Almost, But Not Quite (COMPLETED)

Chapter 43

#ABNQ43 Chapter 43

Today was the last day of our review. I felt confident because Marcus was really a good teacher. But still, there's this fear inside me na paano kung hindi ako maka-sagot? Paano kung ma-mental block ako? Paano kung biglang malimutan ko lahat ng pinag-aralan ko?

My mind was flooded with all my fear, and it's making me feel all choked up on the inside.

"Tapos na?" tanong ko kay Marcus nung isara niya iyong chine-check-an niya. He nodded. "Uh... 'di mo ba ieexplain sa akin iyong mga mali ko?"

Umiling siya. "Wala ka namang mali, e."

Nanlaki iyong mga mata ko. "Wag ka ngang magjoke!"

He laughed. His eyes was smiling with his lips. "Totoo nga. Nasagutan mo ng tama lahat," sabi niya, pero dahil hindi ako makapaniwala, inagaw ko sa kanya iyong test paper, at tinignan ko mismo sa sarili ko kung may mali ba.

"Oh, my god," I said as I stared at an error-less exam. I kept on blinking and I even pinched myself to see if I was just dreaming this. "Wala akong mali," I said, staring at him.

He gave me a gentle smile, and nodded. "Kanina ko pa kaya sinasabi sa 'yo."

"Pano nangyari 'to?" I said, then stared back at the paper. I just couldn't believe na perfect ako! E Chem and Physics iyong sinagutan namin! Nitong mga nakaraang araw, sobrang dami kong tanong kay Marcus dahil ang dami nalilito ako. Ang dami ko ring mali na sagot... kaya paano nangyari 'to?

Marcus shrugged. "Practice makes perfect," sabi niya.

I bit my lower lip. "Pero 'di nga? Perfect talaga? 'Di joke 'to?"

"Bakit naman kita ijo-joke?" sabi niya.

"E mahilig ka sa mga jokes, 'di ba?"

Bigla niya akong tinignan. Biglang nawala iyong ngiti sa mukha ko.

One.

Two.

Three.

Gusto kong magsalita dahil ayoko ng ganito sa pagitan namin. Marcus had been really helpful to me. I wanted to be friends with him... but we couldn't be friends if every time, something like this would happen.

The way he looked at me.

Like... God, I didn't even want to think about it.

"May tumatawag na naman sa 'yo," I said when his phone started vibrating. Laking pasasalamat ko nang tumunog iyong phone niya. Pakiramdam ko kasi ay nalulunod na ako sa mga tingin niya. Na hindi dapat. Kasi hindi tama.

Binaling niya iyong tingin niya sa phone niya. Mabilis siyang tumayo para sagutin iyon.

And when he was finally out of my sight, I let out a heavy breath... and quickly called Psalm. I was impatiently drumming my fingers against the table while praying that he'd quickly answer the call. Gusto ko na siyang makausap para mapanatag na ulit iyong loob ko.

"Hey..." I gently said when Psalm answered my call.

"Last day tomorrow," he said.

"Of what?"

"Not seeing you," he replied. "You're all mine after that, right?"

I laughed. "Yes, captain," sagot ko. "Any plans?" I asked. My parents were never strict with me, but hindi ko lang alam kung papayagan nila ako with Psalm... knowing that we're together. Iyong kay Steele naman kasi dati hindi nila alam.