"Isla Margaux bading!" Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Althea pero ngumisi lang ito sa akin. Hailee must have told her about Cleo and I kaya lagi na akong inaasar ni Thea pero sabi naman niya she skipped the 'friends with benefits' part. Napaka-trustworthy talaga ng pinsan ko.
"Nakatulala ka kasi dyan."
"You've been spacing out a lot of times already today," dagdag ni Zeke. I sighed; I have been thinking about none other than Miss Harriet, or should I go back to calling her Professor De Veres? It seems like we're back to being professional now.
Kanina sa klase, para siyang wala sa mood, hindi niya nga ako tinignan kahit isang beses lang. Noon naman ay lagi-laging nagtatama ang tingin namin at nginingitian niya ako pero ngayon ay sobrang seryoso na siya sa klase katulad ng mga terror naming profs.
I tried talking to her after class and offered to help carry her things, but she ignored me and walked past. I've been feeling distracted today, wondering what I did wrong because we were fine this morning when I dropped her off at school. After the night of asking each other questions, I thought we were getting closer, but I guess I was wrong.
Why am I even hoping for us to become close? I should take this chance to distance myself and focus on my goals. That's the right thing to do.
"And you're doing it again." Tatlo na silang nakatitig sa akin at nakakunot ang noo.
"I'm sorry. Hangover lang." Sabay-sabay silang tumango at naniwala naman sa excuse na binigay ko.
"I should've been at the party so I could smack the shit out of that jerk," sabi ni Thea. Ipinagkwento ni Hailee sa kanila na dumalo si Xavier sa party, kaya't nonstop nang binabatikos siya ni Thea mula nang dumating dito.
"Hailee already punched him, okay na 'yun," sabi ko.
"And Zeke, he already beat him up on behalf of us three," Hailee said, making me turn my head to face Zeke, who has a bruise on the side of his lips. I was too distracted a while ago to even notice it.
"Oh my gosh! Zeke, you're hurt." I touched his face to examine it. He also has a light cut under his left eye. I noticed his cheeks are also turning pink, but I don't think it's from being punched.
"Ehem." Agad akong napabitaw sa mukha niya nang tumikhim si Hailee. Pareho sila ni Thea, nakangisi ng mapang-asar sa akin. Umusog ako ng onti palayo dahil magkatabi kami ni Zeke sa upuan at nasa tapat ko naman 'yung dalawa.
"Y-you should go to the clinic to get it treated." Mukhang fresh pa ang mga sugat at hindi pa nagagamot.
"Samahan mo na, Isla." Gusto kong irapan 'yung dalawa, pero baka makita ni Zeke at sabihin na ayaw kong samahan siya. Kailangan ko rin naman dahil ako ang dahilan bakit siya may sugat.
"Tara, Ezekiel. Pagamot natin 'yan." Sabi ko at tumayo na. Sumunod naman siya sa akin at sabay na kaming naglakad palabas ng cafeteria.
"I'm really sorry about your wound, and I appreciate what you did for me, pero you shouldn't have done it pa rin. Nasaktan ka tuloy." I feel guilty dahil nadadamay pa ang mga kaibigan ko sa failed kong love life.
"Don't feel bad, Is. Ginusto ko naman 'to."
"Ano bang nangyari? How did you even know Xavier went to the party?"
"Nagyaya 'yung gago lumabas kami. Anong akala niya? Magkaibigan pa rin kami after what he did to you? Hell no! Pero pumayag pa rin ako to talk to him na huwag na siya ulit magpakita sayo, but when I found out he was at the party also, I got mad so I beat him up." I could sense Ezekiel's anger with his fist curled up into a ball and his jaw clenched.
BINABASA MO ANG
Academic Temptations
Romance"I thought I had it all figured out-a perfect life with a planned future. Then you came along, adding colors to my black-and-white existence. Now, I'm ready to take chances, and embrace the unknown because being with you is a perfection I never knew...
