Mr. Wrong (Mr. Series #1)

Chapter 8

"Meet me after class."

That line keeps repeating like a record in my mind. I couldn't focus on the class. Just after Jhon Rey fixed my shoelace, I couldn't stop thinking about him.

"May problema ba?" tanong ni Anne nang mapansin niyang wala na naman ako sa sarili. We were walking outside the corridor to the locker room, para ayusin ang mga gamit namin bago umuwi.

Naiisip ko pa rin ang sinabi ni Jhon Rey. Should I go? Why did he ask me to do so?

"Wala naman. There's just something that bothers me," I blurted out.

"What is it?" I heaved a sigh and looked at her.

"Paano kung may taong napakabait sa 'yo? And it makes you think of reasons why he was doing that. Like, gusto niya ba ako o hindi? What are you going to do if you encounter someone like that?"

She paused like she was putting herself to my hypothetical question, which is not so hypothetical. "Hmm...sabi nila kapag nako-confuse ka raw, mixed signal daw iyon which is dapat iwasan. So don't expect too much. Don't assume. May mga tao talagang ganiyan, mabait at matulungin pero wala namang meaning. Parang nagbibigay ng motibo, but, the truth is, they do that to everyone. Anyway, who are you talking about?" She asked curiously.

"Nothing. I just... I think those people shouldn't be so kind. They should be careful of the thought that someone might fall for them if they continue doing that. It is heartbreaking for us when we catch feelings when they do not."

"That's what you called a jerk. You should avoid that kind of person. Mixed signal nga iyan, when there seems to be something, yet there seems to be none, meaning wala talaga iyon. If a guy likes you, he will show you. Bakit hindi mo siya tanungin o kaya deretsuhin para malaman mo?" She bluntly explained na nagpatigil sa paglakad ko.

"Oh, bakit napatigil ka? May pupuntahan ka ba?" tanong naman niya.

"Ha? Ah...mauna ka na, Anne. May pupuntahan lang ako saglit." I no longer waited for her answer and ran to the gym. I do not know why my heart is beating so fast. Naiisip ko palang na pupuntahan ko si Jhon Rey. Maybe, nababaliw na talaga ako. Bakit ako pupunta without even knowing why? And clearly knowing the fact that this is crazy and still making my way to the gym is much crazier. At bakit ako kinakabahan?

I slowly opened the side door of the gym, thinking I could see him in an instant but when I stepped into the gym, there was no one, not even a single shadow.

"Jhon Rey? Are you there?"

I took a deep breath and decided to leave. Wala naman pala siya rito. Baka naman nakalimutan niya na ang sinabi niya na makipagkita ako sa kaniya. Is this a sign that I should not take him seriously? Baka nga mali ako, hindi siya si Mr. Right dahil sa simpleng hindi niya pagsipot sa lugar na ito ay nagdudulot sa akin ng sobrang pighati at kalungkutan.

I was about to step out of the gym when, suddenly, I heard the ball bounce towards me. I picked up the ball.

Little by little, from the corner of this gymnasium, I could see the man I was looking for approaching me.

"Hi." He smiled at me. With that simple "hi," my heart pounded like crazy. Tila ba nawala ang pag-aalinglangan ko.

I became a statue when I saw him fully. He's tall and has that manly well built body. I mean, nababanaag ko iyon kahit na naka-uniform siya. He's working out.

Sinubukan kong pigilan ang puso ko pero pakiramdam ko sa mabilis nitong pagtibok ay maya-maya lang sasabog na ito. Seryoso ba na tumitibok nang ganito kalakas ang puso ko?

Bakit tumitibok ang puso ko para sa kaniya kung sa akin naman ito?

"I thought I would wait forever," he added making me more amused. I couldn't smile back at him. I just don't know how to now that he's inches from me.

I snapped back nang tuluyan na siyang nakalapit sa akin. Kinuha niya ang bolang hawak ko at sa pagkakataong iyon nagdampi ang aming mga kamay. Napatingin pa ako sa mga kamay namin na parang hindi makapaniwala sa boltahe ng kuryenteng aking naramdaman.

"Why aren't you in your P.E. Uniform?" He asked as he walked closer to the ring.

