THE CASANOVA'S LOVE | SLOW UPDATE | CHRISTARIES

CHAPTER 20

EZIKEL. 

"Oh....I was thinking about..

It's not easy. Not easy. 

So many times, I saw you walking away. 

Walking away from me." 

Pikit mata kong dinadamdam ang kantang pinapakinggan ko sa aking Ipod nang biglang mag vibrate ang Iphone ko sa aking bulsa. I saw Stanford's name on my inbox.

From: S. Stanford 

Take good care of her. I won't be around. 

My forehead furrowed. Who the heck is "her"? 

Hindi ko alam kung sinong tinutukoy niya kaya nag reply ako, "Sino? Berry? o Stennah?" 

Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas pero hindi parin nakareply si Stanford kaya hindi na rin ako nag abala pang tanongin siya. 

I was about to return my phone on my pocket nang biglang pumasok si Kate sa classroom. I turned on my phone and pretended that I was typing a message. 

Umupo siya sa tabi ko, "Hoy." 

Hindi ko siya pinansin. Nag patuloy ako sa ginagawa ko ng biglang nag message si Stanford, "Girls on Stanford High are their target for their revenge. Start protecting the girls, especially your girl." 

My girl? I'm fucking single right now. 

Magre-reply na sana ako ng biglang sumilip si Kate sa cellphone ko na agad ko namang iniwas "Shit." 

She rolled her eyes on me like she was offended by what I've said kaya tinanong ko nalang siya to cool her down, "Kanina ka pa ba diyan?" 

Hindi niya ako pinansin. Instead she just took her notebook and draw some I-don't-know-what-shit-it-was so I called her again, "Hey".  

"Shit." She said, imitating me. 

Umupo ako sa kabilang upuan kung saan siya nakaharap. "Hey? are you mad? Im sorry--Fuck." 

I murmured a curse when I realized that I never apologize sa kahit kanino, na agad niya namang binalik sakin, "Fuck ka din." 

I felt relieved. Mas mabuti nang magalit siya sakin kesa sa makita niya ang message ni Stanford. She might get scared. 

I was about to tell her na hindi ko yung sinasadya at sakto namang pumasok ang homeroom teacher namin kaya bumalik na ako sa kinauupuan ko.  

She was talking some stuffs about the upcoming foundation week. Since I don't have interest on those shits, I didn't bother to listen and replied Stanford's nonsense messages. 

 "U kiddin me?" I replied on his text when he said that Kate was the one he's talking about which he thought was my girl. I smirked. 

Since when did a Stanford gave concern on a girl maliban sa kapatid niya? Hm...fishy.

"Okey class. I just want to remind you na next week na ang Foundation Day nang buong Stanford High--" 

"Woooh!"

"Nice!" 

Everyone was shocked when Jinx entered the classroom after his countless absences, maliban na siguro sakin. Alam ko naman na papasok siya ngayon. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin ng makita kong kumindat siya kay Berry nang makaupo na siya sa likod. 

Fuck. What's the problem with me? 

Tinanong ni Miss kung nagkita ba si Jinx at si Stanford. Hindi naman pwedeng sabihin ni Jinx kay Miss na magkasama sila ni Stanford sa pakikipagbakbakan kung ayaw niya pang mamatay ng maaga kaya taliwas ang sagot niya, "No Miss." 

"Tss." Singhal ko nalang.

I don't know what's up with Seik. Kadalasan sa mga bakbakan, kami ang tumitira. Ngayon parang nag-iba ang ikot ng mundo. Everyhting was familiar. It was like a repetition of the past. Ang kinakatakutan ng grupo namin. 

"May alam ka ba kung nasan siya?" 

"No." Walang gana kong sagot. "Gettin' interested, huh Berry?" 

"No--" 

Mas maingay na hiyawan ng mga estudyante ang naganap nang ipaalam ni maam na kailangan nanaman ng representative para sa foundation day. Shempre, hindi nawawala ang pangalan namin doon. 

"Yuck." Nasambit ko nalang nang marinig ko sa hiyawan ng mga kaklase ko ang aking pangalan. 

My classmates were shouting Stanford's name, I don't want them to hope for nothing so I raised my hand to tell them about him. "I just want to inform everyone that Seik Stanford won't join the foundation day." 

Many of my classmates felt dejected, but seeing Berry having that kind of emotion makes me want to hop out of this chair and leave the classroom. 

Tinanong ako ni Miss kung bakit, kaya sinabi ko sakaniya ang totoo. Na susunduin niya si Stennah. Umalis kasi siya last week papuntang Jakarta to visit her mom there.

Marami pang sinabi si Miss but I chose to keep silent and slam myself on my chair. I hate this feeling. 

Even though I lost my mood, tumayo parin ako ng sinabi ni Miss na bubunot ang mga lalaki sa fishbowl ng makakapartner namin. Since wala si Stanford, ang matitirang papel ay maiiwan para sakaniya. 

Kahit hindi siya makaabot sa ibang part ng program ay kailangan niya paring dumating para sa by-partner activities. I pity his partner. Knowing him, kung hindi niya trip, hindi siya susulpot.

Hindi ko binuksan ang papel ko hanggang sa makabalik ako sa aking kinauupuan. I look at Berry who's  busy staring for the piece of paper that left on the bowl.  

"Hoping to be his partner, huh?" I said as I sit on my chair beside her.

"Eh?" 

"Wala.."

Lumapit ako ng bahagya sa tenga niya, cherishing the moment na makakalapit pa ako ng ganito ka lapit sakaniya. Her smell. Her smile. Shit. 

"--Trust him. He'll grant your wishes, princess."  I whispered then excused myself and directed my way on the covered gym. 

Umupo ako sa mga risers saka hinilamos ang kamay ko. I tried to divert my attention. I tried to punch the wall as hard as I can. 

I never felt this weak before. Dumudugong mga kamay akong yumuko. 

I took the rolled paper I got na makakapartner for the foundation day. Nanginginig ang mga kamay na binuksan ko ito. 

A tear fell on my eyes as I  it after seeing the name I got. 

Pagkatapos ang ilang taon, hindi ko akalaing dito ko lang pala makikita ang taong matagal ko ng gusto na sinaktan lang ng kapatid ko.

Kate Celiz.