A Thousand Wounds

Wound 2

Wound 2

"Kidding aside.." he chuckled which caught our attention. "Sorry, but I'm not interested."

"Anyways," he shifted his gaze towards mine. "Miss Pacheco, please follow me."

Marahas akong napalunok habang pinagmamasdan ang malapad niyang likod. Nang makalabas ay hinarap niya ako.

"Miss Pacheco, I'm Cleyton Torres from The Voice of Linavio, the school publication of our school. We would like to interview you as the newly crowned Mutya ng Wika."

Patuloy sa pagkurap ang aking mga mata habang nakatitig sa binatang nasa aking harapan. The formality and authority in his voice are making me shiver.

"Uhm.." tanging nasabi ko. Tila naumid ang aking dila dahil sa mariing paninitig niya sa akin.

"Could you spare us your time, Miss Pacheco?"

I just nodded in response, hypnotized by his dark brown orbs.

"Mister C-Cleyton," I spoke softly calling for his attention. His brows arched and oh my, he looked more intimidating.

"P-Puwede po bang—" I was cut off when the bell rang and my classmates went out of the room like wild animals.

Napatigil sila nang makita kami ni Cleyton sa labas ng classroom. Their scrutinizing gazes made my cheeks burn.

"Miss Pacheco?" wika ng aking kaharap kaya naman muling dumako sa kaniya ang aking tingin.

"Ah, kukunin ko lang 'yong bag ko," tipid kong wika at bumalik na sa klasrum.

Nakakunot ang mga noo ng aking mga kaibigan nang makarating ako sa aking upuan.

"What?" I asked when they just stared at me wordlessly.

"May hindi ka ba sinasabi sa amin, bakla?" seryosong turan ni Sky habang nakahalukipkip.

"Oo nga. May something ba sa inyo ni Cleyton?" Reese added.

"What?" natatawang wika ko ngunit nanatili lamang ang seryosong paninitig ng aking mga kaibigan.

"That's nothing, okay? Ngayon ko lang kaya siya nakita, and oh, he asked me something!" I squealed when I remembered something.

Unti-unting nabura ang masayang ngiti sa aking labi nang wala akong natanggap na reaksiyon mula sa mga kaibigan.

"What? He asked you to be with him?" sarkastikong saad ni Sky.

"Hey! Do you have a problem with me? Bakit ganyan kayo makatingin sa akin?" I asked in dismay when I felt the indifference that they were giving me minutes ago.

Mara sighed. "We are your friends, Belle. Why did you not tell us that you are together?"

Nanlalaki ang aking mga mata sa narinig.

"What?" bulalas ko at hindi ko na napigilang mapahalakhak. "That's hilarious. I just met him. Ano ba kayo?!"

"Then what did he ask you? Did he ask if he could court you?" Reese blurted out.

"You're so impossible, guys! Pinag-iisipan niyo kami ng ganoon? Really? He just asked me for an interview. I-fea-feature daw ako ng school publication, and he's one of the campus journalists." I laughed.

"Aba eh malay namin. Si Maribelle ka eh, ang reyna ng Linavio National High School! We don't know if he's one of the boys who are so into you," Sky uttered.

"Yes, I know, I'm beautiful. You don't have to tell me," pagmamayabang ko.

The tension in the atmosphere slowly faded when we all chuckled in chorus.