A Close Second

Fifth

"Mind sharing?"

Napaangat ako ng tingin kay Mikki na nagsalita bigla.

I was sitting at the corridor. I was really early today, and it was forty-five minutes for the warning bell of eight. Conrad woke up early and was really excited to go back to school.

Nakatayo si Mikki sa tabi ko, hands on her hips. Sa likod niya, nakatayo rin si Amar habang nakataas ang kilay sa akin. I gave them a smile and then gave them the other half of my sandwich.

"Anong gagawin ko diyan?" tanong ni Mikki.
I flipped a page ng Trigo notebook ko. "Sabi mo share." Sagot ko.
"Hindi yan, gaga!" She says. "Share kung bakit masaya ka today.

I looked at her, raising an eyebrow. What had led her into thinking like that?

"What do you mean?"
"You're smiling habang nagbabrowse ng Trigo notes." Amar says, sitting down beside me. "Dalawa lang yan. Either masaya ka or nabaliw ka na."
I wasn't aware I was smiling. "Oh, wala lang. It's a nice day.."
"Umuulan kaya."
"And your point?"
"Palaka ka ba at masaya kang umuulan?" Mikki asks.

Napailing nalang ako ng kaunti, going back to my notes. They were actually right, I am actually happy, pero not because of the rain, but because I had a great weekend that's all.

Andrei and I spent the whole Saturday at home, discussing further things I wanted so he could maybe do a rough sketch. And we just hung out sa bahay, playing video games with Conrad, talking by the garden, the works.

Masaya talagang kasama si Andrei, because he is definitely charming and very funny. We've actually been friends before, and it's good to know that even if ilang taon na rin ang nakalipas, wala paring nagbabago.

"Hoy, echoserang palaka!"

Niyugyog niya ako, as in yugyog na akala mo talaga balak niyang alugin ang utak ko. I just chuckled dahil minsan talaga may pagka aning itong si Mikki.

"Miks." Amar says. "May quiz tayo mama sa Economics. Maawa ka sa atin."
"Wag mong sabihing hindi nanaman kayo nagreview!"

Nakatingin lang sila sa akin and I rolled my eyes at them, going back to my notes. Medyo nadadaanan na kami ng ibang students, who greeted me dearly. I smiled at them and did the same.

"So paninindigan mo talagang hindi ka masaya?"
I gave Mikki a smile. "I didn't say that. Masaya ako dahil buhay ako, and I'm here, can understand my notes and that I feel good about the quiz. Wala nang iba."
"And anong nangyari noong weekend?"
"Wa—"
"Si Kaps bay un?"

I immediately looked at the direction Amar was looking at. I realized I haven't heard anything from Jake within the weekend.

Usually, I don't text or call him first because I don't think it's appropriate if I was the first one to contact them since well, they're guys... Well exception to that would be if I need something important from them which was not usually the case.

We keep contact, but this weekend we weren't particularly.

And I got surprised when I saw his face and I stood up to go and catch up with him. Ngumiti siya sa akin but I couldn't help but ask.

"What the hell happened with that" I asked him.

On his right cheek was a purple bruise. It was actually fading but very noticeable kaya siguro nagtaka si Mikki.

"Good morning too, Bea." He tells me gently. "This is nothing."
"Hindi ka magkakapasa sa mukha ng wala lang."

Hindi palaaway na tao si Jacob. He's the most agreeable guy you'd ever know. He'll accept what you wil be saying, and he'll be very open minded about it. If it so happens that his opinion counters what you had in mind, he'll explain his side really well.