We Just Are (GU #1.5)

2 : new friend

**

'Celestine, wake up or I will not going to kiss you.'

I grumbled at the sound of my alarm. Hinayaan ko lang itong tumunog nang tumunog hanggang sa tumigil. I glared at my phone then closed my eyes again.

This was the third day that Slade's not with me pero pakiramdam ko parang mas matagal pa doon. It wasn't helpful too that our conversations were limited. Pero naiintindihan ko naman, dapat ay maglaan talaga siya ng panahon doon sa pamilya niya. Siguro ay sobra ko lang siyang namimiss. Lalo na yung...kiss. I grimaced. Slade was turning me into a kiss maniac. This was not good.

Sighing, I got up. Time to get ready for school. Matapos makaligo, makapagpalit at maayos ang gamit ay agad na akong dumiretso sa labas.

Pero pagkabukas ko ng pinto ay hindi ko inaasahan ang nadatnan doon. There was a box - a blue one, with a white ribbon at the top. Gift?

A smile found its way on my lips. Mukhang may ideya na ako kung kanino 'to nagmula. Kinuha ko 'yung box saka inalis sa pagkakabuhol yung ribbon. I pulled up the lid and saw a silver bracelet inside with a sole charm that made me smile even more. Garfield.

Napailing ako. Si Slade talaga. And as if on cue, my phone rang. And I didn't have to look at the caller ID to see who it was.

"Hey," sagot ko sa tawag.

His chuckle answered me. "Hey. Already got my gift?"

"Yes," sagot ko. "At sakto pa ang pagtawag mo, ah."

"Of course, I may not be there with you right now but trust me, the heart always knows."

My heart fluttered at that. At hindi pa ako nakakasagot nang magsalita ulit si Slade. "Happy first month to us, Celestine. Happy first month of togetherness."

"Happy first month, too, Slade," sagot ko saka huminga nang malalim. I wish you were here. But that was selfish so I didn't say it and told him instead, "I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Sige na, baka kailangan ka na dyan. Saka salamat sa gift. Mag-uusap pa tayo kung bakit ganito 'yung binigay mo."

He laughed at that and I joined him for a moment until he talked, "What? It's obvious why, Celestine. You go to school now. You take care, okay?"

"Ikaw din."

"I love you."

"Mahal din kita, Slade."

"Till tomorrow," huli niyang sinabi saka naputol na ang tawag.

At ganun-ganun lang, okay na ulit ang mood ko. At sapat na ang ibinigay sa akin ni Slade para makasurvive sa buong maghapon.

Pero minsan may mga bagay lang na mahirap hindi pansinin. Na kahit pa anong pilit mong iwasan ay wala talaga, pilit pa ring maapektuhan ang mood mo. Gaya ngayon.

Nasa cafeteria ako for my one-and-a-half hour break. And I couldn't concentrate on my meal. Paano, kanina pa nakatingin 'yung mga babae sa table sa unahan ko. Specifically, 'yung classmate ko sa Logic na hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan. She was with the same girl that I saw the last Friday. Pero ngayon ay nadagdagan sila ng dalawa. So, this was her squad. And the said squad was obviously talking about me right now.

And they seemed not to mind. Alam kong alam nila na napapansin ko ang ginagawa nila pero hindi sila tumitigil - basta tuloy lang sa hagikhikan pagkatapos ay bulungan saka tatawa ulit. Napatungo ako, pinilit na magconcentrate sa pagkain sa harapan, pero hindi ko kaya. I should do something.

So, I stood up. Blowing a deep breath, I made my way to their table.

"Hi," I smilingly greet at them. "Do we have a problem here?"