Chapter 35
Jillian's POV
I was stuck where I was standing. For a while, I felt like a part of me was detached.
When I was finally back on my senses, I coughed 'coz I was choked with my own breath.
"Jill, okay ka lang?" tanong ng kasama ko. I shook my head.
"Ah, yeah. Sorry. Let's do this," wika ko at lumapit ako sa kanila. Tumulong na lamang ako sa paggawa namin ng props. I know I suck at this stuff, but hey, I know how to mess with things. So this one's no sweat for sure. Sabi kasi ng production manager namin, kailangan daw messy ang background, eh. Dito na ako bagay. Kayang kaya ko 'yun.
Habang kumikilos ako, natabig ko iyong pintura. Ugh, Jillian, great, just great. Good thing at washable naman ito kaya nagpunta na lamang ako sa CR para alisin ang nadikit sa damit ko.
Paglabas ko, hindi ko agad kinaya ang ihip ng hangin. Ang lamig sa pakiramdam lalo na at basa ang suot ko. Geez! Wala pa naman akong extrang damit na dala. Naubos na 'yung mga damit ko na tinatago ko sa locker dahil nga minsan kapag ginagabi na kami ng practice, nagpapalit kami ng damit.
Naglalakad ako sa hallway nang may makita akong anino sa likuran ko.
"You're wetting the floor," ani ng pamilyar na boses.
Marahan akong humarap sa kaniya. "I'm sorry," wika ko.
"Dry yourself," utos niya.
"Plot twist; wala akong extrang damit," I told him pragmatically.
"What are knights in shining armors for?" he said while grinning.
Yumukos ang aking mukha dahil sa sinabi niyang iyon. Hindi sana ako papayag pero bigla na namang humangin, kaya hindi na ako nagmalaki pa. Magkakasakit ako kapag pinairal ko ang pride ko.
"Let's go?" yaya niya.
I nodded. "Thanks, Nick . . . again," I sheepishly said.
"The pleasure is all mine."
We went to his locker and he gave me his shirt. It's a gray one with Away from the paradox, written on it.
I glanced at his face and asked, "You sure you want me to wear this?"
"I can't see why not." He shrugged. So I went to the comfort room. Buti na lang at nakapants ako ngayon so whatever I wear will roll. Binalot ko sa plastic ang pinagbihisan ko at linagay ko ito sa bag ko.
When I was done fixing myself, lumabas ako. Nakita ko siya na nakasandal sa wall, with his hands on his pocket, his eyes fixed somewhere-his stares are lost, without his famous contagious smile-that's sad, and with his brown messy-in-a-cool-way hair.
"Psst!" I disturbed his solitude. He shifted his gaze on me. "Okay ba?" I asked while smiling. Be cool, Jillian. That's how you should do it, right?
He acted like he's really scrutinizing my look. I felt even more embarrassed. "Pwede na."
"Bagong bili mo 'to?" tanong ko.
He nodded. "How did you know?"
"Nag-iba ng size, eh. Pumayat ka talaga," nakabusangot na sagot ko. It's not like magka-size na kami, no, because malaki pa rin sa akin ang shirt niya na 'to. But compared to before, he lost weight, really.
"Sexy ko na ba?" He winked at me.
I made a face. Hinampas ko ang braso niya. "Sexy my foot! Umayos ka nga, Castrences, ha! Hindi nakakatuwa iyan. Nagpapakamatay ka na ba?"
