My Name

III

Sa room namin, our teacher was discussing about a lesson I didn't care. Nakatingin lang ako sa bintana, tinatanaw ang mga estudyanteng nag-uusap, naglalakad o di kaya'y mga magkasintahan na ang sarap tapunan ng asin. Baka sakaling di na sila gannon ka lagkit tingnan. 

Pagkatapos ko laitin ang magkasintahan, napansin kong parang may tumitingin sa'kin. I turned around.

Wala naman.

Maybe I'm just tired, kaya kung anu-ano na ang iniisip ko. 

Tumingin ulit ako sa bintana but I've felt it again. Dali-dali akong lumingon and I saw him staring at me with his black steel-framed glasses. 

I smiled at him then looked away. I may seem natural and calm, but I'm panicking deep down inside. 

Tanging ang reminder lang na malapit na'to matapos ang nagpapatibay sa'kin.'

~*~

The subject ended. Pero may susunod pa after two hours, which means vacant kami ngayon.

"VICTORY!" 

I was absentmindedly playing Classic Mode in Mobile Legends. May kulay ginto na medal na may tatak na MVP ang nakita ko sa screen, but I don't feel anything.

I don't feel happy at all.

"Green?"

I looked up to see a young man standing in front of me with his faded-hairstyle. 

"What do you want?" My voice sounded so harsh na napalunok ako. Di ko naman kasi sinasadya. 

"May project pa tayong gagawin."

I tilted my head to show my confusion.

"I know you're stressed so I took the initiative to call Gab. Luckily, she said she's free and she'll be here in the campus in a few minutes."

Napanganga ako.

"Gab...Alex's here?"

"Hindi pa. Papunta nga lang, di ba?" He smirked.

"Oo nga...Sabi ko nga." I looked at my feet. Kainis.

Then he knelt down on one knee at tumingin siya sa mga mata kong may green na contact lens. Sanay na'kong tingnan sa mata dahil sa contacts ko pero 'yung tingin niya. 

He was looking at my soul, my emotions, not my physical appearance.

"Okay ka na ba? Di ka na galit?"

Di ko mapigilang mapatitig sa kaniya. Did I just hear that correctly?

"Alam ko kung concern ka, mas lalo kang gumagwapo."

His small eyes widen. Inayos niya ang glasses niya at tumayo. I covered my mouth para di lalong lumakas ang tawa ko. His face was priceless.

"'Wag ka ngang magbiro. Seryoso akong nag-aalala sa'yo."

"S-sorry hahahah" Nag-peace sign ako. "Totoo rin naman kasi 'yung sinasabi ko hahahahah"

"Halika na nga!" Lumakad siya ng mabilis palabas ng classroom.

"Unli Rise, wait!" I took my black sling bag and walked towards him na kakalabas lang ng classroom. Ang bilis ng lakad niya kaya kailangan ko pang tumakbo para maabutan siya. Then I started walking along with his pace beside him. 

"Rise." He stayed quiet.

"Sun Rise."

"Hoy huwag mo kong i-seen."

"Hoy gago!"

Lumingon siya sa'kin. "Ano ba!?" He yelled at me pero imbes na magalit ako, it made me want to tease him more.