Be the First (Love in Rivalry #1)

29 : The Agony

TWO WEEKS AFTER

"Na-double check mo na ba ang mga sagot mo?" Taas-kilay na sa tanong sa akin ni Miss Mendez pagkaabot ko ng test papers ko.

I gave her a reassuring nod. "Yes po."

"Okay, you may start with this one now." Sabi niya nang kunin na niya nang tuluyan ang papel at inabutan niya ako ng test sa susunod na subject. Math.

Winona will surely ace this one.

Pinilit ko ang sarili kong hindi siya tignan habang bumabalik ako sa upuan ko.

Matagal kong tinitigan ang papel. Focus, Dani. Focus. I can't afford to have another breakdown at the thought of a lost best friend.

Maraming oras para umiyak. But first, I have to finish what I came here for. Pinagtuunan ko na lang ng pansin ang exam dahil hindi pwedeng maulit ang nangyari dati.

I finished the Math exam in forty minutes. Mas maaga ng konti sa iba, but I feel more confident turning in my paper this time.

"Hay! Natapos rin sa wakas." Stella was the first one to stand up from our row. "Winona. Sabay ba ulit tayong mag-lunch? You know... para hindi na mahirapan si Mrs. Javier na hanapin tayo sa rehearsals."

Natigilan ako sa pagaayos ng bag ko.

"Sige. Pero mauna ka na." I heard Winona said to her. "Dadaan pa ako sa CR."

"Okay. Sa same spot ha?" Stella noticed me listening so she smiled at me as if to mock me. "Alright, see you girl!"

Stella had been suspiciously very close with Winona lately. It is a weird combo, but I think it's not just because of the drama club. Nabanggit ni Winona na si Stella ang nagsabi tungkol sa amin ni Izrajel.

The question is how did she find out? Was she still there during the time when Izrajel confessed to me?

But what's the point of knowing? Tanong ng isang parte ng isip ko. I've lost my best friend, period. There's no way I can turn back time anymore. Hindi na nga yata kami magkakaayos ni Winona.

"Dani." I looked up to see Izrajel. "Ipapasa ko na ang mga articles kay Miss Mendez for final approval. May ipapasabay ka?"

"No, thanks. Ako na." Tumayo na kaagad ako at lumabas ng classroom.

Two weeks na akong lone wolf. Hindi na ako sumasama kina Airen, Matias, at Izrajel. I don't hang out with the boys anymore. Mostly I avoid them when necessary dahil sa nangyari two weeks ago.

Dalawang linggo na ang nakalipas mula nang away namin ni Winona. At pati ang kambal alam kong apektado na rin. They've seen it all. At dahil doon, nahihirapan sila kung ako ba o si Winona ang sasamahan nila.

So I made sure to keep my distance from everyone else.

Because it's better this way.

Simula nang mangyari ang big revelation, Izrajel's always the one who checks up on me. Siya lang ang lumalapit sa akin. He's always the one to speak to me. Kahit na iniiwasan ko siya.