The Bullet

Chapter Five

Pag-uwi ko ng bahay, I packed up my things kahit na labag sa loob ko. Wala naman kasi akong choice kung hindi sumunod. I CAN SAY THAT THIS IS THE LAMEST DECISION THE ACADEMY HAS MADE. I never expected this to happen. Tapos ngayon, roommate ko pa siya? Terrible. I don’t know how my life would be in that dorm.

After I packed my bag, I’m ready to leave. Pero parang ayoko. I’ve been in this house since I was 10. It’s more of a home to me, not just a house. I was looking around, Thinking of all the memories that I had with my home, and I realized it was all worth it. Kahit iiwan ko ‘to, I know, mababalik-balikan ko siya kahit every weekends na lang. I’m still going to miss this though.

Emerald’s POV

Yeah, alam ko naging rebel din ako sa parents ko, pero I’ll miss them. Siguro nga marami kaming misunderstandings pero they’re still my parents, right? Tinulungan ako ng mommy ko na mag-ayos ng maleta ko habang si daddy naman nagddrama sa kwarto ko.

“Dy, uuwi naman ako every weekends! ‘Wag ka nang umiyak diyan!”

“Paanong hindi ako mag-aalala eh lalaki ang kasama ng anak ko sa kwarto?!”

“Dy, ok lang ako. Eh hindi nga ako pinapansin ng mga students dun since bago ako eh. Saka, yung makakasama ko naman sa kwarto, siya yung tipo na tahimik lang..”

“Basta mag ingat ka dun ha! Tatawag at magtetext ka lagi!”

Pagkatapos kong mag-empake, hinatid na ko ni mommy sa gate namin. Since ilang blocks lang ang layo ng bahay nila Daniel sa amin, Nakita ko siya hawak yung gate ng bahay niya. Para bang nagpapaalam. I was moved with pity kasi naalala ko, kahit ang laki laki ng bahay niya, eh mag-isa lang siya dun. Siguro, ngayon nagiging close na kami, eh matutulungan ko siya. I WON’T GIVE UP! KAHIT KAILAN HINDI ATA SUMUKO SI EMERALD NO!

A few moments later nakita ko nang sasakay siya ng motor. Mukhang bago ‘yung motor niya. HAAY NAKO. Spoiled talaga.

Nagpaalam na ‘ko sa parents ko at sinabi kong sasabay na ako kay Daniel since siya din naman yung roommate ko. I kissed them goodbye before I finally go.

I was already shouting para marinig niya ko..

“DANIEEEELLL!!!! HINTAYIN MO ‘KO!!!”

Lumingon siya then bumaba ng motor niya. Binuksan niya yung helmet niya then talked to me…

“Anong ginagawa mo dito?”

“Pwede ba akong sumakay? PLEASE? Roommates naman tayo eh.”

He sighed at parang napilitan lang na pumayag.

“I-backpack mo na lang yang maleta mo. Wala nang space dito sa may harap eh. Okay lang?”

“Sige! Sabi mo eh!” I said smiling.

“Oh, isuot mo.” He told me while handing me a helmet.

Since it’s my first time to ride a motorcycle, medyo takot pa ‘ko. Ang awkward naman kung I’ll hug him dahil lang natatakot ako. Baka maturn off siya sa’kin dahil hindi naman kami close. We reached a red stoplight. That’s when I started a conversation…

“Bago ‘tong motor mo?”

“Oo.”

“Hoy! Okay lang bang sumabay ako sa’yo? Para kasing hindi eh.”

“Eh nandito ka na eh. May magagawa pa ba ‘ko? Mapapababa pa ba kita?”

“So hindi nga okay sa’yo?”

Then the motorcycle suddenly went on full speed! I hugged him ‘cause I was really shocked. I just realized what I am doing after a minute. Tinanggal ko na agad ‘yung kamay ko sa kanya kasi I don’t want to build that impression on him na I’m such a weakling. But I guess I already did. L

“Oh, bakit mo tinanggal? Hindi ka ba natatakot?”

“S-s-siyempre hinde!”

“Sige na, ok lang. I’ll go on full speed habang nandito tayo sa highway. Kumapit ka na.”

“Ok lang talaga?”

“Oo nga!”

“Teka, daan ba ‘to papunta sa academy? Parang palayo tayo?”

“Hindi ‘ko na nasabi sa’yo. Daan muna tayong bookstore ha? Wala na kasi akong binabasang libro ngayon eh. Sige na, kumapit ka na.”

Hindi na ‘ko sumagot and I just held him around my arms the whole time. I closed my eyes and rested my head on his back. I felt his heartbeat. It made me feel na sana hindi na lang matapos yung time na yon…

After half an hour, nasa bookstore na kami..

“Gusto mong sumama sa loob? O dito ka na lang?”

“Sige, dito na lang ako”

“Ok. Bibilisan ko na lang.”

After 5 minutes, may tatlong lalaking lumpit sa’kin. I was beside Daniel’s motorcycle at that time. Ano ba yan Daniel! Nasaan ka na ba?! Natatakot na ‘ko sa kanila. L

“Hi miss. Bakit parang malungkot ka? Iniwan ka ban g kasama mo?”

“Actually hindi niya ‘ko iniwan eh. Nasa loob lang siya ng bookstore. Actually Papasok n rin ako to check him out eh. Sige, wait lang ha.”

I tried to get inside the bookstore pero he grabbed by arm. I SWEAR I AM IN NO GOOD.

“ANO BA! NASASAKTAN AKO!”

“Sino ba ‘yung nasa loob? Boyfriend mo?”

“Ano bang pakialam mo?!”

I slapped him in the face. REAL HARD. He stared badly at me. I was choking in fright. Hinigpitan niya pa ‘yung grip niya sa kamay ko. Alam kong hindi maganda ang lagay ko ngayon… He was about to slap me when I closed my eyes and I heard this familiar voice…

“Tama kaya ‘yang ginagawa mo sa girlfriend ko?”

“Ah, so ikaw pala ‘yung boyfriend niya?”

“OO, BAKIT?!”

“Resbakan na ‘to!”

The guy was still holding my arm nung inambaan ng suntok nung friend niya si Daniel. I CAN’T TAKE SEEING THIS! MAY RIOT SA HARAP KO! AND DANIEL’S IN TROUBLE BECAUSE OF ME! I closed my eyes because I don’t want to see. A little later, naramdaman ko na binitawan na nung guy yung arm ko, and the three guys are running away.

“Ok ka lang?”

“Oo. Ikaw?” I sighed.

“Ok lang. Tara na. Baka ma-late tayo.”

“Wait lang… sorry ha. Dahil sa’kin napaaway ka pa”

“Walang sorry sorry! May bawi yan!”

“HALA?!”

“Joke lang. Eto naman ang seryoso. Sige na. Umangkas ka na”

Masaya ‘ko kasi I know we’re getting closer. I was going to ride his motorcycle. Humawak ako sa balikat niya when my wrist ached. Hindi ko na lang sinabi kay Daniel kasi I don’t want to sound pathetic.

“Okay ka lang talaga?”

“Oo nga. Bakit ba?”

“Ang higpit kasi ng hawak sa’yo nung lalaki kanina. Feeling ko hindi ka okay”

“Feeling mo lang yun. Sige na magdrive ka na diyan.”

“Humawak ka na. Alam ko hindi ka okay.”

Hindi na lang ako sumagot. I ran out of words to say because of guilt. Pero masaya pa rin ako kasi I realized na he’s not like other guys na insensitive. Siya, kahit dinedeny mo na, Alam niyang there’s something wrong.