recalled Leon calling me by my first name. I put my hand on my chest to try to calm my heart, but nothing happened.

God, how can I stop liking that guy? We have a lot of things to work on!

"Badtrip na badtrip ako sa assignment ko tapos pag-angat ko ng tingin, makikita ko lang na namumula ka? Parang gago amputa," inis na pagpuna sa akin ni Mill.

I felt my friends' eyes on me. Awtomatikong napahawak ako sa pisngi ko at naramdaman ko ang init nito.

"Masama ang pakiramdam ko!" sagot ko kay Mill nang makabawi. "Lalong sumama ngayong nakita ko 'yang mukha mo!"

Karsen let out a soft laugh, and Mill gave her a frown that immediately caused her to bow her head while her lips were still pursed from laughing.

"Uminom ka ng gamot do'n," sabi ni Kat. "Wala ka namang pasok bukas, 'di ba? 'Wag ka na munang magtrabaho at baka tuluyang maging lagnat 'yan."

Mill scowled. "Katana, may nilalagnat bang gan'yan ka-gago? 'Wag nang painumin ng gamot! Sayang lang ang pera! Hayaan na lang na mag-kumbulsyon 'yan."

I made a face. Millicent just couldn't take a break, could she?

"Iba talaga ang nagagawa ng insecurity . . ." pang-aasar ko na lang.

Mula sa pagkakaupo ay tuluyan akong nahiga sa sofa. I put my legs in Karsen's lap to straighten my body while my head was placed on the arm rest.

"Kung hindi ko lang alam na busy sa thesis 'tong si Amari, iisipin kong nakikipaglandian 'to, eh," saad ni Mill. "Kaya lang, wala naman 'tong ibang nakakasama bukod sa mga kaklase niya. Malabo namang may magustuhan siya ro'n at kakaunti ang lalaki sa psychology."