Mr. Nice Guy's Obsession

MNGO-22

MNGO-22

SORRY FOR THE SUPER LATE UPDATE.

I feel like I'm in a twilight zone. I feel like I'm in a different dimension while staring at the photos of me that plastered in every corner of this room. Sa bawat litratong nakikita ko ay nagpi-play ang mga sandaling nakunan iyon. Para akong nasa isang time warp at binabalik ako sa nakaraan. Katulad na lang ng isa kong litrato na nakaupo sa isang bench habang nagbabasa ng libro. I look so engrossed of what I'm doing and oblivious about what is happening around me despite the fact that it was taken during our Foundation Day.

Tinitigan ko ng maigi ang litrato. Doon ko napansin na parang naka-zoom in iyon. Medyo malayo ang taong kumuha ng litrato sa akin. Napalunok ko. Bumaling ako sa taong natutulog sa kama. He did all this without my knowledge. He did all this...

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin. I feel like crying again. Nakaramdam ako ng lungkot. Naninikip ang dibidb ko. Huminga ako ng malalim at pumikit ng mariin.

I could still remember everything that happened on that day. I could still remember what I've said to him...

Two years ago...

Lunod na lunod ako sa pagbabasa ng Philippine Constitution ng sandaling iyon. I bet I'm the only one who's reading this book in the middle of our Foundation Day. I inhaled. I don't really care about today's event. I only care about my grades. I only care about my future. Good grades are equals to good future. So I must study hard to get good grades. Hindi ako pwedeng mag-enjoy kahit isang araw lang dahil malaking kawalan na iyon para sa kinabukasan ko. Total, I don't have any reason to enjoy this day. Mag-e-enjoy ka lang naman kung may mga kasama ka. In my case, I'm all alone. Not that I care that I'm alone. Actually, I prefer being alone that being with those stupid people who only cares about their hair and clothes.

"Nandito ka lang pala."

Napaangat ako ng tingin ng may nagsalita sa aking harapan. Agad akong umirap ng makita ko kung sino iyon. "Anong kailangan mo, Fuentes?", walang gana kong sabi. Di ko hinintay ang sagot niya at nagbasa na lang ulit.

"Yuo is looking for you, you know.", he said. "I am, too."

Muli akong nag-angat ng tingin. Inayos ko ang aking salamin sa mata. "So?"

Ngumisi siya. "Well, I'm the one who found you first. Do you think may ibig sabihin iyon?"

I stared at him. Trivy Fuentes is Yuo Cole's bestfriend. Kung anong kasing wild ng appearance ni Yuo ay kasing amo naman ni Trivy. Para siyang tupa at si Yuo ay iyong lobo. Hindi ko talaga alam kung papaano sila naging magtalik na kaibigan. I want to know but I don't want to ask. I don't want to ask because I don't want them to think that I'm interested in their life. The only this I'm interested in this world is my books.

I sighed. This guy right in front of me is irritating me. Naiirita ako sa kanya kasi simula nang dumating siya ay nagsimula akong kinabahan. This guy right here is smart. Smarter than me! At sapat na rason na iyon para mainis ako sa kanya. He's smarter than me and what irritates me more is I didn't even see him studying or opens a goddamn book!

"Wala akong pakielam sa mga pinagsasabi mo kaya pwede bang lumayas ka sa harapan ko. Nakaka-istorbo ka sa pag-aaral ko.", I said, gritting my teeth.

Umangat ang dalawa nyang kilay. "You're still studying? Diba Foundation Day ngayon? Why don't you enjoy, Andrea? Kahit ngayong araw lang."

Malakas kong sinara ang makapal na libro. I hold on tight to the book's spine. I have this urge to throw this in his face. Sino ba siya para sabihan ako kung ano ang dapat kong gawin?

I inhaled sharply. "You have no right to tell me what to do, Fuentes! We're not friends. You are not my friend. At hinding-hindi kita magiging kaibigan kahit kailan!", I screamed. My blood is boiling and my heart is beating so wild. I must really hate him para maramdaman ko ang ganitong pakiramdam ngayon.

Bakas sa mukha niya ang pagkagulat sa sudden outburst ko. I don't care. And I think tama lang ginawa ko ngayon para malaman niya ang pagkadisgusto ko sa kanya. Tama lang na hangga't maaga ay malaman niyang ayaw na ayaw ko sa kanya.

"Andrea—"

"Shut up! Go away, Trivy! I don't want to talk to you or even see your face. I don't want to hear you voice. Umalis ka na!"

He stared at me. He stood there for a moment before turning his back. But before the left, he spoke.

"I'm sorry for what I've said. I'm sorry, Andrea.", mahina nyang sabi. "But I am not sorry for wanting to be your friend. I want to be your friend. Not because you are Yuo's girlfriend or what. I want to be your friend because I want to be your friend."

Then he left.

At naiwan akong nanginginig parin sa galit.Naiwan akong tinatanaw ang papalayong pigura ni Fuentes. And while I was staring to his slowly fading figure I felt my heart sinking. I inhaled deeply.

I think I said too much. Reacted too much. Pakiramdam ko ay may nagawa akong pagkakamali.

Tulala ako habang inaalala ang mga pangyayari. I blinked twice. What I've said that day...I think I chew all of them.

"Andrea..."

Napalingon ako sa kama. I saw Trivy rubbing his left eye. He looks like a child with his disheveled hair and when he yawns. Our eyes met. I tried to look away but my eyes are not following their master.

"Andrea..."

Lumunok ako. "Hmmm?"

Pumungay ang kanyang mga mata at dahan-dahang gumuhit ang isang ngiti sa kanyang labi. And I swear, I felt my heart just touched my rib cage because of its loud and wild beat. My stomach churn. My toes curl. My hands balled.

Dahan-dahang tumayo si Trivy at lumapit sa akin. He squatted to meet my level. He stared at me for awhile before he pulled me into a very tight hug.

"Tri—"

"You...stayed.", he whispered. "You stayed.", he whispered again.

Napapikit ako ng mariin. Yes. I stayed.

"And it's enough.", then he squeezed me tighter.

Narinig ko ang pagbukas ng pinto at nang taong pagpasok nito. I was about to push Trivy baka kasi ang ate nya iyon. Nakakahiya naman. Pero nanigas ako ng marinig ko ang boses ng taong pumasok sa kwarto.

"Trivy....Andrea..."

Umawang ang labi ko. Yuo Cole is standing right in front of us. I could see pain in his eyes. I could see how his hands balled. I could see how hurt he was. And before I could even utter a word he stormed out from the room and I was left there with Trivy...

with my mind and heart in chaos.

**

The end is near.

F ~