When the Sun Sets

03

Kakalabas ko lang sa classroom ay namataan ko kaagad si Nikki. My last subject of the day finally ended and I finally had a reason to go home, close my eyes, and maybe cry because of embarrassment.

"Ano 'yong narinig ko na chismis..." she asked and held my arm.

Kinagat ko ang pang ibabang labi ko. Irritation came back again when Air's arrogant smirk flashed in my memory.

"Anong chismis?" kunyari ay hindi ko alam ang sinasabi niya.

"Teh, gawin mong tanga lahat ng tao, 'wag lang ako. I heard that Air... Air did something embarrassing kanina sa hallway?"

"Nikki, can't you see how I'm avoiding that topic? It's because I don't want to talk about it. Air is such an asshole. As you heard, he embarrassed me when I did nothing." nag hand signals pa ako.

"I did nothing!" ulit ko sa mas iritadong tono.

Naglakad ako at sinabayan naman ako ni Nikki. Hindi siya nagsalita at inantay lang ako na matapos sa pinagsasabi ko. "So after making out with him and bruising his ego, does he think he has the right to embarrass me? When we kissed in the bar and when I asked him to set me up with his friend, hindi ko naman siya pinahiya sa lahat ah? Hindi ko ginawa 'yon kaya bakit pinahiya niya ako kanina? Was it so hard to ignore me and leave me the fuck alone?!" tiningnan ko si Nikki at inantay na sagutin niya ako.

When she shook her head I continued. "See? Hindi naman ganon kahirap na layuan ako at hindi na lang pansinin. After all, when did the kissing happen?"

"Summer," mabilis niyang sagot.

"See? Summer! June ata kung hindi ako nagkakamali tapos my God! August na! August twenty two na pero dala dala niya pa rin 'yong sama ng loob niya sa'kin?! Mabuti sana kung in private lang siya ganon kaso hindi! Pinahiya niya ako sa mga estudyante na nasa hallway! He could have pretended he didn't know me! God, I hate him, I want to strangle him. I'm seeing red right now. I can't believe he did that or maybe I should because he's such an arrogant asshole! Sana mabaog siya! Sana maubusan siya ng babae! Bwisit siya sa buhay ko. Ugh, I hate him!" I stopped from walking and frustratedly messed up my hair.

Naiiyak kong tiningnan si Nikki. "Ano ng gagawin ko?" my voice broke.

I was just so annoyed. I didn't want to cry because of Air, sino ba siya? Gusto kong umiyak dahil naiirita ako sa mga pangyayari!

Nikki put her arms around me for a hug and slowly caressed my hair. "Ano ka ba, makakalimutan din ng mga estudyante 'yong nangyari. 'Wag kang mag-alala. Hintayin na lang natin ang karma ni Air." I nodded my head and slowly tried to calm down.

She was right. Karma will eventually find them.

"Sana nga. Nakakairita talaga siya." nakasimangot kong sabi.

Humalakhak siya.

"Hindi mo ako sinabihan na dito siya nag-aaral ah?" kunot noong tanong ko at nagsimulang maglakad.

She shrugged. "I thought you already knew and I thought it was obvious because best friends sila ni Ralph At saka hindi ba nakakatawa?" umarko ang kilay ko sa sinabi niya.

"Anong nakakatawa? Eh nakakahiya 'yon."

"Ang ibig kong sabihin ay nakakatawa na sa laki ng university nagkita pa talaga kayo! If I'm not wrong BSBA course niya which means nasa kabilang building siya kaya bakit at paano kayo nagkita sa halls? Saang hall ba? 'Di kumpleto 'yong source ko eh." tiningnan ko siya ng masama at ngumisi lang siya.

I'm a hundred percent sure she is enjoying this.

"Do you like seeing me miserable, Nikki?" binigyan ko siya ng sarkastikong ngiti.