Avery Montemayor - He's No Prince Charming

Chapter Nineteen

The image of Avery holding hands with an unfamiliar girl bothered me for days and the only person I told about it was Kace. Hindi ko kayang sabihin sa mga kaibigan ko dahil paniguradong susugurin nila si Avery at ayaw kong mangyari iyon.

On the other hand, hindi naman nag-iba ang pakikitungo sa akin ni Avery. He still texts me every morning and calls me before he goes to bed at night. We even saw each other the other day and he was his usual self. Walang bakas na may itinatago siya sa akin. And I couldn't really bring it up dahil maski ako ay hindi sigurado kung tama ba talaga ang nakita ko noong araw na iyon. Ayokong mapagsabihang tamang hinala.

"That was the sixth time, Shan. Spill. Ano ba ang problema?" ani Accel habang diretso ang tingin sa akin.

"H-huh?"

"Don't huh me, girl." Irap niya. "Kanina pang malalim ang mga buntong hininga mo, akala mo ba hindi ko napapansin. And you look so lost in your thoughts. What's bothering you ba?"

Nasa library kami ngayon para ayusin ang paper namin sa isang subject. But I haven't done any progress with my work and we've been here for 30 minutes now.

"Wala..."

"You're a terrible liar, don't you know that?" iling niya saka isinantabi ang laptop.

"Really, I'm fine, Accel." Pilit ko.

"Well you don't look fine to me. Alam kong may bumabagabag sa iyo and it's making me, Justice and Eireann worry!" she exclaimed. "And if you don't tell me what's going on. Si Avery na ang tatanungin ko—"

"No, don't!" agap ko agad sa kanya. "He...he doesn't know anything, Accel. Don't ask him. Please."

"May problema ba kayong dalawa ni Avery, Shan?"

Umiling ako saka bumuntong hininga. "Wala, Accel."

"Then what's the problem? Kasi hindi ako naniniwalang wala kang problema. You've been staring into space these past few days and you have this worried look all over your face! Napansin rin iyon ni Justice and I'm sure she'll ask you the same question kapag nagkita kayo."

Tinitigan ko ang aking kaibigan na diretso lang din ang tingin sa akin. I gave up when I realized she's not going to stop unless I tell her the truth.

"Last week... Kace and I went out for lunch. Doon sa may mga karinderya malapit sa AlSU. And I think...I think I saw Avery."

"And?"

"I saw him with this girl...they are...he's holding her hand." Dagdag ko. I felt that pang on my chest once again.

Natahimik si Accel matapos kong sabihin iyon. Nakatitig lang siya sa akin habang blangko ang mukha.

"Cel?" I called her.

Kumurap-kurap naman siya saka umayos ng upo.

"Sigurado ka bang siya 'yung nakita mo 'nun?" tanong niya na sinagot ko naman ng iling.

"Kace didn't see him so I'm not really sure. Pero... I know Avery. Hawig niya talaga eh..." I trailed off.

Accel sighed and played with her ballpen. She looked conflicted.

"Remember the Valentine's? Hindi ba we went out to celebrate. After naming magbar, naghiwa-hiwalay na kaming grupo. I went with..." hindi niya binanggit 'yung pangalan but I get what she's trying to say kaya napangiti ako ng bahagya.

"So yeah, we separated from the group pero 'di pa kami umuwi. We went to this newly opened restaurant somewhere in town to grab late dinner then we saw Avery. Nasa malayong table sila so I don't think he saw us coming. Pero paalis na sila 'nung dumating kami and I didn't really get the chance to chase after them pero sigurado akong siya iyon. Nagtaka nga ako dahil hindi kita nakita doon eh. But instead... he's with a different girl, Shan." malalim na buntong hininga ang ginawa niya bago siya bumaling sa akin.