The Songs Of Us

Chapter 11: I Love You Goodbye

"Ed! Edward! Ed!" narinig niyang pasigaw na tawag sa kanya ni Niko. Kasalukuyang nasa lilim siya ng isang puno mg mangga sa loob ng campus. Tahimik na nagiisip tungkol sa nangyari ng nagdaang araw sa Restobar.

"Niko, please. Whatever it is, I'm not interested." walang ganang tugon niya sa kaibigan na hindi lumilingon. He's thinking about Mary Dale. He knew that something is wrong. The way she looked at him the other day alam niyang may pagtangin din ang kaibigan sa kanya. And that maybe Conner was the reason why she couldn't accept him.

Sa naisip ay napakuyom ng kamao ang binata.

"Damn man! It's about Dale!" pagalit na sigaw ni Niko na bigla niyang ikinalingon dito. "Interested now?" may mapanguyam na ngiti sa labi nito.

"Why? What happened to her?" he asked worriedly.

"Dumating si Tita Veronica kaninang umaga at kinausap ang School Principal." simula ni Niko. Hesitant at first ngunit nagpatuloy. "It seems like Dale is dropping out the school." sabi nito na ikinabigla niya.

"What?!" gulat na tanong ng binata. "Sino nagsabi?"

"Cora was frantic ng ipaalam sa kanya ng class adviser. She's the class president kaya sinabi sa kanya. The girls were crying ng datnan namin sa classroom, then they told us that Dale decided to drop out." mahabang paliwanag nito.

"Where's Cora? Have you called Dale to confirm?" He walked towards the school building.

"She's with the guys in the classroom. Ipinahanap ka lang nila baka daw alam mo amg dahilan." sabi nito na nakasunod sa mabilis niyang paglakad.

"Obviously, wala akong alam since I am shocked as you are." nakatiim bagang na sagot niya.

Ilang sandali pa ay narating na nila ang classroom. Naubutan pa nilang humihikbi ang mga babaeng kaibigan habang bakas ang kalituhan at lungkot sa mukha ng mga lalaki.

" Cora. "tawag niya sa kaibigan." What exactly did Mrs. Lopez tell you? "tukoy niya sa class adviser nila.

Umungat naman ang mukha nito sa kanya na puno parin ng luha." She asked me to see her in her office after lunch, so I went to see her. Then she told me that Tita Veronica was here this morning to let the administration know that Dale is dropping out of school." napapaluhang sagot nito. "I asked Mrs. Lopez of the reason, but she told me the principal didn't tell her. So, I tried to contact Dale but her phone is off. I called their house but the maid said that their family was out for lunch. I just couldn't get to her." napapaiyak na dagdag nito.

" Hindi kaya ang rason ng biglaang pag drop out ni Dale ay dahil sa proposal mo kahapon edward? "si Ellyze na hindi maitago ang disgusto sa binata.

" That's bullshit Elle! Dale is not like that. "si Jinri na idenepensa si Edward." And besides, you know what she really felt-"napatigil ito sa pagsasalita ng titigan ng masama ni Ellyze. The she realized na kamuntik na niyang mailaglag ang kaibigan sa harap ni Edward. She stopped herself abruptly at napakagat labi na lamang.

Edward as sharp as he is felt that the girls. Is hiding something from him. "What is it Jinri?" he asked in a dangerous tone.

"Ah ey-" nagdadalawang isip na napabaling ito sa mga kaibigan.

"We knew what Dale really felt for you." si Kirsten. Ellyze tried to stop her from talking pero mabilis na dinugtungan nito ang sinabi. "Dale loves you- as a friend. And she has a boyfriend already." dugtong nito na ikinatigagal ni Edward.

That gained silence from all of them. Ang mga babae ay nagpapalitan ng tinginan. Calculating if tama ba na iyon amg inirason nila kay Edward. Judging from his expression ay alam nilang galit ito at nasaktan. The boys were keeping their cool, hindi gustong makadagdag sa sakit na nararamdaman ng kaibigan.