If I End Up With You

CHAPTER 34: Ties

Yung mga mata niya.

Sumisigaw ang mga yon.

"Tulong," ang sabi. "Tulungan mo ko."

Sigh.

I was mad. But that doesn't change the way I feel about her.

Mahal ko pa rin siya.

Ergh, I shouldn't have done that! I shouldn't have left her there! I shouldn't have said those words! DAMN IT! Ano bang magagawa ko?!

Ginusto niya to e!

Siya rin naman ang may gusto.

Arrrggghhh ... kainis ...

"C-Captain Espino?"

Napabalikwas si Oliver sa pagkakaupo sa may stage.

He'd been there for a couple of minutes, ranting in his mind, expressing how angry he is at himself while he's still alone. His fingernails dug deep on the skin of his head, and he has lost a few strands due to that.

Dalawang araw nang absent si Nery.

Sabi nila may sakit raw, pero alam naman ng lahat na hindi pa siya handa magpakita sa school matapos yung insidente. Ikaw ba naman ang pahiyain sa harap ng lahat.

And she's the council President. Can you imagine?

"Y-you're early," the secretary stutters. Kinakabahan siya. "Ang sabi mo sa message, 4:30."

"I know," he curled his hands into fists. "Pasensya na, pumasok na ko sa council room."

"It's okay." sabi ng Vice president. "Actually, hindi na kami nagulat sa pinadala mong mensahe. We were expecting you wanted to talk about the results of the activity, at kung paano paghahatian ng Council at ng Varsity Team yung mga kinitang pera mula sa cupcake business these past few days."

"Nasaan si Nery?" out of the blue, Oliver asks the question.

Natahimik ang council.

"M-maupo ka muna, Captain Espino,"

"No. Presidente siya. Dapat siya ang humaharap sa meeting na to."

The Sergeant pursed his lips before speaking. "Pinagpahinga muna namin si Pres. Hindi rin biro yung mga pinagdaanan niya nitong mga nakaraang araw."

"Bakit hindi niyo siya ipinagtanggol?!" his teeth was gritting with fury.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ng members. Hindi nila alam kung anong nangyayari.

"Pinahiya siya ron," he sneers. "... at ni isa sa inyo, wala man lang kumilos! Mga wala kayong kwenta!"

"EXCUSE ME?!" Napatayo na ang vice. Naiirita na siya sa mga naririnig.

Aba, gwapo itong lalaking to, pero hindi siya dapat nagsasalita ng ganyan sa kanila.

"You were there, Oliver!" the vice pushes on. "Wag kang magsalita na parang inosente ka! We all wanted to defend her! The thing is, ano namang magagawa namin, ha?"

"YOU'RE THE COUNCIL! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE KEEPING THE FUCKING PEACE!"

"Ang kapal mo rin ha! Andun ka rin naman eh! What makes you different from the rest of us?!! Tinawag ka pa nga ni Irish eh! She provoked you, but you just stood there and did nothing!"

Oliver's gaze shifted to another direction. "Iba ang kaso ko! Hindi niyo naiintindihan."

"Wag kang gumanyan! Wala ka ring ginawa! Wala kang karapatang bulyawan kami." the vice crosses her arms. "Tell me, anong kinagagalit mo ngayon? Pare-pareho lang tayong takot sa kanya."