SAVING GRACE

CHAPTER TWO

I thought this day couldn't possibly get any worse. Apparently, I was wrong because it just did.

Parang gusto kong lamunin na lang ako ng lupa kanina nang buong akala ko ay kami lang ni Colin ang naroon pero ngayong may nakasaksi pala ng lahat ng nangyari at histerikal na tumatawa pa, parang ayaw ko nang bumangon pa mula sa pagkalamon.

Tumingala ako at sinangga ang kamay sa aking mga mata dahil sa init ng araw para makita siya. Sinamaan ko ng tingin ang lalaki para matigil sa pagtawa.

Nahigit niya ang hininga niya at tumitig pabalik sa akin.

Now that he stopped laughing, I saw his face more clearly and realized I haven't seen him before. Because if I already did, I would've remembered. It was a face someone would find hard to forget.

Lalo na ang mga mata niya. Malalim at napaka-expressive. It was so intensely dark as was his thick hair.

This is the guy who could possibly steal the little fan club of twittering girls away from Xavier for good.

Napakunot ang noo ko sa biglang naisip. Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla na lang akong nainis.

Siguro dahil mukha akong baliw na naka-upo sa sahig habang siya ay prente at mayabang na nakasandal sa pader.

Siguro dahil pinagtatawanan niya ako na parang isang palabas sa circus.

Kahit ano pa man ang dahilan, he sure knows how to get under my skin.
"Who are you?"

Tumaas ang kilay nito at napansin kong medyo makapal iyon. "I heard you guys arguing, I was about to step in but you clearly don't need any help," sagot niya sa diretsong ingles sabay ngisi at tingin sa baba kung nasaan nakahiga si Colin.

Kinagat ko ang labi ko, habang kinokonsidera ang sunod na sasabihin. "Thank you kung ganoon. Mas okay sana kung mas maaga kang lumabas, I didn't really wanna hit the guy."

Nagsimulang gumalaw si Colin at panay ang daing, "Fay, please? Fay..." But he made no attempt to stand up.

Naramdaman ko ang tingin sa akin ng estranghero. It's hard not to notice kung ang titingin sayo ay ang may ganoong mga mata. "I'm guessing you're Faye?"

Sumimangot ako. Paano siya nakakapagbiro sa ganitong sitwasyon ay hindi ko alam. Sinuklay ko ang mga daliri ko sa ga-balikat kong buhok, isang mannerism ko tuwing nag-aalala. "What are we going to do?"

"We?" Ulit niya.

Mas lalo akong napasimangot. "I thought that since you're already here, you're willing to help?"

Tumango siya. "Okay, miss," aniya habang nilalagay ang kamay sa baywang at tiningnan ako na parang bata. "The boy tried to attack you. We should just leave him here." Hindi ko maiwasang maramdaman na pinapagalitan niya ako.

"Hindi naman niya sinasadya," pagtatanggol ko.

He raised a brow, prompting me to explain further so I chose my words carefully as I say, "Look, Colin isn't a bad person." Huminga ako ng malalim pagkatapos tumayo. "He isn't very smart. Siguro, maybe he mistook my kindness for something more."

Biglang umihip ang hangin. Hinawi ko ang nagulo kong buhok at nilagay sa likod ng tainga. Bumaling ulit ako sa estrangherong pinagmamasdan ako.

Mas matangkad siya sa pangkaraniwang high school student kaya kinailangan ko pang tumingala sa kanya. Mga 5'10" siguro siya o higit pa samantalang ako ay hamak na 5' lamang, walang labis walang kulang.

The balls of his eyes are so black that I could clearly see my reflection on them. How can eyes be that dark? And look so amused...

God, this is so embarrassing. I'm staring... At a stranger. And I couldn't help it. I should try to look away. It didn't help that he was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen.

"Colin," bulong ko, desperadong maalis ang atensyon sa lalaking nasa harap ko. "I need to wake him up," umupo ako at bilis bilis na inalog.

"Payton," Colin moaned. "Payton, please!"

I noticed the dark-haired stranger's head turned abruptly. "What did he just say? Payton? Your name is Payton?"

Shocked with the tone he used with that question, like he saw a really big vermin, and that startled look in his eyes, I could only say yes.

He groaned. "Not Payton Andrade."

I frowned. "Yes, that's me."

Tiningnan ko sya nang mabuti. Do I actually know this guy to elicit this kind of reaction from him? He looked like he was going to be ill as he continued to look me over. "Bakit, sino ka ba?"

And that was when Colin chose to regain some of his energy. He threw himself onto me, making groggy noises that doesn't really make sense.

Kung walang pader sa likod ko ay siguradong napahiga na at nawalan na ako ng malay. Sobrang sakit ng ulo ko pati na ang katawan ko sa pagkakatulak sa akin sa pader.

"Damn it!" The stranger swore, sounding completely disgusted. He hauled Colin off me like a feather, turned and asked, "Can I hit him now?"

"Yes, please!" Sagot ko, hinahabol ang hininga dahil sa sakit ng ulo. I tried to be nice and understanding but enough was enough.

The stranger pulled back then threw a powerful blow on Colin's chin.

Colin went down. No mutterings this time.

"Thank you," I looked up at the stranger.

"It's okay," he said, scowling at the unconscious Colin. "Let's just leave him here. He deserved it."

I nodded hesitantly, glancing down at Colin. "I'll just move his hand. It looks ... uncomfortable."

The stranger stared at me. Just stared for a long time. Disbelief and impatience written all over his face. "You're actually concerned for his comfort?"

I looked warily at Colin. Crouched down, I extended a hand at his nose to make sure he's still breathing then checked his pulse to check some more. Thank God! There, I'm done.

I stood and looked up.

And caught sight of the stranger's back just as he was walking away. Probably muttering something about me being a pain in his arse.