Escaping Nemesis

II

"Dee, are you seriously gonna ignore me hanggang sa umuwi kana?" JD grabbed my arm para pahintuin ako sa paglalakad. I shot him a glare and answered back.

"That was rude of you to talk to Drex like that back there. You could have shown some decency at the very least." I shrugged off his grip on my arm at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad papuntang jeepney stop. Pinagtitinginan na kami ng mga nakakasalubong namin and I didn't mind.

"Bro, kakatapos lang namin sa training and di namin namalayan na kami nalang pala ang naiwan kanina sa room. Please don't misunderstand." Drex calmly explained the situation to JD the moment na nakalabas na kami sa gate ng school.

"May tiwala naman ako sa girlfriend ko 'pre. Pero sayo wala." Hinila agad ako ni JD sa tabi niya at napansing nagkatitigan pa sila ni Drex. When I caught Drex's sight, I mouthed 'sorry' at hinila na si JD pa-alis.

"Fine. Sorry na please?" He pleaded and placed his palms together to complete the 'puppy please effect'. Nope. That's not gonna work on me Jonis Delram.

"Jagi." I stopped in my tracks.

He's playing the endearment card this time. I turned to him, raised a brow and waited for him to say something. Perhaps something convincing enough. But hell, sino bang niloloko ko eh malakas sa'kin to. 

"Ice cream?" Again with the cute smile JD T^T  Taena. 

I sighed as a sign of defeat. I smiled back at automatic naman na nagliwanag ang mukha niya. Suuus. Kung di ko lang mahal 'to eh.

"I'm sorry about last night," He said as he handed me my ice cream and occupied the seat across mine. We always eat ice cream whenever there's something na kailangan i-celebrate or kung may tampuhan/ away. He reached for my hand na nasa table and lightly squeezed it.

"It's fine. Alam ko namang hindi mo sinadya yun eh. Atsaka it's partly my fault din. I could've talked about it with you ng mahinahon instead of lashing it out bluntly." I smiled at him and I knew we were good. 

--

Ilang araw na ang lumipas at bukas JD and I will be on our 4th month together. We don't do greetings at the strike of 12 but we do like to leave long messages we can read the moment we wake up in the morning. Nag-usap lang kami as usual, video-calls and stuff. Hindi rin kami inuumaga kaka-chat dahil papagalitan ako pag nagpupuyat. Hanggang 11 pm lang talaga kami mag-uusap. And besides, Monday na bukas and I have to be early for school para sa Press Conference.

I woke up the next day without a greeting message. Nagtaka naman ako bakit wala eh walang palya makakasend talaga yun ng long message. Lalong-lalo na't monthsary namin. And he wakes up earlier than me every single time. I don't know why but hindi ako mapakali. 

Maybe I'm just nervous about the competition. 

Pagkatapos kong mag-ayos ay inihatid na ako ni Papa sa school para hindi na ako ma-late. Buti nalang at naabutan ko pa ang bus na maghahatid sa'min sa isang sikat na private school. Doon daw kasi gaganapin ang Press Conference. Agad naman akong sumakay sa bus at ibinigay ang parent's permit sa teacher namin at nagpasyang umupo sa pinakalikod. Window seat as usual.