UNDER Series #1: I'm in love with your eyes.

CHAPTER 7

My eyes are locked staring at that guy at the end of the row, who bowed his head on his armchair as if he was sleeping.

I squinted my eyes as two different subjects started to discuss a new lesson, but he was still bowed. Ang nakakapagtaka pa, ang ibang mga naka yukong estudyante ay sinusuway ng mga teacher namin pero hindi siya. It's like he's not existing in our class.

Lunch break na when Drix and Cadis disappeared. Hindi ko alam kung saan sila pumunta ni hindi man lang nagpaalam. I was just sitting on my chair still staring at that guy's direction, when Bea approached me.

"May dalawang pogi ka na sa tabi mo pero sa iba ka pa rin nakatingin." sabi nito nang tumabi sa inuupuan ko na may ngiti sa labi . Pinaningkitan ko lang siya ng mata, sabay ngiti ulit sa akin.

"That is Waige Aiden Agacci." bulong niya, dahilan para mapatingin ako sa kanya.

"Who is he?" tanong ko.

"Kakasabi ko lang ah? Di mo ba ako narinig?" inosenteng tanong nito sa akin, "Waige Aide-"

"Narinig ko kung anong pangalan nya, what I'm asking is who is he? Bakit parang hindi naman sya pinapansin ng mga teacher natin?" pagputol ko sa kanya, binalik na naman ang tingin sa direksyon nung Waige.

"His name owned the top spot ng buong senior high dito sa school natin, basically sya ang pinaka matalino dito kaso he changed." pagsisimula nito, dahilan para makuha niya ang atensyon ko. "Nawala sa sarili ang nanay nya." She added, makes my brow furrowed.

"Nawala sa sarili?" I asked.

"OFW ang mama niya, hindi ko nga lang alam kung ano at saang bansa nagtatrabaho ang mama nya pero yun ang kumakalat na balita dito, which is nawala sa sarili ang nanay nya." she continued her story.

I looked at Waige's direction, as I realized the reason why he tried to jump to that bridge that night.

"Minsan na lang siyang pumasok, minsan pinupuntahan pa sya ng principal natin para lang mapilit pumasok. So the teachers didn't bother na sawayin sya, cause they are still thankful that he still attending in class not because he is the ace of this school but because they truly cared for him. Natatakot sila na baka kapag hindi na siya pumasok, ay baka mapariwara siya or what, so at least here they know that he is safe." nakangiting kwento niya.

I also smiled. Maybe this school really prioritizes their students' mental health.

Hindi na ako bumaba sa canteen, sabi kasi ni Bea sya na lang daw ang bibili ng kinain namin. Mas maganda nga yun, hindi na ako mapapagod at mukhang sanay naman na si Bea mag pa akyat baba dito.

Wala nang tao dito sa room ngayon, kasi nga breaktime na. It was just me and Waige who were here, I slowly stood up from my chair and walked towards his direction.

"That was you, right?" tanong ko sa nakatungong lalaki sa harap ko, medyo gumalaw pa to bago inangat ang ulo para tumingin sa akin.

My heart pounded as I saw his eyes met mine, the color of his eyes...hindi pa ako nakakita ng ganito, hindi ko alam kung ano yung tamang kulay para ilahad ang meron sya pero nakakamangha.

It was a light green hue of color, with a tame of yellow and brown strokes from the sides. This was the first time I saw an eye color like this. Ang ganda.

"Ha?" papikit pikit na tanong niya pa sa akin na halatang kagagaling lang sa pagkakatulog.

Hindi pa ako nakapagsalita ulit kasi sa mata niya lang ako nakatingin.

"Anong sabi mo?" he repeated while staring at me.

Mukhang, hindi niya ako nakikilala...

"Hi, I'm Hera." nakangiting sabi ko sa kanya, tinitigan niya lang ako at bumalik sa pagkatungo sa armchair nya.

What the?

"Hey! I said I'm Hera." ulit ko pa na may unting diin sa tono kasi baka hindi niya ako narinig.

"Pake ko?" tanging sabi niya, at halos manginig ang buong katawan ko sa inis.

