Pretend The Prey

CHAPTER 25

I went to school early, hindi na ako nagpadrive kase trip kong magdrama habang papuntang school. Hindi pa tuluyang nakakasikat ang araw pero nasa school na ako.

Mas gusto ko yung ganito, kahit na madilim pa ang paligid at malamig ang ihip ng hangin. At least hindi na ako binungad ng mga bulong-bulongan sa paligid katulad kahapon.

Nang makapasok ako sa room nandoon na sa upuan ng seat mate ko yung bag n'ya, but I can't find him anywhere.

I guess I'm an early bird but not the earliest huh?

Halos pabagsak kong inilagay yung bag sa upuan. Nakakapagod naman kase hindi lang dahil nasa fourth floor kami at nakakahingal akyatin yung floor namin, kundi pati na rin sa pag-iisip ng mga bagay-bagay mula pa kagabi. Thank God at nakatulog naman ako ng hindi putol-putol kahit 3 hours lang.

I snap out of my reverie when I heard soft knocks on the door. Nandun na si Von, nakatingin sa direksyon ko.

Madali kong napunasan ang aking mukha ng mapagtantong umiiyak na pala ako dahil sa pag-iisip.

"Wanna talk?" malambing na sabi nito habang dahan-dahan s'yang humakbang patungo sa lokasyon ko.

"Why would I wanna talk to you?" pambabara ko sa kanya. Feeling close na ah?

"We did have fun talking on that hill last time didn't we?" he chuckled leading me to look at him.

"Di ba sinabi ko na sayong kalimutan mo na yun? You told me you wouldn't talk about it anymore." may halong inis na paalala ko sa kanya.

"I can't help it." tuluyan na siyang umupo sa katabi kong upuan na pagmamay-ari n'ya.

Nabalot kami ng ilang segundong katahimikan bago s'ya nagsalita ulit.

"Would you want the culprit to pay for what she did?" Sabi nito sa akin in a suggesting tone.

"You know who did it?" he simply nodded.

He sighed a deep breath before speaking, "I'm sorry, Aki." Sabi n'ya.

I was caught off guard with his sudden apology.

"Why? Did you do something wrong?" kinakabahan ako sa maari niyang sabihin. Hindi naman siguro s'ya kasabwat sa nangyari?

"I'm sorry I was too late."

"Late for what?"

"I tried to delete the video immediately, but it really took me some time to find the source. I still eventually did but it was too late, marami na ang nakakita. Sorry din kase I didn't stop Atrius's hate towards you, I tried to explain everything to him but he was already blinded by his strong emotions to be able to see the truth. Kung sana nasundan ko lang s'ya that time ede sana hindi ka n'ya nasugod. Kaso nga lang kapag sinundan ko s'ya hindi ko madedelete agad yung video." para s'yang batang may kasalanan at nagsusumbong sa akin ngayon.

"You didn't do anything wrong. You're not late. Hindi mo ako responsibilidad. In fact, isa ka rin sa mga naging biktima ko dapat isipin mo rin na deserve ko to kase marami na akong kasalanan. I made you look like a prey in everyone's eye."

"I'm indeed a prey, mahina lang ako." Sabi n'ya sa akin. Does that supposed to lighten my mood and comfort me? I don't really understand his ways.

"But you know what..." I looked at his direction before speaking, "I believe, I don't deserve this."

Napangiti s'ya sa sinabi ko "I know, I witnessed how you protected her. That's why I was suggesting that we should expose the one behind it. I actually located the device that posted it and we could make use of it as our evidence." may pangungumbinsi sa tuno ng pananalita n'ya kaya hindi ko mapigilang matawa.