You All Over Me (The 5th Street Series Vol. 1)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Sure ka na ba sister?"

Tumango ako habang tinitignan ang sarili sa salamin. I had a shoot for a cosmetic brand here in QC. Tinatanong ako ni Betty kung hindi ba talaga ako sasama sa kaniya pauwi ng Bulacan para sa birthday party ni Cara.

It has been three years. Umaga pagkatapos ng gabing kausapin ko ang pinsan niya ay nagkasakit ako. I had to ask for a leave before because it was not just my physical health that needed rest. I felt holistically unhealthy.

Zach, being the strict principal, he didn't give me the leave I asked unless he saw himself how sick I was. It actually took me almost two weeks before finally able to go to school. It was a week before the opening of a new school year. Kaya lang ay pakiramdam ko ay nawalan na ako ng gana para magturo pa. It is not because of what I was going through that time but I felt that I wanted to try something else that could help me explore.

Nahihiya ako noon dahil nga habang leave ko ay pinupuntahan ako minsan ni Zach. I let him do whatever he wanted because I had no one to rely on. Meanwhile Cara, which was my best friend, we had to deal with more distant connection of known and unknown reasons... well maybe because of what me and her cousin's issue that time. Hindi mo naman maiiwasang maramdaman ang pagbabago. She became cold and distant at some point. Maybe she had to heal as well so I had to understand her.

But then, I guess I know why she treated me that way now. The day I presented my resignation letter to Zach in his office, he asked me for a talk. He said that he'll accept my resignation if I'll give him a chance to say the truth from what happened before. I didn't matter to me because I moved on but then again... he left me no choice.

"It was Cara who's with me when you saw me with a girl inside the cubicle...I was checking all the comfort rooms in the school when I saw her inside the comfort rooms near the engineering building. She confessed to me that she liked me ever since and I said I like you... Hindi ko alam na naroon kayo sa building na 'yon dahil ata noong sinabi mo sa akin na pupuntahan ninyo si Gerald. She suddenly grabbed me inside one of the cubicles and hid her face when you came..."

"Don't be ridiculous, you're lying..."

"I wish I am."

Nanginig ang laman ko at nakaramdam ng panlalamig. Inaalala ang mga nagyari noon. Pinuntahan ko noon si Cara sa banyo dahil tatawagin ko na sana para makapasok na kami sa aming next class. Pagdating ko sa banyo ay nakita si Zach na nakatalikod, nasa loob ng bukas na cubicle. His head was placed sideway so I immediately thought that he's kissing a girl. Hindi ko na pinagabalahan pang hintayin na ipakita ng babae ang mukha niya dahil nang magkatinginan kami ni Zach ay mabilis na akong tumakbo paalis doon.

"If you ever wonder if why I decided not to clear your name despite of the humor about you, it is because I don't want you to know the truth. Alam kong mas mahirap tanggapin para sa'yo na ang kaibigan mo ang babaeng kasama ko. I'd prefer you to think that I hurt you than clear my name to you and ruin your relationship with your best friend. I know how much you value her."

"And the reason why also no one dared to tell you that it was Cara who's with me is because I warned everyone who saw to shut their mouths."