"Hoy malanding babae tumigil ka!"
Napatigil ako sa aking paglalakad sa hallway papuntang classroom ko nang may humarang sa aking daanan.
"Kilala mo pa ba ako?!" tinignan ko ang babaeng humarang sa akin, actually may dalawa pa siyang kasama and I don't definitely know them.
"Do I have to know you?" seryoso kong tanong sa babaeng nasa harapan ko.
Ang sama ng tingin niya sa akin parang kulang nalang talaga at kakainin na niya ako.
"Slut! Ako lang naman 'yung girlfriend ng lalaking nilalandi mo kagabi sa club!" sigaw niya.
"Ohh" tanging sabi ko.
Ngayon ko pa talaga naalala na siya pa'la 'yung babaeng sumabunot sa akin kagabi dahil ka-makeout ko 'yung boyfriend niya. Hindi ko na kasi 'yun iniisip dahil mas iniisip ko pa 'yung mga sinasabi sa akin ni Augustine kahapon. There were a lot of things happened last night.
*pak!*
Napasinghap nalang ako sa gulat nang bigla akong sinampal ng babae. I was also going to slap her when I saw Shaneen in the crowd, smiling, tila masaya siyang nakikita na may nakaaway ako. Napakuyom nalang 'yung kamao ko, tangina noon siya 'yung nagtatangol sa akin, ngayon tila nakisali na siya sa mga taong gustong saktan ako.
"Tara na." nabalik nalang ako sa reyalidad nang may naramdaman akong may humawak sa aking kamay at iginaya ako papalayo sa maraming tao.
"Oh my! Tama ba ang nakita ko?! Augustine just saved that slut?!"
"Shocks! Sila na ba talaga?!"
Napatingin ako sa taong humawak sa aking kamay at napagtanto kong si Augustine ito.
---
"Okay ka lang?" napatingin ako kay Augustine,
"Thanks" tanging sabi ko at tumingin sa malawak na field sa aming paaralan.
Nandito kami sa field kung saan dito kami madalas kumakain ni Augustine tuwing lunch time. It's 8:45 in the morning and 9:00 am ang aming first subject so we have still have fifteen minutes to stay here.
"Ganoon ba talaga 'yun, pag mahal mo ang isang tao kaya mong iwanan ang ibang tao na mas naunang nakasama mo?" tanong ko habang nakatingin pa rin sa malawak na field.
"Some people were just drown and blinded by love to the point that they can't see what is right and not. What matters to them is the person they love."
Pagpapaliwanag ni Augustine kaya napatingin nalang ako sa kanya.
He's too deep.
"What?" Aniya nang mapansin niyang nakatitig lang ako sa kanya. I smiled at him slightly then I switch my gaze to the field again.
Napabuntong hininga nalang ako.
"Ang hirap magbago lalo na kung hinuhusgahan ka na agad sa mga tao."
Nagulat nalang ako nang bigla nalang iyon lumabas sa aking bibig. Taena! Dapat sa utak ko lang 'yun sinasabi.
"Don't worry, I'm always here for you. You can always rely on me." Napatingin nalang ako nang hinawakan ni Augustine ang aking kanang kamay.
I can't help but to stare at him. I never thought he has this soft side. I thought he was just like the other people who judged and persecuted me.
"I think it's time to go. Baka mala-late tayo sa first sub natin." I changed the subject at saka ko kinuha ang aking kamay na kanyang hinawakan because it's just feel so awkward.
----
One month later
"Hey where are you? I'm already outside."
"Wait! Nagbibihis pa ako!" Sabi ko at dali-daling namimili ng aking susuotin sa aking walk in closet.
"Bakit ba ang tagal-tagal mo? Palagi nalang tayong ma-lalate dahil sa'yo." Napairap nalang ako sa sinabi ni Augustine. Paulit-ulit na niyang sinabi 'yan.
Hindi ko naman siya sinabihan na ihatid niya ako sa aming paaralan may kotse naman ako but he was the one who insisted na sabay na kaming pupunta at uuwi sa university.
"Chill okay? Pumasok ka muna sa bahay. Mag-mamake-up pa ako." Sabi ko at napangiti nalang ako nang mahanap ko na ang aking susuotin.
"What the hell January?!---" agad kong pinutol ang tawag dahil magbibihis na ako.
Isang buwan ang nakalipas, ang dali lang ng panahon. Pero sa isang buwan may marami na ring nag-babago. Lalo na sa akin.
When I finished putting my clothes I immediately went to my table where my make-up kit was there and started to put a light make-up on my face.
January the slut no more. What I mean is that, I didn't hangout with different guys already. Madalang na rin akong pumupunta sa club at si Augustine lang ang kasama ko.
Augustine played a big role in my life. He changed me, he believed in me. Akala ko talaga imposibleng magbago ang isang January the slut, I thought it was hard to change my bad habits.
But because of him my life was totally changed.
He made me realize that being with other guys every night doesn't make me feel happy. It was just my way of escaping from reality that I was all alone and my life is a mess.
But Augustine is my distraction from my life that I always thought that it's a mess, that life is horrible. He made me realize that despite of the bullshitness happened in my life I can still enjoy life, I can still be happy without minding other people. He made sure that despite of the ugliness I made, I still deserve to be happy.
Augustine is a good distraction.
I'll always be grateful to him. Dahil sa isang buwan naming pagkakaibigan, naging dependent na ako sa kanya. It's like I can't live without him. I must admit that I feel something special towards Augustine. I can't say if it's already love since I haven't experience that yet plus the fact that we only been together for a month so I think it's too early to call this feelings of mine as "love" because I think love takes time to build.
All I know is Augustine is very special to me.
"January! Ano ba?! Hindi ka pa ba tapos diyan?!" I was back to reality when suddenly I heard a loud knock from my door and Augustine's angry voice.
I'm not scared though because I'm used to it. He is always like that but I know that he cares for me.
When I was satisfied with my look I went to the door of my room and opened it.
There I saw Augustine's face being furious. But my heart is crazy kasi kahit alam kong nagagalit na sa akin si Augustine ay kumakabog pa ito na parang excited na makita siya.
"Miss me?" But I play it cool trying to ignore the rumbling of my heart.
Augustine didn't say a word at nauuna na itong bumaba sa hagdanan at lumabas na ng bahay kaya napailing nalang ako habang nakangiti at sinusundan siya.
Pikon!
"Oh!" When I got inside his car he threw a plastic na naglalaman ng pagkain kaya mas lalo akong napangiti.
He does this everyday because he knows I don't eat breakfast because I always wake up late.
"Thanks babe!" I jokingly said.
"Can you stop calling me that?" Masungit niyang sabi at agad pinaandar ang sasakyan.
He's so sweet in his own little way.
-oOo-
