Left Unsaid

Chapter 1

ONE

"Hi, I'm Renee Marquez. You can call me Ren."

Nakatingin lang ako, thinking na 'Oo siya yun. May maipagmamalaki ako kay Jep mamaya nito.' Tawa pa ako sa isip ko eh. Di ko naisip na sa huli, magsisisi akong natuwa ako sa kanya kahit konti.

"Anything else about you?" tanong nung prof. Start of the term at ito nanaman kami sa first day intros. Matagal bago siya nakasagot at medyo nag staring contest muna sila nung prof. "Anything you're good at?" Nginitian siya.

"I'm not... really good at anything?" Di sigurado niyang sagot. Parang kinakabahan pa. Napatingin sa kanya yung klase dahil sa evident niyang low self-esteem. To say out loud na you're not good at anything ay dalawang bagay lang. Either pa-humble ka o insecure ka. Kasi kahit papano, para di ka na kilatisin and all, magiimbento ka ng normal na ginagawa ng tao, kunware, I'm good at drawing, sleeping, eating o kahit ano. She could've said anything. Pero she seemed too honest to even think of doing that. Nung natahimik yung klase at napapahiya na siya sa awkward atmosphere na siya mismo gumawa,  nagsalita na rin siya. 

"I like baby potatoes and baby corns, though." Sabi niya habang nakatingin lang sa prof, medyo nakayuko pa rin. Natawa yung klase pati ako. I found myself listening with interest habang napasandal ako with my arms crossed. 'Weirdo,' I thought while shaking my head.

"Very funny, miss..." tinignan nung prof yung class sheet. "Marquez." I glanced back at Ren only to see her confused face. Parang nagtataka siya what's so funny eh yun lang naman yung masasabi niya to save herself from embarrassment. "Okay, we're running out of time. You may sit down now, Ren. Next." He pointed at the student beside Ren. 

I watched Ren zip her jacket up as she sat. She blew her bangs and heaved a sigh of relief. 'Pitiful. Parang parating takot. Ano kayang nagustuhan dito ni Jep?' I smirked. 'Weirdo din naman kasi yun. Pwede na rin. Bagay sila.' 

Unfortunately, inayos kami alphabetically. Guess what? Yay, seatmates. Sense the sarcasm.

"Lozada." Tinuro nung prof yung assigned seat ko.

"Marquez." He pointed at the seat next to mine, the last on that row. I glanced at Ren tapos nakita kong parang excited siya pumunta sa seat niya. Pero nung nakita niyang nakatingin ako, nawala yung smile niya tapos hindi mo nanaman mabasa mukha niya. She went to her seat and sat down without saying a word. I shrugged it off and played with my phone while waiting for the bell.

"That'll be your permanent seating arrangement this term unless, of course, may mabuong quiz teams... if you know what I mean." Tinaas niya yung kilay niya habang tinuturo yung whiteboard marker niya sa amin. He checked his watched kaya napagaya ako. "15 more minutes. Get to know your seatmates, and soon to be cheatmates." Natawa nanaman yung class. 

"Bro, Joshua." Hinarap ako ng seatmate ko and he offered his hand while smiling. I shook it while giving him a nod, "Mico, right?" sabi niya, remembering my name nung introduction earlier. I smiled, "Yup." He turned to his right and did the same to his other seatmate. I felt someone poke my back kaya napalingon ako.

"Hi." Nakasmile si Ren habang kumakaway.

"Hey," Sabi ko habang sa kanya naman ako humarap. 

"Ren." Tinuro niya yung sarili niya, then she pointed her finger at me, inaantay na magpakilala ako. 

"Mico." Natatawa kong sagot. Nag-hi uli siya while waving. 

Weird.

"I don't think you remember, but we were classmates last term. Under Miss Concepcion?" sabi ko, just to break the ice.

"Talaga?" Hinampas niya yung palad niya sa forehead niya. "Sorry, I'm very bad at remembering names. That's why you looked familiar."

I laughed it off. "May kilala ka pa ba sa class na 'to?" She simply shook her head. 

"Ako din eh." Sabi ko, when in fact nasa same class yung dati kong blockmates. Di nga lang kami close kaya hanggang batian lang.

The bell rang and I was forced to cut our convo short kasi as soon as she heard the bell, she got up and slung her bag on her shoulder. 

"Sige, I'll see you around." I said, giving her a faint smile. Medyo naweweirdohan pa din kasi ako eh. Pero basta ba may mapagmalaki ako mamayang lunch kina Jep, edi okay!

"See you."