Midst of Chaos

XVIII

It's been two months since that so called dating. He would sometimes come to my school without informing me and I would end up being shocked na makita siya sa labas ng gate. Buti nalang same gate lang kami lumalabas ng barkada dahil kung hindi ay maghihintay talaga siya sa wala.

As usual ay sumasama siya sa akin kapag nag-aaral ako sa kung saan-saan. Need niya daw ng study buddy. Tsk. Eh hindi naman kami pareho ng course but he would insist. Basta daw pareho kaming nag-aaral ay study buddy na daw yun. Ewan ko sakaniya.

Kumakain din kami sa labas paminsan-minsan kapag may oras ako  kasi kadalasan hindi ako puwede kasi may mga times na gusto kong nasa unit lang ako.

Sometimes being alone, is quite better.

My friends, well, parati pa din nila akong tinutukso kay Drew so I told them that we aren't even in a relationship. Well, that's the truth.

Kai, I just remembered him asking me thru text on what's going between us with Drew. I just told him, "Nothing". I am still not sure with Drew, ewan, di pa din matatanggal sa sistema ko na natatakot ako sa posibleng kahahantungan ng dating namin.

"Just make sure he's not playing with you dahil baka hindi ko matantiya at matusukan ko siya ng karayom."

Faye, ewan, kahit sigurado mag-asawa ako agad ay supurtado niya ako.

"GO GIRL, ITAAS MO ANG BANDERA NATIN! SUPORTADO KITA KAY SEBASTIAN, KILALA KO YAN. SABIHAN MO LANG AKO KAPAG NAGLOKO. MARAMI PA NAMANG BABAE ANG NAGHAHABOL DIYAN KAYA BANTAYAN MO NG MABUTI."

We are not even in a relationship and if we will (in the future), I wouldn't care if he'll end up cheating or what. It will be his loss kung magloloko siya, yes, I would be hurt but that's it. I will not force myself onto someone who doesn't want me anymore.

I was biting the end of my pen while continuously pressing the numbers in my calculator. I was trying to solve an accounting problem. Hindi ko kasi magets kung paano iyon isosolve, George taught me earlier about this but when i solve another problem with the same pattern ay hindi ko na makuha.

"You okay?" tanong sa akin ni Drew

Yes, I am with him AGAIN. Though kasama ko kanina ay sina George pero dahil nauna na silang umalis sa akin and Drew just called me and ask on my whereabouts ay sinabihan kong nasa malapit lang na cafe sa UST.

"Matatagalan ka pa? Im going there." tanong nya sa kabilang linya

I decided on not going home muna dahil kapag nasa unit na ako ay baka hindi ko matuloy ang pag-aaral dahil baka matempt na naman akong panoorin ang sinusundan kong K-drama. Ngayon pa naman ang release ng episode 6.

" Matatagalan pa. Bakit ka pupunta? Ang layo-layo mo kaya wag na. Isa pa, ano naman ang gagawin mo dito?" sunod-sunod kong tanong

I heard him laugh a little bago ulit sumagot, "Malapit lang naman ako diyan, may pinuntahan lang ako saglit. I need some inspiration para sa plates ko."

I rolled my eyes at his answer. He would always say that na need nya ng inspiration. Anong akala nya sa mukha ko? Furniture? Building?

"You better have good grades or scores in your exams Drew. I don't want to be the reason kapag bumagsak ka. So better think before coming here, don't make me your number priority or what. Aren't you tired of seeing me always?" litanya ko

"Don't worry ma'am. Maayos lahat ng scores ko, they even get better because i have an inspiration to do better. Bakit ikaw napapagod na sa pagmumukha ko?" tanong nya

I didn't even let a second pass before answering him, "Yes, I'm tired of seeing your face." bored kong sagot

"Ouch."

It took him 30 minutes ata bago siya nakarating dito. He's wearing a navy blue shorts, a plain white shirt and a white rubber shoes. Nakacap din sya ng pumasok kaya napataas ang kilay ko.

What's with his cap? Ano siya celebrity? Nagmumukha tuloy siyang manghoholdap.

Pagkaupo nya sa tapat ko ay agad akong nagsalita. "It's already 8 in the evening Drew tapos nakacap ka pa? Para kang manghoholdap sa itsura mo."

Ngumuso siya sa sinabi ko at nag-acting pang parang tinamaan siya ng bala ng baril sa may dibdib. "Kanina mo pa ako sinasaktan ha. Nagpapapogi lang naman ako sa iyo."

"Gago" sambit ko

I continued reading while he stood up and ordered some food. May meal din kasi dito kaya okay na din.

Pagbalik nya ay may hawak na siyang number stand. He put it on the small space in our table kasi nakakalat na kasi yung ibang libro ko dito.

Drew busied himself by putting my emptied drink and plate on the other table. He even arranged the papers para hindi makalat.

Those small things na ginagawa nya makes me smile. He is silently helping me. Kung noon ay natataranta pa ako kapag dumating na yung order ko tapos makalat pa yung table ko pero ngayon hindi na.

Sakto din sa pagdating ng order namin ay tapos na din ako. He helped me arranged my books at siya na din naglagay sa mga papers at answer sheets ko sa maliit kong envelope habang nilalagay ko din sa bag ko ang mga libro.

Habang ang tatlong libro na natitira ay inilagay ko sa gilid ng table dahil hinahand carry ko lang iyon para hindi ako masyadong mabigatan.

We were in the middle of eating ng nagsalita si Drew.

"Did you remember what I told you last time about our exhibit?" tanong nya

I looked at him while remembering. Sunod-sunod ang tango ko ng maalala iyon.

"Tapos na? You already presented it?" tanong ko

I only saw his drawing. It was kind of complicated pero building daw iyon. They needed to make a model.

Tumango siya at ngumiti sa akin. He wiped his hands with the table napkin bago nya kinuha ang phone sa bulsa. He handed me his phone tapos ay ako na ang nag-open. He doesn't have password kaya mabilis lang.

I immediately clicked the gallery app and searched for the right album. Doon ko nakita ang isang building na ginawa nya.

I looked at him and said, "You all are really the engineers' nightmare. It's unique as well complicated." wika ko sa kaniya

He laughed at my remark. He took back his phone when i handed it back to him.

"Kapag magpapadesign ako ng bahay dapat may discount ako ha" ani ko sakaniya pagkatapos malunok ang pagkain

Tiningnan nya ako at tumango, "Discount? I'll give it for free basta ikaw. I could even give you a house and a lot, just marry me." sagot nya

Napaubo ako dahil sa sinabi nya. Natatawa din siyang binigay sa akin ang juice ko dahil mukhang may na stuck na kanin.

"Gago ka." sambit ko pagkatapos mailapag sa lamesa ang juice

"Is it a deal or no deal?" tanong nya sa akin

Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako o ano. Ginagago talaga nya ako.

"Bilisan mo na lang kumain. It's already late at babiyahe ka pa." sagot ko na lang

Sumimangot siya sa naging sagot as if that he was disappointed with my answer.