Protecting What's Hers

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞

Felicity Alvarez

"And you'll be okay here on your own?" I nod my head and flash the professor a genuine smile habang hawak - hawak nito ang kamay ko.

She's been tracing my arm up and down and been clasping my fingers with hers from time to time.

"Yes po, miss."

Miss Pat has been quite touchy with me, which I don't mind, but there's this thing called personal space, and a touchy person isn't on my list right now. Lalong lalo na kung hindi ko gaano ka close yung tao.

Pinisil ako nito bago binitawan ang mga kamay. "Okay, you guys are doing a good job! We'll have a break after fifteen."

Doon ako nagpawala ng malaking buntong hininga nang makaalis na ito sa harap ko. We are currently assembled in the gymnasium, working on the props for the theater production that happens in a month.

Miss Pat is the director and she's been bugging me to audition for the main role pero hindi ko kaya pagsabay - sabayin yung pag - aaral ko pati narin practice lalong lalo na at malapit na rin ang exam.

"I think someone want to burry you not just six feet, but a ten, under the ground."

Andrea whispered kaya napataas ang tingin ko sa pinipintahan ko papunta sa kanya. I raised an eyebrow towards her and she tilt her head, gesturing behind me.

Without a doubt ay agad akong sumilip sa lugar na tinuturo nito. And there, with her arms folded across her chest, is a woman looking at me while she leans her side against the gymnasium's door.

It was hot, yet with those narrowed feline eyes of hers, it's making her scary.

Alam na alam ko ba't ganun nalang ang pagtingin ng babae sa akin. She probably saw her colleague touching me nonstop.

Agad na napaiwas ako ng tingin ng magtama ang mga mata namin and she didn't even bother breaking the eye contact kung hindi pa ako ang gumawa.

There's a blazing fire behind those hazel orbs of hers.

Binaliwalang bahala ko ang mga tingin na pinupukol nito sa akin. I'll admit that I'm terrified right now and that I was tempted to go to her and tell her everything, but I'm worried that everyone will find it suspicious.

"Do you think she's angry?" Tanong ko sa kaibigan na siyang nag gugunting ng mga hugis sa cardboard.

The latter shrug her shoulder, before giving me a blank stare. "With that look of hers. I will probably starts chanting a pray, Felicity."

Kita mo, hindi talaga nakakatulong tong si Andrea sa nerbyos. Mas lalo pa ngang dinagdagan eh. "If you don't mind, may balak ka bang sabihin kina Clyde ang tungkol sa inyo?"

And that question made me shut my mouth firmly. Ilang beses din sumagi sa isip ko ang ganong tanong pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko mahanapan ng sagot.

I know I can't fool my friends sa mahabang panahon. But I'm too afraid that they'll start acting differently towards me. Nangungunahan talaga ako ng takot.

"I don't know, Dre. Hindi pa siguro ngayon."

"Clyde will feel so betrayed kung huli niya na itong malalaman. You know she's a bit sensitive about things."

Knowing Clyde, alam na alam ko na hindi ako nito papansinin kapag siya ang huling makakaalam but I just hope she'll understand the need to hide the situation from them.

"I know, I'm still finding the courage to spill whatever what's going on between me and - you know. But please, do promise me na wag mo muna sabihin sa kanila."