What the Future Holds

Chapter 14: the guy you could share thoughts with

LAST night was fun. parang nakabawi ako sa sakit ng katawan dulot ng pagkakatalsik dahil sa lobong umatake kay Alvin. speaking of that incident, i have a lot of questions to ask.

"una na kayo sa cafeteria, i have things to do" paalam ko kay Quinley as i took the opposite way towards the cafeteria. may nakalimutan akong ipaalam kay mom.

nang makarating ako sa office ni mom ay agad akong pumasok. no need for formalities, wala namang students na napunta dito ngayon kasi nasa cafeteria sila ngayon. 

"napadalaw ka? how's your body? still aching?" she asked and i shrugged "totally fine" i answered. dumeretso ako sa couch at naupo dito.

"mom, hindi pa din ba lumalabas ang may hawak ng kapangyarihang magpatigil ng oras?" i asked as i poured a juice on an empty glass.

"hindi pa din. MRD haven't found a machine that would do so. why did you asked?" i heard the papers clashing with each other. it only proves how busy my mom is. pero i'm glad that she still have time for me, hindi pa din niya nakakalimutan ang duty niya bilang isang ina.

"they're coming. sooner as expected. days from now we'll have to recruit them or else they'll find out their elements while still being in the common world which is very dangerous lalo na at hindi pa nila kayang i-control ito." i took a sip of juice. alam kong wala na akong maaabutan sa cafeteria.

"is that so?" lumingon ako kay mom and i saw her with her questioning look as she lowers her reading glasses. agad akong tumango at muling uminom sa baso.

"i guess we can't help it. i have to visit my old friend. gather your friends. i'll send you soon to a mission" she said as she took off her glasses. she left me with a sandwich on the table and gave me a hug before exiting the room. she is indeed a busy woman.

***

I was walking towards the clinic para magpalit ng band aid. hindi na naman siya nasakit pero syempre para malinis ang sugat i have to change it when needed, para hindi ma-infect.

naglalakad ako nang magulat akong may umakbay sa akin. nang lumingon ako, si Zach pala.

sa kabilang kamay niya ay lollipop na agad niyang ibinigay sa akin.

"how are you? magaling na ba ang sugat mo?" tanong niya

"magaling ako, pero hindi pa ata yung sugat ko" natatawa kong sagot. "i'm heading towards the clinic to change these bandaids" para bang may sinilip siya sa likuran at napangisi ng kaunti. ugh that smirk of his.

"thank you nga pala sa lollipop" i said bago ko balatan at isubo ito. nice, coffee flavored lollipop.

"nope, don't thank me" he said "hindi yan galing sakin. and i should take this arms off, baka mamatay ako nang maaga" he said at inalis na ang brasong nakaakbay sa akin. curiously, lumingon ako at nakita kong patakbong lumapit sa akin si Alvin.

"Cassey, okay ka lang ba? hindi ba nabagok ulo mo? may bali ka ba sa katawan? i should have killed that wolf!" worry is evident in his voice as he flips my arms left and right to check if i have any other wounds. napangiti na lang ako.

"i'm more worried that you'll request for a partner change during the trainings" i said and gave him a hug "i'm glad you're okay and i'm happier that you already got your ability" kumawala na ako sa pagkakayakap ko but i still saw worry on his face. i tapped his shoulder for him to feel that i'm okay.

"san ka punta?" tanong ni Alvin

"clinic. ikaw?"

"great! i'm heading towards the clinic too. sinamahan ako ni Kael" he said ant doon ko lang narealize na nasa likod pala niya si Kael.

i waved hi to him and he walked right beside me. "may masakit ba sayo?" he asked in a low toned voice na para bang iniiwasan nitong marinig siya ni Alvin na naglalakad sa harapan namin.

"nope, i just need to change these bandaids" i answered.

"did you liked it?" he asked na ikinakunot ng noo ko. nabasa niya ata sa expression ko sa mukha kaya agad niyang itinuro ang lollipop na nakasubo sa bibig ko.

i took it out from my mouth and asked him "ito?" habang nakaturo sa lollipop.  he nods as an answer. "this is from you?" hindi ako makapaniwala. why would he give me a lollipop? tumango tango ulit siya.

"yes, thank you" i said

"why did you skipped a meal?" he asked again as if trying to keep the conversation going.

"i had some things to do. you know, student council duties" i shrugged.

"kumain ka na ba? i could cook for you" nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. hindi dahil sa ipagluluto niya ako pero ano ang iluluto niya? lahat ng ingredients ay nasa cafeteria.

hindi na ako nakasagot dahil nakarating na kami sa clinic. Alvin and i both changed our bandaids. after cleaning the wounds and putting another set of bandaids, we left the clinic altogether.

humiwalay na sila Alvin at Zach, leaving me with Kael. i was in a deep thought of how would i gather them when we heard my stomach grumble. napatingin kami sa isa't isa at napa peace sign ako sa kanya na ikinatawa niya. "is your offer to cook for me, is it still valid?" nakangiting tanong ko at ginulo niya ang buhok ko nang i-pat niya ang ulo ko.

***

"this..." i pointed at the cup noodles in front of me "is what you call cooking?" i asked him.

para ba siyang proud na bata habang naupo sa silya sa harap ko. "it is! masarap yan! cup noodles with egg" he said na ikinangiwi ko. i was expecting something else, pero katanggap-tanggap naman kasi lahat ng fresh ingredients ay nasa cafeteria. hindi oras ng meal ngayon kaya paniguradong may bayad na iyon.

i thanked him at kinain na ang cup noodles with egg na ginawa niya. in fairness naman masarap siya. napatingin ako sa kanya na nakapangalumbabang nakatingin sa akin.

"gusto mo? share tayo" alok ko sa kanya at iniabot ko ang cup at tinidor sa kanya pero umiling siya. "ikaw ang hindi nakakain kanina kaya para sayo yan" he said kaya kumain na lang ulit ako.

"pero imbis na iyang cup noodles ang ishare mo sa akin, bakit hindi na lang thoughts mo ang ishare mo?"

nilunok ko muna ang nginuyang noodles bago magsalita. "anong thoughts naman ang isheshare ko sayo?"

he shrugged as he straightened his back at isinandal ang likod sa sandalan ng upuan.

"you know what, i've been here for a few weeks already. and for that few weeks, tatlong bagay lang ang nakikita kong ginagawa mo. it is either you play with toothpaste alone or with me, you go to your dorm to rest and go to class when needed, or you do your job as the student council" he emphasized that three things using his fingers. hindi ko alam na ganoon pala siya kaobservant.

"you knew that i played with toothpaste alone?" all this time he knew about it? should i say sorry for taking toothpaste without permission?

"yeah. my room is almost just right behind the garden. i could easily recognize toothpaste just by the wiggle of his tail" natatawa pa niyang sagot.

"i'm very sorry that i took toothpaste without your permission"

"nah, it's okay. ikaw naman ang kumuha sa kanya and he loves playing with you" he does?

"anyway, back to the topic. parang sa tatlong yon, you don't have time to share things to others. yung makakausap mo na may magre-respond sa'yo." inilagay niya ang mga braso sa lamesa at ipinatong doon ang baba niya para nakatingin pa din ito sa akin. "you know what, i can be that guy. the guy you could share thoughts with"

i don't know but i felt my cheeks burning. omg what if i blushed in front of him?