OS #4: Claws of Dominance

3rd Dominance

Bad

I casually ended our conversation that night saying, 'you will soon see' with a winking emoji.

I'm sure he took that as a joke when he replied, 'sure'. Hindi niya pa kasi ako gaanong kilala kaya ganyan.

Something interesting also happened later that night when I was working on my assignment, I received a notification from Katalina requesting to follow me.

I just accepted her now after thinking that it might be beneficial for me someday.

"Dahlia, we're going to the comfort room. You comin'?"

Inangat ko ang tingin kay Suzie, nasa tabi niya si Brianna at Marry. We have a substitute teacher in today's Filipino subject pero hindi kasi siya strict at tapos na rin kami sa pinapagawa niya sa amin kaya marami kaming free time.

Umiling ako. "You guys go."

Dinig ko silang um-oo habang nagpatuloy ako sa pagtingin sa phone. Napunta ako sa message area at napangiti ng makitang online si Nyjhiel. I immediately typed a message.

@dollyuh_fayyeee: What are you doing?

Naghintay ako ng ilang minuto pero hindi niya iyon binasa kaya muli akong nagtipa pa.

@dollyuh_fayyeee: You in class?

Nang dumaan ang ilang minuto at nakabalik na sila Brianna galing cr ay tumayo na ako at naglakad papunta sa kanila.

"Where are you going?" Usisa ni Marry.

"Somewhere," sagot ko at nilampasan sila.

Inakyat ko ang grade 9 floor at pumunta sa kanyang room. Pagdating ko roon ay wala siya, mukhang free time nila kasi walang teacher sa loob.

Where is he?

I check my phone again and there's still nothing from him. Naglakad pa ako habang patingin-tingin sa hallway. Liliko na sana ako ng hindi siya makita sa kabilang hallway ng mapansin ang library.

I have been there before ng pinaresearch kami ng teacher namin sa isang subject kesa sa phone ng makasubok daw kaming gawin iyon. Naalala kong may aircon din ang library at mas maganda pa dahil tahimik kaya nagdesisyon akong pumasok.

Maybe I can sleep here a bit.

Pagkatapos kong i-slide ang aking I.D. sa entrance lobby ay naglakad na ako papasok.

I walk a bit more kung nasaan nakapwesto ang aircon na siya ding malayo sa nakaantabay na senior high working student ang gagawin kong pagtulog.

I was about to turn left when I saw a familiar figure. Even when his back is facing me, I can still recognize him.

Agad namang tumaas ang aking kilay ng makita ang kanyang katabi, si sociable butterfly, Katalina.

So much for sleeping, huh?

They are really sitting close to each other making other students look their way. Nakaramdam pa ako ng pagka-irita dahil may nagbubulong-bulongan pa habang panakaw na nakatingin sa kanila.

They sure are making an issue here and they don't even care about what others may think of them.

Well, if they don't care then I do.

Naglakad ako papunta sa kanilang pwesto at walang pasabing hinila ang upuan sa kanyang harapan na ikinatingin nilang dalawa sa akin.

I fakely smiled at them. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not!" Masiglang sagot ni Katalina sa akin.

I look at Nyjhiel who just simply looks at me before at the notebook in front of him. Gusto kong umirap ng mukhang wala lang sa kanyang nandito ako.