What is Love? (Sinta Series #2)

17

"Are you sure you can make it to school today?" tanong ko kay Chantal, who's eating breakfast.

"Wala akong choice, Cali. Kailangan kong pumasok, ilang araw na akong absent. Umupo ka, kumain ka rin. Ikaw nagluto nito e! Salamat pala ah!" ngiting ngiti siya habang kausap ako. 

She looks... okay. It's as if I didn't see her in that situation last night.

I smiled at her and just drank the last of my coffee. The last thing I need this morning is for her to break down again. I mean, I'm just glad that she's fine and smiling now, too. 

This is good.

So, we went to school together. I drove my car and she sat by the passenger seat. And of course, the moment the girls saw us, saw her—they immediately ran to her.

"Tangina ka, ba't 'di ka nag-rereply sa akin!" Jean was the first to get to her. Sinabunutan pa siya nito.

Tumawa lang si Chantal sa kanya . "Gago, aray! Masakit!"

Si Janine naman, binatukan siya! "Ano nga? Anong nangyari? Tsaka, ba't naka slacks ka? Sabi ko on Fridays, we wear skirts e!" 

"Hahaha, wala hindi ko nalabhan. M-May sakit kasi ako ng ilang araw. Alam niyo naman, kakalipat ko lang sa apartment kaya mag-isa ako, walang nag-alaga sa akin. Sorry na, pwede bang mag-sorry?" biro naman ni Chantal sa kanila.

Well, she's wearing slacks and even a jacket despite the heat to cover up her bruises, but whatever.

"Dapat nagsabi ka sa amin, para pinuntahan ka namin." sabi naman ni Darla.

"Eh, siyempre busy class natin these days sa Thesis at Field Study, ayaw ko na mang istorbo sa inyo." sagot na lang ni Chantal. 

She looked convincing enough, but I've had it. "You're not istorbo, okay? Bitch, just tell us kapag may problema. Ano ba mahirap 'don?" seryosong sabat ko. "And the same goes with you all. Kapag may problem, just say so. Okay?" 

Shoot. I lost my cool.

"Oo nga. Ano pa't friends tayo, 'di ba?" singit naman ni Anne. I bet she felt that something was off with me, because she looked at me weirdly.

Dammit. Who cares? All I care about is finding who to punch in the face, considering Chantal's situation right now.

Chantal gave up. "Oo na, oo na! Grabe. Sige, hug niyo na ako. Alam kong na-miss niyo ako." she even stretched out her arms, waiting for everyone to hug her or something.

But she thought wrong, because the five of us just shook our heads and walked to our seats.

"Grabe! Ganyan ba ang mga kaibigan?!" angal niya pa, and everyone in the class who saw, laughed at her.

"Fuck you, upo ka na rito!" I shouted then pointed out on the seat beside me.

"Tsaka, ikaw Jean, mag-explain ka sa amin! Ba't hinahanap ka nung bokalista ng PUP band kahapon ah? Maharot ka!" pag-iiba naman ni Janine ng usapan.

Si Sai? Why's he looking for Jean? I really have to catch up with the boys.

"Hinanap niya ako?" takang tanong naman ni Jean pabalik.

"Oo, so, sino nga kasama mo kung hindi naman siya?" Janine asked her again.

"Uy, chismis! Nice!" singit naman ni Chantal sa usapan nila.

Our Thesis professor suddenly arrived, leaving us all hanging.

"Mamaya ka sa akin!" bulong na lang ni Janine kay Jean.