Conquering Territories: Completed

30

All of us turned around when we heard someone talked. Ravin was now standing in front of us with bunch of pictures on hand. I just smiled at him as a sign of response.

"Here are the pictures you asked me to print. I printed two copies like what you've said." Ravin handed me the set of pictures we took yesterday. Dahil na rin sa mas nauna siyang umuwi sa amin, sa kanya na namin ini-asa ang pag-print ng pictures ni Vale.

"Thank you." I smiled at him after that. Hindi ko na rin naman kasi alam ang sasabihin sa kanya. After all, I still don't know how to communicate with him properly.

Ravin just smiled at me. May gusto pa sana siyang sabihin pero, mabilis na lang siyang tumango at umalis.

"Close kayo?" Aris suddenly spoke after that. Napalingon na lang ako sa kanya at napansing sinundan pala niya ng tingin si Ravin.

"Oo nga, close kayo?" Clarisse asked too. Sigurado ako na may tumatakbo na naman sa isip ng mga kaibigan ko. Alam ko pa naman ang galaw ng isip ng mga ito.

"Hindi naman masyado," I answered. Mahirap na at kung ano na naman ang isipin nila. "Nagkasama lang kaming dalawa sa isang project kaya siya lumapit ngayon."

"Sabi mo 'eh," the three of them said in unison before they sipped on their drinks. Natawa na lang kaming apat dahil sa ginawa nila. They looked like mean girls from a TV show, except that two of them were boys.

"Mga siraulo," I commented before shrugging my head. Itatago ko na sana ang mga pictures sa bag ko nang may maramdaman akong palad sa balikat ko. I thought Vincent came back but, it wasn't him.

Jacob was behind me. The only different thing is that he wasnt having his smug look. He was bright, radiant. He looked friendly, which somehow caused my friends to stay silent.

"Oh, anong meron?" I asked.

Mabilis na itinaas ni Jacob ang mga papel na hawak niya. "Ito yung mga article na naka-assign sa akin." He handed me the papers before he spoke again. "Naiwan mo rin nga pala yung charger mo sa bahay kahapon. Mabuti na lang at nakita ni Vale."

Natawa na lang ako dahil kahapon ko pa hinahanap sa bag ang charger ko. Akala ko ay naihulog ko sa daan habang nasa byahe kami ni Irvin. Mabuti na lang at sa bahay pala ni Jacob ko naiwan.

"Salamat, akala ko ay nahulog na sa kalsada." Jacob handed me my charger while a smile was plastered on his lips.

"Wag ka sa akin magpasalamat. Si Vale ang nakakita niyan." He smiled. "Gusto na nga niyang bumalik ka na sa bahay. Ibang klaseng bata."

"Kailan ba ako pwedeng bumalik?" I jokingly asked.

"Ikaw ang bahala." Jacob just smirked before he walked out. Hindi ko tuloy mapigilang napangiti dahil himala at naging komportable na talaga siya sa akin. He was now smiling, which was quite new.

"Ngayon, sumagot ka ng matino. Close ba kayo?"

Clarisse, Blake, and Aris where now looking at me with their eyebrows creased. Pakiramdam ko tuloy ay sila ang journalism sa amin apat at hindi ako.

"Ngayon, sumagot ka ng matino. Close ba kayo?"

Napailing na lang ako habang tinigtignan ang mga kaibigan ko na nakatingin sa akin ngayon. The three of them were looking at me as if I did something quite unexpectable. Para namang may ginawa akong kasalanan dahil sa mga tingin nila.

"Quite? Medyo." I don't know what to say. Hindi ko pa rin kasi alam kung magkaibigan na ba talaga kami ni Jacob. After what happened last night, I bet we're now close. Close to the point that a possibility of us being the main topic of the school's not a surprise. Sigurado ako na usap-usapan na naman kaming dalawa nito.

"Anong quite ka dyan? Paano kayo nag-usap?" Clarisse asked. Her palms were now resting on the table. She was fidgeting her fingers, which made me chuckle. Mukha akong nasa isang interview dahil sa ginagawa nilang tatlo.

"Magkasama kami sa project. Kasama rin namin si Ravin kaya nagka-usap kami."

"Sino yung nagpapabalik sa'yo sa bahay nila? Ganoon na ba kayo ka-close ha?" I looked at Aris who was having an unclear emotion on his face. I guess I knew what was now running inside his mind.

"A-" I was about to say that it was his daughter but, good thing I stopped "-yon yung bata sa bahay nila. Nakausap ko kasi kaya gusto akong bumalik sa bahay nila para makalaro.

"Kaya." Aris shrugged his shoulders before he continued his food. Mabuti na lang rin at hindi na nagtanong pa ang mga kaibigan ko. Mahihirapan akong itago ang sikreto ni Jacob kapag nagpatuloy pa silang nagtanong.

"May next class pa ako mamaya," Blake said. "Baka hindi na rin ako makasabay sa pag-uwi dahil may group study kami ng mga blockmates ko."

"Ako rin," Clarisse seconded. "Kailangan ko pang makapasa."