Fidelity

9th

Empake

Oddly, I found myself following him anyway.

Bagama't may bara pa rin sa lalamunan ay may kung anong ginhawang pumalit sa kanina'y mabigat na nakadagan sa dibdib. Yun ang nararamdaman ko habang kasama siyang tinatahak ang daan papunta sa canteen.

"Yan lang ang kakainin mo?" aniya habang binubuksan ko ang lunchbox. "Should I get you something else? I'm going to the counter,"

Hindi rin naman ako pamilyar sa mga tinda rito. I'm not sure which are safe to eat and which are not. I'd rather not buy anything.

"No need. I'm fine na with these," wika ko habang inoorganize ang pagkain sa lamesa.

God. It's been so long since the last time I was able to eat properly like this in the campus. The comfort is uncanny yet heartening.

"Sigurado ka? Those are all too bland," hindi kumbinsidong tanong niya habang napapangiwing pinapasadahan ng tingin ang baon ko. "Girls like to have atleast one cheat food per meal,"

Natigilan ako sa pag hahanda ng utensils. Inangat ko ang tingin sa kanya. My innocent eyes gazed him curiously.

"You sound so confident with that remark," puna ko. "Ang dami mo naman atang alam about girls?"

He shrugged. "I guess I've fed a lot of girls to know that much,"

The way his lips broke into a grin got me confused for a moment but his words straightly touched my heart. As expected from Mr. Nice Guy. It seems like I wasn't the only one he have saved from having a terrible meal time. Well, I expected nothing less from the almighty Davion himself.

Gaya ng sinabi niya ay binili niya ko ng dessert kasabay ng pag-order niya ng sariling pagkain. Ayoko nga sanang kainin pero sino ba naman ako para maging ungrateful? Kinain ko na lang ang chocolate brownie bingsu kahit labag sa loob ko.

"See? Mas nauna mo pang maubos kaysa sa baon mo!" he teased upon seeing me finish the sweet treat.

My cheeks heated for some reason. "I just ate the whole thing to be polite. It wasn't that bad, anyway. Masarap naman... Not that I like it, ha? I hate unhealthy foods kasi eh,"

Hindi ko alam kung bakit napahagalpak siya. Hawak nya ang tyan habang natatawa. Pinunasan pa nito ang gilid ng isang mata bago muling nagsalita.

"Daming sinabi," he mockingly said in a way which I don't exactly like. Napailing-iling siya. "Ewan ko sayo, Solace."

Davion is kind but I don't get him sometimes. Pasalamat siya at maganda ang mood ko ngayong recess. For the first time in forever, I enjoyed eating in school again. I don't know but my heart is skipping in every bite. My feet are even rhythmically tapping on the floor.

Hindi ako napipikon kahit kanina pa panay ang tawa at panunukso ni Davion tungkol sa kung anu-ano. Wala rin naman kasi kong nagegets sa mga pang-aasar niya.

Imbes na mainis ay mas nangingibabaw ang antig ng damdamin ko. Kung hindi dahil sa kanya ay malamang sa CR na naman ako kumain. Mag-isa. Nakatago. Nagtitiis sa apat na sulok ng banyo.

"Sabay tayo mamaya," aniya tungkol sa pag-uwi. "Your Mom asked me to look after you today... Especially after the incident. Everyone in school is making a fuss about it so she's worried,"

Natigilan ako. Hindi dahil narinig na nag-aalala ang Ina para sakin. I doubt that. Tingin niya lang siguro.

"Look, Davion. I know you're naturally helpful and all that but you don't have to listen to my Mom. I mean, I'm sure you have more important things to do so why bother?" tanong ko dahil iyon mismo ang inaalala ko.