In Between (SC, #4)

Kabanata 25

Kabanata 25

Ghost

Second semester happened so fast. Hindi akalain na matatapos 'ko iyon sa hirap ng mga subjects na mayroon ako. Katulad nang nangyari noong unang semestre, sa mga final projects at exams, hindi ako mapakali na hindi makakapasa. Ngunit sa huli naman ay may bunga rin. Iyong case study sa Java, sa Programming 2, naging group project. It is actually a game application. Tatlo kaming gumawa noon at nakitulog pa 'ko sa bahay nina Cassie sa Valenzuela para lang matapos namin iyon. Sa mga oras na kailangan 'kong umuwi sa Bulacan, sinusundo pa 'ko ni Jace sa SM Valenzuela pauwi. I already gave him credit for the effort he is exerting for me.  He's really a gentleman and nice. Katulad ng pagkakakilala 'ko sa kanya mula noon.

Ang mahalaga ngayon ay masaya kami sa estado na mayroon kami.

Though, there are nights I wish I could tell him about us, you know. Pero kapag ba tinanong 'ko siya tungkol sa amin, may magbabago? I am afraid, it will. It will change everything about us. It is either good or probably bad. Should I just be contented on this set-up? Ano na naman ang sasabihin ng mga pinsan 'kong babae?

They keep of bantering me...to ask him immediately and surely. My cousins doesn't want me experience heartbreak after all if Jace is not really sure of me. Para sa akin naman, alam 'kong tunay ang pinapakita niya. Hindi niya lamang pinapakita sa pamamagitan ng salita. And I'd wish for it these days.

I don't want to coerce him though. Kasi baka ako lang naman pala ang nagbakasakali na mayroon sa amin. That's shitty, right?

"Damn!" tili ni Julia, "grabe! Iyong friend 'ko kahalikan si Genesis sa IG niya!" Hindi mapakali si Julia na ipakita sa amin ang kanyang telepono. Hindi 'ko sana papansinin ngunit sa mukha 'ko binalandra. Sumingit lamang si Mai upang panoorin ang instagram story ng kaibigan. "Di ba? OA 'ko pero hinalikan sa pisngi! Can't you see? They are that cozy! Holy shit!" Halos tumalon-talon si Julia at binigay na sa akin ang telepono.

Can't focus. Really.

Sa reaksyon ba 'ko ni Julia titingin o sa video?

I don't know.

Maybe, I don't really want to see his girl right now.

"So, wala lang talaga 'yong kay Jayden? She's right. They are just really close," sinabi ni Mai ang tumatakbo sa akin isipan.

Maybe, it is right. Malapit lamang ang dalawa sa isa't isa. I don't know actually, any history. Wala akong alam pagkabalik 'ko rito. Anong nangyari sa taong wala ako sa Bulacan? I missed out everything in those years without so much communication. Did the Herreras stay here? Hindi ba sila bumalik ng London as what they always told me when we were young? I don't know really. Sila lamang ang nakakaalam ng lahat. And I should have no place to judge. Kung mali man ang iniisip namin, maybe there are stories behind it. Every stories has reasons and happenings to tell. Each has side to explain.

And this one, I don't know really, maybe there's really a story.

Kung sila man pasikreto ni Jayden, Genesis is such an ass. I know he is, since I came back here.

Kung hindi man, why does it affect me?

Both of the reasoning I have inside my head are giving me headache and another kind of ache, I'd supposed I shouldn't feel. Binigay 'ko ang telepono ni Julia. Ilang beses pinalabas ang boomerang nang paghalik ni Genesis sa pisngi noong babae. I was just staring at it. How this cute and porcelain skin girl blushed tremendously on that smack kiss on the cheek of hers. How Genesis looked so tipsy and bored as he did it. Like he didn't care at all. Madilim at mukhang nasa loob ng isang bar.

He's just...probably having a good time.

"Wait, you know. We'd know Genesis. He won't kiss random girl," Mai convicted seriously. She gazed at me for a second like she's passing a secret message I can't understand. Her eyes told me so.