Kiss or Kill

Kabanata 02

Chapter 2: Hallucinations

"Gab!!" narinig ko na tinawag ako ni Yanna kaya naman napalingon ako sa kanya nu’n. Napatigil ako sa pagtakbo at nakita ko siyang hinihingal sa paghabol sa akin. Tumigil siya sa harapan ko habang ang isang kamay ay nakapatong sa kanyang hita at ang isa ay nakahawak sa kanyang dibdib. Halatang pagod na pagod siya at naghahabol ng hininga. Namumuo rin ang pawis sa kanyang noo at nagulo ang ayos ng kanyang buhok.

Nang nakahinga na siguro siya ng maluwag, tsaka lang sya nagsalita. "Ano ba naman, Gab? Bakit bigla ka na lang tumakbo?! Muntik pa akong matapilok dun sa escalator kakahabol sayo!" nakakunot na pagkakasabi niya habang nagpupunas ng pawis.

Hindi ko pinansin ang sinasabi niya. Wala akong naintindihan dahil sa isang bagay na pumukaw ng atensyon ko— ang dahilan kung bakit ako tumakbo. "Y-yanna," yan ang lang tanging salita na lumabas sa bibig ko. Hindi ako makapaniwala sa mga nakita ko.

"Gab, ikaw ba 'yan? Anong nangyayari sa'yo? Okay ka lang?"

I was really nervous. I still cannot fathom if this was reality or am I just hallucinating? Is this even a dream? Hindi ko talaga alam. The only thing I know is, kinakabahan talaga ako sa oras na ito. Mabilis ang tibok ng puso ko sa di malamang dahilan.

"I think I found him,” hinawakan ko si Yanna sa kanyang magkabilang balikat at paulit ulit na inalog.

"Ha? Sinong nakita mo?" she looked confused and startled. After a minute of buffering, I think she finally knew who I was pertaining to. Her eyes widened in surprise as if she cannot believe it too. "You mean the ‘redhead guy’ from about a month ago?"

I nodded in response.

"Nasaan?"

Tumalikod ako sa kanya at naglakad ng ilang hakbang. Pinalibot ang tingin ko sa loob ng mall upang hanapin ang nakita ko kanina. I'm sure I saw him right on that stall though. Napako ang tingin ko sa stall na iyon at may isang lalaki ang kakaalis lang mula roon. He's tall, he has red hair with that familiar hair style and the same body figure. He's wearing denim long sleeves top and black skinny jeans. 

Bumalik ako sa posisyon ni Yanna at hinila siya papuntang stall. To my luck, the guy's gone. "Wala naman eh," pagkontra nitong kasama ko na halatang nadisappoint. Kitang kita ko na hindi siya naniniwala sa'kin. But I'm sure, he was definitely here.

"Baka namamalikmata ka lang, Gab. Tara na."

I didn't want to go but I had no energy left to argue so I just agreed that maybe I was hallucinating. At that point, a part of me wanted to believe it was reality. Wala na akong naging ibang choice kun'di umalis sa lugar na yun. Even though I had absolutely 100 percent assurance that it was him, I have no proof. Therefore, leaving me with no choice but to just leave.

Alyanna Perez or Yanna for short is a person whom I've known since childhood. She's been the only friend that I've ever had so consider her as my best friend. Minsan na lang kami magkita dahil we are of different schools. She's the "ms. popular" because she's naturally talented in all aspects: a good dancer, the smart one, and the good samaritan. That leaves me all the negative adjectives— in short, ako yung panira ng storya. We're the total opposite.

"Here’s your Java Chip," binigay niya sa'kin ang paborito kong inumin.

"Thanks.”

"So, can you please spill why you're still searching for the ‘redhead guy’ from before?" she asked casually as she drank her strawberry shake.

"I'm not.”

"Then what's with the reaction on your face a while back?"

"I was just.. paranoid," sa lahat pa ng pwede kong sabihin, yung hindi pa kapani-paniwala. 

She sighed as a sign that she gave up. "Sige na nga, hindi na kita pipilitin kung ayaw mo sabihin. Pero s’ya nga pala, tumigil ka na sa pagpasok sa school nyo. What's your plan?"

"I'll transfer. That school is dangerous now, hindi na ako pwedeng bumalik doon. They'll be able to find me."

"Kailangan mo ba talaga magtago lagi?”

“If that will make me peaceful then why not,” I simply answered.

"How about my offer? Transfer to my school."

***