Thorns

Chapter 26

"What the fuck?" Nicole said to Sherman who's standing in front of them. The shock and worry on her face as well as Emily.

I can't help but be surprised by his appearance now. The side of his face was full of bandages, and it was an obvious wound—on the forehead, on the cheek, on the side, on the lip. I looked down at his hand and saw a few wounds. For the past few weeks of Sherman's absence, he went in today because it was the final exam.

"Sa ilang linggo kang absent, tapos ngayong papasok ka ganiyan ipapakita mo sa amin?" pinagtitinginan na rin siya ng mga iilang kaklase namin. Nasa labas kami ng room ngayon dahil may inaayos pa ang professor namin para sa exam.

"Are you okay? Napano ka ba, Sherman?" lumapit si Emily at hahawakan na sana nito ang mukha pero iniwas lang ni ito Sherman.

"I'm okay, naaksidente lang." he offered a small smile to his concerned friends at nung naramdaman kong titingin siya sa akin agad kong binaba ang tingin sa reviewer na hawak ko.

I can't look straight into his eyes anymore without remembering his aggressive behavior towards me—it's frightening and uncomfortable.

"Napaaway ka ba? At sino naman ang kaaway mo?" kuryosong tanong ni Nicole pero tahimik lang si Sherman. Doon ako kinabahan dahil may ideyang pumasok sa isipan ko.

"Please don't be in trouble, alam mo namang graduating tayo." Inabot ni Emily ang reviewer niya at kinuha niya lang ito at tumango.

"Salamat." Nagtama ang tingin namin pareho, agad bumigat ang pakiramdam ko ng makitang mukhang papalapit siya puwesto ko. Binaba ko ang tingin sa papel at mahigpit na hinawakan, sa sobrang higpit mapupunit ko pa ata.

The thought of Sherman walking towards me feels like I want to puke all the breakfast I had this morning. My hands went cold and the ringing of my ears was so loud. The whispers—the words, the touching, the pushing in the wall were flashing in my eyes again.

The flashbacks—I can't, I can't do this. Handa na sana akong umalis pero agad lumabas ang professor namin at sinabing pumila na kami alphabetically for the seating arrangement.

Hindi ko na tinignan at pinansin pa sila Emily. Pakiramdam ko mahahalata nilang may problema kaya mas mabuting huwag na sila kausapin, lalo na at hindi sinabi ni Sherman sa kanila.

After an hour and a half of exam on one of my major subjects, my classmates applauded and screamed for the three of us, Emily and Sherman, because we got a perfect score in a major subject. I can't look at him; I think I'm going to get sick again. That's why I just said goodbye to Emily.

"Mauuna na ako."

"Huh? Hindi ka sasabay sa amin mag lunch?" hirit ni Nicole sa tabi ni Emily.

"Oo nga, sa labas na tayo mag lunch, tayong apat lalo na at nandito si, Sherman." Mabilis kong sinira ang bag. Mas lalong ayaw kong sumama.

"May gagawin pa kasi ako."

"Like what? Tara na, Roseanne ito naman minsan na lang—"

"I'm going to have lunch with, Jackson." nagulat silang dalawa sa sinabi ko at pinigilan kong huwag tignan si Sherman na nasa gilid lang nila.

"O-okay, exactly at two o'clock our next exam, don't be late." Paalala ni Emily kaya tumango na lang ako sa kaniya. Mabilis akong naglakad papalabas ng room at parang gustong tumalon ng puso ko ng makita si Jackson doon.

Wearing his neat school uniform, a black bag pack on his side and crossed arms around his chest—he was waiting for me.

Agad kumalat ng init sa puso ko at para bang gusto kong tumalon at yakapin siya agad. Kaya pinatili ko ang lamig sa mukha ko, dahil ayon lang naman ang kaya kong gawin lalo na at maraming tao. Agad siyang umalis sa pagkakasandal at sinalubong ako ng ngiti. Napansin ko ang isang test paper na hawak niya.