The Mendacious Top Tier

Chapter 21: Rest

"Rara . . . " Little by little, I opened my eyes when someone called me and gently shook my shoulders.

"Okay ka lang ba?" he asked worriedly. I smiled bitterly.

"I'm already tired, Rafael. What should I do?"

"Magpahinga ka muna saglit, Rara. Ihahatid kita sa bahay niyo," he answered.

"No, ayaw kong bumalik doon. Mas mabuti pa na nandito lang ako."

"May nangyari ba sa bahay niyo, Rara?"

"My parents weren't satisfied with my grades." He nodded. Para bang alam na n'ya ang nangyari.

"Dadalhin na lang kita sa bahay nila Scorp, Rara."

"No need to do that, Rafael. Ayaw kong madamay pa si Scorp," I said.

Napaisip naman s'ya. "Kung hahayaan kitang matulog dito. Hindi iyon kakayanin ng konsensya ko kung may mangyaring masama sa iyo. Mas ligtas ka kung sa bahay ka namin matutulog, Rara."

I touched his right shoulder. "I guess you forgot that I'm a taekwondo player." I tried to smile after saying those to ease his worry, but I failed to do that.

"Kahit na, Rara. Hindi pa rin ako makakasiguro na magiging ligtas ka rito," pangungulit nito. "Lumakas na ang ulan. Hindi ka naman bato para hindi ka matablan ng lamig."

"Hindi ako nilalamig," I answered and nag-iwas ng tingin.

"Kung gano'n, bakit nanginginig ang katawan mo?" I looked at my body. Only then did I realize that what he was saying was true.

"Ngayon mo lang napansin, Rara, pero kanina pa ramdam ng katawan mo ang ginaw ng paligid. Huwag mong i-torture ang sarili mo sa mga bagay na hindi mo naman deserve, Rara."

I breathed heavily. "Fine, but I'll leave early in the morning. May pasok pa kasi tayo bukas."

He smiled and helped me stand up. Pinara naman n'ya ang isang taxi when it was approaching us. He opened the door of the back seat and helped me sit there. He also sat next to me afterwards.

                                 ***

"Ma, nandito na ako!" sigaw ni Rafael. The gate opened naman.

"Bakit ang tagal mong asungot k--" She stopped talking when she looked at me. She covered her mouth and looked at me and Rafael alternately.

"Titingnan mo lang ba kami, ate, at hindi padadaanin?" Rafael asked annoyedly. So, ate n'ya pala ito.

Nilakihan naman ng ate ni Rafael ang pagbukas ng gate. "Puwede na kayong pumasok."

When we entered the house, someone immediately greeted us. Rafael immediately helped me to sit on a sofa and approached the woman who greeted us. Nagmano s'ya rito. I think it's her mom.

Suddenly, his mother came to me and sat next to me. My eyebrow furrowed nang inilapit n'ya ang kamay n'ya sa mukha ko.

"Aba'y hindi ka man lang ba magmamano sa 'kin, hija?" I smiled when she said that and nagmano sa kanya. Akala ko pa naman kong anong gagawin ko sa hand n'ya.

"Sigurado ka na ba sa desisyon mo?" she asked.

My eyebrow furrowed again. "What do you mean po?"

"Ma, dapat kilalanin muna natin s'ya bago tayo pumunta sa tanong na 'yan," Rafael's Ate said and tumabi rin sa akin. When I saw her face closer, she was kind of familiar. Where did I see her ba?

"Ano'ng name mo pala?" she asked excitedly.

"I'm Lyrainne Alvarez," I answered.

"Ako si Sweetzel Snow Calderon. Ate ng asungot na 'yon." Sabay turo kay Rafael. Napasinghal na lang si Rafael, para bang kinakahiya n'ya pa na sinabi ng Ate Sweetzel n'ya na ate s'ya nito. I just smiled. May naalala lang kasi ako sa ginawa nilang dalawa.