Pulling Out The Strings

Chapter 3

POTS3

Hindi ko pinansin si Kross kahit sa room or kahit kumatok ng kumatok pa siya sa bahay. Hindi ko rin sinasagot ang mga tawag niya. Can't he see? Nagbubulag bulagan nanaman ba siya? Oo I loved him as a friend. But I can't love him the way he wanted. HighSchool pa lang kami lagi niya akong binibili ng mga street foods at nireregaluhan thrice a week. Bakit nga ba hindi ko napansin yun? I'm so stupid to let that happened. I should've known it in my HighSchool days. I'm happy pa naman because may naging loyal na friend na ako but it was just my thought lang pala. Pareho lang sila ni Norie. I need to find a new condo as soon as I can. Si Norie? Tumigil na siya sa pangungulit sa akin. Three weeks na nung nangyari yun. Wala na akong pakialam kung matunton siya ng pamilya niya. The important for me right now is to graduate.

Papunta na ako sa Cafeteria nang may nakabangga sa akin. "What the hell? Watch your step!" Medyo masakit yun dahil I was bump in his chest. Nang lingonin ko siya ay napatigil ako. Uh-uh.

"I'm sorry. Let me treat you because of what I did." He smiled at me wickedly. The Brenny guy.

"No need. I'm not that poor to let you treat me no. Excuse me I have to go." Lalagpasan ko sana siya ng hawakan niya ang braso ko.

"Please? I didn't mean to offend you." I watched his every move. Scared na baka may gawin siyang masama. I am his pray daw diba? As if naman bibigay ako.

"I don't want nga diba? Pakitanggal ng filthy hands mo sa mamahalin kong arm." He chuckled. I rolled my eyes at him. Ang kulit nitong lalakeng ito huh? By his presence alam kong may something sa kanya. More than dangerous.

Tinanggal ko ang kamay niya sa braso ko. Pero bago ako tumalikod, may sinabi siya sa'kin. "I will not stop following you. And you rejected my brother right?" He said it in German accent.

"Whatever. As if I care." Binilisan ko ang lakad ko. Pangpadagdag stress lang siya. Ang concern ko ay grades ko. Hindi ako pwedeng bumagsak. It's a big NO, NO, NO.

Nagreresearch ako about sa binigay na topic sa amin kanina nang may tumabi sa akin. Tss! Kross. "Pwede ba tigil tigilan mo ako?" I pushed him hard. Sinigurado kong he will fell but sadly nakahawak siya sa table.

"It's about Norielane." As if I care? "She called me. She said she's running from her father and hiding also. Natunton daw siya. She needs our help." Natulala na lang ako. Kahit nagaway kami, nagaalala pa din ako sa kanya. Kahit pa inunfriend ko na siya. I know is sounds childish but that's me. No one can understand me.

"Where's she?" I know that there's a hint of concerned on my face. But right now, the important is to save Norielane. She's my concern now.

"She texted the details, it's in my car. Let's go?" Hindi na ako nagdalawang isip pa kaya't sumama na ako. What Kross said can't still process in my head.

Sa backseat ako umupo. He showed me the message of Norielane. Medyo malayo layo pa kami so I decided to take a nap. Wala pa akong tulog simula kagabi pa. I was busy of making of my research and sadly, mali daw ang gawa ko sabi ni Miss. Terror. So aligagang aligaga ako. I need to at least to take a nap. Tao din ako.

I was interrupted by someone's tapping my cheek. "Wake up. We're here." He's face was 4 inches apart from me. He noticed that I was not feeling comfortable so lumayo siya sa akin.

"What time is it?" My phone is dead bat so wala akong choice kung hindi tanungin siya.

He glanced at his phone. "Four Thirty." So probably, absent ako sa susunod na Three classes.

I looked around. We're at the Vito Cruz, Hayatt Lanova. We've been here before so medyo tanda ko pa ang pasikot sikot. Ang sinag ng araw ay bumabalot sa kapaligiran. The kids were happy running around. Nang may nadaan ang mga mata ko. It's her. She's looking at us.

"She's at the bench." We made our way to Norielane. She's wearing a wig and a cup. Naka shades din siya. Tumayo na rin siya. She walked swiftly at us. Nang makalapit siya ay hinug niya ako ng mahigpit. She sobbed at my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." I need to throw away my pride right now. Her life's complicated and dangerous right now. So she really needs someone right now. And it's us. "Sorry, sorry, sorry," She just repeating apologising at me.

