Mr. Wrong (Mr. Series #1)

Chapter 2

"Girl, nakikinig ka ba?"

"Yeah."

"Talaga? Sabihin mo nga kung anong iyong mga sinabi ko." She crossed her arms like we were in a police station and interrogated me for telling lies.

I smiled, showing my defeat. "What is it again, Anne?"

"Kalimutan mo na! Wala ka na naman sa sarili mo! Huwag mong sabihing iniisip mo 'yong ex-boyfriend mo?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "No way!" Umiling ako at saka ngumit nang pagkalapad nang maalala ko kung sino ang iniisip ko. "Alam mo Anne, sa tingin ko, nahanap ko na siya."

"Siya? Sinong siya?" She seems confused.

"My Mr. Right." Nakita ko kung paano nag-iba ang itsura niya. Binigyan niya ako ng pambihirang tingin. "Ano? Saan? Kailan? Paano?" sunod-sunod niyang tanong na hindi man lang ako binigyan ng pagkakataong sumagot. "Anong ibig mong sabihing nahanap mo na iyong Mr. Right mo? What the hell are you talking about? We were just talking about this in the morning, and yet you immediately found him."

"Ano kasi...iyong gwapong transferee sa likod ko. Siya si Mr. Right," bulong ko. Tumingin siya sa likod ko bago kumunot ang noo.

I rolled my eyes. "I mean in our class, Anne, the handsome transferee guy." I shyly respond by talking about that angelic boy who transferred to our class a while ago. She was shocked and speechless for a couple of seconds. "You mean Jhon Rey Carp—?"

Tinakpan ko ang bibig niya bago siya makapagsalita ng mga kahihiyan. "Seryoso ka ba d'yan?" she blurted out in disbelief.

"I am. Believe me, it was my instinct. The moment I saw him enter the class, I knew he was the one." I snapped.

"You f*cked up, Sheen. Kailangan mo nang dalhin sa mental hospital, I mean right now." She grimaced.

"I'm not kidding. It must be love at first sight, Anne."

She's tapping my shoulder while nodding. "Baliw ka na at assuming. Siguro naisip mo iyan dahil nakita mo siyang palagi kang tinitingnan kanina pero wala iyong ibig sabihin, Sheen May. He may find you attractive, but that doesn't mean he wants to date you or something. He may be the type who will only make you fall for him and then leave you. We are surrounded by playboys now. Hindi mo ba nakikita? Remember about your great ex-boyfriend."

"Aware naman ako roon, but boys are not all the same. I mean, there are boys, there are guys, and there are men. Maybe Jhon Rey is different. You said it, he's looking at me. Maybe he's interested in me. What if it's also love at first sight?" I was full of hope. I don't know. Every time I remember his face, I can't stop smiling.

"Honestly, Sheen, matalino ka pero bobo ka sa mga ganitong bagay. I swear I know how your mind works. Alam mo? Kumain na lang tayo!"

She clings her arm to mine, and we both go to the cafeteria to have some lunch. Magbabayad na sana ako nang hindi ko nakita ang wallet ko. Tiningnan ko rin ang bulsa ko, pero wala rin ito rito.

"Nawawala ko." Anne saw me panicking. "What? Ano na naman ang nawala mo?"

"Nawawala iyong wallet ko."

"Sigurado ka ba? Baka nailagay mo lang kung saan o naiwan mo sa locker mo," komento niya.

"Hindi. Sigurado akong nilagay ko iyon sa bulsa ko. What the hell?" Sigurado ako. Narito lang iyon kanina.

"Chill, hanapin na lang natin pagkatapos ng lunch. Ako muna ang magbabayad for you."

"Thank you," I replied.

"Maliit na bagay."

Nginitian ko siya at pinanood habang binabayaran niya ang pagkain namin. Pagkatapos ay umupo kami sa usual naming table at nagsimula nang kumain. Pero wala na akong gana. Hindi ako maka-focus sa pagkaing nasa harap ko dahil ang utak ko ay nag-iisip kung saan ko ba posibleng nawala ang wallet ko.

"Pumunta tayo sa guidance office pagkatapos," suhestiyon niya. I can admit, mukha akong kawawang bata na umiiyak dahil nawalan ng lobo. Eh, anong gagawin ko? I hate it when I lose something important. And I hate myself for losing it.

"R-red wallet with a heart pattern, ma'am. It has two thousand and some coins," I described. I bit my nails while apprehensively inquiring about our guidance counselor, who manages the lost and found as well. Using her index finger, she pushed down her eyeglasses on his nose bridge and glanced at me.

"Sheen May Velasco?" tanong niya habang may tinitingnan sa kaniyang kamay. Ah! I forgot I had my government IDs in there. "Y-yes, Ma'am!"

Then she gave me a folder, and I was a bit confused about what I was going to do with it.

"Write your name and signature so I can record that you finally received it," she stated. Tumango ako bago ko siya sinunod. Sa wakas! Nasa kamay ko na muli ang wallet ko!

"Don't be so happy, Miss Velasco. You're just lucky today. Look at her..." Tinuro niya ang isang babae na umiiyak malapit doon sa potted plant. "...she lost her phone, and still it hasn't been found. So if I were you, take care of your things. Kung may halaga sa iyo ang isang bagay, hindi mo hahayaang mawala dahil poprotektahan mo. I don't want to see you here again, Miss Velasco." She smiled and closed the window.

"She's rude," Anne muttered.

"Ha? Bakit? Sa tingin ko ay tama siya. If I value this wallet enough and am able to protect it at all costs, I won't lose it."

"Tsk, if someone wants to steal it from you, someone will seek a chance to do so. She'll probably make you think that it's your fault for not taking care of it when someone else is to blame because of that someone's desire to have what you had. That's gaslighting." She elaborated, warning me like a witch in movies. Nakakatakot talaga siya paminsanminsan. I don't know how deep she's digging with those words, but hell, that's too deep for me to understand. I even doubt myself for being a candidate for Summa Cumlaude. I think she has to be there, not me. She sounds more intelligent than me.

"Anyway, natutuwa akong nahanap mo na ang wallet mo." I smiled when she immediately transformed into a kind and supportive best friend of mine.

"Sino sa tingin mo ang nakahanap nito, Anne?" tanong ko nang makabalik kami sa classroom.

"At ano naman ang pakialam natin doon? Magpasalamat na lang tayo kahit hindi natin siya kilala. Teka, hindi mo ba nakita ang pangalan niya sa logbook? The one who surrenders it."

I shrugged. "Na-excite akong makuha 'yong wallet ko kaya hindi ko nakita ang pangalan niya. Pero curious ako, I mean, he or she could have taken all the money, right?"

"That's why the guidance counselor told you that you're lucky. That someone may be rich and doesn't need money," she assumed.

"Baka nga. Mabuti na lang at naibalik sa akin dahil ayokong humingi muli kina dad. Nakakahiya." I sat down on my chair and looked at my wallet. Thank God, my allowance is still here!

"So that's you?" I looked at someone who approached me while also looking at my wallet. My face glowed when I saw him.