This can't be true! I thought to myself while walking along the corridor of the school.
Makakasalubong ko si Mike!
Maghahanap pa sana ako ng ibang daan maiwasan lang si Mike. But it seems like wala na akong choice. There is no other way. Other than to go back? No. That will be stupid. Ano yun lalabas ako ng gate ng school?
Habang papalapit si Mike I prayed to God na sana kainin ako ng lupa bago pa man mag-cross ang landas namin ng ex ko--which is 3 seconds away!
"Hi Jen!"
Hindi ako makasalita. Hindi ko nga sya matingnan sa mata. Bumilis ang mga hakbang ko papalayo sa kanya.
Did I appear rude to him? Or masyadong halata na awkward ako sa kanya? Di bale na nga. I hate him and why would I care for him?
"O Jen, bakit ngayon ka lang? Late ka na! Nakita mo ba si Mike? Okey ka lang ba?"
Sa dami ng tanong ni Andrea hindi ko alam anong una kung sasagutin. Hindi pa ako nahimasmasan sa nangyari.
"Si Mike? 'dun!" Sagot ko sabay turo sa direksyun ng gate.
"Late? What the..." Ngayun lang nag sink in sa akin ang sabi ni Andrea na late na ako. I can't afford to be late. May report ako ngayon. Hindi ko na marinig o maintindihan ang sabi ni Andrea, tumakbo na ako sa klase ko.
* * *
I started to pack up my things sa auditorium after class when Andrea approach me.
"Jen, okey ka lang ba?" Andrea asked me in her worried voice. That distinctive voice of her that even if I am not looking alam ko na sya yun. Then suddenly, naalala ko na naman yung incident earlier sa amin ni Mike.
I turn around to face Andrea as I fake a smile on my face.
"Oo naman! Why?"
I wish I faked the smile perfectly. But I know Andrea. We've known each other since elementary. We went to the same schools and she knows every inch of my soul.
"Tara! Usap tayu gurl..." Sabay hila niya sa aking kamay papalabas ng auditorium.
We went to a nearby café as what we normally do whenever we have some things to talk about or school project to work on.
"Ano na? Can we talk about it?"
"About what?" I tried to look away while taking a sip from my coffee.
Andrea looked not convinced. She is again looking at me with her prying eyes.
"Okey! There is something I am not telling you." I prompted with a deep sigh. I know she will be hysterical knowing that I kept a secret from her.
"Whaaat?" She almost screamed.
"Wait. 'Wag ka muna mag react. I can explain."
"We did have relationship. Okey?"
"Who? Mike?" She instantly replied.
I felt more embarrassed than being guilty of keeping a secret from my best friend. Hindi na ako nakapag salita pa. My silence is supposed to mean a resounding yes. But Andrea's disbelief prompted her to ask the obvious.
"You meant you have a relationship with Mike?" She asked repeatedly.
"I DID!" Medyu napataas ko na ang boses ko. Nagsitinginan na sa amin ang ibang customer sa café.
"One week lang naman 'yun. It was more like a holiday fling." Mas nanliit ako sa sinabi ko. I know Andrea won't judge me peru nakakahiya pa rin.
"Hahahaha! What got into you Jen?" Pang-iinis ni Andrea sa akin.
"My NBSB best friend had a fling with a known babaero of the campus?"
"Paano ba nangyari 'to?"
Sa dami ng tanong niya natatamad na akong magkwento. Nonetheless I know hindi niya ako tatantanan kung hindi ko naman sasabihin ang lahat.
"He got my number and we texted. Binola niya ako and sadly napa Oo niya ako. We split a week later dahil nalaman kung may girlfriend na pala siya."
And there, I perfectly and awkwardly summarized that stupid one-week love story that we had na pinagsisisihan ko ngayon. Hindi ko rin talaga maintindihan bakit nagawa ko yun. It felt like I threw away my rationality off the window during that time.
Ang tanga-tanga ko!
Napatawa na lang si Andrea sa kagagahan ko.
"I feel you Jen. When love really hits you, it will hit you hard. Hahaha!"
Nagtawanan na lang kami sa aking katangahan.
