And Then He Cheated

14

I woke up having a heavy heart, waking up without a text from him made my day not productive. Tamad akong naligo at nagbihis. Hindi ko na din natawag si Ate Grace para tulungan ako sa buhok ko. I stared at myself in the mirror, silently thinking if what I have gone wrong. Inisip ko na baka nga pagod siya, madami siyang kailangang gawin. Baka hindi na siya nakapagtext kasi nakatulog na siya sa pagod sa trabaho. I really wanted to understand our situation but my paranoid self won't let me.

Nagdesisyon lang akong bumaba nung katukin na ako ni Ate Grace dito sa kuwarto. Inayos ko lang muli yung nagusot kong uniporme bago sumunod sakanya. Ate Analia's here. Humalik lang ako sa pisngi nila ni Lola at tahimik na kumain. Mabuti nalang ay ganun din sila. Lola just talk when she ask us something. Mostly questions for Ate.

"B-aka ho malate ako ulit mamaya La, m-ay meeting akong pupuntahan"

Nag angat ako ng tingin kay Ate at nakitang balisa pa din siya hanggang ngayon. Pilit kong sinalubong yung mga mata niya pero halos hindi siya tumingin sa banda ko kahit na magkaharap lang naman kami. She's really hiding something and I don't know but I feel something is off.

"Meeting ba talaga ang pupuntahan mo, Ate?" tanong ko.

She looked at my way and coldly responded,"Oo. A meeting with some big client"

Tumango ako at sandaling tinitigan ang plato ko. Ate Grace served us a french toast and scrambled eggs for breakfast. If it's a normal day I could actually eat it all. Nagpaalam ako kay Lola nung matapos ako. Deretso akong lumabas ng bahay at gigil na pinaharurot yung sasakyan ko. My grip in the steering wheel tighten as I think about what happened in my morning.

Hindi ko pinansin yung mga nakasalubong kong mga kakilala. I'm not really in the mood to play nice today. Padabog akong umupo sa pwesto ko dahilan kung bakit tumunog ito. Derrek and Dianne looked at me, confused. Rosie's not yet here.

"What happened?"

Tinignan ko silang dalawa na parehong nakakunot ang noo habang tinitignan ako. Nagtaas ako ng kilay at malakas na bumuntong hininga.

"Nathan happened" I boredly said. Derrek rested his back on his chair while Dianne just stared at me.

"Ano bang nangyayari?" linapit niya saakin yung upuan niya habang naghihintay ng kuwento ko.

"We never have any interaction yesterday, he never text me. He never look at my way when he's here! Dumagdag pa si Ate! I know she have a problem but she won't just tell us" umirap ako.

"Baka naman busy,"

"I understand that part but can't he at least inform me? Hindi yung para akong tangang naghihintay" my fist clenched so hard. I can feel my nails digging my palm.

"Did you try to call him?" she raised an eyebrow.

"No, that's not our thing" tumingin ako sa bintana at matamlay na pinagmasdan yung mga estudyanteng dumadaan.

"Talk to him, I'll help you. After class" Derrek tapped my back.

Through out our lessons I never listen. Naririnig ko yung mga sinasabi nila pero ni isang salita walang nanatili sa utak ko. My mind's keep on flying to different places. It was all stucked in my mind that I couldn't even choose which problem should I take first.

Kahit nung naglakad kami papunta sa library ay tulala pa din ako at lutang. I just answer their questions with a yes and no. Rosie didn't make it to the class, she told us that she's very sick. I crouched to my seat and rested my head in the table. I didn't bother listen to their stories.

"Aviane," tinapik ako sa likod ni Dianne. Nag angat ako ng tingin sakanya pero hindi pa din ako umaayos ng upo.

"Nasa stock room sa baba si Nathan, Derrek handled it for you" aniya.