The Forgotten's Envy (Masquerade Girls, #1)

Chapter 38

Things started to get awkward after that night. Iniiwasan ko siya sa campus at sa bahay unless tungkol sa school works o kina Chloe at Clark ang usapan. He already noticed my change of behavior but to make the matter worse, instead of ignoring me, too, he'd just stare at me like I was an interesting specimen.

"He's stressing me out," I complained as soon as I sat down.

"You mean, you're in love," Queenie retorted. I rolled my eyes in return.

"Why are you always here?" tanong ko naman dahil nakatambay na naman siya rito sa spot ko sa library.

"Oh, do you want me to leave?"

"Very much."

"Okay, then. Good luck sa pag-upo rito ng lalaking iniiwasan mo," bigla naman niyang sabi at nakita ko si Jazer na nakatingin sa direksyon namin. Anong ginagawa niya rito?! "Bye-bye, wit—"

"Wait!" Napahinto naman siya sa pagtayo. She looked at me with a smug on her face.

"Yes?" I swear, I'd hit her one day.

"Fine. Stay."

"Offer, rejected. Sorry." She stood up and for a second, I saw Jazer eyeing that seat.

"Please!" Napahinto naman siya at lalo lang akong nainis dahil sa pagngiti niya. She sat down again, and this time, she was annoyingly confident about what she just did.

"The witch pleaded. I accept the offer."

"I hate you," I said with much displeasure.

"I get that a lot, witch. C'mon, be unique."

"This is why Iñigo left you," I retorted.

"Excuse me? I," sabay turo niya sa sarili niya, "left him. Not the other way around."

"Praning."

"Duwag."

We glared at each other but after several seconds of killing each other in our heads, we calmed down and she decided to sleep. Kung hindi ba naman abnormal ang babaeng 'to.

Nilibot ko naman ang paningin ko sa paligid at mukhang wala na si Jazer. Nakahinga ako nang maluwag. However, I saw someone who seemed to be eyeing our place, too. Tumayo naman ako at lumapit siya sa akin.

"She's yours," I said while glancing at the sleeping bitch.

Iñigo smiled. "Thanks."

Umalis ako ro'n at umupo naman siya sa pwesto ko. He was just watching her sleep as if she was the most precious person in the world. His eyes were full of tenderness and for a second, I was envious of how he looked at her.

Pumasok ako sa afternoon classes ko pero parang lumulutang lang ang utak ko. Muntik pa akong mapahiya kanina sa klase dahil bigla akong tinawag ng prof ko. Buti na lang nasagot ko siya nang tama.

"Saan ka na, Kuya Larry?" tanong ko dahil gusto ko nang umuwi.

"Maya-maya pa. Magsabay na kayo ni Jazer," sabi naman niya sa kabilang linya.

"Ha?! Ayoko, mauuna na ako," I insisted but he ignored me.

"After 30 minutes. Bye!"

"Ugh!"

Tumambay na lang ako sa bench area pero nag-panic ako nang may makita akong mga 'di kanais-nais. The Queeñigo-turned-Katrina tards found their way to me and stood in front of me, with their not-so-intimidating presence.

"Leave Katrina alone," the girl on the right said.

"You're going to ruin her."

"Isa kang bad influence. Bad luck."