Halos umakyat ang dugo sa ulo ko dahil doon. Did he just take down my introduction?

Agad na bumalik ako sa upuan ko at inis na umupo. I just pout my lips as I sat there. Hindi ako sanay na hindi ako pinapansin!

Sa sobrang inis ko hindi ko na namalayan na nasa harap ko na pala si Drix. He was smiling in front of me like an inch away from me.

"Mukha kang pato, why are you pouting like that?" he asked me as I saw a smirk on his face.

I looked around when I didn't saw Cadis behind him. Nagulat naman ako nang hawakan ni Drix ang dalawa kong pisngi at hinarap sa kanya.

"I'm talking to you, that's rude. You should look into the eyes of someone you're talking to." he nagged, still holding my cheeks.

"Bitawan mo nga ako!" hawi ko sa mga kamay nya, at tsaka naman sya tumawa at lumayo sa akin ng kaunti. He is now standing in front of me while his hands is in his pocket.

"Kung hinahanap mo si Cadis, wala umuwi na siya. May kailangan siyang asikasuhin." he stated, I just nod at him.

Alam ko naman na hindi nila priority tong pag aaral dito, sino ba naman ang papayag na bumalik sa grade 12 para lang samahan ako kung pareho na silang college? Syempre silang dalawa...

I'm sure Mama pulled some strings to convince both the heirs of Hacovo and Estramas to join me. I'm not that dumb, and maybe because they are the only people I can call my friends. They can do anything to protect me, even though they know I can do that for myself.

"Hera, andito na—Oh! Hi?" sigaw ni Bea sa direksyon ko pero biglang nag bago ang tono niya at pagkilos ng makita si Drix sa tabi ko. I looked at Drix's direction when I saw him change his reaction, from smiling to looking directly at Bea with a cold gaze.

I let out a small laugh because of how fast he changed his aura. In game nanaman sya sa larong seryo seryosohan.

"Thank you." I greeted them when Bea handed me the siomai rice that she bought for me.

Hindi na sya nag tanong ng kung ano at bumalik sa upuan niya, mukhang nahiya ata kay Drix.

"What the heck is that?" seryosong tanong ni Drix sa tabi ko, "Is that even safe?" he added, making my brow furrow as he saw what I was about to eat.

"Of Course it is, nasa cafeteria to ng school." sagot ko ng bigla nyang kunin andstyrofoam kasabay ng pagtapon nito sa basurahan.

"Drix!" sigaw ko sa kanya, dahilan para magsi tinginan rin ang mga ibang kaklase namin na nakabalik na galing sa labas.

Pinagtaasan lang ako ng kilay ni Drix ng tingnan niya ako. He slowly walked back to his seat after throwing that. I saw Bea looking in our direction as she immediately turned her back... she was probably hurt.

"Why did you do that?!" inis na tanong ko Drix. He didn't bother to look at me.

After lunch break, hindi ako tumabi kay Drix. I sat five chairs away from him. I can't stand him, binili yun ni Bea para sa akin tapos itatapon niya lang? That was so rude! Nakakapagod kayang pumunta sa canteen at makipag siksikan para lang mabili yun.

Nakasimangot akong nakikinig sa teacher habang nagsusulat, malapit na rin naman ang exam at kailangan ko mag aral para doon. I was just listening attentively when my eyes slightly peek in the direction of Waige, who was just 2 chairs away from me.

As usual, nakatungo lang sya sa arm chair nya.

Our class has already come to an end, and it's already 7 pm. I was looking for Bea to say sorry for what happened, but again she disappeared.

Naglalakad lang ako pababa ng hagdan, labasan na rin ng ibang mga studyante kaya medyo marami ng tao. Is this really how it is whenever the class ends?! Hindi naman ganto nung first day ko ah?

Muntik na akong matapilok at mahulog ng hagdan nang bigla may humawak sa braso ko para hindi ako tuluyang mahulog.

"Careful." he decreed as he let go of my hands when he ensured my stability and balance.

I fixed my stand when I saw who grabbed my hands, my eyes narrowed when I saw...It was Waige.