Afraid To Fall

Chapter 7

As the month of August passed by, we've got a lot of things to do. Ang dami nilang plano. Pagkatapos ng mga gala namin within our area, naisipan ng mga boys na mag out of town.

"Let's go somewhere in Laguna! Or Pampanga and stay there for weeks!"

"Are you serious, Derrick? Hindi natin bakasyon. We're planning for something we can do for a day or two. You know we only have the weekends para makapunta kung saan-saan." Sagot ni Jen.

"Wait, how about you, Stacey?" Kenneth asked. "The last time na nag theme park tayo, your dad was freaking out." Nung nakaraan kasi na nag Star City kami, naka ilang missed call si daddy. Buti nalang pag uwi ko nang bahay, hindi ako grounded. He told me he's worried. Sana man lang daw tinext ko siya.

"Hindi kasi ako nagpaalam. He's busy and I don't want him to get interrupted."

Jen clapped excitedly. "Yes! So pag nag out of town tayo, make sure you'll inform him.."

"Yeah. Ofcourse."

And our discussion went on. Friday ngayon kaya nag-iisip na kami kung saang lugar naman ang pwedeng puntahan. I don't know, nakasanayan na rin yata namin. Making memories in different places. A friendship that must have been treasured.

The bell rang and we ran back to our classroms. Last subject na kaya si Jen nalang ang kasama ko.

Habang nagtuturo yung prof, I stared blankly outside the window. Maraming tanong na pumapasok sa isip ko. What if I were still in London? Ganito rin ba ako kasaya? Or I would be more happier? Things here are getting strange day by day. I don't know why but that's what I always feel. Naisip ko kasi, hindi ba parang masyadong mabilis yung pangyayari? Yeah, I really feel comfortable when I'm with them. But it always seems like something's wrong.

Sabi ni Dad, kung sa tingin mo ay may mali sa isang bagay, hindi mo dapat hayaan at balewalain na lang yun. What if it is danger knocking on your door?

I shook my head at that thought. "Uy! Ayos ka lang?" Tumango ako kay Jen.

The rest of the time, I've been spending staring at the clock. Nang mag dismiss si Prof. ay umalis na rin kami agad ni Jen.

+63917985**** calling...

Kumunot ako. "Uh Jen, alam mo ba kung kaninong number to?" She stared at it for a while.

"Kay Derrick yan! Sorry, binigay ko kasi number mo."

"Okay."

"Pick it up. Baka importante."

I answered the call. "Hey."

"Hi. Kasama mo ba si Jen?"

"Oo. Bakit?"

"Loudspeak mo." What? Bakit di nalang niya tawagan si Jen?

"Bilis Derrick, ano bang sasabihin mo?" Narinig ko ang boses ni Kenneth. Naka conference call yata kami. "Malapit na ko sa may checkpoint. Baka mahuli ako pag nakita nilang nag violate ako sa rules. Hindi pwedeng gumamit ng gadgets while driving, right?"

Nakatingin sa akin si Jen habang pinapakinggan namin ang dalawa.

"Girls, are you listening?" Derrick asked. Not minding Kenneth's rant.

"Yup." Sagot namin ni Jen.

"Good. Di tayo tuloy this weekend. May business party bukas. And if I'm not mistaken, imbitado rin ang pamilya niyo Jen at Stacey. You guys didn't know?"

Jen answered, "Maybe my mom's not yet telling me about that."

"How about you, Stacey?" Tanong ni Kenneth.