Colored (REVISED)

Chapter 3 : Exchange?

Chapter 3 — Exchange

A year ago after I met the guy named James Jero Ortega, my heart always become wild. I can't even explain how to feel when he's around. I can't name this strange feelings of mine.

When I met him, I had mixed feelings. Na ako mismo hindi maintindihan ang sarili.

Love at first sight? No, I don't believe in such but that was before. When I first saw him, I got nervous and at the same time, my heart leaped.

He's my first love, actually. Noon ay akala ko pa sa sarili kong hindi ako normal katulad ng iba. I didn't have any crush before. I didn't get attracted to a guy.

Simula nang makilala ko siya ay bigla na lamang nagbago ang lahat. At sa tingin ko, siya ang unang taong nakabingwit ng puso ko. Cheesy but that's right. Definitely right.

But everything has an end, even a small thing could lead to the end of everything in this world. There's a beginning thus, there's an end.

I've already made up my mind. Ididistansiya ko ang sarili kay Jero hangga't maaari. I'll do this not because I want to but because I need to. There's no string attached in between, I know, but staying away from him is like cutting the only string that connecting between the two of us.

Wala akong karapatang lumayo. Wala akong karapatang umiwas gayong wala namang relasyong namamagitan sa amin. But I would rather distance myself than to hurt myself many times. I am not a masochist. Hindi ko kayang saktan ang sarili ko nang dahil lang dito.

I heavily sighed and looked at Jero. Tulala lang din siya katabi ng bintana. I don't know what he is thinking right now. I shook my head many times. Hinawakan ko nang mahigpit ang panyong hawak ko. No, dapat umiwas na ako.

Iiwas ako.

Titigil ako.

“Hello!”

Halos mapatalon ako sa gulat nang biglang sumulpot sa harapan ko si Laury. As usual, she is wearing all black outfit. She beamed at me and I hate her for being happy. Naiinggit ako.

“Sungit talaga,” she whispered and chuckled.

“You know what, Laury? You are annoying!”

“Alam ko, dude,” sabi niya at humalakhak. I rolled my eyes at her. “Ito naman, may itatanong lang, e.”

“Then, ask me now. Hindi ‘yong mang-iinis ka pa. Just make sure na hindi ‘yan nonsense.”

“Lalayuan mo na ba siya? Ayawan na? Suko na kaagad?” tanong niya.

It seems like, my blood boiled in annoyance. I gasped. “What? Ang gulo mo, Laury! You said, I should stop the feelings for him!”

“Ang ingay mo. Chill,” she whispered and sighed. “Ang sabi ko, itigil mo. Huwag mong iwasan.”

“Ang gulo mo talaga!” sigaw ko.

I sighed when I saw Rochelle and my classmates are looking at me. We are making noise here. Pinanlakihan pa ako ng mata ni Dianne. Binaliwala ko na lang ‘yon.

“Bakit nga ba kita kinakau—”

Naitigil ni Laury ang pagsasalita nang biglang sumulpot sa harapan naming lahat si Ma'am Gomez. She roamed her eyes and smiled.

“Class, I have an important thing to announce. Listen.”

Nagbulung-bulungan ang mga classmates ko. “Important, huh?” tanong naman ni Laury sa tabi ko.