The Mayor's Girl

chapter 3

Grabe, hindi talaga ako favorite ni Lord. Ito pa talaga naging mayor. Ba't ba nalagay ko dito ang sarili ko? Bakit ba? Bunga talaga to ng katangahan ko.

Nag-cr lang ako habang break time ng lecture at namimigay sila ng snacks sa students. I need this time-out to think. Ang malas ko talaga. After peeing, I sat on the swing na katapat ng cr. I'm not yet ready to go back. Di pa nagsisink in, mamaya, madapa o matapilok na naman ako.

"Snacks mo." I saw a glass of lemonade and a cupcake handed to me. Tumingala ako kung sino ang nagbigay at ang malas ko talaga, si mayor pa. "Ah, thank you, mayor..." Parang kasing hina lang ng bulong ang boses ko dahil nahihiya talaga ako.

"Di ko nakuha name mo kanina sa mall. Pwede bang magpakilala?" He smiled and placed the food sa swing. He extended his arm to initiate a handshake. "Vico, 'wag mayor. Napakaformal." Now, he showed me his pearly whites through his smile. Ang pogi, grabe. Artistahin level.

"Yanne. Sorry kanina sa mall." I said in a weak voice then bit my lip. He just chuckled and shook my hand. Ang laki ng kamay niya parang feeling ko ang liit ng kamay ko. It was big but it fit mine like a glove.

"Okay lang. From what school again?" He asked and handed me my lemonade. I took a sip before answering kasi feeling ko nawawala talaga boses ko. "Uhm, Colegio de San Francisco Javier po." I bit my lip again. I picked up the cupcake into my hands and took a bite.

"Nice.. Anong year ka na?" He asked again. Interview ba to? Boy Abunda ba to or si mayor, ang daming questions ha. "First year pa po." I answered in a soft voice.

"Okay lang ba sa'yo na dito muna ako at mag-usap tayo habang break?" He asked again. Ang daming questions talaga, pwede bang tumanggi? Pero choosy ka Yanne ha, ang pogi niyan. Bawal tumanggi sa gwapo. Umusog naman siya papalapit sa akin. Kilig? Sobra!

"Okay lang po, mayor." I managed to muster up a smile at linakasan ko na medyo ang boses ko. Nawawala na ang hiya ko. Medyo nakakalimot na ako na sinigawan ko siya sa mall. "Vico lang sabi eh." He laughed na may kasamang kamot sa ulo na parang naaawkward. "Sorry, may- ah Vico." I said shyly. Ang pogi, ang talino nito. Ang bait pang mayor, grabe.

"Yanne." Someone said my name out sternly. Lumingon ako kung sino ang tumawag sa akin. It was Jack. Kailan pa ba to dumating? Akala ko ba missing ina action si fake James Reid? "Ano?" I asked while glaring at him. Nakakagigil. Pagkatapos niya ako bangga-in at tarayan, first name basis na kami? Saan galing yon at sinong nagsabi pwede niya akong tawagin ng Yanne?

"Where are the others?" He asked habang tinititigan ng masama si Vico. Ano ba problema niya? Di naman kami close. "Nandoon sa clubhouse." Ibabali ko na sana ang aking atensyon pabalik kay Vico pero punyemas na Jack, inunahan ako at hinila ang sleeves ng shirt ko papuntang clubhouse. Ano ba talaga problema nito?

"Sorry, Vico. Talk tayo again some other time." I called out to him habang patuloy akong hinihila ni Jack. Bwisit panirang epal. Vico just mouthed 'later' and smiled at me. Sumunod na rin siya sa paglalakad towards the clubhouse.

"Ano ba problema mo? Kita mong may kausap ako diba?" I shrugged his hand off me. Bwisit na bwisit ako sa kanya today. "Vico? Close kayo, huh." Inirapan niya naman ako at naglakad ng siya lang. I just rolled my eyes at him at nagproceed na papunta sa clubhouse since matatapos na ang break time.

When we arrived sa clubhouse, everyone started to settle down. Tapos ng kumain ang mga students and facilitators kaya pinapaupo na kami. "Saan ka ba galing, Jack?" Iritang tanong ni Nicole kay Jack nung nakita kami niya. "Sorry, I was held up at a photoshoot. I thought it'd finish early." He reasoned out nonchalantly na parang wala siyang paki sa lahat ng bagay.

"Settle down, students. Now, we will work by group. Count off by 4." A facilitator announced in front of us and the students started counting off naman. I saw Vico pass by but I acted like I didn't notice it. 'Wag masyado easy girl, Yanne.

I heard Angel shout "One!" beside me. I felt the weight of Vico's eyes on me, waiting for me to speak up but di ko siya tiningnan. I don't want to be too affected by a guy I only met. "Two." I responded then I looked at Vico. He charmed me again with his smile that can light up this whole town. I just giggled in my seat and he laughed at my reaction.

"FOUR!" Ang lakas ng boses ni Jack, natanggal lahat ng earwax ko. Angel looked at him angrily, para talaga kasing tanga si Jack. Nagsitinginan mga studyante sa kanya and he just exhaled loudly in annoyance. Para talagang bata to.

Pagtingin ko ulit sa front after lahat ng tao tiningnan si Jack, tinapik ni Vico ang facilitator and whispered something. The facilitator stepped away from the microphone at si Vico nagtake over. "Okay so Group 1, be with Ms. dela Cruz." Vico announced and a woman in her late 30s waved. He then locked gazes with me and proceeded to announce, "Group 2 with me." Nanlaki naman mata ko nun. Sinadya ba niya or assumera lang talaga ako? He smirked at me because of my reaction.

I felt Jack kick my monoblock chair kaya liningon ko siya. "Ano ba talaga problema mo, Jack? Kanina ka pa ah." Bwisit na bwisit kong tanong sa kanya. "Didn't mean it." He mumbled then proceeded to be grumpy. Tinawanan lang siya ni Juan at Sam. We were so consumed with Jack's tantrums, di namin na malayan na nag-announce na pala na to go with your group.

I walked with Nicole to our group since we're both group two. Ano kaya gagawin dito, panay lutaw lang talaga ako dito. Kasalanan to ni Jack, bwisit siya.

"Group 2?" Nicole asked another student. The other student just nodded and smiled.

"Hello, group two. I'll walk you through this." I heard a deep voice that once sent shivers down my spine like it did 3 hours ago at the mall.