Missed Pages ✔︎

Chapter 32

JEALOUS

FRANKIE

“You havenʼt listed your names in the log book yet.” I said to the group of girls who just came at the library.

Ito ʼyung pangalawang beses kong nakita ang mga babaeng iyan dito sa library. Judging from the looks of them, they werenʼt the type if people who usually visits the library. Hindi rin naman sila ʼyung tipo ng tao na magkakaroon ng interes sa pagbabasa ng mga libro. Sa tingin ko nga hindi sila nagbubuklat kahit saglit lang.

“Donʼt worry, saglit lang naman kami here.” the random girl said in a very casual way. Nakatanaw sila sa pintuan. Tila may hinihintay na dumating.

“Still, you need to log in. Itʼs the libraryʼs rules.” ani Frankie. Halata sa boses niya na pinipigilan niya ang kaniyang inis.

“Fine.” I saw how that girl rolled her eyes on her.

That was so undeniably rude.

Tumayo ang dalawa sa kanila at pumunta na doon sa receiving area. Wala na akong pakialam kung ano pa ang mga gagawin nila rito sa library. Ang akin lang naman, kung pupunta sila rito at lalabagin nila ang rules, mas mabuti pang ʼwag na lang silang pumunta. Besides, madali lang naman ang pagsusulat ng pangalan at oras, bakit hindi pa nila magawa agad? Inuuna kasi ang kung anu-ano.

Nagmistulang estatwa ako sa kinatatayuan ko. Hindi ko man lang magawang lingunin ang aking paligid. Something felt wrong with this place that I didnʼt sensed before.

I donʼt know why pero hindi mawala sa isip ko ang nangyari kahapon. Wala namang masamang nangyari pero talagang hanggang ngayon ay iniisip ko pa rin ito. I was glad to have Marcus as my co-librarian. Bagay naman sa kaniya maging librarian at mukha namang magagampanan niya ito ng maayos. Pero bakit sobra akong nababagabag?

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“Kararating mo lang?” I innocently asked.

“Kanina pa.” matipid niyang sagot.

“Sorry, ʼdi ko napansin.”

Sa sobrang lalim ng iniisip ko, hindi ko na napapansin kung anong nangyayari sa buong paligid ko.

He placed his palm on my forehead to check if Iʼve caught a fever. “You seem okay...” he stated.

Nagtaka ako sa ginawa niya. What made him think that Iʼm sick? “Because I am okay.” I replied in a very serious tone.

“Did you not like my answer yesterday?” bigla niyang tanong. Pareho kaming nabigla.

“I liked it.” I said, calmly. “You were so thoughtful.”

I tried to fake it. I tried to fake that Iʼm okay because I no longer want him worrying about me. I donʼt want him to think that I am week.

“Then what was bothering you?” He asked again. “You were zoning out lately.”

I donʼt know either. I donʼt really wanna know.

“Do you not like me being a librarian?” he asked.

“Itʼs not that.” mabilis akong umiling. I was trying to make him feel okay. I do get this feeling that heʼs also upset with how spontaneous I am.

“Then what is it?”

“I just feel awful and I donʼt know why.”

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