Scars Of Yesterday's Drama

Chapter 8

“VININA!” a familiar voice called behind me. So I stopped walking and looked over my shoulder to see him running towards me with a smile on his face.

That name seems familiar, very familiar.

“Hey, good morning, sabay na tayo?” sabi nito, kaya tumango naman ako at ibinalik ang pagbati niya sa'kin.

“Have you eaten breakfast already?” tanong niya sa'kin.

“Yes,” maikli kong sagot.

He hummed softly, as we started walking side by side to go to school. We fell into silence, just appreciating the silence and embracing the cold breeze of the wind.

Dapat nga ay sabay-sabay kami ngayon nila Ruby at Marcy. Pero ang sabi nila mauna na raw mona ako kasi may gagawin pa silang importante. Hindi naman sinabi kong ano ang gagawin nila kaya hinayaan ko na lang. Sabay-sabay naman kaming uuwi mamayang hapon.

“Kain tayo sa canteen, libre ko.” putol nito sa katahimikan na nakapaligid sa'min.

Nagsalubong ang mga mata namin ng tumingin ako sa kaniya. May ngiti pa rin na naka paskil sa kan'yang mukha.

“No need. Baka maubos ang allowance mo.” pagtanggi ko.

Hindi ko naman kasi alam ang estado ng buhay niya, baka bukas o makalawa ay malaman kong mahirap din pala sila katulad namin tapos ginagastos pa niya ang pera sa'kin.

“I insist, so, you don't need to worry about my allowance,” he responded.

But I refuse once again. Ang sabi ko sa kan'ya ay sasamahan ko na lang siya sa canteen para hindi siya nag-iisa na kumain. Sumang-ayon naman siya sa sinabi ko. Pero tinanong niya pa rin ako kong gusto ko ba nang chuckie at biscuit, pumayag naman.

Nang makarating kami sa iskwelahan ay dumiretso kaagad kami sa canteen at pumwesto kami sa pinaka hulihan. Ang sabi niya ay maupo mona raw ako dito dahil bibili lang siya nang makakain niya kasabay ng pagkain na bibilhin niya para sa'kin. Pagkatapos niyang magpaalam sa'kin ay pumunta na kaagad siya sa counter para bumili ng pagkain.

Habang wala siya ay nilabas ko mona ang notebook ko sa bag, saka sinimulang magbasa ng paksang itinuro sa'min ng isang araw. Baka bigla na lang kasi magpa-quiz si ma'am Arnette sa subject namin sa ITWRBS, ayaw ko pa namang hindi perfect iyong score ko.

Sa bawat subject kasing meron kami ay palagi akong perfect sa lahat ng quizzes at exam, pero kong minsan naman one mistake lang. Ayos naman 'yon sa'kin pero hindi ko talaga maiwasang madissapoint sa sarili ko.

“Nag-re-review ka?”

Nagulat ako sa boses ng lalaki sa likod ko. Gusto niya ba akong patayin sa gulat?

“Yeah, and don't scare me like that. You'll give me a heart attack!” I chastised him.

He put down the tray of food at the table along with the biscuit and chuckie, before sitting beside me. He didn't move closer to me; he gave us a space so that I didn't get uncomfortable.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.” he genuinely apologized to me, and I just nodded.

Lowering my book, I shifted my attention to him. I want to ask him about something. Because that name that he just said earlier while we were walking was very familiar.

He slowly started eating his food; for every bite of food that he ate, I would observe him. I know it's bad to stare at people but this is just the way I want to get a person's attention.

And he took notice of it. He looked at me before swallowing the food in his throat. His brows raised, telling me that he was curious about my sudden action.