School Year

Chapter 4

I woke up 5 in the morning. Para naman di ako ma-late. Ngayon na ang araw na toh. Pumasok ka agad ako sa banyo para maghilamos. I wore my sportswear: Hooded Running top and Sports tights.

After nun ay bumaba na ako at sinuot ko na ang shoes ko ako.

"Ate Freya (one of our maids) mag-jo-jogging lang po ako."

"Sige, magluluto na ako para pagbalik mo makakain ka na." wika niya.

"Oh sige ate, thanks,"

Pagkalabas ko tinali ko ang buhok ko. Already set. I check my clock first 5:20 na. Maybe I go to a little detour before going to the park. I jog sa longer way papuntang park. And this way I can't pass by Nich's place.
~

*in the park*

Nakita kong nag-aabang doon si Scarlet. She's wearing her pink sports bra which exposes too much of her skin but she has a good figure I admit. As expected. While she paired it with black sports pants.

"It's already 5:55, where did you come from? It's already late," she complains. 

"Oh sorry, Scarlet. I'm not really into that Nicholas." I said. I can't tell her that I'm nervous so I woke up early and took a detour and enjoy the leisure, can I?"

"Whatever you say, but that's good for you, you know your self that you are hopeless." balik niya sa akin. 

Gusto niya ba ng away? Kakabati lang namin eh. I let out a sigh. Kalma lang Stephanie Santiago.

Nagsimula na kong mag-jog. At nagsimula sinundan niya ako.

"So Santiago-

"Call me Stephanie." 

"So Stephanie, where's his house?" tanong niya with light panting. 

"Just follow me. I'm not good with giving direction in detail. And it's not that I went to his house. i just happened to know when I'm walking around." Of course, that's a lie. 

"I hope we can trust your memory then." wika niya.

~

*at front of Nich's house*

Nakarating na kami sa harapan ng bahay ni Nich. We both grasped for air. Para kasi mas matotoo ang kasinungalingan ko ay ilang beses ko kaming niligaw. Ilanng beses ako binara ni Scarlet. That took us 40 minutes. 

Forty minutes na dire-diretsong jogging ay nakakapagod talaga. Hindi kami tumigil kahit isang minunto dahil inindi ni Scarlet na excited na daw kasi siya makita si Nich. Napa-upo kami ni Scarlet sa tapat ng bahay ni Nich. Napatingin ako sa mansyon habang nagpapahinga. 

Ang tagal ko ng hindi pumupunta dito, ah. 

"So finally we are here. But how can we enter his Mansion? Are we going to climb this gate?" tanong niya, still with light panting.

Are you serious Scarlet? I thought you are not dumb. But now where is your common sense?!

"Doorbell I think." sarcastic kong sabi. 

Tumayo na kami sa lupa at pipindutin na ni Scarlet ang doorbell. Around 6:30 natatapos mag jogging si Nich. Nasa bahay nakaya siya o wala pa? Sino kaya ang magbubukas ng gate? Akmang pipindutin na ni Scarlet yung doorbell ay narinig naming bumubukas yung gate.

"O' Steph ang tagal mo ng hindi pumupunta dito, ah?"

What the?!

Si Ate Ginger. One of the housemaids here. Namimili pala siya every Saturday.

"Ate, what do you mean by that?" agad na sambit ni Scarlet.

"Aaah... kasi malayong kamag-anak ko si Ate Ginger. Bumisita ako dati dito dahil sa kaniya pero di ko alam nun na bahay pala ito ni Nich, diba ate?"