Chapter 24
Last night, I wasn't able to sleep well. Maybe I was too overwhelmed because of what he said. Tapos sabayan pa ng realization kung gaano ko siya kagusto. It was really a mess inside my head. Kinabukasan tuloy ay tinubuan ako ng isang pimple. And God, of all the spaces in my face, sa tungki ng ilong ko pa talaga tumubo!
"Uy si Hope, in love!" Love teased when she saw me walking out of my room. Iyong tigyawat ko talaga ang unang nakita.
I tried to keep a straight face as I took my seat to eat my breakfast. Pero hindi rin nakatakas sa akin ang nangingiting si Faith. She's looking at me like she knows my secret.
Shocks, did she saw what happened last night? Nakita niya kaya kami kagabi?
Oh God.
Tinitigan ko si Faith at napansin niya 'yon. She gave me a meaningful smile before going back to eating.
"So sino 'yang nasa ilong mo, Hope?" Tanong naman ni Love. This time, I paid her a glance and scowled at her.
"May iba pa ba?" Sabat naman ni Faith. Love laughed loudly at Faith's statement.
"Ang sabi ng source ko, may crush daw 'yong isang bandmate ni Hope sa kanya," nakangiting sabi ni Love. My eyes widened in surprise. How did she know that?!
Wala naman akong naririnig na may kumakalat na ganoon. If meron man, Clarisse would've teased me non-stop! Kaya hindi ko alam kung kanino niya narinig 'yon.
Shocks. This is making my head hurt.
"Oh wow," Faith commented. Natawa pa siya matapos sabihin 'yon. "Thank you for sharing that wonderful chismis," she said to Love na mas lalong nagpatawa kay Love. At ang dalawa, pareho nang malakas na tumatawa.
I chose to ignore them and began eating.
"May isang chismis rin akong nasagap," makahulugang sabi ni Faith. Nagpantig ang tenga ko sa naring kaya agad ko siyang nilingon, only to see her grinning at me.
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Ano 'yon?" Para namang excited na tanong ni Love.
"Faith," I called her. I gave her a look but she just laughed at me.
"Love will eventually know you know," she mumbled. I glanced at Love then back to my food.
"That was nothing," I murmured.
"Oh talaga? Eh late na 'yon, Hope. That was nothing?" There was something in her voice. Hindi tuloy ako makatingin nang diretso.
Kasi naman eh! Halos hindi nga ako nakatulog nang maayos kagabi tapos tatanungin na naman niya ako? Hindi pa nga nagsi-sink in sa utak ko ang lahat!
"I'll tell you when I'm ready," I said with finality.
"Hoy! Enlighten me! What's happening?" Love queried. I just shrugged and focused on eating.
"Madaya kayong dalawa!" Reklamo niya. I heard Faith's chuckle.
"Hope will tell you soon. Ayokong sa akin manggaling," nakangiting sabi nito. She gave me a look again and even winked at me!
•●•
Maaga akong nakarating sa classroom. I tried to review my notes kasi nga may quiz kami kay Ma'am Gel. Hindi kasi agad pumasok sa utak ko 'yong ni-review ko kagabi eh. May bigla ba namang nambibigla.
Aligaga akong mag-review sa upuan ko. Halos nakayuko na nga ako. Nananakit na 'yong batok ko.
I heard my classmates enter the room one by one. But I didn't mind looking up to check kasi hindi dapat ako nagsasayang ng segundo. Every second counts here. Dapat ay maipasok ko sa utak ko lahat ng necessary information.
Kahit 'nong dumating sina Clarisse at Lio at bumati sa akin ay hindi ko sila pinansin and just gave my full attention to my reviewer. Nagtakip na nga ako ng tenga para hindi marinig ang pag-iingay ng ilang classmates ko.
Kainis. May nagri-review dito eh tapos ang ingay nila!
"Oh my God," I heard Clarisse whispered. "Hi, Sir! Bakit ka nandito?"
Pagkarinig ng salitang Sir ay bigla na lang akong napatuwid ng upo at napatingin sa harapan.
And God, I wasn't wrong.
It's Sir Troy.
Pero bakit siya andito? Doesn't he has a class?
"Hi," nakangiting bati ni Sir sa klase. But he was particularly looking at me when he said it.
Medyo na-conscious tuloy ako at napahawak sa buhok ko para ayusin 'yon. Hindi naman magulo. Nakaka-conscious lang talagang andito si Sir and he's looking at me in a way I feel like melting. Ugh.
"Ma'am Gel's not around so I'll be taking over. May iniwan lang siyang quiz and I also happen to be giving quiz in my class today so mababantayan ko pa rin both classes," he announced. May hawak nga siyang makapal na papers.
Pero shocks, bakit siya? May iba namang instructors na available eh! I wasn't ready to face him after last night! And gosh, my pimple!
Mabilis kong itinakip sa ilong ko ang reviewers na hawak ko.
Oh my God! Nakita niya ba?
I heard him suddenly chuckled in front. Nakita ko tuloy ang mga naguguluhang mukha ng classmates ko. They're probably thinking what's funny that made Sir laugh.
Shocks, this is so embarrassing!
When he noticed my classmates' reactions, Sir Troy tried to purse his lips and began distributing the papers. Pero kita ko pa rin ang pagpipigil niya ng ngiti.
What's so amusing about what happened?
The quiz then began. Pansin ko rin ang pagpapalipat-lipat ni Sir ng classroom. Katabi lang naman namin 'yong klase niya dapat.
I tried not to think about him. Kahit sandali lang. Kasi hangga't gumugulo siya sa isip ko, wala akong naisusulat na sagot.
I guess it somehow worked. Nasagutan ko naman 'yong quiz ko. Though I left two questions unanswered kasi wala talaga akong maisagot. That's so not me. I always make sure to answer everything kahit na hula lang. Pero this time, pigang-piga na nga 'yong utak ko.
Nauna nang magpasa ang ilan sa classmates ko kaya 'nong konti na lang ang natitirang sumasagot ay tumayo na rin ako para magpasa. Itinakip ko pa rin 'yong answer sheet ko sa ilong ko. Agaw-pansin kasi masyado 'yong pagkapula eh! Kainis.
Ramdam ko 'yong titig ni Sir habang papalapit ako. And there he is again, pursing his lips like he's trying so hard not to smile or laugh.
Nang tuluyan nang makalapit sa kanya ay iniabot ko na ang papel ko saka madaling inilipat ang isang kamay ko sa ilong ko para hindi niya pa rin makita. Pero si Sir nagpipigil pa rin ng ngiti.
"You don't have to hide it you know," bulong niya. Lumingon ako sa likod ko. Wala namang ibang tao at 'yong mga natitirang sumasagot pa ay nasa last row ng upuan. Hindi naman siguro nila kami maririnig.
"It's your fault," I muttered in a low voice. This time, he didn't exert an effort to stop his smile.
Ugh, that smile.
"If it is, then I'm sorry," mahinang sabi niya. "To show you that I'm really sorry, have dinner with me later," nakangiti niyang sabi.
This time, ako naman 'yong nagpipigil ng ngiti. Buti na lang medyo natatakpan ng kamay ko 'yong bibig ko.
Ang hirap naman pala talagang kiligin. Kaasar.
"Is it okay?" He asked. But it looks like he already knows what my answer will be.
"Okay."
