A Safe Haven

09

After one and a half days, I recovered from my fever and was able to go to school.

Sinunod naman ako ni Rick na wag nya munang ipapakita sa'kin ang pagmumukha nya.

"Lei, tignan mo, angpogi talaga ni Rick!" sabi ni Colleen habang umuuga na ako dahil sa kalandian nya.

"Take care of that, I'll go back to the classroom." I said without looking at Rick because he might taste a punch.

I walked towards our classroom when I saw Amara with her boyfriend, Nico.

"Leila!" tumakbo sya sa'kin at iniwan si Nico para abutan ako ng caramel frappuccino. "Galing kami ni Nico kanina sa Starbucks."

"Ayoko. Nakakadiri." ginamit ko ang palad ko para ilayo sa'kin ang inumin na yon.

"Huh? But it's your favorite." I don't know what to say because it looks like she'll catch me.

"Uhm... uh... I'm still full." I tried to smile while crossing my arms to cover my stomach.

She pouted. "Oh, okay."

"Maiwan ko na kayo... I need to go,"

I sighed as I turned away from them because of the nervous feeling, I don't want them to know about this.

Sinusubukan kong tiisin muna ang cravings kong mangoes dahil nasa kalagitnaan na ng oras ng klase. Kaunti nalang at tutulo na ang luha ko dahil hindi ko makuha ang cravings ko.

Nahihiya akong magrequest kay Rick dahil tinaboy ko sya. Pakiramdam ko tuloy may nagwawala sa loob ng tiyan ko.

Baby, not now. Kung kailan namang galit ako sa lalaking yon oh. Bad timing!

"Leila, are you okay? Kanina ka pa hindi mapakali." Colleen asked.

I didn't answer him when I saw Rick enter our classroom and go to Professor Olivia.

He looked at me and raised his eyebrows as if he was saying what I needed.

I wrote the word 'I want ripe mangoes' on a paper and showed it to him, I hid my face in the paper because of shame.

I quickly crumpled the paper when he left and our professor started to continue her discussion.

After Professor Olivia's teaching, I opened my Instagram first.

Rick Glavera
Go to the library later...

I turned off my phone when I read his message and went to the library alone. Angkapal ng mukha ko pagkatapos ko syang itaboy... but na-realize ko na for our baby naman yon... pero nakakahiya talaga.

Hindi naman ako nahirapan maghanap sa kanya sa loob ng library dahil nasa second seat lang sya nagbabasa.

I sat in front of him and he gave me the ripe mangoes.

He continued to read while I was busy eating mangoes. It seems like there's no one in front of him because he's busy reading.

Nakita ko ang front ng book na binabasa nya.

Atlas of Human Anatomy.

Future doctor?... it suits him to be a doctor.

Pagkatapos kong kumain, naghanap ako ng books na about sa business and I saw The Diary of CEO.

Bumalik na ako sa table ni Rick nang makuha ko na ang book. I noticed that he looked at the book I was holding, wondering why I took it.

"Is that your dream?" he asked.

"No... this is Mom's dream for me. Actually, the dream I want is different from the dream Mommy wants for me. I want to be a model or markswoman... but not for me." I answered in a whisper because we were inside the library.