Rival Hearts

CHAPTER 2

As usual, nag-introduce yourself lang kami ulit. Orientation and so on. Napaka-boring naman. Paulit-ulit na ganito na lang maghapon.

Then, they dismissed us because it was already lunchtime. We also heard the bell, kaya I rushed to Elli's direction.

"Elli, tara lunch," pag-aaya ko.

"Sige, wait mo lang ako," she replied.

I went to the door to wait for her. But habang naghihintay, may napabunggo sa'kin, causing a spill of juice on my uniform.

"Shit," I murmured.

"So-sorry," he gently wiped the stain on my uniform. Para namang matatanggal 'yun. Pero noong maaninag ko ang mukha niya...

"Ikaw na naman?!" I yelled.

"Shut up," he replied.

"Paano ako tatahimik kung-" he cut me off by using his finger to shut my mouth.

Then, he handed me his hoodie, and naamoy ko 'yung pabango niya. Its manly scent was giving.

"Wear it so the others won't see the stain. I know you're conscious based on your facial expression," he said in a monotone.

I just rolled my eyes at him. Lagi na lang sinisira ang araw ko. Tss, buti na lang maganda pa rin ako.

"Elli, let's go," saad ko kay Elli bago ko siya hinila para makapag-lunch na kami.

While walking, napansin kong wala pala akong dalang pera. Shit! Ano bang buhay 'to?

Babalik na sana ako nang hilahin ako ni Elli pabalik.

"Don't worry, babe, I have extra money here. Gotcha!" she said, then winked.

"Paano mo nahulaan?" I asked her, confused.

"No more questions. Let's go," she replied with a grin.

Nang makaupo na kami sa table na kinuha ni Elli, umorder na siya.

"What do you want?" she asked me with a grin.

"Anything. What's yours, 'yun na lang din ang sa akin," I replied.

"Okay," she said in excitement.

Bakit ba ganito kung maka-asta 'to? Parang ngayon lang nagkaroon ng kaibigan ah.

Umorder lang siya ng orange juice at burger na large. Tig-isa kami, siyempre libre niya 'to.

Umupo na siya and then started eating. Makikita pa rin sa mukha niya ang kasiyahan. Ngiting aso na nga siya oh, 'di ko na lang sinasabi kasi baka maudlot 'yung saya niya.

"Hmm, Elli, matanong ko lang, bakit sobrang saya mo ngayon?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Masama ba?" she replied, then took a bite of her burger.

"Hindi naman, kasi parang ako lang ang kaibigan mo eh," I said.

"Korek ka diyan 'te, ikaw pa lang ang kaibigan ko kaya masaya ako ngayon," she replied.

"Ahh, ganun ba?" Medyo nahihiya ko pang sabi.

"Oo! Kaya besties na ba tayo?" she asked again.

"Omki, what's your social media ba?" I asked in return.

"Gimme your phone."

I handed her my phone and let her type her socials. She tapped the follow button on her account using my account.

Facebook: Elliana Fernandez
@IG:ellidafaq

"Now, it's your turn, bestie," she said.

I did the same as she did to mine. I typed my social media accounts and followed her back using her account.

Facebook: Reign Eily Ramirez
@IG: reilramz

And then we talked a lot about our family matters. We enjoyed lunch so much. Then, she asked me a question that made me uncomfortable.

"Crush mo ba si Hanz?" she asked.

"Dafaq, ako? No way in this world na magugustuhan ko ang hipokritong 'yon," saad ko habang naka-halukipkip.

"Talaga ba? Ang pogi niya kaya," she replied, ang tono niya ay pang-aasar.

"Ikaw na lang kaya! Tara na nga!" Naiinis kong sabi.

Bumalik na kami sa classroom since magta-time na. I saw Hanz talking to a guy. They were laughing at each other, then napatingin sa'kin 'yung kausap niya.

"Ayan pre, siya ba 'yung sinasabi mo?" the guy asked.

"Anong ako?!" I yelled.

"It's none of your business," Hanz said coldly.

"Anong 'it's none of my business' eh ako 'yung-" Natigilan ako sa pagsasalita nang pumasok ang teacher namin.

"Anong kaguluhan na naman 'yan?" the teacher asked.

"Wala po, Sir. Mayroon lang pong baliw dito," Hanz said. Ano daw? Ako nababaliw? Eh kung saksakin kita d'yan?! Kakainis.

"Aba, at ako pa?" I said, but not very audibly.

Padabog akong umupo sa upuan ko at humalukipkip. Unang araw pa lang, sira na agad ang araw ko. Paano pa kaya kung mas tumagal pa? Can I last here for a year? What the heck. Para na akong lalamunin ng lupa sa inis habang siya ay naka-ngisi lang. I forgot, suot-suot ko pala ang hoodie ng hipokritong 'yon.

"Ahh," I said in frustration, bago ginulo ang buhok ko.

Nag-introduce lang ang teacher namin tungkol sa background niya at kung ano-ano pa. Wala na 'kong pake doon.

"You can call me Mr. Sanchez, your biology teacher," he said, then sat down. Inutusan niya kaming kumuha ng one-fourth sheet of paper and write our whereabouts.

After that, we all passed our papers. But on the other hand, 'yung katabi kong hipokrito, natutulog. Lakas ng amats ng isang 'to ah. Gigisingin ko ba at sasabihin ang gagawin or 'wag na lang? Sige, 'wag na lang.

Kaso kinakain ako ng konsensya ko eh. Tangina naman. Sige nga. Inuga-uga ko pa siya to wake him up, pero 'di agad siya nagising hanggang sa sinampal ko na siya.

Then, nagulat ang lahat sa ginawa ko. "Sorry," I said. "I'm just waking him up," I added with a fake smile.

Nagising ang hipokrito na walang kaalam-alam, at tsaka ko sinabi ang mga gagawin.

He did it and then passed it.

Natapos ang buong maghapon ng maayos. Based on my observation, matalino talaga siya dahil sa ginawa niyang performance kanina.

'Yung performance na ang calculus teacher namin ay nagpa-solve ng equation, and then he volunteered. He answered it effortlessly and correctly, then explained how.

Dahil nga napahanga niya ako, I won't tolerate him to outshine me. Dapat ako lang.

And if he does, he's my competition.

He's my rival.