HEMLOCK

02

June 04, 2018 - Bicol University College of Arts and Letters Canteen:

"Sasaksakin na kita ng ballpen, Lukas!" exclaimed Tine habang ang kamao nya ay nakaamba nang sumuntok sakin. Nagtitinginan na samin ang mga estudyanteng kumakain ng lunch sa Freeze N Hot Canteen o mas kilalang FNH. 

"Alam mo ang sarap mo sungalngalin talaga minsan," naiinis na sabi ni Tine habang pinipilit na umalis. Hinawakan ko ang kamay nya. 

"Tine, no, please. I've been thinking diba ang mean ko masyado kay Ricar kaya I decided na we should become friends na kasi diba last year of college na to and I don't wanna end college on bad terms with anyone," hinihila ko si Tine para maupo muna habang hinihintay ko na dumating na si Ricar. 

Tangina asan na ba to si Ricardo, sya pa may gana malate ngayon eh ito na nga ang pinakahinihintay nya, nandito na si Tine. 

"Ah so iaaalay mo ko para maging friends na kayo? Magaling ka din no? Magsisimula ka ng away pero ako yung tatapos. Hay nako Lukas, what would you do without me," annoyed pa rin si Tine pero nasesense ko na lumalambot na rin ang fucking cold heart nya. 

"Yes! Yes! What would I do without you? Tine, I really really need you please," 

Biglang umukit sa labi nya ang ngiti, pero kaagad nyang binura. Basic. Alam ko na pano liligawan ang kalooban nito.

"Tine, please. I need you. You're the only one who can help me, as in ikaw lang. I really need you," mahinahon kong sagot habang binabawasan ang higpit ng hawak ko sa kanyang mga kamay. Pang malakasang pang-giguilt trip pero alam ko hindi guilt ang nararamdaman ni Tine. Isa lang ang gusto nya marinig. 

"I need you."

And there it goes...

"Fine. Since you need me, edi fine. Let's see where this goes pero I won't make any promises, Lukas. Sinasabi ko sayo pag di ko to nagustuhan, we're leaving." Pinilit nya itago ang ngiti nya at naupo sa upuan sa harap ko.

Napasuntok ako sa ere. "Yes! Thanks, Tine! The best ka talaga! Woo! I knew I can count on you," muntik ko na sya mahalikan sa tuwa, pero no no yun. Hindi lang sapak ang aabutin ko, matatagpuan na lang ang katawan kong nakabigti sa balete ng FNH if I even dare, pero I'm just really excited. 

Tine smiled smugly while looking at me, that's how a champion smiles. She was like an emperor who conquered another kingdom. 

Then she leaned forward, arms on top of the table with her fingers laced. Her expression changed into a deadly serious one. 

"So what did Ricar tell you?" 

Oof. Huli. Of course she knows there's a catch for all of this. Of course she'd know hindi ako ang type na mag-eeffort ng ganito just to declare a ceasefire with one of my favorite enemies in the campus, no, she wouldn't buy my bullshit for one second. 

I shrugged. Should've seen this coming. 

"Well she sort of blackmailed me..." I was so hesitant to answer halos pabulong na kong sumagot sa kanya. 

She just sighed at me, the sigh that is disappointed but not surprised. 

"I don't really condone blackmailing, but dude you had this coming. Sabi ko kasi sayo you can be too much sometimes," she sighed again, then looked back at me. "Okay, let's see how big the damage is." 

I couldn't see myself but I bet I looked like a lost puppy. The words feel stuck to my throat, para akong nagkukumpisal sa lahat ng krimen ko since birth, but I can't lie, not to Tine. Hindi lang dahil sa hindi nya deserve na pagsinungalingan, pero dahil alam ko matalino to, mahuhuli at mahuhuli nya ko. Knowing her detective type of brain, thanks to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, she probably already knows what's up, I'm just confirming her hunch.