The Trouble of Hellos

Two

“I’m home.” Usually, wala akong naabutang tao sa bahay, but I heard someone from the kitchen.

“I wonder why you’re home so early.” Sabi ko, loud enough para marinig ni mama. “Well sweety I happened to finish my work early. My superior told me I could go home as long as I have finished my deadlines.”

I took off my uniform and hurried to put them to the laundry basket. Nakita ko syang pumunta sa sala. “Diba nagpapabili ka sakin ng bag. Shopping tayo today?” She said looking at my good ol’ bag.

“I’m okay. You don’t have to..” Phew. Muntik na nyang buksan yung bag ko.

“What are you so worried about I was just gonna check your bag.”  Napaiwas ako ng tingin. I forgot my Mom is a total suspicious-of-everything-mother.

“Hm. Bakit kaya ayaw nya ipahawak bag nya sakin.” There she is looking at me like I’m on a hot seat. “W-wala!”

There is that infamous look from her eyes I knew all too well. “Failed exam? Stolen phone? Stole a phone? Love letter?” Dumiretso ako a kusina at naupo.

“Mom, how can you suspect your daughter of theft? Anyway, ma, nagugutom na po ko.”

“Great, kakatapos ko lang magluto.”

Kinabukasan..

“Here, Sachi.”

“Alright, thanks.”

Being the class representative I am assigned to collect the papers every exam to turn over to our Teacher’s office after class. Maybe, naguguluhan kayo sa pangalan ko. Okay, ako pala si Sachiro. Sachiro Levy. My mom got my name from a dog, and my surname from my father of course.

“These are all the papers Sir. One asked if there will be special exams for those who are not present.” I said arranging the papers on the left side of his table while he continue scanning a document. “Tell them the exam for the absentees will be different from what we have examined today. But yes there is.”

I feel it’s quickly getting darker and darker outside and I still do not know what to do with that guy who just confessed to me, yesterday. I walked to the comfort room to see if I look okay, to my disgust, I do not.

“What’s so good about my eyes? My hair? My smile?” Pinilit kong ngumiti habang nakatingin sa salamin, wala talagang maganda sakin.

“Are you okay?” A stranger beside me asked. “A-ah, yes.” Umalis na ako sa banyo pero narinig ko pa syang magsalita. “So weird.”

Calling me weird e mas weird yung phone tag nyang mas malaki pa sa phone nya. Pabalik na ako sa room ko, apparently there is a commotion going right at the two doors of the class. So, how am I gonna enter the room. I shoved my way roughly.

“I see she is not here yet.” A familiar voice.

Everyone looks intensified. No one dared to speak and everyone has stopped from doing what they were doing. “Looks like wala naman sya dito, tara na Clevor, Bakugo.” The other guy said. At sabay-sabay nawala yung tatlo.

I sit back to my class just to hear my girl classmates talk about the three.

“Sa pagkakarinig ko from the room next door, may pumunta daw dito sa room while we’re out the gym. They said someone delivered a love letter. ” She said.

“It would be fine and all if it’s from Astrid. Bakugo will do also, but from the looks of it, mukhang si Clevor and nagbigay ng letter.” Suddenly they become terrified.

I think I’m gonna throw up. Nanlaki ang mata ko at bigla na lang akong pinawisan. Love letter ba yung sinasabi nila? Was it the love letter I received? Maybe I should just tear the paper and throw it away so no one will see. Or burn it? Or--what? That’s so rude.

I was so out of focus the whole day. In the end I was forced to go to the meeting place. I made my way to the rooftop after class, peacefully.

It’s alright Sachi, everything will be fine. I looked at the sky. Hosh! This is my alright sky. Kaya ko to.

So it really is him. Nakita ko sya, nakatalikod sya sakin. But his figure tells me, he really is the Clevor. Kung kabado ako, I’m definitely sure mas kinakabahan sya.

“Uhm... Hi?” It feels like my voice is dissolving and my words became a squeak.

“You might not know me, but I know a lot about you.” He is still giving me the back approach. Narinig nya ba ako? Ano bang ginagawa nya?

“You have that beautiful brown hair of yours that would fly with the breeze, I bet they’re as smooth at your fair skin.” Shet, hindi brown ang buhok ko at hindi din makinis ang balat ko, may balat ako sa kamay!

“Your eyes, they would smile together with your lips. If only I could be the reason of your happiness.”

Teka….. may hawak syang papel. Hindi kaya? Nagpapractice pala siya? Haha. Kinuha ko ang cellphone sa bag ko at pinicturan sya habang nakatalikod at nagmamaniobra ng mga linya.

“Levy, I like you.”

I cannot contain it all, let alone keep myself composed. Napahalakhak ako sa sobrang saya. Dahan-dahan syang humarap ng maramdaman nyang may tao na sa likod nya, halatang kinakabahan. I suddenly felt sorry for him. Just when he thought he’s going to have a girlfriend.

"Hahahahahhahaaha s-sorry.. Hahahaha" Napahawak ako sa tiyan ko sa kakatawa.

I didn’t plan for this nor did he expect something hilarious would happen instead a happy ending; when he dropped the paper from his hand-- giving me a horrified face.

“H-ho-holy shit sino ka?”