Cliche (Candy Stories #5)

Chapter 14: The price of a little happiness

TCWDM: Late man ang pangako kong update, but here it is. Maraming salamat sa gayahin-ang-emoticon challenge ng APM. Labyu.

***

Second year, Culinary Arts
February
STU

I was fidgeting at the meeting. It was taking forever. Mommy always reminds me about moments—about showing up where I am needed and staying focused—but I couldn't stop counting down. Isa pa, sina Lil and friends ang laging nawawala sa agenda. We shuffled groupmates and having Celine but not having Cal on the same group was a disaster for me. Anim kami at puro babae. Nadi-distract sila sa ibang topic at ibang tao at ibang love life, kahit na ang dapat naming pagtuunan ay ang roles at menu namin sa semi-finals. Everyone's too invested on Celine and Maxwell being an item although Celine kept saying there's nothing to be excited about. It's getting on me because I seriously wanted to go home. Kailangan ako ni Mommy.

Nasa'n na kaya si Cal? I typed a message for him.

Aurora:
Tapos na kayo sa meeting n'yo?

Cal:
Kanina pa. Naghihintay ako sa Lab 2.

Aurora:
Hindi pa kami tapos . . . I want to go home.

I was staring hard at the screen of my phone, while I was hearing my group gossip about something. Lagi na lang ganito lately, even though I always tell them (however awkward it is for me) that I am needed at home because of Mommy.

Cal:
Puntahan kita dyan?

Aurora:
Please . . .

Cal:
Okay. I'm coming up.

I bit my lip. Pag-angat ng mukha ko sa kanila, nakatingin na pala sila sa akin.

"Sa semi-finals, you'll be in charge to buy all the ingredients," sabi ni Lil sa 'kin. She looked annoyed. Nakita siguro akong nagte-text. "Lagi kang may excuse na umuwi nang maaga, so we took that into consideration na."

I bit my tongue to guard myself from saying anything ugly. Going home early to be with Mommy was never just an excuse.

"Naisip namin, mas okay kung ikaw na lang ang bahala sa ingredients, para kahit gusto mong umuwi nang maaga, we wouldn't be inconvenienced," dagdag niya pa.

I croaked, "Okay . . ."

"Tutulungan ka ni Marian," malumanay na sabi ni Celine na nakalingon sa akin at ngumiti. "Ililista na rin natin agad ang ingredients para walang makalimutan."

"Yes . . ."

Saktong nananahimik kami nang bumungad si Cal sa classroom. Casual siyang kumaway. "Tapos na kayo? Uuwi na sana kami ni Aurora," sabi niya.

I saw Lil rolled her eyes. "Yep, we're done. We've given her something to do."

"Good." Tumango sa 'kin si Cal. "Tara na."

Awkward akong tumayo at hinila ang shoulder bag ko. I was seated at the far middle. Dapat pala, sa aisle seat lang ako. Nakatungo ako nang makiraan sa mga blockmates kong babae. Bumilis lang ang kilos ko nang mas malapit na 'ko kay Cal. Inalalayan niya agad ako sa braso palabas ng classroom.

I might be imagining it but I thought I heard Lilia said, "Tinawag pa si Calyx para lang umuwi. Annoying."

Pumikit na lang ako nang mariin at nagmadali sa paglalakad.

***

"You're home, Princess . . ." sabi ni Mommy pagbungad namin ni Cal sa pinto. "Hello, Cal."