Auburn High

Chapter 7: Teach me

JODETTE ANAIS VILLAVERDE

I got Ian's address from Ruby. Their house was big and modern styled. Taking a last deep breath, I stepped out of the car and walked to their main gate. What the hell am I doing? Going to his house this time of the day? It's rather late, it's already 8:00 pm. Medyo naligaw pa kasi kami ni Manong. It's a weekend tomorrow, kaya umuwi sila Ian at Ruby sa bahay nila, usually they stay at the Towers, Auburn Towers, a condominium for students of Auburn High and Auburn University.

Damn! I was nibbling my thumb 'cause what I did was pretty reckless. Gusto kong umurong kaso...

I took a deep breath, "Panindigan mo 'to. You're not a little girl" I whispered to myself. I pressed the doorbell, and someone answered through the voice box.

"Who's this?" someone answered. Medyo maldita yung sumagot, so I'm guessing it's Ruby.

"Ruby? It's Anais" I answered immediately.

"Anais?! Bakit ka nandito? I'm going out, wait-"

"N-no need. Uh, erm, I have to talk to Ian. I need to talk to him." I explained.

"Oh, bakit? Nag-away kayo?" tanong niya.

Mag-aaway pa lang. Aawayin ko siya pag pinaalis niya ako!

"H-hinde. Basta I need to talk to him privately. Sorry." I explained.

"Okay lang yun ano ka ba. Tawagin ko lang a."

My hands are getting cold, malamig pala sa labas kapag gabi. I waited for Ian, not even knowing what to say. Di ako handa sa speech ko, bahala na! Siguro naman pag nakita ko yung pagmumukha ng lalaking yon lalabas lahat ng gusto kong sabihin.

I saw a silhouette of a man through the glass doors. It was Ian, he opened the front door and came rushing to where I am.

"Ian!" I called.

"Hey?" his forehead was creased and he was out of breath. "Pasok ka muna, do you know how dangerous it is this time of the night? Wala kaming guards and maids ngayon nakaday-off sila. Babae ka pa naman, mag-ingat ka nga!" sermon niya sakin habang binubuksan yung gate. His face was so worried, gusto kong magalit sa kanya pero whenever I see his worried face, nagbabago isip ko.

I shook my head, and tried to return to what I was going to say before he gave me a sermon.

"Ikaw! Bakit mo ko gustong i-transfer ulit?" I asked as if I was demanding an answer. I was, of course.

"Oh" his face became emotionless.

"Anong-- Anong Oh!" I can feel the heat in my face, gusto kong sumabog kasi 'Oh' lang yung sinagot niya sakin. Pero the way he looks right now, I can't explain kung bakit di ko kayang magalit. "I don't want to leave" dinerecho ko na lang yung gusto ko talagang sabihin.

"But, I think it's for the better" he said while looking at me with hope in his eyes. Hope that I would change my mind about not leaving, or at least fall into his charms. Ulol.

"No! You don't have a say on this, hindi kita magulang!" I defended. "Sino ka ba para malaman kung anong mas makakabuti sakin?"

"I'm your president, you're just a member of the class. Naranasan ko na lahat ng naranasan mo, at naranasan mo lang siya nung isang gabi, kulang pa nga yon e. I know better, you don't. And do you think your parents will be 'Okay' if ever they saw what REALLY happened?" he wasn't shouting but his voice was loud enough for me to think that he's irritated.

I fell silent. I didn't know what to do next. He was right. I knew that they lied to my parents of what really happened that day. So am I really leaving? Ayoko. Ayokong bumalik sa nakakasakal na mundo.