Anything Wrong?
"Bye, Mom," I said, planting a quick kiss on her cheek as I rushed out the door. The crisp morning air hit me like a splash of cold water, invigorating me even more. I felt a thrill of anticipation for the day ahead.
As I made my way to school, the sun peeked through the clouds, casting a warm glow on everything. My feet seemed to bounce on the pavement, and I couldn't help but smile at the familiar sights—the tall trees lining the street, the cheerful chatter of my neighbors, and the distant sound of kids laughing.
"Energetic ka ngayon, ah. May nangyari ba kagabi?" kuryosong tanong ni Yael ng pabulong.
I couldn't respond but smiled broadly. Kahit kagabi, hindi ako makatulog ng ayos. Nagpagulong-gulong ako sa kama until malaglag ako but it's worth it.
Yael couldn't believe what he was seeing. "You're whipped, man," he said with a sarcastic shake of his head.
At the gate, Javier confronted us about Gavin. "Ano na naman bang ginawa nung gunggung?" I sighed, already bracing myself for what I knew was coming.
Dinala kami ni Javier sa kinaroroonan ni Gavin. Tumawa lang si Yael ng nakakaloko habang ako naman ay hindi makagalaw sa kinatatayuan at sinusubukang isipin kung ano ang nangyari sa lalaki. I just comfort him yesterday and yet...
"Guess the old Gavin is back," Yael said with a grin on his face. I couldn't help but feel a mix of concern and annoyance. It was hard to believe that after everything, he'd managed to get himself into another mess.
As he settled back into his old self, Gavin was once again surrounded by a group of attractive girls, just like before. "Ano 'yon? Ilang araw ka lang magiging matino, tapos back to being a playboy na naman?" I tightly closed my eyes and let out a heavy sigh, feeling frustrated by his sudden transformation.
I tried to talk to him, taking steps in his direction. Our eyes met for a moment, but as soon as he recognized me, he turned away and walked off with the girls. A strange mix of hurt and anger bubbled up inside me. How the h-ll could he just ignore me like that?
Siguro ay naramdaman ni Yael ang galit na nabubuo sa akin, kaya hinawakan niya ang aking balikat. "Calm down, let's just talk to him later," he said, trying to soothe me. He signaled that we had to head to class soon; time was running out.
The teacher arrived, and Gavin still hadn't shown up. Is he really back to his old self? Cutting class again? That was so typical of him. It was either he was running late or he was just skipping out entirely. I couldn't shake off the feeling that this wasn't the end of it.
"Sir, may I take the bathroom?" paalam ko sa aming subject teacher. He agreed but I can feel the temptation of my friends. Hindi sila naniniwala sa akin. Well, they should be know now what I will do.
I was searching for Gavin when I ran into the head teacher in the hallway. "Where are you going, Mr. Mendez?" she asked sternly, holding a long stick in her hand.
"Bathroom," I replied disrespectfully, adopting a nonchalant vibe with my hands in my pockets, refusing to look at her.
"That's not the way," she reminded me.
I didn't care! I wasn't heading there anyway.
She grabbed my shoulder and forced me to face her. "I'm talking to you, Mr. Mendez," the anger was evident on her face.
"But I don't want to talk to you, Auntie..." I glared at her defiantly. She took a step back, trying to regain her composure.
She adjusted her glasses and turned away from me. "Make it quick, and make sure no one sees you. And please, stop showing that side of yours at school."