"Pano naman ako? Wala din ba akong hug?" Kross said at Norielane. She laughed. I broke the hugged. Lumapit siya kay Kross at niyakap siya. She keep thanking him. I smiled at them. This is what I want; Befriend without feelings attach.

"We need to go na. Baka makita pa tayo nila Tito." Nauna na ako sa kanila. May part parin sa akin na nasasaktan. Hindi dahil nagseselos but because the feeling of being betrayed and being pained still lingering here. I bit my tongue para walang lumabas sa bibig ko na makakasakit sa kanila.

"Nakapag rent na ako ng bus from Manila to Tayabas, Quezon. Six hours ang biyahe. We'll visit you na lang kapag na confirm na namin na safe na. But for now, mas nakabubuting lumayo ka muna. Don't worry may susundo sayo sa terminal. It's my Nana Josephine. She's my nanny when I was young. Makakapagkatiwalaan naman yun. Mabait siya. Don't worry inexplain ko na sa kanya and she understand." Binitbit na ni Norielane ang mga gamit niya. Kross helped her sa dalawang maleta niya. Ako ang nagdala ng Tatlong small bag niya.

Nang naipasok nanamin ang mga gamit ay bumaba si Norielane sa bus. "Thank you so much guys. Utang na loob ko sa inyo itong lahat. Kung wala kayo baka nakuha na ako nila Daddy. Thank you talaga." She hugged us so tight, kulang na lang wreslingin na niya ang katawan namin. Niyakap din namin siya pabalik.

I faced her. "Take care huh? Baka magmaldita ka?" Bigla akong may naalala. "What about Martin? What happened?" I looked her in her eyes. She look devastated. Para siyang sinaktan.

Napaiyak nanaman siya. "You're right about everything. He planned this all. Si Dad ang nagpautos sa kanya. And now... I'm... I'm... P-pregnant." She's shaking. I held her arm.

"Don't think so much, makakasama yan sa baby mo. Just text us if may kailangan ka." I hugged her for the last time. Pumasok na siya and she waved at us. I glanced at her bago sumara at umandar ang bus.

"So... still mad?" Inakbayan ako ni Kross. Bumalik nanaman ang galit ko. I flinched at his touched. Saktong pagtanggal ko ng braso niya ay pag vibrate ng phone ko. Habang bumili kami ng maibabaon ni Norielane ay nag charge ako ng kaunti. Laging nakabukas ang data ko dahil sa isang importanteng bagay. It was my biggest secret. Kahit ang mga kaibigan ko ay hindi nila alam neither my family.
BOYFIE waved at you!

I was in the Harley Cafe at nirerewrite ang mga wrong words, wrong definition at wrong thoughts about sa article na irerecit at ipepresent ko bukas. Law is really confusing, you know? Kaya nga nag hehesitate pa rin ako sa course kong kukunin. I sipped my second coffee while rereading my own opinion and definition of each phrase of this article that i've just done researching.

Biglang nag vibrated nanaman ang phone ko.

I'll be there before Christmas. Can you pick me up?

Agad kong sinuwipe ang message niya. I'm still mad at him kasi may pinost siyang babaeng nakayakap sa kanya. Syempre edi paghihinalaan ko siya right? So I asked him kung sino yung babae pero sabi lang niya it's his childhood friend. 'Good relationships starts with good friendships' naalala ko nanaman ang sinabi ni Kross. Hindi na ako nagpahatid sa kanya kanina. Dinaanan ko kasi si Lucy. Friend kong model. I gave back her phone naiwan kasi niya sa bahay last month then I message her on Facebook sabi niya itago ko muna, bibilhan daw kasi siya nung ka-fling niya ng phone.

Nang natapos ako ay nag message ulit siya. Come on babe! I already told you that she's just my childhood friend.

Babe...

Let's talk please?

Don't ignored my messages, babe...

Babe. I'll never ever going to cheat on you.

Binasa ko lang ang mga message niya. Nang nagtitipa na ako ng sasabihin ko ay napa erase agad ako sa huling message niya.

Trust me. Babe please trust me.