Living With The Psychopath (GL) [Completed] [Self-Published]

Episode 24

Episode 24:

"Echo!" Pinandilatan niya ako ng mata habang hawak-hawak ang pulso na sinugatan ko last Saturday. Natatakpan na ngayon ito ng bandaid and like Rosendale, she gave me one of her bracelets. Yung style niya, parang braided na black shoelace. Looked good on me, in fairness. "Ano 'to?"

"Bracelet." Pilosopong sagot ko. Umirap siya. "Wala 'yan."

"Anong wala? Ano itong bandaid? Did you just cut yourself?" She gasped exaggeratedly. "Nakakahawa ba si Rosendale? Psychopath ka na rin?"

Turn ko naman na para umirap. Anong katangahan iyon? "No. Ang oa mong mag-isip."

"But—"

"That's nothing." I told her firmly. She didn't need to know how I became entirely stupid for one day. That will be embarrassing.

"Echo..." Ngumuso siya. "You're so secretive."

Sabay kaming napalingon sa pintuan ng room nang dumating si Rosendale. She was staring at me but I just raised an eyebrow at her. I can see very well that she wanted to ask kung bakit nauna akong pumasok at talagang hindi siya hinintay kahit sabay naman kaming nag-breakfast.

She walked closer to me. Nag-abot siya ng maliit na chocolate bar na ipinagtaka ko. Inabot ko 'yon habang nakakunot ang noo. "Does the wound hurt?"

Ilang segundo rin akong nakatanga sa kanya bago makuha ang ibig niyang sabihin. I nodded slowly and unconsciously, my eyes averted to my cut and the bracelet.

"Wait," Sabay kaming napatingin kay Cheddy na hindi mawari ang expression. "Rosendale, you know what happened to the cut?"

She just stared at my friend. She did it for a few seconds that will surely make anyone feel uncomfortable. Ganoon nga ang nangyari kay Cheddy kaya nag-decide siyang sa akin ituon ang attention.

"Echo naman."

"You're worrying too much." I told her. I looked at my annoying girl—stupid Rosendale to shot her a glare. She was unaffected as usual. "Be civil, stupid."

"This is my civil," ang nakakainis niyang sagot. "Eat that to lift your mood."

"My mood is okay." Inirapan ko siya. Ginagawa akong bata, dadaanin sa chocolate. Nababaliw na naman siya.

"Then to diminish the bitchiness."

"What the hell?"

"Magkaaway ba kayo?" Singit ni Cheddy. "Apply akong referee pero bawal sakitan, ah."

"Mag-review ka na lang." sabi ko sa kanya. Ngumuso siya at napatitig sa phone niya na PowerPoint ang nakabukas, sa phone kong hiniram niya, pati na rin ang reviewer na sinulat ko. Ewan ko ba sa kanya, bakit last minute nag-aaral. "Ikaw, Rosendale?"

"Can nail it."

"Hindi ko nakakalimutan yung five over fifteen mong score," sumbat ko.

I never saw her studying ever since she started living with us. Kahit dito sa school. She passed the previous quizzes and exams but only barely, para bang sinusuwerte lang lagi. Hindi ko alam kung tamad lang ba siya o sadyang ayaw lang mag-aral. She's witty, I think, ayaw lang mag-ayos.

She grinned like the matter wasn't much of a big deal. "Grades are just numbers."

"And it's important."

"As long as I can hit the passing grade with even just a point higher, it'll be fine."

"Bahala ka riyan." Napailing na lang ako. Ang hirap niyang bigyan ng rason dahil hindi naman marunong makinig.