2 days later...
Sinusundan ni Niall si Osmond. Naglalakad ito patungo sa Hub nito. Napapansin niyang palagi itong nag-iisa't hindi kasama ang apat pa nitong mga kaibigan. Minsan, nakikita niyang kasama nito si Sam, which surprised him. But there were times when he saw them, he would also saw Osmond neglecting the girl. Naguguluhan siya dito.
Narating niya ang hub. Papalapit na siya when he heard voices. They were very low that he could hear them like a hush. Lumapit pa siya upang makita at marinig ang mga ito. He peeped through the window next to the door. And there, he saw Charles with his two other friends talking to Osmond.
"I'm quite pissed off by your, let's call it, 'coolness' and I've gotta say I'm impressed. You've got some balls. Alam ko namang wala ka nang ibang maibubuga liban sa pagbabanda..."
Tahimik lang na nakikinig si Niall. He didn't hear Osmond's response. Tahimik lang din ito.
"Pero, bakit ba sa tuwing maka-engkwentro ko si Sam, palagi kang ume-eksena?" nailing na saad ni Charles. "Stalker ka ba niya?"
Napailing si Osmond. "Idiot. Do you believe in coincidences?"
Nagulat si Charles saka nakatawang tumingin sa mga kaibigan niya.
"Sabihin mo na..." saad ng isa kay Charles.
Lumapit si Charles sa nakaupong si Osmond. Osmond seemed so relaxed at iyon ang ikinaiinis niya. Bakit ba hindi ito natatakot sa kanila? Alam naman niyang ginagamit lang nito ang pagiging malamig sa iba para ipakitang hindi siya madaling nalalapitan. It's just for show and everyone seemed to believe it, and it annoyed him even more. Lalo na nang ikumpara siya ni Sam dito. That pissed him off. BIG TIME. At lalo na nu'ng nagawa nitong takutin ang mga kaibigan niya. What made him different from Osmond?
He's a basketball player for Pete's sake! He's the ace, sabi nila. They also told him he's unstoppable, and he's gonna use it to prove to Osmond na may lamang din siya. Alam niyang hindi ito mahilig sa sports.
Osmond was just looking at him. And there it goes again, hindi na naman niya mabasa kung anong iniisip nito. Tila nahihigop siya sa mga titig nito. His eyes seemed sleepy almost all the time. Walang emosyon.
"I'm challenging you to a basketball game. One on one," Charles said in a cold voice.
Nagulat si Niall. What the...!
Gulat na napatingin din si Osmond kay Charles. What is this all about?
Hindi umimik si Osmond. Nagsalita ulit si Charles.
"If you could beat me, which is not possible, I think, hindi ko na guguluhin si Sam at hindi na rin kita lalapitan."
Kumunot ang noo ni Osmond. Nakikita ni Charles na pinagpapawisan si Osmond.
"I don't care about that nonsense woman," walang emosyong saad ni Osmond. "Piss off at wala akong planong patulan 'yang kagaguhan mo."
Pumeke ng tawa si Charles saka biglang hinablot ang kwelyo ni Osmond.
"You only proved to me that you really are a good-for-nothing band guy! Duwag at walang kaalam-alam!"
Biglang dumilim ang mukha ni Osmond.
Kinabahan si Niall. Nagulat siya nang biglang may tumapik sa balikat niya. Si Geoff. Geoff shrugged and made a 'hush' sign.
"When and where?" narinig nilang tanong ni Osmond. Then they heard Charles' laugh.
Minutes later, nauna nang umalis si Geoff. Ilang minuto pa ay sumunod na rin si Niall.
Sam heard of the challenge Charles gave to Osmond. Kalat na iyon sa buong campus. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang dahilan at naisipan ni Charles na hamunin si Osmond. And it's in everyone's knowledge na walang kadating-dating si Osmond pagdating sa sports. Hindi nga ito sumasali o kahit pumupunta man lang sa school nila tuwing Sportsfest ng school nila.
BINABASA MO ANG
PENTA BROTHERS SERIES II - The Broken Strings (OSMOND)
RomanceBOOK II: Osmond's resolution! He suddenly quit his band to everybody's surprise. No one knows. Not even his P5nta Brothers friends. Nobody would want to ask him because of his (VERY) cold personality. He's an anti-social, they say. He speaks less...
