I Can See Your True Colors

Chapter 16: The Girl Best Friend

YUMIRAH

YUNNAH SHEN Martinez. A girl who’s had a big place in my heart. The person who left me like I were a puppy and I thought I would never see again. The girl who was like a sister to me. My girl best friend.

Yunnah was transferring to my school. Imagine my surprise upon hearing the news. My mouth gaped, my jaw dropped. My eyes even widened na para akong nakakita nang multo. I sat there frozen and stared at Shan blankly.

Nang maka-recover, I waited for him to say “Just joking!” or “It’s just a prank, and you fell for it!” But he didn’t. Inulit ko pa ang sinabi niya nang patanong, at nakangiting tianguan niya ako.

Today’s Thursday, and I still didn’t know exactly what to feel.

Bakit naisipang bumalik ni Yunnah at ng pamilya niya? Okay na ba talaga siya at fully recovered na? Ano’ng mangyayari kapag nagkita kami? Most of my disturbing thoughts were questions na hindi ko mahanapan ng sagot, at para na akong mababaliw dahil doon. Mas mahirap pa ‘to kaysa sa pagsagot sa aming tests.

It had been three days since the second semester started, at wala pang Yunnah ang nagpapakita. Dahil doon, sumagi na naman sa isip ko na baka prank lang talaga ang ibinalita ni Shan. But when I asked our adviser, she confirmed that it was true. Yup, hindi lang basta magta-transfer ang dati kong best friend, magiging classmates pa kami. Tadhana nga naman, ‘di ba?

I couldn’t help myself but worry about her. Tinanong ko ang aming adviser kung bakit hindi pa siya pumapasok, and she had no idea. Nagsisi tuloy ako dahil hindi ko hiningi ang number ng kanyang kuya nang ma-text o ma-call ko siya o inalam ang kanyang Facebook account para direkta akong makapagtanong mismo sa kanya. Matapos kasing i-drop ng kanyang kuya ang tila bombang hindi ko inasahan, nalutang na ako at ni hindi nakapaghalungkat ng ibang detalye.

I was brought back to present when someone nudged me on the elbow. When I turned my head to my side, my eyes widened. Ang lapit ng mukha ni Rafe! I almost kissed him! Mabuti’t hindi natuloy. If it did, baka nahimatay na ako – Teka, bakit naman ako mahihimatay? Baka dahil sa gulat? Ugh!

“Lutang ka, girl?” he whispered, his eyes on our instructor. “Wala ka na naman sa sarili. Mag-focus ka nga sa discussion para kapag may surprise quiz, hindi ka rin malutang.”

Pumasok sa isa kong tainga ngunit lumabas sa kabila ang sinabi niya. Nanlalaki pa rin ang mata kong nakatingin sa gwapo niyang mukha, at para bang aatakihin ako sa puso. My heart, why it felt like it stopped beating?! What was happening to me? Why couldn’t I move? Why couldn’t I speak? On the outside, I may look calm (hindi ako hundred percent sure), but on the inside, I was actually panicking!

Nang mapansin niyang titig na titig ang aking mga mata sa kanya, napalingon siya sa ‘kin. Muntik na kaming magkahalikan! His eyebrows furrowed. “What? Why do you look… horrified? Huwag mo nga akong tingnan na para akong multo. Masyado akong maganda para magmukhang katakot-takot, ‘no.”

Bumalik ako sa sarili nang umikot ang kanyang mata. Whatever sparks flew in the air kani-kanina lang ay nawala – What? Sparks? Seriously?! Ugh! Bakit ba napapadalas ang inner battle ko? Kapag narinig ni Rafe ang thoughts ko, he would surely conclude that I was “without a doubt” crazy.

“Um . . .” I swallowed hard, thinking what to say to him. “Ano . . .”

“What’s wrong with you?” He squinted his eyes at me and moved his face closer to mine. I held my breath dahil one wrong move, magdidikit na an gaming mukha! Kumunot naman ngayon ang kanyang noo at lumayo. “Kanina, gulat na gulat ka. And now, mukha kang nagpa-panic. Tell me, ano ba talagang problema mo? These days, you’ve been acting weird. Your mind always seems to be elsewhere.”