Si Torpe at Si Feeling

Chapter 9~ A BrokenHearted's Deal

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Chapter 9: A Brokenhearted's Deal

Dumiretso ako sa shop kung saan nakaupo na si Gab sa spot ng barkada namin at kumakain ng frozen yoghurt with strawberries on top. Umorder na rin ako ng froyo with strawberries and strawberry syrup kasi masarap eh.

"Gab, may nangyari ba habang wala ako kanina?" Sabi ko kaagad pagkaupo ko.

"Nice to see you too, noona.."He chuckled to lighten up my mood.

I heaved a sigh and slumped down as a guy came to bring my order. I immediately grab the treat and eat a whole berry.

"Ano bang nangyari? Ba't pinatawag mo ko dito?" tanong niya sakin.

"I don't know, I just had a hunch. May nangyari ba between Aleiah and Jared? " binalik ko ang tanong at tumahimik lang siya. I just looked at him expectantly and then he gave in.

"Okay... Binasted na ni Aleiah si Jared." He raises his hands in defeat and my eyes widen.

For two weeks they were so lovey dovey it made us sick tapos ngayon basted na siya?

"Three days ago pa, actually. Pero ngayon ko lang nalaman." he adds.

"Paano mo nalaman?" I ask him. Gosh, I sound so desperate.

"Sorry ha,  nag-usap kami kanina habang wala pa kayo eh. " sabi niya.

"Gabriel Ivan Lee how dare you break a promise!" I blurted,  then slumped back down. "Sorry."

"Eh,  it's okay.  He was pretty heartbroken though," he comments, throwing his empty cup to the bin. "Noona,  pahingi."

Tinignan ko siya. "Eh,  kakakain mo rin lang ng froyo ah...  Bakit nga pala siya binasted?"

"Ayaw na sa kanya ni Aleiah,  sabi niya. Harsh nga daw ang pagbabasted sa kanya. Parang ang kinahangtungan lang namin ni Kariel. " malungkot na sabi ni Gab.

Tinignan ko muna ang cup ng froyo, pabalik sa kanya, tapos sa cup at binigay ko na lang ang natira. Ayaw kong nakikitang heartbroken ang dongsaeng namin eh.

Bakit ba kasi sa kay Aleiah siya nangligaw? Nandito naman ako ah? Bakit siya pa? Ayan tuloy nasaktan ka. Jared, please huwag kang magpakabulag katulad ng ginagawa ko. Masakit yun, promise. 

"Umuwi na tayo, Clare. Gabi na eh." interrupt sakin ni Gab at tumigil ako sa pag-iisip.

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One week before the contest, parang napuna ni Szane ang reluctance kong kumausap sa crush kong brokenhearted. Paano nga naman, hindi ko naman alam ang sasabihin ko at I feel nervous to talk to him about those things, tumatahimik na lang ako. Cause lately, mas nagiging tahimik at deep ang thoughts niya ang sometimes it scares me. Baka nga kung walang kumakausap sa kanya eh, mag-lalaslas na ata yan. 

Nagkakaroon lang ako ng strength na kumausap sa kanya kung kumakausap rin sa kanya si Gab, pero most of the time nakikinig lang ako. Cause that's the only way I feel I could help, in my opinion, or so I thought.

Nagulat nalang ako isang araw. Walang klase sa ibang subjects namin kaya tumulong kami sa science teachers namin na mag-transfer ng mga gamit sa new stock room ng lab. We were asked to transfer test tubes, graduated cylinders and such. Dalawa kami ni Szane na papunta na sana sa new stockroom na may dalang tig-isang tray ng test tubes nang dumaan samin si Jared.

"Uy! Jared, tulungan mo naman ako oh, pakidala lang sa stockroom, mag-ccr kasi ako. Nandun naman si Clare eh." huli kong narinig bago ako pumasok sa dark room. 

Puro cabinets na naglalaman ng laboratory materials ang nasa loob like microscopes, etc.. The reason its dark though, is hindi pa naaayos ng janitor ang ilaw dito. Baka mamaya pa siguro.

Pumasok si Jared nang nailapag ko na ang test tubes sa cabinets at nilagay niya ang dala niya sa tabi ng dinala ko.

"Hi." I whisper to him. He just smiles at me in response and as we were gonna get out, biglang sumarado ang pinto. Shizz ang dilim!

"Hoy, sinong sumara?! Buksan niyo kami dito!" kinapa ko ang door at naramdaman ko na parang may naglalock ng pinto. "Hoy walanghiya ka kung sino ka man!"

"Break a leg, Clare." I hear Szane na tumatawa. 

Confirmed. Kinulong kami dito ni Szanelle. Bwisit niya talaga oh.

Biglang umilaw ng kaunti dahil binuksan ni Jared ang phone niya. "Anong nangyari?"

"May naglock ng pinto... " Sabi ko sa kanya and the room suddenly felt tense. Awkward silence filled the room and I can barely look at him in the eyes, not because there's only a dim light but because I don't know what will I say.

Napahawak ako sa door knob and looked away from his face; which showed clear shock from what happened. Parang hindi kinaya ng tuhod ko at napaupo ako, na nakasandal sa pinto. I decided to break the silence. "Gusto mong umupo? Mag-usap muna tayo, tutal yun naman talaga ang gusto ni Szanelle eh."

Umupo narin siya sa tabi ko, our shoulders against each other and I could feel the slight blush creeping on my face. The effect he has on me.

"So... How are you? Tagal na nating hindi nag-uusap."

"I'm doing good, in pain, but good. Ikaw, how's the band practice?" He silently said.

"I'm managing great with the stress. And we're hoping to win this time." I answered smiling, because, he asked about Electric Love.

"Good."

Muling tumahimik ang paligid. Nakatingin lang ako sa sapatos ko in front of me, and he's doing... whatever he's doing.

I suddenly got this courage I didn't know I had. "Hinahabol-habol mo parin ba si Aleiah?"

"Huh? Umm... Hindi ko alam, pero gusto ko parin siya." tahimik na sagot sakin ni Jared.

"What do you say if, I don't know, paselosin natin siya?" What the heck am I saying?

"What do you mean?" Tumingin sakin si Jared at I looked at him knowingly. "Are saying that we flirt at each other when she's around?"

"Depende sayo yun, pero gusto talaga kitang matulungan sa problema mo..." I silently said.

"Would you really make a deal? To see if Aleiah will want me back?" He looked at me, eyes shining, and I suddenly regret what I said earlier. But there's no backing out now.

"If that's how you want it to be, then yeah, sure." I silently said.

"Okay... So here's the deal, let's fake a relationship, make everyone believe we're together, especially Aleiah. Let's act like a couple to their eyes and of course, liligawan muna kita. Baka maka-obvious sila, but we'll call off the deal if Al would want me back."

I thought long and hard about this for a moment, staring at him.

Would it be worth the pain to see him happy if he does win over Al? Magiging kami ng matagal -- I don't even know how long, we'd be flirting at each other, I'd be his girlfriend. He'll be mine but not really mine, if that made sense. We'd be together in their eyes, but between us, I don't know. Worth it nga ba?

Hindi ko alam kung anong espirito ang sumapi sakin o kung nabagok ko ba ang ulo ko, pero for some reason, I just said... "Deal."

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