Mere Words

Chapter 15

Hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto ang naitulog ko, pero sigurado ako na hindi iyon ganoon kahaba bago ulit ako magising dahil sa mga bulung-bulungang naririnig ko sa loob ng aking kuwarto. Ayoko pa sanang mag-mulat dahil inaantok pa talaga ako. But I was just so curious of where these whispers were coming from.

As far as I know- and I am definitely sure- that I was with no one when I fell asleep while doing my assignments.

Right! I fell asleep on my desk! Kaya paanong nakahiga ako sa isang higaan?

Pikit mata pa rin ako habang kinakapa ang hinihigaan ko. I frowned when I felt that it's a single bed, definitely not the same size with mine in my room. Hindi kaya-?

"Hoy, alam naming gising ka! Para kang baliw diyan."

Napamulat agad ako sa boses na iyon. That's Geoffe!

Dali-daling hinanap ng mga paningin ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses. Napabalikwas ako ng upo sa single bed na hinihigaan ko nang makita kong pinapalibutan ako ng mga kaibigan ni Gretchen.

Paanong napunta ako rito? Hindi ko naman binuklat 'yong libro. I just literally fell asleep on my study table while doing my homeworks, so how come?

I was caught off guard when the curly-haired girl I was with the last time jumped on me for a tight hug, before she said, "OMG, Gretchen! I won't forgive myself talaga if something happened to you. Thank God it's bukol lang."

If I can remember it right, she's Juris. The one whose boyfriend cheated on her.

"I-ikaw kumusta ka?" I sincerely asked after remembering what happened before I drifted away from this place, and back to my world.

I held her arms and looked for any bruises. "May kalmot ka," my tone was laced with guilt. Aswang ba ang babaeng 'yon at nagawa niyang masugatan itong si Juris ng ganito?

"It's nothing. Kalmot lang 'yan. It would heal in time."

She was wearing that same cheerful face again.

"Ano ba kasing naisipan niyong dalawa at nakipagrambulan na naman kayo? First day of classes pa talaga."

I looked at the woman whom had sat beside me, on the infirmary bed. She was the shoulder-length-haired girl, na ikalawang yumakap sa akin no'ng una akong maparito. Worry was vivid on her eyes while she was looking back at me.

I wasn't given the chance to answer that because Geoffe talked, "Pag magkasama talaga 'tong dalawang 'to, parating gulo ang inaabot. Tsk, tsk."

I looked down when I saw disappointment crossing his eyes. "S-sorry," bulong ko.

"No, I should be the one to be sorry. Kasalanan ko, Kuya Geoffe. Please don't scold Gretch."

Napatingin ako kay Juris dahil doon.

"Hindi! Kailangan din pag sabihan ang batang ito! 'Di pa nga ako nakaka-recover sa ginawa niya last vacatio- aray Stella naman!"

"Ang daldal mo."

Naiinis na tiningnan ni Kuya Geoffe ang tinawag niyang Stella habang hinihimas ang batok. Si Stella naman ay humalukipkip lang at 'di na dinugtungan ang sinabi.

It was an awkward silence for all of us until someone had broken it.

"Enough with this. Gretchen needs to rest, and we are not enrolled yet."

He was the man with the blue eyes. He looked at me intensely. I tried to fight him back but I instantly withdrew. His eyes were beautiful, but I don't know. I don't have the guts to look back at him.