Shadows of Serendipity - Hambebe AU

Chapter 9

"Suitor..?"

Justine looked back and forth at Gaille and Serena, seemingly confused and trying to comprehend if he heard the girl right.

Even Serena was surprised to hear what Gaille said earlier.

"Does this mean... pumapayag na siya?"

"Ikaw? May manliligaw na babae?" The guy bursted out laughing. "Nagsawa ka na sa lalaki so you settled for a girl? I can't believe you'd be so damn desperate that you even tried with her!"

Serena doesn't want to hear Justine in badmouthing the girl beside her. She decided to step in to defend Gaille this time around.

"Hoy, Justine! Nakaka-ilan ka na ha? Ano naman ngayon kung nililigawan na ko ni Gaille? It's only been a few days pero I can feel her treating me better than you AND the rest of the guys that courted me before had ever did."

"Nasasabi mo lang 'yan dahil may hinanakit ka sa'kin."

Justine then shifted his attention towards Gaille.

"I don't like you one bit because of what you said earlier. But trust me, if you want to save yourself from heartbreak, ngayon pa lang tigilan mo na si Serena."

"And like I said earlier, I know her well enough. Matuto kang makinig at rumespeto ng desisyon ng ibang tao."

"Ba't nagkukumpulan kayo rito ha?!"

Napatingin naman lahat ng estudyante sa sumigaw. It was one of the professors in their class kaya naman nataranta silang lahat.

"Wala ba kayong mga klase?! Go back to your respective classrooms!"

Agad silang nagsitakbuhan pabalik sa kanya-kanyang classrooms nila. Naiwan namang tatlo sila Justine, Gaille and Serena kaya napataas ng kilay sa kanila ang guro.

"Oh kayo? 'Di ba kayo babalik sa classroom niyo?"

"We'll go back na po. Sorry, Mrs. Reyes." Gaille answered for them.

"Balik na. 'Pag kayo naabutan kong nandito pa rin sa hallway, sa guidance office na kayo dederetso. Mga batang 'to kaka-senior high pa lang puro chismis na inaatupag." The professor walked passed by them and left the three of them alone once again.

Justine scoffed and turned around to walk towards where his repsective classroom is at. Pero bago pa man siya makalayo, Gaille gave him her last few words.

"You can never change my mind about it, Justine. Tapos ang usapan."

Justie got annoyed and eventually gave up, realizing that whatever he says, Gaille wouldn't be fazed by it.

"Tsk. Don't say I didn't warn you." With that, Justine completely left the two alone.

Gaille sighed. She never really did liked the idea of interacting with people too much, especially with that kind of intense atmosphere around her. It drains her energy a lot.

She felt a squeeze in her hand. That's when she realized that she and Serena are still holding each other's hands.

Bumitaw si Gaille and looked at Serena. "Look, we can talk about this later so I can clear everything up. Let's talk by the foot bridge after practice?"

"S-sige..." Is what Serena could only answer.

Gusto rin naman niyang malaman kung bakit tinanggap na ni Gaille na maging manliligaw niya. Gulat na gulat siya nang marinig niya 'yon kanina.

"Sinabi niya lang ba 'yon para paalisin si Justine? Pero may ibang nanonood sa'min kanina. She wouldn't want it to be publicized kung ayaw naman niya 'kong ligawan kuno, diba?"

"Let's go." Rinig niyang sabi ni Gaille.

"Saan?"

"Classroom niyo? Hatid na kita."

"Ha? Seryoso ka ba? Hindi naman na kita pinipilit."

"I'm your quote unquote manliligaw na. If we're really gonna push through this, we should make it look realistic."

Napangiti naman si Serena sa narinig niya. "Finally! Hindi ko na siya kailangang pilitin!"

"Alright. Tara na."

---

"Why did I do that?"

Kahahatid lang ni Gaille kay Serena sa classroom niya kaya naman she's left to walk alone towards her own respective classroom.

"I didn't intend to say that one out loud. It might be a little foolish and impulsive but it was the only thing I could think of saying so that stupid guy could leave Serena and I alone."

As she walks, she couldn't help but think about what just happened earlier. Naiirita pa rin siya dahil sa mga sinabi sa kaniya ng dating manliligaw ni Serena.

"Nakakainis naman kasi 'yung Justine na 'yon. Asking Serena kung saan siya nagkulang when he's just too egoistic to see what's obvious."

Gaille got even more annoyed when that certain feeling came up inside of her. It made her clench her jaw as she puts her hands inside her hoodie's pockets.

"Deja vu. Justine reminds me so much of him. Pare-pareho na lang ba talaga silang lahat? Wala na ba talagang matinong lalaki sa mundo? Kasi I want to believe that it's still possible to find a decent guy in the world. But in my experience, it says otherwise."

Gaille sighed as she already reached their classroom. She entered sat down in silence, ignoring everyone looking at her because of what happened.

"I guess it's all settled down na. I really am fake courting Serena."

Whatever she said earlier, she knew she couldn't take it all back now. Especially now that almost every one of their schoolmates already thought that she was really courting Serena. When in reality, it's all just public play.

Everyone, including her crush— Claire Secretario.

***