Fascinated by You (GM Series #1)

04

"What's happening here?" Caius asked them.

Agad naman n'ya itong naitulak at umili-iling. "W-wala," nabubulol na sagot n'ya.

"It's nothing, dude. I just told Jordyn how I feel for her. I confessed my feelings," sagot naman ni Maverick.

"Good for you," Caius said. He didn't even glance at her face; his eyes are still fixated on her waist where Maverick's hand was still resting. Mula sa kan'yang baywang ay dumiretso ang tingin nito kay Maverick, brow arched.

. "You need to go back to our table, the program is about to start," he then added before turning his back to them. Still, hindi parin s'ya nilingon man lamang nito.

"See. He won't even glance at you," Maverick teased her.

Itinulak naman n'ya ito at sinamaan ng tingin. "Wala akong pakialam. Makukuha ko rin siya, tandaan mo 'yan!" hamon n'ya rito tapos ay iniwan na itong mag-isa.

She went back inside the venue and searched for Caius, but she couldn't find him. "Nasaan na 'yun?" she asked herself.

"Jorge!" Van called her. Lakad -takbo pa itong lumapit sa kan'ya.

"Nakita mo ba si Caius?" tanong n'ya agad pag kalapit nito. Van shook her head.

"Kanina nandyan lang sya sa may stage, nag bilin lang ng kung ano tapos umalis," sagot nito, hingal pa sa pagsasalita. "Saan ka ba galing? Kanina pa kita hinahanap!" tanong naman nito.

"Sa balcony, bakit?"

"Your brother called me, hindi ka raw sumasagot sa mga tawag at text n'ya," sabi nito.

Agad naman niyang binunot ang kan'yang cellphone mula sa likod ng suot niyang jeans. Indeed, there were at least 30 missed calls and 50 text messages from his older brother.

"Bakit daw?" she asked Vanelope as she try to contact his brother, but he wasn't answering.

"Umuwi na tayo. Ipapahatid nalang kita sa driver namin, nasa labas na s'ya," Van said, hatak-hatak na s'ya palabas.

"Bakit daw ba kasi? Hindi naman siya sumasagot sa tawag," tanong n'ya habang palabas na sila.

"Your dad, Jordyn. He was rushed to the hospital," sagot nito.

"What?" gulat na tugon n'ya. She walked passed Van and immediately looked for her friend's vehicle. She found it and got inside of it.

"Saint Michael Hospital po, Kuya," utos ni Van sa kanilang driver.

They arrived at the hospital after thirty minutes. Galit na galit pa ang kapatid n'ya sa kan'ya dahil hindi niya nasagot ang mga tawag at text nito sa kan'ya.

Unfortunately, her dad had a heart attack. He was advised to have a bedrest for the meantime and was prohibited to work. And it was only her, her brother and their father living together, she was assigned the task of taking care of their father for her brother will be in-charge of handling their business while their father is recovering.

"I heard they will enroll in Saint Martin's Academy for college," Van informed her over the phone.

Hindi na siya naka-pasok simula ng ma-ospital ang kanyang daddy. Buti na lamang at tapos na ang klase nang mangyari iyon kaya hinayaan na siyang mag bakasyon ng maaga. Kaya nga lang, hindi naman siya naka-attend sa graduation ng mga grade 12. Hindi tuloy n'ya nakitang naka-suot ng graduation gown at cap si Caius, ito pa naman ang batch valedictorian.

"Saint Martin's Academy? Hindi ba mura lang doon ang tuition?" she asked.

"Oo. Saka, tumatanggap sila ng full scholarship. Kaya nga ata roon papasok sila Caius, binigyan siya ng full scholarship," kwento pa ni Van. "Kahit hindi naman niya kailangan."

"Talaga? Ang galing talaga ng baby ko," kinikilig naman niyang kuwento.

"So anong plano mo?" Van asked her.

She rolled herself on her bed. "Magtatransfer ako sa school n'ya!" she answered excitedly.

"Gaga ka ba?!" Van asked her, scandalized.

"Seryoso nga!" she clarifies. "Kasi 'di ba, two months nang hindi nakapag work si daddy at si Kuya Jordan lang ang nag ma-manage ng business namin? Tapos kailangan namin magtipid, malaking tulong kung lilipat ako sa mas murang school," she reasoned out.

"Baliw ka na talaga, Jordyn," ang nasabi na lang sa kan'ya ng kaibigan. Sigurado pa siyang umiiling-iling ito sa kan'ya sa kabila ng linya.

And that's what she really did when the next school year came. Grade 10 na siya at first year college naman si Caius. Medyo malayo ang building ng college department sa high school pero nakakagawa siya ng paraan para makita ito.

"Bakit nandito rin 'yan?" she asked Van after seeing Maverick coming on their way. Vanellope transferred with her as well.

"Sinabi ko na 'di ba? Dito silang lahat na magkakaibigan," sagot nito.

"Bakit hindi ko alam?" she asked.

"Malay ko ba sa'yo. Palibhasa wala ka nang ibang naririnig pag iyang si Kuya Caius na ang pinag-uusapan," sagot nito.

"Siya lang naman ang importante sa kanilang lahat, e," sagot din n'ya. Umirap pa siya sa paparating na Maverick, naka-ngisi na ito sa kanila malayo palang.

"Jordyn!" bati nito.

"Oh? Ano na naman?" pagtataray n'ya rito.

"Woa! Ang sungit naman agad. ganyan mo ba batiin ang isang kaibigan?" Maverick asked her. Bumaling pa ito kay Van para bumati.

"Syempre, hindi. Sa'yo lang dahil hindi naman kita friend,'" she answered.

"Ang sama mo talaga sa akin. Sinasaktan mo ang damdamin ko alam mo ba?" sabi naman nito sa kan'ya.

"Kung pwede nga lang pumatay, pinatay na rin sana kita," irip n'ya.

"Grabe ka naman. Alam mo, pasalamat ka gustong-gusto kita," sabi naman nito. She can see how shock Vanellope from what she heard. Napairap naman siya lalo.

"Sana nga hindi na lang, no? Kasi alam mo, nakakadiri," ani n'ya at nilagpasan na ito. She walked out from the college department. Simangot na simangot pa siya at matalim ang tingin sa mga nadadaanan.

But she forcefully stopped from walking when someone suddenly grabbed her by her arms. Napatili pa siya dahil doon.

"What the fu—," she stopped mid word realizing who grabbed her. It was Caius.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her. His voice was cold and full of authority. Kinabahan tuloy s'ya .

"I'm enrolled here. Dito na ako mag-aaral," she answered.

Caius let go of her arms then smirked. "Sinundan mo pa talaga," sabi nito.

"Huh?" she asked, mas lalo tuloy s'yang kinabahan.

Alam na ba n'ya? She mentally asked herself.

"Never mind. Ayan na ang boyfriend mo," sabi nito tapos iniwan na siya. Hindi pa man ito nakakalayo ay dumating naman si maverick, hinabol siya.