Run Poppy Run

Chapter ❺

Chapter ❺

            Thank God it’s Friday!

Humming Justin Timberlake’s Mirror inside her own car, a convertible beemer her dad gave her yesterday, while she drove to the university campus. She really had a goodnight sleep last night and she wanted to make the best of the day.

So much for fearing Kael Buenavista.

 She opened her laptop last night. She researched for his name but he didn’t even have one, ni Twitter at Instagram wala. What was she thinking? Wala ngang Facebook, Twitter at Instagram pa kaya.

She hugged her sweatshirt against her body. Medyo malamig yata ngayong araw o uulan yata. Buti na lang medyo maaga-aga siyang umalis ng bahay, ayaw na ayaw niya sa lahat ang bumibiyahe nang umuulan. Nilagay niya ang hood ng sweater sa ibabaw ng kanyang ulo, hindi pa naman umuulan pero medyo lumalakas na ang ihip ng hangin, ayaw niyang dumating sa campus na parang napaaway siya sa daan.

Teka, ano bang komosyon ang nangyayari? Huminto ang mga sasakyan sa harapan niya na nasa right lane. Nag red light na yata pero nang tiningnan niya ang light, green pa naman. Sa likod niya naman ay todo pito naman ang mga drivers.

Ano ba yan? Baka maaabutan pa siya ng ulan nito. Baka may banggaan o may away, teka sa gitna ng daan? Ang ibang mga driver sa unahan ay nagbabaan, bien sǔr, siya rin di magpapahuli. Pero ikinawit niya muna sa leeg ang baby DSLR cam niya. She thought it would worth a shot.

Nakapalibot na ang ibang tao sa kung anuman ang nasa unahan. She’s wondering why there were no cops breaking in the scene. Or paramedics, Mon Dieu! She prayed this was not a bloody scene and she silently wished indeed.

Nakiusyoso rin siya sa mga tao at nakipagsiksikan, and that angry voice held her captive in the ground.

Que te jodan! Hijo de puta!” (F*ck you. Son of a bi*ch) Napaurong siya. It’s Kael cursing nang nakikita niya na nang malinaw ang nangyayari, away nga in the middle of the road. Kinda bloody, she could say that. There’s a blood dripping down from the corner of his mouth. Despite of the situation, she found the picture he’s making as very entrancing. Mon Dieu, bakit ko pa naisip ang mga art in the middle of this situation?

Inayos niya ang lens ng cam at pinuwesto sa harap ng mukha. Kuhang-kuha niya ang anggulo ng gilid ng mukha nito, matangos na ilong, mahahabang pilik mata at nakabukang labi habang nakikipag-sagutan siya sa isang lalaki na pumutok din pala ang labi. Wait up, bakit hindi niya lang man masabing, the other guy was making quite a good picture in her eyes?

Buti na lang walang ingay ang cam niya kung nagkataon, death wish na naman, pero patuloy pa rin siya sa pagkuha ng larawan nito nang hindi man lang namamalayan ng lalaki. Nang walang ano-ano’y tumingin ito sa pwesto niya, natatakpan ng cam ang mukha niya. But should she be thankful? Death wish, Poppy? Really.

His dark eyes narrowed into slits. He started hurling words to her direction but she couldn’t understand what he’s saying. It’s Spanish. NapapaSpanish yata ito kapag galit. He looked angry alright. She thought he hated it when somebody took a photo of him, let alone, to be shot in the middle of a fight, with blood dripping from his mouth.

Poppy stepped back before he would displace his rage to her. Buti na lang nakahoodie siya at bahagyang natatakpan ang kanyang mukha. Bumalik siya sa kanyang kotse at nag U-turn, ganoon din ang ibang mga sasakyan, maghahanap na lang sila ng ibang daan. Kael had anger issues, she knew right. Couldn’t he even control it? She shook her head. But her curiosity didn’t even falter.

***

Pagdating niya sa unibersidad, nagsimula nang bumuhos ang malakas na ulan. Tumakbo agad siya patungo sa student’s lane. She hugged the sweater tighter against her body. She was freezing. Patungo siya sa direksyon ng kanyang building nang may narinig siyang nag-uusap.