Missed Pages ✔︎

Chapter 7

DELICATE

“Nagmamadali ako, sorry.” she hurried picking the books that fell from the floor. Hindi ko man lang nakita ang mukha niya nang magkabanggaan kami.

Habang pinupulot niyang isa-isa ang mga libro, sinubukan kong tignan ang kaniyang mukha para makilala ko siya at makahingi ng tawad. Hindi ko iyon magawa dahil ang buhok niya ay tumatakip sa mukha niya.

I helped her instead of mindlessly staring at her.

As soon as we both got up, I finally saw and recognize who she was.

“Saan ka pupunta?” tanong ko kay Frankie nang mapansing hindi siya mapalagay dahil ang mga librong hawak niya ay muntik na namang mahulog. “Tutulungan na kitang buhatin ʼyan.” pagboluntaryo ko.

Agad naman siyang umiling sabay sabing, “Nakakahiya naman baka nakakaabala ako sa ʼyo. Kaya ko na ʼto.” Ngumiti siya habang pilit na inuusog ang librong nasa pinakatuktok.

She excused her self and passed through me. Nakokonsensya ako dahil hindi ko siya natulungan. It was my fault that we bumped into each other.

Hinabol ko siya habang hindi pa siya nakakalayo.

“Tutulungan na kita.” kalmadong sabi ko sa kaniya. I wasnʼt asking so Iʼm not going to expect an answer. Hinarang ko siya kaya naman napatigil ang kaniyang paglakad.

Inilahad ko ang parehong kamay ko, handa nang magbuhat.

Bumaba ang tingin niya sa kamay ko. Inabot ng isang minuto ang katahimikan dahil sa pagdadalawang-isip niya kung hahayaan niya ba akong tumulong.

“Oh.” Frankie has finally decided. Ipinatong niyang isa-isa ang kalahati ng bilang ng libro sa aking nakalahad na kamay. “Dadalhin ʼyan sa library.” malamig na dagdag niya. Nagpatuloy na siya sa paglalakad.

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Nang malapit na naming matunton ang library, biglang sumagi sa isip ko ang sinabi niya noong nakaraan. Napansin ko kasi na tila kabaliktaran ng mga sinabi niya ang ginagawa niya ngayon.

“Hindi ba sinabi mo sa akin na ʼwag kong ipagsasabi na librarian ka?”

“Yes, and so?”

“Then why are you carrying a pile of books while headed to the library?” I uttered. “No one has ever seen you going there, right?”

Her expression turned gray as if he wants to contradict me but on the other hand, she realizes what Iʼm pointing at the moment.

She opened her mouth as she wad about to tell me something. She ended up shutting herself and sighed heavily. “What do you want me to say...?” She was hopeless, I can tell.

When I noticed the way she looked down to her feet as she walked beside me, I sensed something was wrong. “Donʼt just let my promise go to waste.” I said.

That came out catching her attention. She looked up to me with forehead furrowed. “What?” she clarified, “You made a promise?”

I tilted my head slightly. “Isnʼt that a promise?” I asked myself. I started recalling of the words I have told her not-so-long-ago.

Looking across the hallway, I heard her suddenly spoke. “Isnʼt what a promise?”

When I looked down to her, the distance between our arms turned into an inch, almost causing me shock. The scent coming from her skin smelled like powder. On her shoulder, to be exact.

“I told you that I wouldnʼt tell anyone anything about your little secret.” I recalled.

“You promised that?”