"Huh? Why? I mean, for what?" Finally, I was able to speak.

"I'll teach you basketball. Didn't I tell you?" His tone seemed to tease. Muli kong naalala ang nangyari kanina...ang nakakahiyang laro ko sa basketball. I closed my eyes and bit my lip out of disgrace.

"Don't be ashamed of what happened. Some admire you because of that." I stared at him, checking if it was a fake compliment.

"Tsk. Inaasar mo ba 'ko?" I removed my bag and then approached him. "They're laughing at me, 'cause it was so epic. Who knows? Maybe you're one of them." I averted my eyes.

Alam kong nakakahiya. At nahihiya ako sa sarili ko, napaka-losers ng datingan namin kanina. People were right when they said there's no perfect person at all 'cause I can see myself. I've got too many flaws to show even if I was a top-notcher in academics.

He just smiled. He cleared his throat and started to dribble. He glanced at me before he finally snatched the ball. Napanganga ako. Shooter?

I was about to speak when we heard applause. Slowly. That slow clap seems to be sarcastic.

I looked at that person walking towards us. And all my blood went up to my head when I saw Jhunel. Anong ginagawa niya rito? "Masyado kang nagpapakitang gilas sa ex ko." Jhunel never failed to annoy the hell out of me. His talent is to annoy me with his presence.

He picked up the ball, once dribbled, and laid up. He even smirked at Jhon Rey. Akala niya naman ikinaangas niya ang isang pagpasok niya ng bola sa ring. Naiirita lang ako sa kaniya!

"Why are you here, Sheen? Is he teaching you to play basketball? Are you playing with him now?" Jhunel asked me, which made me want to kill him. Para bang pinaparatangan niya ako na malandi ako at nakikipagharutan kay Jhon Rey.

"Ano naman sa 'yo?" Jhon Rey voiced out to my surprise. Kita kong kahit siya ay nababanas sa biglang pagsulpot ni Jhunel. Napangisi lang si Jhunel at ibinato kay Jhon Rey ang bola na siyang nasambot naman nito ng dalawa niyang kamay. Ngayon, parang may kuryenteng dumadaloy sa pagitan ng titig nila sa isa't isa.

And I, gusto ko nang kainin ng lupa. Dapat hindi na lang ako pumunta rito. Lalo akong nahihiya dahil sa ex-boyfriend ko. The fact that all of what Jhon Rey witnessed in me is just me and my mess, paano ko pa mapapaganda ang image ko sa kaniya?

"Are you challenging me one on one?" Jhunel asked.

"Masyado kang maraming tanong," said Jhon Rey with a grimacing face as he passed the ball to Jhunel.

"Tama, sa akin dapat ang bola. After all, ako naman ang una," Jhunel exclaimed as if he was pertaining to something else.

Jhunel dribbled and aimed for the ring. Shoot. Jhon Rey grinned when he got the ball. "But you let it out on your hands, makukuha mo pa kayang muli?" Jhon Rey looked at me and explained. "Most important of all, Sheen May, is the rule number 1, when you finally get it on your hands, don't let anyone else get it."

He winked.

That surprised me big time.

He dribbled and jumped to shoot the ball. Jhunel was about to block when Jhon Rey dodged it. Brought to fake. And with that, he was able to make another point.

I laughed at Jhunel's annoyed face because he got tricked by Jhon Rey. At simula no'n ay hindi na nagkaroon pa nang tyansa na makapuntos pa si Jhunel, ni hindi nga niya makuhang muli ang bola, at kung makuha man ay agad na nakukuhang muli ni Jhon Rey.

I can admit that I'm enjoying watching their gaime. I guess it's because I can see Jhunel's scared face. Pakiramdam ko nakabawi na ako sa mga pang-iinis niya sa akin.

Suddenly, I saw Jhunel whispering something to Jhon Rey. At nawala ang ngiti ko nang mabitiwan ni Jhon Rey ang bola kung kaya't naka-shoot muli si Jhunel.

Napakunot ang noo ko nang walang lingon-lingon, walang pasabi na umalis si Jhon Rey sa gymnasium hall.

He left me.

What the hell happened?