Tamed [GL-Sapphics]

Chapter 38 - Side Effects

TAMED XXXVIII - SIDE EFFECTS

"HEY ladies, do you mind finding a room for yourselves?"

"We've been cracking up at these knock-knock jokes, haven't we?" Cash chuckled and twirled a strand of her curled hair.

"Knock-knock against the wall? That's hilarious" Sir Franko chuckled, glancing at both of us. I looked down and clenched my fists behind my back.

"Why'd you have to keep your jokes to yourselves? You should've shared them with everyone else," Professor Sandoval commented as I glanced over at her. She had a judgmental look on her face and even crossed her arms, coming off as bitchy.

"Nag-uusap lang kami, ma'am, sir," napilititan kong sagot kahit nababanas na.

Patawad kung ganito na lamang ang inis ko ngayon, patawad dahil ganito na lang ako kadaling masaktan. Wala pa silang ginagawa niyan, bukod sa magkahawak ang kanilang mga kamay.

Cash is totally overdoing it with the laughing, like it's so obvious she's faking it. "Busy kayong magkuwento sa loob ng love story niyo, eh. Alam ko na kasi 'yung totoong kwento niyo kaya lumabas na ako, I'm all about the spoilers, but I don't wanna ruin the happy ending of your story with the kids right there."

His forehead was all scrunched up and he was sweating like crazy, but he cleared his throat and tried to smile as he spoke to us. "Oh no, what will I do now without your expert spoiler skills ruining everything for the both of us?"

Papatol pa sana ulit si Cash pero pinigilan ko na, nagsenyas akong papasok na kaya wala itong nagawa kundi umirap na lamang. She had a grip on my hand when the professor piped up and told her boyfriend to leave first. I thought the professor was gonna come hang with us in the cafeteria, but I was totally off.

"Cash, can we talk for a minute?" her cousin called out to her. I went into the cafeteria first and the two of them came in afterwards.

"We're talking, Rhio."

"Let's take this conversation outside."

"Ugh, Rhio!" Cash groaned irritably. "Could you please stop dragging me like this?! Sasama na nga, eh!"

Nadatnan kong mag-isa na si Ezra sa table at wala na 'yong mga kausap niya. Naisip kong lumagpas na lang at lumayas dahil hindi ko rin yata kakayaning makasama siya rito na kami lang dalawa.

"Here's your beef burger," she muttered, pushing the box towards me. "Just got it from Ate Sars, so it's still steaming."

I brushed off the weird energy coming from Ezra and grabbed a cheese stick from the plate.

"Hey, Zamantha," she began, biting her lip. "I'm feeling pretty guilty about what I said last time. I'm sorry, okay? Sorry if you're still mad at me. I get it, and I didn't mean to make things tougher for you."

"Ezra, I'm not holding anything against you. If anything, after what's happened since we last talked, I feel like I should've taken your advice better. Sana mas nilayuan ko iyong distansya pero kahit dalawang metro lang hindi ko na agad kinaya. Mahirap, para akong humahakbang sa basag na salamin, only to end up with wounds and pain."

"I understand your dilemma, Zamantha. It's tough to come to terms with the fact that you have feelings for a girl. I've been there before. Discovering and accepting our true selves is a gradual process that involves going through different phases and stages. And the same is true for other things in life, like when you lose someone or move on. We have to go through a process with critical and non-critical steps, and it's always uncertain. Walang shortcut."

I feel reassured hearing this from her, at alam ko ring mas marami na siyang nalalaman ngayon kaya hindi malabong may ideya na rin si Cash.

"Hey, where are you going?!" tanong ni Ezra sa kapatid nang tahimik nitong dinampot ang susi na nakasabit sa belt bag niya. Basa ang suot niyang jacket at mahahalatang hindi na lang ito dahil juice na bumuhos sa kanya.