Falling, Fallen

Chapter Two

TWO

"What the fuck? Why is there nobody in the class today? Is it free cut?" I asked my friends the moment I came in the café. I noticed that it's jampacked and unusually noisy today. Actually, it was only my friends who are chaotic and there's nothing surprising about that, the rest of the people are pretty chill.

"Hoy, bawal magsalita ng tagalog dito." I instantly frowned when Chantal said that. Hindi pa ako naniwala pero nakita ko 'yung camera niya.

"Ano ba 'yan? Let me guess, Speaking Tagalog For 24 Hours?" I scoffed when she confirmed that it is exactly what she was doing. "Pare, nobody in the entire universe has done that yet, you're so unique."

"Dapat ay gawin mo rin ito sa channel mo, Fianna."

"No, thanks. Literally everyone in the internet has done that." Nagtinginan kaming lahat ng sandali bago tumawa. "Wow, she unique or whatever!" I laughed at that.

"Tanga! Bawal nga ang Ingles ngayon, dapat ay sumunod ka sa challenge," Joie reminded me with a pinch on my arm. The fuck? It's not even my channel so what am I required to speak Tagalog for?

"Sige, tagalugin mo rin 'yung challenge! Ano, ha?" I challenged them and they all took their phones out to search for the Tagalog word for it.

Natawa ako nang sabihin nila 'yung tagalog nito tapos mali naman pala. Sobrang confident pa naman ni Joie! Gumamit na nga ng google, pero mali pa rin.

"You dumbasses are confusing me, my head literally started to think in Tagalog," sabi ko sa kanila.

"Ah, may isip ka pala?"

"Of course, Aera. And unlike you, I have big brains," maarte kong sabi sabay hawi pa ng buhok.

"Tagalog nga! Bobo!"

"Ayoko nga, 'di ba? Pake mo?!" Sumigaw siya sa 'kin kaya sinigawan ko rin siya pabalik. Hindi naman kami literal na sumisigaw dahil may hiya pa kami.

"Gago, nagagalit na 'yung nasa kabilang table," Joie commented after a while.

That made me look to the direction he's pointing out and jokingly slammed a hand on the table. "Wala akong pake!" I said. It was super benta to Aera she almost couldn't breathe from laughing. I'm not that tough, 'no! They're all guys kaya, baka bugbugin pa kami.

Beware of dudes!

"Bitch!" Joie who looked like he's already dying from laughter managed to say. I slammed the table again, pretending to be mad at him.

"Akala ko ba'y puro Tagalog lang tayo rito?"

"Damn, ang ingay." Sabay sabay kaming napatingin sa biglang tumayo na lalaki mula sa table sa kaliwa namin. Sinundan pa namin siya ng tingin hanggang sa makalabas siya sa café.

"Pasensya na po," mahinhin kong sabi roon sa kasama niya na hindi nagtagal ay umalis na rin. Nagpigil ako ng tawa. Natahimik si Joie habang pinapanood umalis 'yung lalaki.

"Crush mo?" I asked him, gesturing to the chair that is now empty.

"Ha? 'Di ah!"

"Sus, di raw pero nag-stutter," inis ko sa kaniya.

Parang nawala ata ang kulit ko nang may umupo na ulit sa tabi namin at nakita kong si Zavier na naman 'yon. Though he looks pretty preoccupied to even throw a glance to our side. Last time I saw him here, he looked at me like he was trying to remember where he saw me. Though he was subtle about it, I couldn't help but feel bothered. I love attention but I hate it when it's coming from a man. Oh, the thoughts that run in a man's head. Never in my life would I wish to see myself in a male gaze.