Chapter 5
"Red, kanina ka pa namumula. Okay ka lang ba?"
Hindi ako makatingin nang diretso kay Mama nang tanungin niya ako ngayong nasa hapagkainan kami. My cheeks are burning with embarrassment so I reached for a glass of water and pretended to take a sip, desperately hoping to repress the awkwardness festering inside me.
What the heck is wrong with you, Red? Get a hold of yourself. Stop thinking about that sketch. It has nothing to do with you.
It's all a pure coincidence.
Yes? Yes!
"P-Po? Mainit kasi, Ma. Kulang pa yata ako sa shower," I reasoned in a low voice matapos uminom ng tubig.
"'Yan kasi! Gan'yan ang napapala ng mga taong wisik-wisik lang kung maligo sa umaga—aray!"
I pulled Renz's hair aggressively. Magkatabi lang naman kasi kami kaya madali ko lang siyang maabot. Parang gusto ko tuloy ibuhos sa kanya ang lahat ng exhaustion ko para makapag-recharge.
"Kanina ka pa nananabunot! Mama, oh!" sumbong niya na parang bata nang bitawan ko siya. Hinawi-hawi pa niya ang buhok.
"Tumigil ka nga, Renzler. Kumain ka lang kasi r'yan," sita ni Mama na akala mo'y sobrang strikto.
Palihim akong ngumisi, pagkatapos ay mapang-asar na tumingin sa kambal ko. Akala mo naman talaga ay kakampihan siya ni Mama. Buti nga sa 'yong Renz ka!
"Sige, ang saya-siya niya, oh." He secretly stab me with a glare. "Mama, imbitahan nga natin si Davin dito," he fired back, which made me coughed upon my own saliva.
The smug face I had earlier completely disappeared because of what he just said. Renz let out a gleeful laugh when he saw my response, as if he had just won a competition.
"Group yourselves into four members." Bumungad ang teacher namin sa Media and Information Literacy or MIL.
Nanatili lang akong nakaupo sa seat ko habang kunwari ay naghahanap ng makakagrupo. I was hoping that Edo would drag me out from my seat but she was yet nowhere to be seen. Hindi pa siya pumasok.
I guess maghihintay na lang ako ng mag-aampon sa akin sa grupo nila—hopefully ay mayroon.
"Red! Dito ka na sa amin!"
I turned my head to take a glance at Claudia's group, nasa bandang dulo sila. Tatlo pa lang sila, kasama niya 'yong mga girl best friends niya.
Hindi ko alam kung sasali ba ako sa grupo nila. Claudia's circle was known as the meanie girl vibes inside our classroom. Although, it's not my place to pass judgment on them solely, from what I have observed of them, they seem to be the sort of people with whom I cannot sit at the same table.
What should I do? Tatanggihan ko ba? Puwede ko naman hintayin si Edo. But the answer for my question quickly came. Nag-text na siya sa 'kin.
From: asawa ni kento yamazaki
reddd di ako makakapasok ngayon may emergency lang sa bahay
chinat lang kita para aware ka sa nickname ko byeee
Napairap ako nang palihim. She was talking about her nickname sa message convo namin. Siya ang naglagay ng nickname niya na 'yan no'ng time na pinakealamanan niya ang phone ko.
Before I could even answer, Claudia tapped my desk to call for my attention. Nagkatinginan kami at nakita kong nakangiti siya sa akin.
"Come on, Red. I don't want you to be left out. Dito ka na sa amin."
BINABASA MO ANG
Pursuing from the Shore (Sun Rays Series #2)
Romance✔️ | COMPLETED Redler is an introvert yet passionate writer who finds comfort in her quiet spaces. Davin, an enthusiastic artist whose life is brimming with creativity, stood across from her quiet existence. When their paths suddenly meet, Davinʼs l...
