To What Cost

11

JAX JASPER

4:15pm when I came out of school alone. Tinawag si Ruel before the dismissal and Adiel is with his girlfriend.. and for some reason nakaupo ako ngayon sa benches malapit sa labasan as if I'm waiting for someone. 

'Masydo na ata kong na-attached.' Napangiti ako with that thought.

"Shit, I'm getting insane." I whispered to myself. Para na 'kong gago dito.

4:17pm. Maya't maya akong tumitingin sa labasan ng mga students while I was scrolling through my social media. Busy rin siguro. Natatanaw ko rin yung service niya where I'm at pero wala rin siya roon.

Ruru Madrid: Pukingina niyo bakit niyo ko iniwan? >:<

Makadios: Palabas palang ako babe, wait ba kita babe?

Ruru Madrid: 🤢

I messaged them saying na nasa gate lang ako and to just go here.

"Hi Jax!" I looked up to see Jenae's bright face. I froze at the sight. She's here. She's here and talking to me. Why...? "What are you doing here? Are you waiting for someone?"

"Uh yeah. I was waiting for-"

"Jaaax!! Si Ruel oh!" Adiel came running towards us at napatigil when he saw Jenae. Ruel followed soon after na hinihingal din. 

"Hi Jenaea." They both waved. Selene-Adiel's girl- came after din at malakas na binatukan yung dalawa. "Hi Jenaea" She smiled, waving, bago bumaling sa dalawa. "Puro kayo kagaguhan!" Hinampas niya pa ulit si Adiel na ngayo'y tawa nang tawa.

"What did they do?"

"Etong si Adiel kasi nagkakakanta-kanta sa fourth floor. Nung may nanermon na teacher, si Ruel ang sinisi tapos eto si Ruel, ako yung sinisi parang gago."

"Hinihintay mo pa si Sia? Di ko siya-" Ru stopped talking nang hampasin siya ni Adi sa tsan before gesturing to Jenae na nakangiti lang sakanila.

"Uhhh Jax." She called out at natameme nanaman ako. The way my name just slips out of her lipd felt weirdly comforting.. na parang ang tagal kong hinintay sabihin niya yung pangalan ko.

God, I missed her.

"Hmm?"

"Can we talk? Alone sana?" Nakita ko ang pagkunot ng noo ng tatlo pero mabilis ding nawala. Even Selene's face was bewildered.

"Now?" I asked. I glanced at the time sa phone 'ko. Maaga pa naman. Hindi pa naman siguro bababa si Sia.. and if she did, so what?

No.. no I said sabay na kaming uuwi pag pupunta siya sa Condo niya.. but who knows baka umuwi na siya sa bahay nila diba?

"Sure, why not? Saan ba?" I soon added. 

"I know a place near your Condo, ayos lang?"

I left the guys hanging there while I walk with Jenae to a cafe daw. It was quite far pero malapit nga siya sa Condo.

"Do you want something? They have good coffee here." I shook my head in reply. I wasn't really up to anything. "Are you sure? May pasta rin sila and some pastries."

I shook my head again. "I'll just look around."

It was a 2-floor nature-style cafe sa isang commercial building. Hindi siya madaling mapansin kasi hagdan yung entrance at medyo narrow. Siguro kung dinala ko si Sia rito kung anu-anong Architectural and Design flaws ang masasabi niya. There was another stairs that lead up to another floor of the cafe, which I climbed. Merong ball pit at isang room full of computers, hindi ko nga lang alam kung gumagana sila because it was closed. There were three low but wide tables. Uupo ka sa sahig, kinda like a japanese style. Kitang kita mo rin yung cars passing by dahil fully window yung 3rd floor. Meron din palang table na nakaharap sa windows, you'll be sitting sa floor pero nakaharap sa labas.