Head in the Sand (Erudite Series #3)

Kapitulo 14

"Don't crouch your back," mahinahong sabi no'ng nagtuturo sa akin, si ate Gail.

I was in the UPM theatre right now because it was training day for me. It had been a week since I last saw Graham and since then, I was always looking outside of campus to see if he was waiting for his girlfriend again.

"A queen doesn't let her spine suffer, okay, Dani?" ani Mari habang nakikisali sa pag-train sa akin ni ate Gail at Sandra. "Preach!" segunda ni Phamela, isa sa organizer ng training namin.

"Make sure your chest is always out-" hindi natuloy ni ate Gail ang sinasabi niya dahil kay Mari.

"Oh, my! Pinaghuhubad mo ba si Dani, ate G? No! She's a conservative! No!" natawa ang ibang candidates ng pageant habang kinukurot ni ate Gail si Mari sa tagiliran.

"Ingay mo talaga," sabi ko sa kaklase. "Minsan, ang sarap lagyan ng glue 'yang bibig mo." Napasinghap si Mari.

"'Di man lang tape?! Glue talaga?! Grabe ka talagang babae ka!" again, the other candidates laughed as ate Gail forced me to fix my posture.

I straightened my back and tried as much as I could to keep it that way. But I'd forget and eventually, Mari or ate Gail would tap my back to remind me.

In a span of three hours, I was just standing there and keeping an elegant demeanor, practice raw para sa mismong pageant ay hindi ko na kailangan ng magpapaalala. Inayos din nila ang aking balanse. Hindi ko alam na may iba't ibang paraan pala ang pagtayo sa entablado... 

Who knew...

"My feet sort of hurt," I told Mari as we walked out of the theatre. It was dark already, I think it was almost seven or eight in the evening. "Nangalay ka kakatayo?"

"Yeah, didn't realize it'd be... this tiring," Mari smirked and put his arm around my neck. "Tiis ganda, Dani girl—para sa premyo. 'Tsaka, malay mo, para din pala sa guwapo..."

Tumaas ang kilay ko sa huli niyang winika. "Sa 'yo na lang," we walked out of campus and was greeted by the loud horns of jeepneys.

"Sabi mo 'yan, ah! Kapag may guwapo, refer me agad." Tumango ako at tinanggal na ang akbay niya. "I'm going home. Good night."

"Bye, Dani! Good luck with readings!" I turned my back on him and started walking to my condo.

Pagtingin ko sa gilid ko nung mapadaan ako sa RobMan, nakita ko sa medyo malayo ang isang lalaking nakatayo sa harap ng OUR at tila may hinihintay.

Huh.

Late na, ah.

I walked up to my commute mentor.

"Waiting for her again?" Graham moved his head and saw me. Tumango siya. "Katatapos lang ng klase mo?"

Umiling ako. "I was training for a pageant," umawang ang bibig niya. I sensed disbelief. "Yeah, not really the pageant type of girl, but I was influenced by my classmates."

Mabagal siyang tumango at luminga sa gilid niya. "Sige, una na ako." I walked past him and went home.

"Eloise."

I faced him and saw a hesitant look on his face.

"When do you want me to teach you again? So that I can see if I'm available."

"Saturday again," susubukan kong pumunta kay Lara on Thursday night. "Pero hindi na bahay ni Lara ang pupuntahan natin."

He waited for my next words and I couldn't help but stare at him during this moment.

Dati, 'yong sinag ng araw ang nagpapakita ng itsura niya, ngayon naman, ilaw ng mga nakapaligid na gusali. Sa bawat lighting ba, guwapo talaga siya? Parang may daya, e...