Crash (SC, #0.5; ARTL, #1)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sunflower

Uminom ako ng tubig habang pinagmamasdan ang naglalaro ng football. Maybe, they are practicing or what. Narinig ko sa nagdaang mga estudyante sa akin na football team ng university ito. Siguro nga nagpa-practice sila. Ilang minuto na rin lumipas matapos ang PE namin. Tumambay muna 'ko sa oval habang wala pa ang susunod kong klase. Mas tahimik dito kahit na may nagsisigawan na mga player. At least here, I'm alone. Ilang linggo na rin ang lumipas matapos ang dinner ng mga Jimenez sa amin. Natapos na ang Hunyo't lahat, hindi ko pa rin nakakalimutan ang nangyari. It is one of the best nights I ever have.

I get my phone and stared. Ngiting-ngiti ako sa litrato—I mean sa wallpaper ng cell ko. Well, I just cropped the picture of us. Natira lang kaming dalawa ni Harry. Siya, nakahawak sa bewang ko. Ako naman, awkwardly smiling like an idiot. I don't care though. Sobrang gwapo niya talaga rito. That smile. That small and charming and attractive smile of him. Napaloob ako ng labi para lang hindi mangiti ng husto. I looked at my surroundings. And thank God, walang nakatingin sa akin. I pocketed my phone and emptied my water bottled. Habang inuubos napatingin ako sa kaliwa. I saw Benj kasama ang dalawang tao. A guy and a girl. Uhm, dito rin nag-aaral ngunit sa integrated school. Both are high school students.

I put my hand over my eyes to see them clearly. Malayo sila sa aking pwesto ngunit kitang-kita ko ang kinikilos nila. The girl was hugging Benj while making faces. Iyong isa namang lalaki, seryoso ang tingin kay Benj hanggang lumilipat doon sa babae. Uhm, Benj's girlfriend? Sister? Friend? Fling? Whatsoever!

Tumayo na 'ko upang makapunta sa susunod kong klase. Malapit lang naman ang building na susunod kong class dito sa oval. Sinukbit ko ang bag ko at pinagpagpag ang likod ng aking pantalon. Beads of sweat on my forehead are freaks. Gamit ang likod ng kamay ay pinunasan ko ang noo ko. Mabuti na lang sleeveless ang suot kong top ngayon. Shaking my head, I started to walk. Nadaanan ko ang pwesto nina Benj at ang kanyang mga kasama.

"Maggie Anne, no!" matigas na pigil ni Benj sa babae.

"Conrad, come on! Convince , kuya!" pagmamakaawa ng babae doon sa isang lalaki.

"Benja—" Hindi na nakatanggi iyong lalaki, Conrad yata ang pangalan sa pigil ni Benj.

"Conrad, she's too young for it. And you, too. May desisyon na 'ko." Sa gilid ng mata ko nakita ko ang seryosong itsura ni Benj at kanyang pag-iling. "Go back to your room." Hindi ko na nakita ang iba dahil ayoko ng makiusosyo. They don't look alike. I mean kapag magkapatid 'di ba, kahit isang feature mayroon ka? Ibang-iba kasi silang tatlo? Benjamin had edgy but gentle look. He looks mature and nice and a good guy. Walang bad boy thing, you know. Something like that. Iyong girl? She's tall, long legs, and definetly sweet and gorgeous. Pero bata pa rin nga siya, 1st year highschool, kung 'di man ako nagkakamali. And lastly the boy, mukhang 3rd year or 4th year highschool, malapit na niyang abutan si Benj sa laki. He has the brooding look and painfully handsome. Yes, he's a pretty boy but not my thing. I don't know.

Pakiramdam ko wala na 'kong naging pakelam sa ibang lalaki. Oh god, no. This feels wrong but good. I like Harry. I'm not denying my own feelings. I like him a lot. A lot. A lot. And it's really scary to put your heart on the line without knowing the consequences. It feels like you'll be devastated but also, floating with happiness. I don't know. Hindi ko maintindihan. Hindi ko maipaliwanag. I'm too young to think about this. I'm just 16 turning 17 this year, this October. It is too early. But I don't want to regret things.

I breathed a sigh.

I shook my head and focus my mind on the next class. I raked my head if I had missed an assignment or the professor said something about a quiz or long exam or whatever the freak it is. My mind is too occupied with unnecessary things...Push that away, Nathalie!