For Years, I Love You

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Qualifier

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I let out a heavy sigh as I went outside of the room. I felt like I was suffocating while I was there, writing an article that could satisfy the judge. Parang ngayon lang ulit ako nakahinga ng maluwag.

Starving, I went straight to the canteen where the food was already served by the school. There, I saw the three eggs: Kian, Gino, and Jericho. All of them looked at me when Gino pointed in my direction. I had no choice but go to them.

"Kumusta? Okay ba?" Gino asked as soon as I sat beside them.

"Okay," I nodded my head.

"Confident ka sa gawa mo?" Gino asked more.

"Not really, but I can say I wrote a good article," I replied, sighing. "I felt like dying inside. I couldn't even breathe properly, thinking those students with me are good— greater than me. I already feel losing the competition,"

"Hoy! Baka mabati!" Kian knocked on the table. "Hindi 'yan! I told you, you are great! If they are good, you are great! If they are great, then you are the best! No one can overtop you, Taliyah! No one!"

"No one?" I tilted my head as I pointed in Jericho's direction, then looked at Kian and asked, "Even Jericho?"

"News Writing lang pinag-uusapan natin, 'di siya kasali," mabilis na sagot ni Kian habang nailing-iling. "Mamaw 'yan. Halimaw. Halimaw ka ba, Tali? Kung oo, may chance. Kung hindi, wala. Kaso kahit halimaw, talo ni Jericho, e. 'Wag na tayo umasa. Walang pag-asa kay Jericho. 'Yun na 'yon,"

I pouted my lips because of what he said. Gino just laughed while Jericho only snickered at him. Jericho looked at me before taking out something from his bag. I blinked when I saw a plastic of a shirt. I looked at him in confusion.

"I bought a shirt from outside. Souvenir ba. Check it," Jericho said as he pushed the shirt to my side.

Just like what he told me to do, I checked the shirt that he bought. It was a maroon shirt. In front, it has a printed 'RSPC VIA'. At the back, it has a printed 'NEWS WRITING'. I looked at Jericho upon seeing the design.

"This is news writing," I told him. He nodded. I furrowed my eyebrows. "You're a sports writer, not a news writer,"

"Obviously," Jericho snickered again. He rolled his eyes, then looked away. "Sa 'yo 'yan. Binili ko para sa 'yo. Wala ka pang gan'yan, 'di ba? Ngayon, meron na,"

I blinked in surprise. I looked at Jericho and found him looking away so hard with his ears getting red. It seemed like he notice it, so he tried covering them by trying to act like he was rubbing them. Jericho looked shy. He was shy.

I puckered my lips to prevent myself from smiling. I looked away from him and checked the shirt again. I felt my face heating up. I puffed my cheeks when my lips started stretching on its own.

"Grabe, ang landi," I heard Kian mumbling before slamming the table. When I looked at him in surprise, he was already pointing a finger at Jericho who was just looking at him with his furrowed eyebrows. "Nagpapabili rin ako sa 'yo ng gan'yan, ah?! Nasa'n 'yung akin?! Bakit si Tali lang ang meron?!"

"Wala ka na bang binigay na pera pambili," Jericho replied, rolling his eyes again.

Kian scoffed at his friend. "Bakit? May binigay din bang pambili si Tali sa 'yo? Wala rin naman, ah? Tang inang lalaki na 'to. Akala mo hindi magkaibigan simula elementary. Gago! Bilhan mo rin ako!"