Unrequited Love

Chapter 27

Cassie's POV

I woke up from the sound of my phone ringing.

I checked it and saw that it was from an unknown number.

When I was about to answer, the call dropped.

I waited for a few minutes to see if it would call back but it didn't.

It's still early but I decided to get up and take a shower to start my day.

I texted the number in case it was something important.

I decided to stay in the library to wait for my class. Wala pa sila. Masyado pa namang maaga and all my friends live nearby. Nag-review nalang ako sa mga past discussions namin, when someone suddenly took the seat beside me.

Derrick! I almost shouted. I looked around and saw so many vacant seats around. "why did he sit here?" i thought to myself.

"Hi! ang aga mo yata?" he said.

"Hindi naman. maaga lang akong nagising kaya naisip kong dito nalang tumambay."

"Ah. ganoon ba? Kumain kana? Tara kain tayo?" pag-aaya niya.

I don't know what came to him pero bigla-bigla nalang niya akong kinakausap. I also don't know kung bakit nya ko inaaya kumain but I obliged since hindi pa rin naman ako kumain.

"Tara." sabi ko nalang. The truth is, kinikilig ako pero syempre hindi ko pinapahalata. Having him as a crush is a secret na ako lang at si Gio ang nakakaalam. No one else knows and no one else should know. I just trust Gio kaya hinayaan ko nalang na malaman niya. Actually I had no choice. He outsmarted me. Masyado talagang matalino ang isang iyon. I'm sure naman that he wouldn't do anything to embarrass me.

I kept it as a secret from everyone else because I'm scared. I'm scared nakapag nalaman nila, o nalaman niya, he would distance himself from me. it would really be awkward.

Pagdating namin sa canteen nakita ko ang iba naming classmates sa may gitna nag-uusap. Kilala ko naman lahat silapero hindi lang talaga kami close. Napansin ko yung isa na lumapit pa kay Dee. May itatanong siguro kaya nauna naa kong pumila. Medyo mahaba na rin kasi ang pila. I ordered bacon and egg with rice meal sa staff. HIndi naman masyadong halatang gutom. Pagdating sa Cashier biglang may nag-abot ng bayad sa likod ko. Inis kong nilingon when I realized nasi Dee pala iyon. Nakasunod lang pala siya sakin.

He paid for both of us. Bigla akong nahiya. Ibibigay ko sana sa kanya yung bayad ko kaso ayaw niyang tanggapin. He just smiled. Siya daw nga kasi ang nag-aya. Pumayag nalang ako para wala nang gulo.

Sabay kaming pumasok sa room kaya lahat ng classmates napalingon samin. All my friends are already seated at parang may gustong sabihin. Siniko pa ako ni Tessa.

The day went by so fast. Nothing out of the ordinary happened all day. Pauwi na sana ako nang makitang may nagtext sakin.

"Can we talk?" si Mama.

"I'm on my way home" I replied back.

Pagdating ko sa bahay nakita ko si Mama sa sala. She sat there looking like she just cried. Tumingin siya bigla sa gawi ko nang lumapit ako sa kanya. Naramdaman niya sigurong palapit ako sa kanya.

"Anak, maupoka." Panimula niya. It's obvious that something's been bothering her kaya hindi na ako nagsalita at naupo nalang habang hinihintay ang sasabihin niya. Matagal ko nang nahahalata that she's changed somehow. Parati din siyang wala sa bahay but I didn't ask her because I thought she was just busy with work.

"Your graduation is in 6 months right?" she asked.

"Yes Ma, what's wrong?" I asked back worried. Hindi na naman siya nagsalita nang biglang pumasok si Ate Macy na patakbo na parang nagmamadali.

"Ma!!!" sigaw niya.

Naguluhan naman ako bigla.

"Good timing. Maupo ka Macy." She sat beside me.

"Ate, anong nangyayari?" pabulong kong tanong kay Ate.

she just shrugged. maybe she was just told to come home early too just like me.

pero ang hindi ko maintindihan ay kung bakit parang galit si Ate nang pumasok sa bahay. Masama niyang tinitingnan si Mama habang naghihintay ng kanyang sasabihin.

"where's Papa?" tanong ko sa kanila nang maisip na baka may family meeting kami.

"She's not here Cassie" Ate Macy told me.

"Ano na naman ba 'to Ma?" tanong naman niya kay Mama.

Obviously she knew something I don't. Pinaglipat-lipat ko nalang ang tingin ko sa kanilang dalawa.

"May problema ba? Bakit parang ako lang ang walang alam?" Naguguluhan kong tanong.

"Girls, I know what I did is unforgiveable. and I hope that some day you will understand me... that you will forgive me. but I had to do it."

She was just looking at her trembling hands while saying those words.

"I don't understand what is happening myself. Hindi ko alam kung saan ang mali sa ginawa ko but what I do understand is that I have to leave. " naiiyak na naman siya.

Ate Macy didn't say anything and it's obvious na naiiyak na rin siya.

Ba't parang ako lang manhid? naisip ko. Hindi ko maintindihan ang mga pangyayari. Hindi ko rin alam kung dapat ba akong magtanong about this issue. It seems they don't have any plans of telling me anything.

"Where are you going Ma? I- I don't understand. What's happening?" I asked them. Looking at both of them.

It's evident that Mom doesn't wanna say anything, so Ate Macy answered for her.

"She's going to New York, Cassie. She has things she needs to clear out. And I don't think she can come be back for your graduation." mapait niyang sabi.

"Papa will have to accompany her there because he also needs to do some things but I'm sure he'll be able to come back in a month or so." she continued.

Tumango nalang ako. It doesn't really matter who can be there during my graduation. What bothers me is that I feel like they are keeping something from me.

Nagpaalam na akong magpapahinga. I'm not good with heavy conversations and it seems hindi naman na nila kailangan ang opinyon ko. Pagkapasok ko palang ng room ko, I received a message from Jane.

"Ate Cassie, busy ka?" she wrote.

"Hindi na, what's up?" I replied.

"Pwede mo ba akong puntahan?"

"Sure, Saan? text me the address and I'll be there."