Walang Kapalit

antukin

"Uy,"

No response came from Leni, leaving Risa feeling a bit uneasy.

"Parang 'di naman mabiro," Risa's mischievous grin only fueled Leni's irritation.

Still no answer from Leni.

However, this time, the harmless joke Risa played in the high school cafeteria had backfired, and Leni was suddenly quiet. Leni is known for her patience and calm demeanor, who rarely got annoyed. No matter the situation, she seemed to handle everything with grace and composure.

Everyone knew what it meant when she got quiet. Kiko and Chel exchanged a knowing look, realizing the seriousness of the situation.

"Ris, delikado ka na," Kiko whispered to himself.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunchtime. The group of friends gathered their belongings and began to make their way back to their classrooms for the afternoon sessions. Risa's heart sank at the realization that Leni was still upset with her. Throughout the afternoon classes, Risa found it difficult to focus. She had hoped that Leni would at least acknowledge her presence or give her a chance to apologize, but the entire day had passed without a single glance from her usually patient best friend.

—

Chel, genuinely intrigued by the situation, asked "Ano ba kasing ginawa mo?"

"Hulaan k-," Teddy tried to interject with his guess, but before he could finish, Leila quickly silenced him with a slap on the arm signaling that she didn't want to hear whatever bad joke he was about to make.

Risa sighed, feeling a mix of regret and guilt. "Ano kasi... tinago ko yung panyo niya," she flinched. "It was meant to be harmless fun, pero I guess it's really THAT serious."

Leila chimed in disbelief, "Luh si bakla! Parang 'di ka naman nag-grade 2 diyan! No wonder she's upset. You know how much she values her things, especially sentimental items."

Risa felt a pang of guilt in her chest as she realized the gravity of her actions. "Oo na nga. Alam kong ang impulsive. Pero I didn't mean to upset her." She admitted, looking down. She regretted her thoughtless prank, realizing that she had taken their playful antics too far.

—

Later in the day, Kiko approached Leni in their student government office. "Tibay ah! 'Di mo pa rin papansinin?"

Leni was sitting at her desk, surrounded by papers, engrossed in her work. Her brows furrowed in concentration as she meticulously prepared for the school event scheduled for the next day. It was evident that she was focused on the task at hand, but her silence also hinted at her lingering hurt from Risa's thoughtless prank earlier.

Kiko understood how much Leni valued her responsibilities as president of the student government. She took her duties seriously and always went the extra mile to ensure everything ran smoothly. However, her dedication to her work also meant that she often kept her emotions in check, and it made it difficult for Kiko to gauge how she truly felt about the situation with Risa.

He pulled a chair beside her. Leni glanced up briefly, "Ano 'yun, Kiks?" her tone unreadable.

"Someone was practically in tears kanina sa Econ class. Ni isang kibo sa'yo wala."

Leni responded icily, her eyes still fixed on the paperwork, "I haven't heard a single apology."

Kiko let out a weary sigh, empathizing with Leni's feelings. The rest of the barkada decided to head out for ice cream as per Sonny's treat, he joined them, leaving Leni behind in the office.

—

It displayed 6:23 on Leni's watch. It dawned on her how late she have worked in the office today. She couldn't deny feeling a sense of disappointment, as she didn't receive even a simple text message from Risa. They always left the office together. It felt odd not to have the familiar laughter of Risa by her side.

As she approached their dormitory, Leni was startled when a girl still in uniform appeared to be slouching on the front steps of their dormitory holding a bag of Cheeto Cheese Puffs—the very snack that Leni loved.

"Ano ba naman, Risa!" Leni protested in her mind, annoyed that she hadn't considered how cold it was outside. She gently shook her shoulders.

Half-asleep and half-unconscious, Risa stammered, head still cast down. "I-I'm sorry... nakatulog ako rito"

Typical Risa, always apologetic of everything. Leni thought. "Tumayo ka na riyan." she said with annoyance evident in her tone, but she couldn't hide the underlying concern she felt.

Risa immediately looked up upon recognizing Leni's voice. Leni felt a pang of sadness in her heart as she saw the expression in her favorite person's eyes.

"Lens, I'm really sorry," Risa said sincerely, offering the bag of chips. "Ang careless ng pagtago ko ng belongings mo. It won't happen again, I promise." Risa spoke softly, extending the bag to Leni.

Leni's frustration dissipated all at once and she sighed, surrendering, "Sige na okay na. Tumayo ka na at ang ginaw dito sa labas."

"Sorry talaga!" Risa yelped, and then immediately wrapped her arms tightly around Leni's shoulders.
"I understand why you got irritated. It was really mindless of me. Hindi na mauulit."

"Dali na bago magbago isip ko."

Risa let go of the hug and frowned, "Natiis mo ako ng buong araw!" with added jokingly grumpy face and tiny stomps.

"Ikaw 'tong umalis agad 'di ako inantay."

"Inantay kaya kita sa gate! Kaso ang tagal mo sa office hinabol ko pa yung tindahan sa kanto bago magsara kasi dun lang may bentang Chocnut."

Leni lifted the paper bag she's been holding, "Eto na nga po, babawi na... I got your favorite ramen."

"Oh my god the best girlfriend ever!" planting a kiss on the smaller girl's forehead.

"Syempre."

~•~

Wow sa all girls dormitory sila yan nakatira as best friends. Pagalitan kayo ng guard huy!