How am I so into you? (RICCI RIVERO)

Chapter XXVII: Bad with promises

Z A U N E A

Wala na ngang activity, wala ring prof. Sana sinabihan ako edi sana nakapagmeditate pa ko sa bahay.

"Di ka susunduin ng bebe mo?" Tanong ni Vich.

"Ewan ko, di nga nagtetext eh. Napuyat siguro.." sagot habang natutulirong nagkakalkal sa cellphone ko. Tinignan ko yung mga likes nya sa Twitter kung anong latest. May nilike na syang good morning. Ano kaya nangyari dito?

"Ah so bebe mo na talaga? Nagpupuyatan pa kayo ha! Hahaha! Bet. " nagising ako ng kaunti sa sinabi ni Vich.

"Ako lang may alam, char. " sabi ko.

I was still looking at my phone. Natapos yung class ko ng nakikipagtunawan sa phone ko.

"Tara na be. Book na ako uber. " pagpapaalam ni Vich. Sabay na kasi kami pupunta.
_

Nakasakay na kami ng uber ride but he still hasn't texted me. Baka mamaya daanan nya pa ako sa school.

To Ricci

Pascholastic n—

Why am I even waiting for him? Why do I need to tell him where I am?

I shut my phone and tried to take a nap.

"Ay oo nga pala Vich. Dun sa bago kong work, jam tayo nila Margaret. You can't say no. " buti naalala ko.

"Saan yan cyst? Nakakamiss no, parang high school lang. "He sighed and laid back with a reminiscing smile.

"Near LaSalle. " I said blankly.

"Baka masaktan tayo nyan cyst ha.. daig pa stapler sa attachment, hmm.." What a sarcastic advice. I needed that.

Zaunea, hindi ka pa natuto.

_

30 minutes before the event starts. May iba pa namang programme pero tuloy tuloy. Still no signs of Ricci by sight and by the reach of my phone.

We were just sitting sa reserved seats in front when two teenaged girls started yelling " Ate Zaunea! Ate Zaunea!".

Napatingin naman ako. "Ate pwede papicture?" Sabi ng isa. "Hala— ay oh sige" hindi ko alam kung pano ako poposing, sobrang hindi ako sanay. Instead, I stood and i hugged them. They were telling me how much they loved Claudia and the book.

"Ate, di nyo po kasama si sahia?" Tanong nung isa pagkatapos naming magpicture.

"Ha? Ah eh hindi eh. " sagot ko. Baka mapahamak pa sya o kung ano mangyari pag sinabi kong I'm expecting him.

-

Sobrang daming magagaling na authors dito. Hindi lang from Wattpad. Meron ding mga journalism trainees. Wow, I really chose this world. I feel so little, I'm not even halfway through.

"..one of this generation's youngest fast rising author, Ms. Zaunea Rodriguez!" The crowd applaused. I walk slowly but surely from the backstage to the elevation where dozens of prestigious authors would see me. My powerpoint presentation flashed.