Change Me In A Bet

Chapter 6

"Oh my God! You mean... You.. and... Him?"
Tumango lang si Andy. She couldn't believe it herself. Halos di siya nakatulog ng maayos kaiisip sa mga nangyare.

"I thought you're better than that!"
Sumimangot ang best friend niyang si Crissy at kitang kita ang disappointment nito. She can't blame her. Alam naman ng best friend niya na hindi siya bumabase sa itsura kung paano niya tinatrato ang mga tao. But he's not just an acquaintance. She kissed him. And she liked it. And he's not even her type.

"Well it's not like I really have a specific type." She thought to herself.

"Andy. Please tell me you're just sick. I thought this is just a game. Pero bakit may make out na nangyare? Ha? Can you explain it to me?" Ang naguguluhan oa rin na sambit ni Crissy.
Sakto naman na dumating si Jake. Sinundan ito ng tingin ni Andy. Same style, same lousy walk, same geek glasses-but he's not that same guy anymore. Somehow, deep inside she gets all giddy just by seeing him. He caught her eye and he proceeded to walk towards her.

"Hi." Bati ni Andy. She bit her lower lip, scared that she'd be smiling too big.

"Oh my gosh." Ang tanging nasabi ni Crissy. Siniko siya ni Andy sabay silently binalaan siya na wag magsalita ng kung ano.

"Hi." Bati naman pabalik ni Jake.

"How are you? How's your arm?" Sunod sunod na tanong ni Andy sabay hila kay Jake paupo sa tabi niya.

"I am okay. Don't worry." Pag aassure naman ni Jake.

"Ehem. Ehem. Hi. I am here. Christine. Crissy. You know?" Putol ni Crissy sa halatang tensyon sa pagitan ni Jake at Andy.

"Oh hi Crissy. Andyan ka pala." Ang inosenteng bati ni Jake.
Bago pa man makasagot si Crissy ay inunahan na siya ni Andy magsalita.
"Yeah she's about to leave as well. Diba bff? Right?" Sabay nguso paalis kay Crissy.

"Ha. Ah eh. Oo alis na ko. Diba di ako needed dito no? Kahiya naman baka nakakaistorbo. Sige ha. Bye." Nagmamadaling umalis si Crissy na humabol pa ng 'I'm watching you' sign habang naka talikod si Jake.

"I was thinking.."
Sabay na bigkas ni Andy at Jake.

"Go ahead.."
Sabay na naman nilang sambit.

"No, you first."
Napatawa sila sa pangatlong pagkakataon na nagkasabay sila magsalita. They looked at each other eye for a few seconds ng may narinig sila palakpak from the other side of the room.

"Wow. Wow. Wow. Andrea, I never thought na ganyan pala yung type mo. Look guys, your crush is having some sweet time with a freak. Disgusting, right?"

It's Lean, of course. She's always up to no good. And now dinadamay pa niya si Jake.

"Alam mo, you better mind your own business kung ayaw mong sa hospital ka na dumeretso imbis sa clinic." Sagot ni Andrea. Nakatungo si Jake at di niya makita ang mukha nito. It pains her thinking that he might be frowning.

"And you're defending him. Fine he's not a freak. Just a geek. It looks like you really like him ha? Kayo na ba?" Patuloy na pang iinis ni Lean.

"I said shut up!" Andy banged her hand on the table making everyone jumped a little. How dare she.
Hinawakan ni Jake ang kamay niya. His hand feels warm.

"Now what? You're just flirting ganon?"

Lean really knows how to manipulate people. If Andy denies it, she will be tagged as someone who has low standards, and it not like she cares. She didn't cared what others think about her. She just don't want her father na magkaroon ng reason to push her away further. Either way, if she confirmed that they're just flirting, she would be lying- at least to herself. She don't flirt. She is not Lean.

"She don't. She's not like you." Sagot ni Jake kay Lean. It's as if narinig niya kung anong nasa isip ni Andy. She looked at Lean and saw how her face turned deep red in anger.

"What did you say, freak?"

"I said, she's not a flirt like you." Tugon ni Jake na noon ay niyaya na si Andy na tumayo.

"She's Jean Andrea Ferrer. And all those years she's been here, with all those boys lining up to court her, may nakita ba kayo naging ka flirt niya?" Jake answered Lean but what he says seems directed to everybody inside the room. There's murmurs everywhere and it seems like everyone's agreeing to what Jake said. May bumubulong saying na wala sila nakita ni isa na naka flirt ni Andy. Na si Andy daw is more of a man hater. So on and so forth.

"If we're talking about flirting, hindi ba parang mas appropriate yun sayo?" Huling tanong ni Jake kay Lean na nuon ay di makasagot sa lahat ng bato ng binata.
Madami na naman bulungan. Ang iba ay tinatawanan si Lean. Ang iba naman ay nagsasabi na madami na ngang naging bf si Lean sa school.

Hindi na inantay ni Jake na sumagot pa si Lean, agad niyang hinila si Andy ng marahan palabas ng canteen. Bago pa sila makalabas e narinig na nila ang malakas na "Shut up!" ni Lean kasunod ng tagong tawa ng mga nasa loob.

"You don't have to do that." Ani ni Andy. Naglalakad na sila papunta sa sasakyan ni Andy.

"I want to. I don't want to hear something like that about you." Sagot naman ni Jake.

"But are you sure? Parang galit na galit si Lean. Hindi mo alam panu siya magalit. Your silent life would be all messed up."

"Then it doesn't have to be silent anymore..." Sagot ni Jake habang nakatitig sa mga mata ni Andy. Alam ni Andy na there's more to those words than what she knows.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I can't protect you if I am just nobody."

"But you're fine just the way you are."

"Really? Like this? Like a freak?"

Napatigil si Andy. Binuksan niya ang kotsa niya at sumakay sa driver seat. Sinarado naman ni Jake ang pinto. Binaba ni Andy ang bintara para tingnan ang binata.

It's true. She may say she doesn't care about his looks but in the world where everything is superficial, there's no room for imperfections. And that's why she hates her life. She maybe pretty, dressed with the finest of things, living a lavish life, but deep inside is a lonely girl longing for her father. Even she know how much she cares about how she looks. How she created the image of Andy everyone knows. Strong and independent.
But here's Jake, raw and pure. He shouldn't be tainted with all these fake colours.

"But it's just the way you are." Ang tanging naisagot ni Andy.

This started with that stupid bet and she won't let Jake change his nature just for her. She don't deserve it. And because of that she felt guilty na nadamay siya sa away nila ni Lean.

"You don't know me yet.." ang sagot naman ni Jake.

"I don't need to. Just stay like that. You don't even know me that much as well. What if I am really just flirting with you?" Marahas na tanong ni Andy.

"Are you?" Marahas na tanong pabalik ni Jake.

"What if I am?" Tanong ulit ni Andy. Di niya alam pero pagkatapos niya itanong yon, natatakot siya sa maaring isagot ni Jake. Nagdadalawang isip siya kung sasabibin na ba niya lahat lahat sa binata.

"Then I'll make sure that it'll be worth your while. To flirt with a freak like me." Sagot ni Jake sabay kindat bago lumakad paalis. He was waving but he's not looking back. It's as if alam niya na sinusundan siya ng tingin ni Andy.
Nakatingin lang si Andy sa likod ni Jake. He seems like a different person again. And Andy is aching to know which is the real him.