Chapter Seventeen
My Captain
Tumingala ako at tumingin sa mga halaman. I was trying to stop myself for crying more. I feel so small and I don't even know why. Pakiramdam ko ang dali lang sa mga taong tapak-tapakan ang pagkatao ko.
My head was still hurting badly. Pakiramdam ko isa pang sabunot at matatanggal na lahat nang buhok ko sa ulo. I'm here at the garden in Xavierville. Dito madalas napunta iyong mga estudyante na gusto mag-breakdown after exams, because the place was comforting. Isang dome na may mga bench at puno nang halaman. Pero ngayong hindi naman exams week, ako lang mag-isa ang tao dito.
I skipped my morning class. It's already afternoon and I'm also planning to skip my class. I just had no energy to deal with anything or anyone today. I feel so pathetic right now even when it wasn't my fault to begin with. Was it my fault that Achaia keeps on coming into my life even when I didn't want him to?
He wasn't even my boyfriend.
He wasn't even my type.
We were just acquaintances and condo neighbors.
I wasn't even trying to flirt with him, so I really couldn't see why girls in our campus hates me.
Nakapatay rin ang cellphone ko dahil alam kong malalaman ni Yannie or even Duane iyong nangyari. Rumors in this school spread easily like wildfire. Wala akong energy na kumausap at mag-explain sa kahit sino.
Tumungo ako. I let the tears fall. Wala namang mawawala sa akin kung umiyak ako. Wala namang nakakakita sa akin ngayon... kaya okay lang.
Or so, I thought.
Nanatili akong nakatitig sa sapatos nang taong nakatayo ngayon sa harapan ko. Hindi pa ako tumitingala kaya hindi ko pa siya nakikita, but I already know who he was just by looking at those pair of basketball shoes.
Mas lalo akong naiyak, hindi ko alam kung bakit. Hindi ko pa rin siya tinitingnan. "Paano mo nalaman na nandito ako?" I asked, still not looking at him.
He crouched down until he was on my level. He was holding a handkerchief and offering it to me. Napatingin na ako ngayon sa kanya.
"Stop crying, Asia," he said as he wiped my tears away. "I heard what happened. Stop blaming yourself, it wasn't your fault, okay? Those girls just don't have anything good to do with their lives with."
"But still—"
"No," Duane said. "I already reported her to the dean. She was being unreasonable... and I'm sorry it was because of me. You got hurt because of me."
Natigilan ako. Yes, partly it was because of him but mostly about Tiu. "H-ha? Saan mo naman narinig 'yan?" I asked him.
Umupo na siya sa tabihan ko. "Gabbien just told me. I just learnt about it at training. He said that someone pulled your hair and the reason was because you're the only girl that I hangout with."
Hindi na ako nagtaka. Yes, mabilis kumalat ang chismis. Pero sa pagkalat nito, dun din nagkakaroon ng iba-ibang version. At isa lang siguro 'yung narinig ni Gabbien sa napakaraming version.
"It's not your fault," I told him, which was true. Si Tiu naman ang rason, hindi naman siya. Nadamay lang siya kasi siguro gusto lang nang babae na magkaroon ng rason para kagalitan pa ako lalo.
He tapped my head lightly before spreading his arms wide. Mas naluha ako... my god, how did I get so lucky to have someone like him in my life?
He hugged me tight. "I'm sorry... and I promise I won't let this happen to you ever again."
BINABASA MO ANG
Taped-Up Heart
General FictionAsia knew what it meant to be involved with one of the Tiu brothers-trouble. Being in love with one of them was like waiting for your future heartbreak to happen. The Tiu brothers had rules to follow, rules that Asia knew right from the very start. ...