Seasons And Changes

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 |

Special Friends

DECEMBER 2010

JAEA NICOLLETTE

"All right class, reminder yung deadline ng Modulo art niyo is until Thursday. Study and review well for your periodical exams next week. I hope nobody cheats." mataray na paalala ng Math teacher namin bago magpaalaam at lumabas ng classroom. May one hour vacant period pa bago yung last subject namin ngayong araw pero dahil wala naman akong ibang pagkakaabalahan at wala naman akong kaibigan na kasamang tatambay o ano man, I've decided to finish working on my modulo.

Celina, my cousin, is in section one kasama ang mga kaklase niya na naging kaibigan ko na rin dati. Dahil nga transferee ako I'm in the second section, kaya wala akong kaibigan na kasa-kasama sa section namin tuwing vacant. Ah meron pa lang isa; si Tracey Romero. Siya yung nagta-top sa section namin at gaya ko loner din siya. Kaya naisipan naming magsama tuwing may activities na by partners. Ang kaso may pinagawa sakanya yung librarian ngayon kaya mag-isa lang ako ngayong vacant.

Si Heizen Kit naman, as much as possible talaga ay sinasamahan niya ako. Kahit na magkalayo ang building namin at hindi kami pareho ng schedule, palagi niya pa rin akong hinahatid pag pasok at sinusundo pag pauwi. Siyempre tuwing lunch magkasabay din kami; minsan kasama sila Celina o Ate Misha pero madalas kaming dalawa lang. Magkaiba kasi ang building ng girls and boys junior high kaya mostly lunch lang kami nagkakasama. Sa senior high pa talaga magiging coed ang education system.

Lumabas ako ng building namin at tumambay sa isang study shed para doon tapusin ang project ko. I was preparing my materials when suddenly something heavy hit my back. An arm locked me in placed before I could even turn around.

"Hi baby." the person behind me lowly whispered and my heart slammed into my chest; his voice alone clicked his identity in my head kaya nawala ang pagkabigla at takot ko. Siniko ko siya para lumayo saka tinignan ng masama. Nginisian lang ako ng loko. My heart skipped a beat when I saw his handsome smirk.

It's been four months since I came and started studying here. Busy si Ate Misha at Eli dahil higher levels na sila kaya mas madalas na si Heizen Kit ang kasama ko. Dahil doon, mas lumalim pa ang friendship namin– or should I say mas lumalim pa kesa sa friendship? We've never really talked about it, basta isang araw bigla na lang niya akong tinawag na 'Baby' after we had an argument regarding a guy in his class who confessed to me. Starting then, mas naging sweet pa siya. Mas naging touchy, clingy at expressive siya compare to how friends normally are. Madalas he acts as if we are more than friends, and I couldn't reprimand him from doing it because... I like it, too. I... like him, too. It became like an unspoken agreement between us. Hmm is this what they're calling as... mutual understanding? Though I like the term special friends better.

"Why are you here? May klase ka pa ah." I said softly as I continue bringing out my materials. Ibinaba niya yung bag niya sa tabi ng akin at tinulungan ako sa ginagawa ko.

"Priorities." he simply uttered. Napatangin ako sakanya at nakitang nakatingin na rin siya sa akin, may pa-taas-baba pa ng kilay. Kinuha ko yung folded umbrella ko at pinampalo sakanya.