Dying Embers

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty: Dying Embers

Second day ng exam. Maaga pa lang, ramdam ko na 'yong tension sa classroom, halong kaba, antok, at ingay ng papel na binabaliktad. Si Henry lumapit sa amin at umupo, halatang lutang at stressed, clutching his Science reviewer like it was the last piece of hope he had left. May kunot ang noo niya, parang nagtataka kung paano naging ganito kahirap ang buhay estudyante.

"Wow, seryoso ka pala sa pag-aaral?" biro ni Jilliana, half-smirking habang inaayos ang ballpen sa mesa. "Akala ko allergic ka sa notes."

Napakamot si Henry ng ulo, parang napahiya pero tinatago sa tawa. "Come on, Jill. Spare me with the teasing and just help me with this one. Hindi ko gets, promise."

"Tingin nga." Kinuha ni Jilliana ang reviewer at tiningnan nang mabuti, seryoso pero may ngiting nang-aasar pa rin sa labi.

But I wasn't listening to them anymore. My focus drifted elsewhere, my mind, my gaze, everything.

A guy had just entered the room. And just like that, the air shifted.

Chance.

He walked in with that careless stride, like the world was too small for him to bother. Dalawang babae ang kasunod niya, halos nagmamadali para makasabay.

"Chance, kunin mo na 'to. Bigay 'to ni Zia," sabi ng isa, halos hinihingal.

He scratched his head, expression flat, irritation flickering in his eyes. "Yoko nga sabi. Kulit niyo."

I saw Henry shift in his seat, not paying attention to Jilliana anymore, his eyes following Chance. "Ano 'yan, bro?" natatawang tanong niya. "Umiral na naman allergy mo?"

"Gago ka," sagot ni Chance, bahagyang nakangiti pero may layo sa boses.

Hindi man lang siya tumingin sa akin. Never did.

He just walked straight to his seat, slouched down, and slid his earphones in, closing himself off from everything and everyone. The girls who trailed behind him exchanged a look, then quietly left, defeated by the wall he built so easily.

And just like that, Chance disappeared again into his own world.

Chance.

The name echoed in my head, pulling at something fragile inside me. How can someone shut everyone out that easily? And how can I still care, after everything?

Tahimik ang paligid, puro tunog lang ng mga papel at lapis, hanggang sa pak! biglang sumabog ang ingay ng reviewer na ipinukpok ni Jilliana sa ulo ni Henry.

"Aray!" reklamo ni Henry, hawak ang ulo.

"Oh? Akala ko ba magpapa-explain ka?" sabi ni Jilliana, iritado pero halatang natutuwa.

"Sadista ka talaga!"

"So?" taas-kilay ni Jilliana, nakaabang.

"Okay na, makikinig na ako, ma'am," sabi ni Henry, naka-smirk na parang batang napagalitan pero tuwang-tuwa pa rin.

Hindi na nakapalag si Jilliana. Nagpatuloy siya sa pagpapaliwanag habang pilit kong itinatago ang mga patagilid kong sulyap sa direksyon ni Chance. I tried to focus, to listen, pero kahit anong pilit kong ipako ang isip ko sa mga salita ni Jill, my thoughts just kept drifting back to him. Hindi ko akalaing darating 'yong araw na ganito na lang kami. Na ganito na lang ako.

The sound of Henry's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Rain, is it true na wala ka nang nararamdaman kay Martinez?"

I turned to him, a bit startled. "Bakit mo naman natanong?"