Fascinated by You (GM Series #1)

24

"Plates mo?" Shan asked her, masungit pa ito. Inabot naman niya ang hinihingi nito ng hindi ito nililingon.

Her eyes were fixated in front as those memories flashed back. How long has it been since the last time she saw him?

Ah. Five years. Almost six.

It has been five years since she last saw him and his friend at sa hospital pa iyon pagkagising n'ya. She never thought she'd meet any of them anymore, now that she's trying her best to avoid them.

"Huy! Bakit ganyan ka makatingin kay Sir Riley, ha?" sita sa kan'ya ni Olive sa kan'ya.

Umiling naman sya at nag mamadaling niligpit ang mga gamit n'ya. "Uwi na ako," paalam na lang n'ya pagkatapos ay nagligpit na ng gamit n'ya.

Their class was already dismissed but her classmates hasn't leaving yet. Nandun pa kasi ang bago nilang professor para sa subject na iyon at masayang nakikipagkwentuhan sa mga kaklase n'ya.

There were sudden changes in the faculty members and unfortunately, their section is one of the affected classes. Bigla kasing nag resign iyung professor nila sa isang major subject kaya kailangan palitan. At kung sinu-swerte ka nga naman, sa lahat ng pwedeng maging replacement ng professor nila ay ito pa. Caius Riley Lazarus. What a nice coincidence.

Dire-diretso ang lakad niya palabas at hindi na nilingon pa ang pagtawag sa kan'ya ni Olive o kahit pa ni Shan. And since that was their last class for this day, she headed straight home.

The aftermath of what happened five years ago almost ruined her life. Her car crashed into a tree causing her to lose consciousness. And when she wakes up after days from being comatose, her life has turned 360 degrees.

Her dad had a heart attack from worrying about her, causing him his life. She wakes up with the news of her dad being dead. And her Kuya Jordan, he was mad because of recklessness. Hindi man nito sabihin sa kanya ay alam niyang siya ang sinisisi nito sa pagkawala ng kanilang ama. Reason for her to move out and stayed in a dormitory when she entered college.

For the past five years, she lived in pain and regrets. Pain for losing her dad and regret that she chose Maverick over the man that truly loves her, her father.

"Aga mo?" Zia asked, her roommate.

She shrugged and dived on her bed. "Early dismissal," sagot n'ya habang nakabaon ang mukha sa unan n'ya.

Wala naman siyang ginawa ngayong araw pero pakiramdam niya ay pagod na pagod siya. Kanina lang ay ayos pa naman siya, nakikisali pa siya sa pang-aasar ni Olive kay Shan but after seeing him and the flashback of those memories, pakiramdam niya ay daig niya pa ang nag gym class.

Kairita. She mentally spat.

"May plano na ba ang Engineering para sa festival?" Zia asked her again. Umayos naman siya ng higa para makausap ito ng ayos.

She shook her head. "Hindi ko pa alam. Wala namang ina-announce pa," she answered. "Sa business?" she asked as well.

"Food court, as usual," sagot nito sabay buntong hininga. Ganun din siya.

She met Zia in her business course. Nag ka-crash course kasi s'ya sa Business Management habang regular student ng Civil Engineering. Zia, as one of the less loud amongst her classmates in that room, befriended her until they became close and decided to be roommates.

Dati kasi ay sa condo unit na binili ng Kuya Jordan n'ya siya nakatira at dahil guilty parin siya sa nangyari, she decided to move out again and live in a dormitory with Zia and few other schoolmates na hindi naman mahirap pakisamahan. Of course, her Kuya Jordan asked why she's moving out again and she just reasoned out that she's lonely living alone.

Syempre, hindi naman siya kukunin nun dahil una, alam niyang galit parin ito sa kan'ya at pangalawa, he already have his own family na kahit pa mabait ang sister-in-law niya, ayaw niya parin makisiksik sa pamilya nito.

Pakiramdam n'ya tuloy ay talagang mag-isa na lang s'ya.

"Hayaan mo na. Last festival mo naman na 'to. Graduate ka na after next semester," palubag-loob niya rito.

"I don't know if should be happy. Hindi naman ako tulad mo na may nag-iintay na agad pagkatapos ng pag-aaral," sabi nito.

Zia's a graduating student while she still has another year to complete her 5 years course.

She shrugged. "I'm going to pave my own way," she just said.

"Don't you think that's a waste of time?" Zia asked.

She shook her head. "It would be fine," she answered.

Sa ganung pangyayari lamang madalas lumilipas ang araw n'ya at kung walang extra-ng gagawin na tungkol sa pag-aaral, ay mas pinili niya na lang na umuwi sa dorm at matulog. She's now far from the Jordyn Addison everyone known. Hindi na siya iyong pala gala at lustagera. She now values time and money.

"Huy, bruha ka! Bakit bigla mo na lang kaming nilayasan kahapon, ha?" Olive chastised her.

"I was in a hurry," she answered. She sat beside her and took out her notes to review.

"Obvious nga. Ni hindi mo na nga nagawang mag attendance, e. Buti na lang tinanggap ni Sir ang dahilan ko at hinayaan niyang ako na lang ang mag attendance sa'yo," sabi pa nito.

"Ano namang sinabi mo?" tanong niya. She knew Olive at mas madalas ay kalokohan ang lamang ng utak nito kaysa sa matino.

"Sinabi niya na nagtatae ka at kailangan mo nang mag restroom dahil palabas na ng tae mo," Shan answered.

"Olive!" she called out, eyes widened from embarrassment.

"Oh? Kasalanan ko pa? Pasalamat ka nga at nag dahilan pa ako para mag ka-attendance ka, e," sabi naman nito.

Napa-iling na lang siya sa sinabi nito. Ano pa nga bang aasahan n'ya sa babaeng 'to?

"Sana ay hinayaan mo na lang. Wala pa naman akong absent sa subject na yun," sabi niya.

"Ay, bakit? Changed person ka na ba? Hindi ka na OC?" asar naman nito sa kan'ya.

Hindi naman na siya sumagot at inilingan na lang ulit ito. Minsan talaga ay napapaisip siya kung bakit kaibigan n'ya ang babaeng ito.