So Near, Yet so Far (COMPLETED)

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Chapter 14

With a projector, Coleen played on her wall nonstop videos of programming lessons in maximum volume while staring at her computers, face grim.

She shouldn't have gone out of her techie space and get consumed by trivial things. Her place was in her room with her computers and nowhere else. She's safe in there and free that way. Wala siyang taong pag-aakasayahan ng panahon, taong iisipin, at mga bagay na sisingit sa mga bagay na dapat niyang gawin.

Kapag binabalikan niya ang mga pinag gagawa niya para sa nararamdaman kay Sir Saavedra ay naiinis siya. Kung itinuon lang sana niya ang buong atensyon niya ay baka mas napaaga niya ng kalahating taon na ma-launch  ang kompanya na sinimulan ng kanyang ama.

"Bunso," katok ng kuya niya, " di ka raw pumasok ng school ngayon sabi ni mommy. May sakit ka ba?"

She paused the video for the first time since yesterday. Pinagbuksan niya ito ng pinto.

Horrified, her brother asked, "Ba't ganyang ang mga mata mo?"

She ignored him and walked back to her bed.

Her brother took a chair and sat in front of her. He examined her like she had undergone a surgery and her face had totally transformed.

"Magdamag ka bang nag-computer?" sita nito.

She shook a head. For the record, she didn't touch her keyboards since yesterday and it was the longest hours they're untouched to date. Pero totoong wala siyang tulog.

A mere 'sorry' from Sir Saavedra was all it took for her to get the message. She replied a simple 'okay' and nothing afterwards. Though suffocating, she stayed in the car and let him drove her home. She deserved a little consolation after all the shifting she did to her schedules. Crap, she even went the trouble to a beauty clinic for him

"I promise, kuya," sabi niya sa seryosong mukha, "hindi na ulit ako magkakagusto."

Her brother's brows meet. "Magkakagusto saan?"

She stared at him and thought that she really did something out of her character. Maski ang kuya niya hindi man lang sumagi sa isip nito ang bagay na iyon.

"I fall for my professor and yesterday he turned me down."

Her brother paused for a moment before pulling a laugh. Siya naman ay biglang nahiya sa sarili. Sana hindi na lang niya rito sinabi.

Her brother stopped when she started crying.

Hinawakan siya nito sa tigkabilang balikat. "Seryoso, bunso, hindi nga?"

Looking down, she nodded. "It's stupid."

"Sinong proffesor naman 'to?"

"It's no use, kuya," sabi niya saka pinunas ang kamay sa mukha. "Ayoko na siyang isipin. Magda-drop ako sa subject niya and next sem I'll change school."

Pagdating niya ng kuwarto kahapon ay agad na picture ni Sir Saavedra ang hinanap ng mga kamay saka iyon ipinakain sa paper shredder na kabibili lang niya. Ayaw niya ulit na mabuking gamit ang mga resibo kaya bumili siya niyon.

Her brother replied a nod and hugged her. "I never thought I'd get to see you heartbroken and crying like this."

"That's mean."

Tumawa ito. "Akala ko kasi puro computer lang ang nasa isip mo."

She sniffed. Well starting that day, she'd think nothing but family and computer.

Ayaw na niyang magsayang ulit ng oras.

---End of Chapter---

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