CHAPTER 3

The moment I sent the message I realized that I made a wrong move. Baka natakot s'ya sa akin knowing na napaka spontaneous kong tao! Ahhh! Nakakainis talaga ang imahinasyon ko! Kung pwede lang i-unsent ang message. Kaso, hindi. So, I just turned off my phone and slept peacefully that night. Bukas ko nalang s'ya problemahin.

Kinabukasan, I immediately checked my phone kung sumagot ba s'ya or dedma lang. Sadly, it was the latter! Walang reply kahit tuldok man lang! Okay lang 'yon. Kunwari nalang hindi ko 'yon sinend.

After I had my heavy breakfast, I got ready for school. Medyo malayo ang biyahe kasi nasa liblib na lugar ang campus namin. Tahimik, maaliwalas, mahangin, malinis, at higit sa lahat, malayo sa sibilisasyon! Hindi katulad sa main campus na katabi ang mga malls at tambayan! May free wifi din doon pero hindi masarap matulog sa library! Hindi pa kasi renovated at maraming gumagamit doon.

Bago makarating sa campus ay kailangan mo pang sumakay sa shuttle! Napakahaba ng pila buti nalang ay maaga akong pumasok dahil kung hindi, paniguradong late na naman ako. Si Cielo pa naman mahilig din magpalate! Maaga s'yang umalis ngayon dahil abala s'ya sa presentation n'ya. May report s'ya sa Financial Markets kaya nauna na s'ya sa library.

"Isa pa, aalis na!" Kanina pa nagtatawag yung barker pero walang gustong sumakay. Sa front seat ako umupo at wala pang umupo sa tabi ko. Nagagalit na 'yung barker, wala pa ring sumakay. Hanggang sa nakita ko Austin at mabilis na umupo sa tabi ko.

Tipid s'yang ngumiti kaya tinanguan ko nalang s'ya. May problema ba s'ya? Bakit ang tahimik n'ya? Iniiwasan n'ya ba ako?

"About last night...." He started the conversation habang nakatingin lang s'ya sa daan. I felt so uncomfortable. Walang privacy. Naririnig kami ng driver!

"Ah, about that. I told you, you're the best! That's a fact. It's just that..." I breathed heavily trying to fight the urge not to confess to him! Isa pa, naalala ko rin iyong pagyayaya ko sa kanya sa date. I realized that it was too much.

But I was praying na papayag s’ya. Because he’s the ideal one. He’s the best among all the people I met.

"We're friends, right?" He cut me off. Those words that he uttered just made my little hope for us vanished. Olats. Awit, pre!

"Right. We're friends!" I said trying to change the conversation. After that encounter, hindi na ulit kami nagkita. I don't know how long, it's just that he already placed a line between us. Parang may imaginary boundary sa amin.

Everytime na magkakasalubong kami sa hallway, he’ll take the separate path or walk past me. Everytime makakasabay ko s’ya sa elevator, hindi s’ya sasakay kahit ba halata namang nagmamadali s’ya. Kapag magkasama sila ni Cielo, aalis s’ya kapag parating na ako. Ang sakit lang. Parang implied n’ya akong nirereject!

Weeks later, we had our final exam. Ang dami n'ya naitulong sa akin. Even though hindi na kami masyadong nag-uusap sa personal, he still kind enough to respond to my queries about the subject. He made me understand the lesson thoroughly! He will make a good teacher if pupunta s'ya sa academe after he pass the boards!

On the last day, since hapon pa ang exam ko, I decided to stay sa main library. Kaya lang, as I went inside the library, puno na. So, I decided to find another place kung saan pwedeng mag-aral. My feet brought me to the Law School Library. Walang tao rito usually kasi konti lang ang nag-aaral sa school namin ng Juris Doctor and most of them are working students-- so they don't have time to stay in the library.

I logged in sa library then pumasok na ako. True enough, wala ngang katao-tao rito! Tatlo lang nadaanan kong nasa loob at iyong isa ay natutulog pa!

I think I found my haven!

Dito nalang ata ako palaging tumambay! Ang lakas pa ng wifi ng school dito at ang lamig ng aircon! In all fairness!

"Isobel?" I stared at my book for quite some time before looking up. Si Fausto ulit! Anong ginagawa n'ya dito?

"Austin." I casually said and then umupo lang s'ya sa harapan ko. Oh, gamit pala n'ya ang mga ito. I thought babae ang may ari kasi napaka-organized talaga!

"Akala ko babae ang nakaupo s'yan. Super OZ ng mga gamit e." He laughed a bit and then inayos ang earphones n'ya.

Goodness.

How can a single laugh be this sexy?

"You're funny. I can't study kapag magulo! I just get irritated!" I just smiled at him and inayos ko na rin ang earphones ko and plinay ang study playlist ko sa spotify. It's a lofi music. Inaantok kasi ako kapag classical. Tapos, tinry ko na rin yung mga alpha waves and such but I just ended up sleeping! I really needed a game changer so I resorted sa lofi music.

"Tingin ng playlist mo?" He offered his hand kaya naman binigay ko sa kanya yung phone ko. Kaya lang, biglang may dumaan sa likuran ko at natulak ako paharap sa kanya. Instead na cellphone ang mahawakan n’ya, shet, boobs ko pa ang nadakma n’ya.

I WAS SO SHOCKED AS WELL AS HIM. He immediately removed his hand from my boob and looked away. He clenched his jaw and his face is all fucking ready.

Hiyang-hiya ako.

Gusto kong kainin ng lupa.

Silence enveloped us because nobody wanted to talk.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do it.” He said looking at his fingers.

I bit my lips.

His hands were too big and I could still feel it on my boob. I just nodded at him. What will I say? Hindi okay? Bastos ka? E, hindi naman n’ya sadya. Kasalanan noong dumaan kung sino man iyon.I cleared my throat and continue to study.

"I think, you should try bossa nova to lighten up the mood. It's my mood setter though. Medyo lively but not that loud na nakakadistract," He handed his phone at sinaksak ko yung headset ko.

He's right. Nakakaenjoy ngang mag-aral kapag ganito.

Hours passed, nag-aral lang kami. Minsan, umiinom naman ng tubig para hindi kami madehydrate at para mabawasan ang antok. Nakakaantok kasi talaga ang theories. Very long and napakashort ng attention span ko. So, hindi matchy!

"Last exam. Let's do our best!" He said after naming lumabas sa elevator as we parted ways. Pagkarating ko sa classroom, nag-start na ang exams and as expected, business law is hard! Kaya maraming sumesemplang sa boards dahil sa mga tricky questions nito e.

I just did my best.

Alam kong nag-aral ako pero gusto ko rin na mataas ang score ko baka sakaling idate n’ya ako.