"Pero I'm not at fault diba?" Pilit ko kay Gela at Jerome na nakatingin lang sa akin, "kasi ba naman, ako na yung pupunta sa UPTC para sa materials, ako pa pinagbabayad!"
"Ang harsh naman siz," sabi ni Gela, infairness ang ganda nang buhok ni girl today. Sinubo nya ang chicken. "Samahan nyo nga ako mamaya sa uptc," surang utos ko. "Busy ako mamaya," Gela said, punong puno nang kanin ang bibig, binato ko sa mukha nya yung tissue, "Bhie, dont talk when your mouth is full." Inirapan naman ako nito.
"Je, ikaw nalang," I tapped him, "Wow parang may choice ako humindi," bulong nito, "anong oras ba?" I smiled at him, "after school agad, and don't worry, I know na hindi ka pa busog dyan sa pasta mo," turo ko, "i'll libre you milktea and potato corner." Napangisi ito, "Heard that Gela? Starve." Pinagtawan namin dalawa si Gela while she looked like she wanted to kill us.
"Anyways pag-pray nyo na I dont get back problems," I sighed. "Why would you?" Tanong ni Jerome, "From carrying my whole group in this project."
Tapos na ang break namin kaya naman nagpaalam na kami kay Gela, iba kasi class nya, she's an ABM student, habang Jerome and I are STEM students. "Ano ba class natin?" Tanong nya, "Calculus," sabi ko. Pagod na yung legs ko sa dami nang stairs na inakayat namin, mabuti nalang malapit sa pintuan yung seat ko.
"Hey," tawag ni Jerome, "may laro kami bukas nang hapon," I smiled, Jerome just got in the junior basketball varsity a few weeks ago, and I know that thats something he wanted since juinor high. "You know i'll be there," thumbs up ko. Tumango sya at binaba ang ulo nya para umudlip nang onti.
"How much longer are you gonna take oh my gosh," I complained to Jerome, we've been standing infront of Potato Corner for like 10 minutes now, tatatlo na nga lang flavor na available di pa makapili. "Huy yung giga na yung bibilhin ko ha," utos ni Je. "Nakakahiya naman sayo, baka gusto mo bilhan kita nang franchise," bulong ko. "Sure ka dyan ha!" I rolled my eyes, isa nalang masasapak ko to eh.
I looked at my phone and made a sour face, I want to go home na. "National bookstore lang ako ha," paalam ko sa kanya. Pinilit nya kasi unahin yung food nya at baka takbuhan ko daw sya. I'm not saying na pinlano ko yun pero...
Tambay ako sa national bookstore dito, kaya naman alam na alam ko na kung nasaan iyun. I didnt take more than 5 minutes to buy all the stuff we needed, kulang nalang tusukin ko mata ko to not get distracted with all the stationery around me.
I was gonna go down the escalator when I felt someone tap my shoulder. I froze and stopped breathing.
shet.
i dont wanna die knowing my last agenda was buying project materials for my least liked groupmates.
"Miss, your money," the guy behind me said. Classy na pala mga holdapper ngayon. I gripped the empty hydroflask I was holding with my right hand tightly and swung it when i turned around.
Cute na din ba mga holdapper ngayon?
"Are you gonna rob me?" I absentmindedly asked. He lauged, "I don't think so?" he pointed at my bottle,"would you mind putting that down?" I slowiy put my arm down while eyeing him glaringly, "You dropped your change on the way here." he said, sabay abot nung 200 pesos sa akin. Umawang ang labi ko and I smiled awkwardly. Ang judger ko naman.
"Echo!" napatingin kaming dalawa sa baba, there was a group of 4 boys waving their hands exaggeratedly and laughing. "Baba ka na dude! Next time ka nalang maghanap nang love life pag di na tayo nagmamadali!" sigaw nung isa. Binalik ko ang tingin sa fake holdapper at nakita na namumula na sya. "I think I'm gonna go now," he shyly said before running down to hit his friends.
Natawa nalang ako at bumalik sa potato corner. "Pre san ka naman pumunta, pambihira naubos ko na yung french fries oh!" pinakita sa akin ni Jerome yung empty na tub. Tiningnan ko sya nang masama, "Di ka ba pinapakain sa inyo?" Nagsimula na kami maglakad papunta sa exit nang maalala ko, "shit, I forgot to say thank you!"
Jerome raised a brow on me, "Heck are you saying?" I shook my head real fast and looked behind me when I heard the sound of loud teenage boys talking about basketball. I felt my cheeks get warm when I recognized them. Jerome snapped his fingers infront of my face, "Mayumi!" hinaltak ko si Jerome the other way and ran. "Bro whats your problem? kanina ka pa!" sabi nya sa akin. "Wala," I panted, "ano, kasi, mas malapit pala sa condo yung exit na to, haha." I know he didn't buy that excuse, pero umoo nalang sya at tinext ang driver nila na sundoin sya sa exit na to.
"Uy nandyan na pala si manong eh," turo ko nung tumigil ang itim na Pajero sa harap namin. "Hi kuya!" I waved at their family driver, "Hi po mam! Si sir Jerome po inaway nanaman si mam Cel-" Agad agad binuksan ni Jerome ang pinto at sinara ang window nito. I raised a brow, "Inaaway mo nanaman si bebe Celene ko?" Kinabahan ito. "Sabay ka na, on the way naman eh," sabi nya sa akin. I shook my head, "Una ka na, may nakalimutan pala akong bilhin," excuse ko. "Sure ka? It's gonna be late soon," I gave him a thumbs up, "I'll be fine, send me a text when you get home." He patted my head before going in the car and I waved goodbye. I him glaring at manong when he said something, probably nagsusumbong nanaman. I laughed quietly and went back to the mall, gutom na gutom na ako eh.
I went to potato corner to order cheese fries dahil di ko din natikman kanina, I also ate a cheeseburger and milktea, sira ang diet ganern. Joke I never started it naman hehe. Nag-ikot ikot din ako, na amaze ako nung wala akong binili by the time i decided to go home. I looked up from my phone when I realize na it was raining har outside, with matching kulob pa. I removed my bag from my shoulder and hastily searched through it. "Sineswerte nga naman ako," bulong ko nung wala akong naramdaman na payong sa loob.
Pinantakip ko nalang nang ulo ko yung bag ko, pero may biglang tumawag sa akin. "Mayumi?"
Dahan dahan akong tumalikod.
Ieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee kese nemen.
"Yes?" I raised a brow, he put his hood on and ran to me, "Hope you get home safely." He handed me the umbrella he was holding and smiled. I'm pretty sure that lasted like five seconds, buT HECK MY WHOLE WORLD SLOWED DOWN.
I took the umbrella by reflex and watched him run back to the mall. Hindi nanaman ako nakapag thank you!
"Dapat pala nagpa kidnap nalang ako sa kanya chour."
