If I End Up With You

CHAPTER 30: In Denial

"Thank you sir, come again!" the cashier bade goodbye to him very politely.

Tumango lang si Ivan, sighing to himself.

Eh paano ba naman? Ubos na pera niya.

He was supposed to meet Helga here at Oxford Bookstore a half-hour ago to shop for a school project they were working on, at hawak ng babae ang class fund nila. Sayang naman ang oras, ika nga ni Ivan, kaya pinambili na niya ng supplies ang sarili niyang pera, na mapapalitan rin naman pag dumating na ang kasama.

But of course, he never expected she would be this late.

"Haiiiist," he said to himself. "Asan na ba kasi yun?"

"OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH!!!"

Napalingon si Ivan kay Helga na nagtatakbong parating.

"Sawakas!" he blurted. "I thought you bailed out on me!"

"OH. MY. GOSH." Parang bangag itong tumigil sa harapan niya in her pokerface.

"Problem?" he was confused.

Without saying a word, Helga showed him her phone.

Napanganga si Ivan sa litratong naka-paskil sa screen nito. "What the ... OLIVER AND NERY? THE PRESIDENT?"

"That's what I said!" Helga seconds. "Ang gulo gulo, Ive's. I thought Oliver was into that dorky nerd from II-A."

"Oo nga eh. Pag tinignan mo silang magkasama, parang patay na patay nga si Oliver sa kanya." kakamot kamot sa ulo niya si Ivan. "Hmmh. Baka nagsawa na. Hindi na rin naman ganoon kagulat gulat."

"Pero masyadong mabilis eh." sabi ni Helga. "At hindi naman ganoon ang reputation ni Oliver. Hindi siya yung tipo ng taong magpapalit agad ng babae."

"Hindi mo rin naman siya masisisi." tatawa tawa ito.

"Wag ka nga, sobra ka naman." sabi ng babae. "Anyway, nagulat lang naman ako sa kanila kaya pinicturan ko." she puts her phone away. "Wala pa tayong kasiguraduhan sa mga nakikita natin, Ivan. Please~ ayokong maging simula ng chismis."

"Meaning?"

Helga sighed. "I'm asking you to keep quiet, okay? Please, wag ka munang magsalita sa iba tungkol dito. Atin nalang muna to, pwede ba?"

Napaisip si Ivan. "Well, it could've been just a friendly date, for all we know, right?"

"Exactly." Helga was glad Ivan understands.

"Okay. Sabi mo eh."

Ngunit hindi diyan natatapos ang lahat.

One thing is for sure-- you can trust no one, especially if that person is a student of SPHS.

1.) Helga left and Ivan was fetched by Surge with his car, dahil magkapitbahay lang ang dalawa. And accidentally, naikwento niya sa kaibigan ang tungkol don.

2.) Of course, Surge promised not to tell. Nang makauwi, Surge called Terence-- an alumni basketball player from the Croc team-- asking for free tickets for an upcoming game of USN vs. Alberione, wherein he accidentally mentioned the thing.

Terence remembered Oliver telling him, "Pinsan ko lang yon, pare! Sweet ba namin?" which, of course, lead to more confusion. Surge confirmed na hindi mag pinsan ang dalawa, therefore revealing the alibi para itago sa lahat ang relsayon nilang dalawa. You never know when, pero it just so happens that such simple ideas can turn into absolute disasters.

3.) Terence was in a bar, when he bumped into Irish. At sa gitna ng pagkekwentuhan nila, he shares the information.

4.) Irish, who was so shocked with what she heard from the guys, tweets about it, while flirting with Terence of course. Reyna ng mga chismosa. Biruin niyong umabot pa sa kanya? Wew.