The Bridge

Better or Worse?

Julie's POV

My eyes curiously looked at the face in front. New face. Lalake siya. May katangkaran din. But he is just looking cool and quiet.

"Omg pogi!"

"Wait. Familiar siya"

"I think I've seen him before nga"

"No way. Isn't he-"

"Hello. My name is Jakob Silva. Please take care of me" Nagslight bow pa siya. But what's with the 'please take care of me thing?'

"Waaaaaah! Siya nga! Siya nga!"

"Omgggg siya talagaaaaaa!"

"Thank god lumipat si Jakob!"

"Siya yung... magaling na swimmer diba?!"

Sumakit ang tenga ko dahil sa pagsisigaw ng mga babae. I have pretty sensitive ears and kung hindi lang talaga ako nagtetake ng meds siguro mag-ala psycho nanaman ako.

I calmed myself down until our professor had silenced them down. I feel like my ears were gonna explode!

"Okay now Mr. Silva please do choose a seat". Most girls offered their seats. Even Trisha forced her seatmate to move para lang maging vacant ang seat niya. When he was already near her, she sweetly offered her seat but, dire-diretso lang si Jakob na parang walang narinig.

I was actually panicking when he made eye contact with me and looked at my side. Lumingon din ako dito. It's vacant.

Diretso siyang umupo sa tabi ko at para naman akong nakakita ng multo dahil sa daming mga masamang tingin sa akin. Oh great.

****

While on my way to the cafeteria I heard na dalawa daw ang transferee. I wonder who the other is.

"Pre. Kainis lalake pareho transferee. Wala man lang chix." I heard the guy near my table say. Lalake? Oh great. Dalawang pinagkakaguluhan yan for sure.

"Omg gurl classmate ko si Jakob!"

"Girl! Samin din si Uno!"

"Omg we are so swertes" I rolled my eyes at the conversation I just heard of. Pwede bang lumayo layo sila sakin? Tahimik akong kumakain dito eh!

Stress eating! Nakakadisappoint! Sila ang topic ng buong cafe! I was excited to actually see them disappointed. Guess I spoke too soon. 

The guy named Jakob is on the table of Trisha's. They were clinging on him too close. Close I mean pilit dinidikit ni Trisha yung dibdib niya kay Jakob. He seems unbothered by it tho. Hindi man lang niya binabawi kamay niya. Kain lang siya nang kain. He wasn't responding to them though.

Yuck. Sight gives me nausea.

"Paparating na siya!" Sigaw nung isang babae. Most girls were waiting for someone to come out the door.

As the door was slowly opening, ang medyo singkit kong mata ay lumaki. Kasing laki nung ka momo.

PUKANGINA!

ANONG BAKIT! PANO NANGYARI TO!

My jaw literally dropped six feet under the ground. HOW NO WHAT! Pati mga sigaw nung iba dito hindi ko na pinansin dahil tutok at gulat na gulat ako sa nakita ko.

He was looking for a seat. Then his eyes locked on mine. I was panicking inside. Dali-dali kong nilagay ang bag ko sa katabi kong vacant. Pero diretso pa rin siya.

Hanggang nakalapit nga siya. I said, "T-taken" while looking away.

Kinuha niya ang bag at nilagay sa gilid ng lamesa. "Single" then sat.

Kunot-noo ko siyang hinarap. Pero ang ginawa niya, kinurot niya ang pisngi ko.

"Smile ka nga! Diba sabi ko sayo magkikita tayo!" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"What's your deal really? Talagang sinusundan mo ako no?" I boldly asked.

"Hoy hindi! Wag ka ngang assuming. I transferred here dahil kailangan kong magtransfer. Wag kanang magtanong pa. Gutom ako" He then grabbed fries and made me eat one. 

****

"Agggghhh!" I groaned while I closed the locker. Bakit!

Kung noon ay ang mga kaklase ko hindi ako gusto nung mga kaklase ko, for sure ngayon galit sila sakin at sinusumpa na nila talaga ako. Dagdag mo pa ang schoolmates. Dodoble na ang pambubully sakin. Nakakainis. Nakakainis.

"Damn you. Damn you all!" I exclaimed frustratingly

"Eh? Sino sinusumpa mo?" A familiar voice asked. Kilala ko kung sino ang may-ari ng boses. Siya lang naman lagi ang nagpapabwisit sakin nang ganito.

I formed a fist. Tsaka humarap sakanya."Ano ba talagang rason ba't mo ako sinusundan?" I asked while wearing my annoyed face.

"Well. Wala akong kilala dito maliban sayo. Ba't ba ang sungit sungit mo? Di ba pwedeng maging kai-" I cut him off

"Hindi! Hindi pwede! I don't resort to any kind" I said. Pero parang wala lang sakanya infact, he is squinting his eyes as if may finifigure siya.

"Ahh. Sabi ko na nga ba. Ayaw mo kong maging kaibigan dahil gusto mo ako?" He cockingly wiggled his brows again.

"You really are getting on my nerves." I continued to fix my bag and ignored every word that came out from hid mouth then hastily stormed out of the locker room. I silently thank God when I entered the room peacefully. Thank God he's not following me anymore. Luckily, I was just in time for the next subject. 

Natapos ang klase ko sa araw na to na walang gumagambala sakin. No no one. I've decided to go to the rooftop before leaving this place. When I entered the top, It felt really weird. I feel like someone was or is here. 

I cautiously walked towards my favorite part of the rooftop. Tama nga ako at may tao dito. I heard a faint snore from the distance, towards my favorite spot. 

Tulog? Malamang. 

Palapit na ako sa taong natutulog dito, familiarity of the person's built began. Medyo humihina ang bawat tapak ko papalit sa paborito kong spot. I became hesitant. Do I continue? or should I just come back another day? feeling ko kasi talaga may mali eh.

Tatalikod sana ako kaso...

"Hoy ikaw" I was startled dahil SYEMPRE TINAWAG AKO. I composed myself before facing him

"Bakit?" I asked.

"Bakit ka nandito?" He asked.

"Ikaw pa talaga may gana magtanong sakin nyan newbie? just so you know this place, this rooftop is mine." I confidently answered him.

There was doubt and amusement written on his face. Then his eyes roamed around the place.

"What are you doing? You look like a joke" I rolled my eyes.

"Hinahanap ko kasi kung saan mo nilagay ang pangalan mo para malaman kong pagmamay-ari mo talaga ito." 

I am literally one meter away from punching this man. Argggghh! Binibwisit niya talaga ako!

"Hindi mo to pagmamay-ari. Walang pangalan. Wala ka ding titulo at lalong lalo na't hindi ka nagbabayad ng buwis sa lugar nato. Pagmamay-ari to ng paaralan. Gets?" He raised his eyebrows. 

Okay. Parang lumiit ata yung confidence ko. I felt insulted. 

Before I could even think of something to say I already heard the door shut closed. 

I was damn insulted. Nakakabwisiiiit!

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sorry hello hi I'm baccccckk I apologized for the looongggg delayyy. I've been awfully busy these past few months talaga and kung bakit short lang ang ginawa ko ngayon is because wala napo akong maisip na isulat huhu. Sorry po. Pagbubutihan ko sasusunoddd please do understand huhu basta tatapusin ko to haha.