I Love You

Chapter 2

2,

Anong nangyari kanina? Bakit parang kilala ako ni Cooper? Did I see it right? Was it really recognition in his eyes?

Pagkatapos ng pag-alis ni Sir De Guzman, halos one hour kaming vacant. Ang iba samin pumunta sa library ang iba naman sa cafeteria at ang iba na tulad namin nasa room lang.

I was checking if ever nakagawa ako ng assignment, halos lahat nagawa ko. Nabaling ang atensyon ko nang magsalita si Megan.

"Ang weird ano? Bakit kaya biglang umalis si Sir De Guzman after stating that Cooper needs to be in detention?" Tanong nito. Tama naman siya, nakakapagtaka talaga. What's with him para maging ganun na lang si Sir?

"I wonder." Sabi ni Alyssa.

"The bitch is here." Sabi ni Megan after seeing Samantha Perez walked in with her gals. Ngumiti ang ilan sakin.

Umupo sila sa upuan nila. Nagpalinga-linga siya upang hanapin si Cooper. But then, she met my eyes. She rolled her eyes after then I smiled at her.

"Where's Cooper?" Tanong ni Samantha kay Harvey. Harvey just shrugged his shoulder's telling her he didn't know.

Just in time before magring ang bell almost all of my classmates are back on their seats. Walang kulang. Sakto and tama.

Nakabalik na din si Cooper after an hour from detention. Kasabay lang niya si Mrs. Samonte pumasok.

"Good morning, Seniors." Bati ni ma'am.

Alyssa, rushed back sa upuan na sinabihan siya ni Sir De Guzman na umupo. Ilang beses na niyang kinalabit si Cooper pero halatang wala siyang balak tumayo. He yawned and closed his eyes. Nabatukan tuloy siya ni Alyssa. I chuckled because of what Alyssa did and Cooper met my eyes. He saw me laughing! What to do?

"Is something the matter, Miss Mendez?" Tanong ni Ma'am Samonte.

"Cooper Anderson won't stand up, ma'am." Sagot ni Alyssa.

"Ay. Oo nga pala. Cooper seat next beside Cassy." Sabi ni Ma'am Samonte.

Samantha was in shock. "Why do my boyfriend needs to stay beside that loser?!" Tanong ni Samantha in a hesterical way.

"It's because he was told so. I best believe you're late again, Miss Perez on your first and adviser, Gilbert, right?" Sabi nito.

"Well... Yeah, so? That doesn't answer my question! Why do Cooper needs to be seated beside Cassy!? Bakit hindi na lang sa tabi ko?" Tanong na pagalit ni Samantha.

"It's because we teachers found a little of solution para makapasa yang boyfriend mo at maka-graduate. Instead of you flirting with each other, might as well focus on your studies instead." Sabi ni ma'am.

Samantha is having tantrums. Cooper woke up yawning, grab his backpack and went straight ahead beside me. That left Samantha in awe.

"What are you doing, babe?!" Tanong ni Samantha na ngayon ay nasa harapan ko na. She really loves making scenes.

"Because, Sir Gilbert told me so. Got a problem? Pwede bang bumalik kana doon sa upuan mo?" Sabi ni Cooper na halatang walang paki-alam.

"You heard him, Samantha. Go back to your seat. NOW." Sabi ni Ma'am Samonte in an authoritative tone.

"Instead, no need to go back on your seat. Stay in detention for two hours. Be there till lunch. And go straight to Denmark room, Alyssa, Harvey and Cooper will be there as well. This is for your scheduled lecture sessions in order for the both of you to pass and graduate." Sabi ni Mrs. Samonte.

Laglag panga si Samantha. She was not expecting some remidial classes for her. She grabbed her back, rolled her eyes off me and looked at Cooper for the last time before she left the room.

"Such a disappointment for Ms. Perez." Sabi ni Ma'am Samonte.

"Let's start. Bring out your books turn to page 94, read and understand the one and only poem in that page." Sabi niya and umakyat siya papunta sa direksyon ko. Sje brought wuth her, her stick na akala ko ipapalo niya sakin.

She patted Cooper's head with the stick and eventually ang sleeping prince namin ay nagising. Nagulat siya na nasa harap na pala niya si Mrs. Samonte. "Get your book, on page 94. Read it and understand it. Once fifthteen minutes is done Cooper, you start the discussion of a bit of a summarization about on what you understand with the text, are we clear?" Tanong ni Mrs. Samonte.

He yawned first then nodded. Ang weird talaga nitong guy na to.

Before I checked my book. I saw a phrase on his wrist stating, Sana ganito lagi. Napaisip tuloy ako kung anong meaning non.

"Fifthteen minutes is over. Cooper, for you, what does the poem states?" Tanong ni Mrs. Samonte.

He stood, yawn and stretched. He rubbed his eyes and looked at her with sleepy eyes.

"It pertains to a guy who fell in love with a girl who was not even sure what is happening in her real world. He is the type of guy who doesn't know the meaning of giving up. She is the girl who doesn't know how to stop believing. Both compatible with each other. But then was not sure about how they ended up with each other." Sabi ni Cooper.

It was a precised answer coming from Cooper. Matalino naman pala siya kung tutuusin.

Napangiti ako dahil sa sagot niya. Tapos nagulat ako ng tawagin ako ni Mrs. Samonte.

"Cassy. How about you? The qoutes that was part of your assignment for today, can you give one?" Tanong nito.

I was speechless. Nakagawa ako pero walang pumapasok sa utak ko. Yung phrase na nasa utak ko is yung phrase na nakalagay sa left wrist ni Cooper. Shoot!

"Miss Stevens? Hmmm?" Dugtong ni Ma'am.

"Words are meaningless, if you cannot express yourself." Sabi ko. Woohoo. Muntik na ako doon ah.

I heard most of our classmates not only boys said 'ooooooohhhh' were they affected? Or was it for someone? I saw Alyssa and Harvey smiling at each other and Alyssa smiled at me. Giving me a thumbs up sign as well. Huh?

What the hell just happened to me? I snapped back at reality nang makaupo na ako. I saw, another word on Cooper's wrist stating, Ouch. That hurts.

What? Hindi ko na naiintindihan ang mga bagay bagay. Sumasakit ang ulo ko at napahawak ako dito.

Nang sabihin ni Mrs. Samonte na class dismissed na daw saka lang ako naging okay. I felt na babagsak ang cieling ng room namin. Pero I was able to hide the pain and eventually nawala na din pananakit at pagkahilo ko.

Before kami pumunta sa Denmark room ni Alyssa dumaan muna ako sa dean upang makapagpa-alam na isama sa scheduled lecture sessions namin si Alyssa. Gusto pa niyang matuto ng maayos and to make her parents proud. I got the approval from the dean. At pumunta na kami agad sa Denmark room.

Papasok na ako nang makita ko si Samantha na naglalakad papasok na din. She was holding an iced coffee on her right hand and her bag hanging on her left hand. Kumaway siya samin, mainly kay Cooper.

"Hi dear!" Bati ni Samantha.

Dear? Bakit parang familiar sakin ang tawagan na yon?
***