Chapter 10
After the concert ay nagkayayaan pang kumain. Gusto ko na sanang umuwi 'cause it's already so late pero maging ang mga kapatid ko ay panay na ang hila sa akin para sumama sa kanila. Nahiya na rin akong tumanggi kasi it's all of them versus me.
It's past midnight na kaya fastfood na lang ang open. So we have no choice but to go to the nearest Jollibee in the area.
Hindi ako sanay na maraming kasama. I'm usually with just my sisters or Clarisse and Lio, but this time we're 8 in the group at kasama pa ang Instructor namin. Nakakahiya and it's really awkward. Si Clarisse lang naman ang nag-ienjoy sa mga nangyayari.
"Are you hungry?" Faith asked when she heard my orders. Super Meal A and large fries.
"I'm stressed," I replied, almost in a whisper. Faith chuckled.
"Stressed kasi kasama natin si Sir Troy?" She whispered. Pinanlakihan ko pa siya ng mga mata and looked around. Nasa kabilang linya lang naman sina Sir. They might hear her.
"Stop it," I mumbled as I received my order. Nauna na akong umalis sa pila at para umupo na sa table namin.
Love and Lay were already sitting there and laughing together.
"Gutom ka, Hope?" Love asked when she saw my order. Sinimangutan ko na lang siya as I took the seat in front of them.
"Ang pogi talaga ni Sir Troy, 'no?" Love suddenly said.
"Love, I'm here," agad naman na sabi ni Lay na sinimangutan ni Love.
"Not for me. But for my sister," she said. Pati ako ay mas lalong napasimangot.
"Ohh. You like him?" Lay asked. I hurriedly shook my head.
"Hindi ah!"
"Bilis 'non ah," natatawang komento ni Lay. Bagay nga sila ni Love. Ang hilig mang-asar.
Isa-isa nang nagsiupuan ang mga kasama namin kaya nanahimik na ako at nagsimula na lang kumain. Habang si Clarisse ay busy sa pakikipagdaldalan. She was even laughing with Kuya Mike. I don't know how they managed to be this close just a few hours after they met. Parang gusto ko tuloy kausapin 'yong Nate na kasama nila Sir. He's so quiet. I could feel he's an introvert like me.
"Bakit naman kasi single pa 'to si Sir Troy? Ang pogi-pogi eh, tapos walang girlfriend," I heard Clarisse said to Kuya Mike. I just pretended I didn't hear a thing and just continued eating.
"Choosy rin 'yan eh. Nagmana kay Nate," natatawa namang sagot ni Kuya Mike.
"Turuan mo nga silang manligaw, Kuya Mike," sabi naman ni Clarisse.
"Kaya nga eh. Kailangan nila ng tulong mula sa expert na katulad ko," Kuya Mike replied. Ah, mahangin. "But I heard there's this girl who caught Troy's attention."
I stopped eating. I need a drink but I already drank all of my coke. God, I need something to drink.
"Hala, sino?!" I heard Clarisse asked excitedly. I stood up from my seat and hurried to the counter to ask for water. Bigla akong nauhaw.
Tinagalan ko pa bago bumalik sa table namin. I don't know. Maybe I just don't wanna hear anything about Sir Troy. It's so uncomfortable for me.
When I think they finished talking about Sir ay bumalik na ako sa table. My sisters are even looking at me weirdly.
Bakit ba? Masama na bang mauhaw?
Good thing they were talking about something else when I came back. Tinapos ko na rin ang pagkain ko para maaya ko na silang umalis.
"Are you sleepy na ba?" Love asked when I told her I wanna go home. Pabulong ko lang iyong sinabi sa kanya pero sinagot niya ako sa malakas na boses kaya I'm quite sure everybody heard. And yeah right, they were already looking at me. Silang lahat. Even Sir Troy.
"A bit," I just replied. "Pag nagtagal pa tayo mas lalo na akong aantukin. I can't drive if that'll happen," I added.
Please. Make this excuse work.
Nakita kong nagtinginan sina Faith at Love and saw them nodding at each other.
"Guys, I think we need to go home," anunsyo ni Love.
"Right. We should go home. Masyado nang late," pagsang-ayon naman ni Sir Troy. "Did you bring a car?" He asked. Nakayuko lang ako when he asked it kaya hindi ko alam na sa akin pala siya nakatingin and that he was asking me. Until Faith poked me.
"Ha? Po?" Para akong natanga bigla. Narinig ko pang natawa si Love at Clarisse. Fudge, this is so embarrassing.
"Ahh, yes po. I'll be driving," I responded.
"Aw. Akala ko naman pwede ko kayong ihatid," Kuya Mike commented. I saw Sir Troy glared at him at natawa lang siya. "Ang protective mo naman sa students mo," I heard Kuya Mike said while chuckling. And I don't know why I think I'm blushing.
"Hope, Faith, is it okay if I drive Love home?" Bigla namang tanong ni Lay. He probably brought his car too. At alam ko ring they want to make the most of the night kaya I nodded. Faith agreed as well.
"Basta iuwi mo 'yan na walang gasgas o ano ha," Faith said.
"Yes, Ma'am," Lay replied.
Isa-isa na kaming lumabas. Nauna nang maglakad sina Love at Lay papunta sa sasakyan nila. Halos magkasabay naman kaming mga natira.
"Sir, mauna na rin po kami," paalam ni Clarisse nang nasa tapat na kami ng sasakyan.
"Kay Hope ka na ba sasabay?" Sir asked.
"Yes, Sir," Clarisse answered. "Mauna na kami, Kuya Mike, Kuya Nate. Nice meeting you two na rin," she added.
"Nice meeting all of you rin!" Masiglang sabi ni Kuya Mike. Nate just smiled at us.
Nagpaalam na kaming lahat sa isa't-isa at kanya-kanya na rin sila ng sakay sa mga sasakyan nila, while I was still here outside looking for my car keys inside my bag. Sina Clarisse at Faith ay nasa kabilang side at nagtatawanan. I don't know what they're talking about.
"Hope."
"Ay palaka!" Akala ko kami na lang nina Faith and Clarisse ang hindi pa nakakasakay. Kaya ganoon na lang ang gulat ko when I heard someone call me. Nabitawan ko pa ang bag ko. So I had to pick it up and the other stuff I dropped.
"Sorry, nagulat kita," Sir Troy said as he helped me pick up my stuff. Nataranta na naman ako kaya nagmadali akong ipasok lahat ng gamit ko sa bag. Pati iyong susi na dapat ay hawak ko na ay naihalo ko pa sa mga gamit ko. Nakakatanga.
"Okay lang po, Sir," I murmured.
"Mag-ingat ka nga pala sa pag-drive. Madilim na kaya you have to be extra careful," he said.
"Yes, sir."
"Sige," he mumbled. "You go ahead. Ingat kayo."
"Ingat rin kayo, Sir," I replied as I hurriedly took my car keys and opened the door.
"Nilapitan ka lang ni Sir para ka nang tumakbo sa hingal mo," natatawang sabi ni Clarisse na nakaupo ngayon sa back seat.
That's when I realized na halos pigil-hininga ako 'nong lumapit sa Sir.
Fudge. What is really happening?
