TRY . jinlia

040

[ CHOI LIA'S ]

I blew the hair that was blocking my sight of the blackboard. The holidays had already ended at ngayon nga ay ang unang araw ng klase ngayong bagong taon.

Nothing really happened the past weeks. Papa and I celebrated the New Year like we usually did for the past years. Wala na rin akong narinig kay Ryujin simula noong araw na 'yon. I didn't bother anymore. Bakit ko pa hahanapin ang ayaw ngang magpakita, 'di ba? It's just a waste of time.

I've been focusing on my studies lalo na't ilang buwan nalang ay graduation na. Pinag-iisipan ko pa kung luluwas ba ako sa siyudad para mag-college lalo na't nakapasa ako sa isang unibersidad doon. It's been my dream of being a Vet kaya iyon ang kursong kukunin ko. Mabuti nalang at matagal na akong nakapag-decide at supportive naman si Papa. Ayon nga lang, kung luluwas ako sa siyudad, maiiwan dito si Papa. Kung sasama naman siya doon saakin, he'd have to quit his job here. I am stuck between my dream and my father.

Naibalik ako sa realidad nang marinig na tumunog ang bell. It was lunchtime. Usually I'll wait for Ryujin and my friends. But I know it's not going to be like that today.

Tumayo na ako sa pagkakaupo nang mawala na sa harap ang guro namin. I grabbed my bag with me before walking to the door. I felt a pair of eyes on me kaya nilingon ko 'yon bago makalabas ng pinto. It was Chaeryeong. Kumunot ang noo ko doon, wala pa sa sarili kong inikot nang pasimple ang mga mata.

I'm planning to eat lunch alone since I can't go to Aecha and Sojin's room and wait for them. I can't face Yeji and Ryujin. It disgusts me a little bit.

I headed towards the forest where they have small tables for everyone. Dumiretso ako sa tagong parte at doon naupo. I don't mind being alone at all. Buti nalang ay sanay rin ako sa gano'n kahit papaano.

Inilabas ko ang mga libro ko at nagsimula nang mag-scan ng notes. Wala akong planong kumain dahil wala rin naman akong gana.

Nag-ring ang phone ko wala pang limang minuto na nakaupo ako. Aecha's calling.

"Yes?" bungad ko.

"Nasaan ka?" tanong niya kaagad.

"Nasa puso mo," I joked, slightly smirking while I heard her cringe noise.

"Seryoso, Julia. Where are you? Lumalamig na ang pagkain namin ni Sojin!" at nagreklamo na nga siya.

I rolled my eyes. "Sa forest. Dito sa dulo," sagot ko at agad naman niyang pinatay ang tawag. Umiling-iling ako bago bumalik sa pagbabasa.

Hindi nagtagal ay nasa harapan ko na silang dalawa. They were both busy eating for the first fifteen minutes at maya-maya ay tapos na nga sila. I tried not to look at them dahil alam kong sumusulyap-sulyap silang dalawa dito saakin at maya-maya'y magtitinginan na parang nag-uusap gamit ang mga mata.

I sighed and stopped writing when I had enough.

"What?" I snapped.

Aecha pouted while Sojin laughed nervously. "Wala hehe," sabay nilang sagot.

Ngumuso ako at ibinaba na ang ballpen na hawak ko at isinara na ang mga libro at notebooks. May sandwich na nakalapag sa harapan ko kaya agad ko namang dinampot 'yon. I suddenly felt hungry.

"Are you okay?" one of them suddenly asked, making me stop and think for a minute.

[ THIRD PERSON'S ]

Aecha and Sojin waited for their friend's answer. Pareho silang nag-aalala para dito dahil matagal na bago ulit ito nagkaganito. Well, this is worse than what she was before.

Kung noo'y bored lang ang mga mata niya, ngayo'y wala na silang makita. She got harder to read. They saw how Lia changed when Ryujin came. Naging pala-ngiti ito. Much much better than what she was before. Pero ngayon nga ay ganito ang mga pangyayari, hindi nila maiwasang mag-alala.

"Yes? I don't know, honestly," sagot niya at humagikgik pa saglit bago matulala sa kawalan.

They both felt their hearts go heavier when they noticed how dead her laugh was.

"Ano na ang plano mo?" si Aecha.

"Plano? Wala naman."

Kumunot ang noo ng dalawa. "Aren't you going to put up a fight?" si Sojin na hindi na nakapagpigil.

"Para saan pa?" Lia coldly spat.

"Li, you have to! Hindi ikaw nagkalat noon! We know that!"

"Aecha, Sojin, just stop. Sumasakit ang ulo ko sa mga pinagsasabi ninyo, puwede ba?"

Ilang gabi nang walang maayos na tulog si Lia and the last thing she wants right now is noise and a fight.

Lalong humaba ang nguso ni Aecha habang nanatiling tahimik si Sojin.

"You just have to tell her..." bulong ni Aecha pero narinig pa rin ni Lia.

Lia sighed heavily. "I tried telling her, okay? She didn't listen to me, she didn't even try to listen to me. Lagi nalang gano'n! Isn't that enough to let me know na she doesn't trust me? I just feel so betrayed!" she snapped, mabilis na ang tibok ng puso at hinihingal.

The pain, the anger was already suffocating her.

Natahimik ang tatlo lalo na si Aecha. Lia's chest was still heaving from her sudden outburst when the bell rang, making her close her eyes and sigh.

"Mauuna na ako sainyo," usal niya bago inayos ang mga gamit niya at umalis do'n.

Mabilis ang paglakad ni Lia. At bawat hakbang niya papalayo sa mga kaibigan niya ay ganoon din ang pagbigat ng dibdib niya. She was just stopping herself from sobbing, from breaking down.

Lia managed to climb up their floor without breaking down, not noticing that Ryujin was standing infront of their room's door with Chaeryeong before entering the room.

Ryujin on the other hand went there in purpose. Ayaw man niyang aminin pero iyon ay dahil gusto niyang makita kung kumusta na si Lia.

"She looked fine..."

She should be relieved, right? Dahil ayos lang si Lia. But why is she hurting? Bakit naninikip ang dibdib niya? Why is she hurting after seeing Lia alright after confronting her of what she did?