A Beautiful Catastrophe (Paradox Series #1)

Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Stalker

Pagod na niligpit ko ang gamit matapos ang huling klase ng araw na iyon. We just had a surprise quiz. Dahil hindi ko naman napaghandaan 'yon, given that these days, I've been stressed over what's happening to my family, I am not confident with my answers. The quiz wasn't checked, yet, so I am even more bothered.

Paano kung bumagsak pala ako sa quiz na 'yon? This is not the right time to fail! Nasapo ko ang aking noo.

"What's with the frown, princess?" natatawang tanong ni Ford nang lingunin ako.

"Wala, iniisip ko lang kasi 'yong quiz natin. I feel like I didn't do well on that," malungkot na sagot ko.

Ford smiled cheerfully. It's that charming smile of him that would always comfort and touch my heart. Up until now, it's still mesmerizing for me. Hindi ko tuloy maiwasan ang pagtitig sa kanya, naputol lang nang marahan niyang tinapik-tapik ang ulo ko.

"Don't think too much about it, Phire. One failed quiz doesn't make you stupid or anything, you know."

Tumango-tango ako. Alam ko naman 'yon, pero hindi ko pa rin talaga maiwasang isipin at mabahala. I'm not grade conscious. A passing score is already fine with me, but now that I am graduating, I should at least pass my quizzes and everything. On my performance awhile ago, I am not confident kasi talagang nahirapan ako at marami ring hindi sigurado na sagot. That makes me bothered.

"Me myself is not confident with that quiz, too, but it doesn't really matter," pagkikibit-balikat ni Ford na ikinakunot ng noo ko.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter? Mahalaga kaya iyon!"

"Yeah? But I don't want to think about it. I believe, may mas mahalaga pa akong dapat na pagtuonan ng pansin."

"Like?"

He smirked, then chuckled. "You."

My eyes gaped. Heat rushed immediately to my cheeks. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin kay Ford at nagmamadaling ipinasok ang mga gamit sa bag. However, I was distracted by his intensive gaze that I had to stop fixing my things for a while.

I faced him and pursed my lips. "Stop staring, Ford."

"I missed looking at you closely, Phire. Do you know how hard it was for me not to spare you even a glace before? It was like committing a suicide," he said wearily.

Dahil do'n, hindi ko maiwasan ang paninitig sa kanya. Napalunok ako nang makita ang lungkot at labis na panghihinayang sa kanyang mga mata. He was smiling, but his eyes look sad, something that I cannot bear to look at.

"I just wanna stare at you for the rest of my life. I don't want you out of my sight. I always want to look at you."

I bowed my head. Suddenly, my heart felt winter. I can feel the frustration and regret by the way he speaks. Bumuntong-hininga ako at tahimik na ipinagpatuloy ang pag-aayos ng gamit, nag-iisip.

Pakiramdam ko, may malalim na dahilan si Ford kung bakit niya nagawa sa akin iyon noon. Kung ano iyon, hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin akong ideya.

"About my crush before," pag-iiba niya ng usapan matapos kong isarado ang aking bag.

Nagtaas ako ng kilay. I felt the sudden change of my mood because of that.