Chapter 3 - Little Star

I wish I knew the things I needed to know when I entered law school so I can be ready at hindi ako mukhang nahihirapan ng sobra ngayon. Kahit ngayon ay culture shock pa rin talaga ako. Like, they have this designations.

Every year level kasi have these so called sections. Like, if you're in section A, you are called as a gunner which means a student who raises his hands every class. Kapag sobrang talino or tapang mo naman, sometimes you argued with the professors.

Section B were called or labelled as cool kids, who participates mostly on activities. Lastly, section C comes with the students who party the most, in short madaming pera at oras para magwalwal at magwaldas ng pera.

I don’t know why I was so fascinated enrolling myself in law school that time. Maybe I was amused about how the court and law works.

Sobrang nakakahumaling lang panoorin kapag may defense or any cases, saka feeling ko bagay sa apelyido ko. Like tatawagin akong 'Goodmorning Atty. Pelaez.' It's like music to my ears.

Pero pota, first semester pa lang pero pagod na ako at hindi ko rin alam sa University kung bakit napunta ako sa section A. Freshman pa lang ako pero ang dami nang nangyari.

Ang daming quiz at recitation, at siguro sa sampung recit na nangyari, apat lang ang sigurado akong maayos ang sagot ko. Amoy na amoy ko agad ang bagsak beh.

Sa law school kasi, you have to come really prepared or even advanced to that kasi you’ll never know what’s the inside of your professors’ head.

Nagde-decide na akong tumawag sa bahay para sabihin kung pwede bang lumipat na lang ng ibang kurso dahil mukhang maaga akong mamamatay dito.

But that’s what I can’t do, ang mahal ng tuition! Alam ko namang sasabihin lang ni mama sa akin ay, “Ginusto mo ‘yan, pinili mo ‘yan, kaya panindigan mo.”

Palaging nag-eecho sa isip ko ang mga ganoong linyahan ni mama kaya hindi rin ako makalipat talaga ng kurso ng gano’n lang kadali.

As I was reviewing with my notes, other cases, and advance reading na rin sa ibang subjects, ginutom ako bigla and I want to buy coffee.

I just decided to stop reading muna for a while at ipagpapatuloy ko na lang doon sa coffee shop. Kinuha ko lang ang cardigan ko saka sinuot at lumabas ng apartment dala ang mga gamit at notes ko.

I was wearing a black short, and yellow strapless top with my cardigan and flats. I took my phone with me so while walking to the coffee shop, I was scrolling to my social media accounts.

Feel ko naman na safe lumabas dahil maliwanag naman sa labas at saka marami namang tao. Last stop application ko ay ang twitter, I took a quick peek in browsing the trending list. Then after that, I just tweeted that law school really fucked me up with the #JunkTerrorLaw.

Paikut-ikot lang ako habang naghahanap ng magandang view ng coffee shop at hindi ‘yong hindi gaanong matao at syempre ‘yong malapit sa bahay.

Nang makahanap na ng magandang coffee shop ay parang nagsisi rin ako dahil mukhang 15 minutes talaga ang iginugol ko sa paghahanap o pagpili lang. And my god, for that whole 15 minutes marami na akong mababasa.

Pagkapasok sa loob ay hindi agad ako nakadiretso sa counter dahil napahinto ako saglit since nakita ko ‘yong kapatid ni Belle na mukhang nagre-review din. Sipag yarn?

Of all coffee shop dito talaga? Hindi ko alam kung tatalikod ba ako at lalabas na lang o didiretso sa counter para umorder. But I decided to stay na lang din dahil I wasted 15 minutes just to be here.

Bakit kasi kung saan-saan ko na lang nakikita ang taong ‘to?

Pinili kong umupo sa table na pandalawahan para maraming space para sa mga gamit at notes ko. It was near beside his table, ayoko namang umupo sa madilim na area at saka ‘yon lan ang ideal seat para sa akin.

So while waiting for my order, nagbrowse muna ako ng messages dahil baka may mga announcements, at hindi rin naman ako nagkamali dahil mayroon ngang extra na babasahin kaya napamura na lang ako sa utak ko.

Upon waiting, masyado yata akong na-indulged sa pagbabasa ng mga cases kahit limang minuto lang naman ‘yon dahil hindi ko napansin na nagvibrate na pala ‘yong mini-circle na gadget which is an indicator na ready na ‘yong order ko, hindi ko alam kung anong tawag do’n pero para siyang food paging buzzer.

Hindi ko pa malalaman kung hindi napansin at hindi ako tinawag ng kapatid ni Belle na hindi ko alam ang pangalan until now at wala naman akong balak malaman. Dahil kahit gwapo siya ay hindi ko pa rin makakalimutan ang ginawa niya sa akin during the fun run.

“You seem to have quiz and recit.” I heard him said seriously. Tumango ako bilang tugon, I still need to read a lot of cases though, hindi ako puwedeng makampanti ayoko na ulit makakuha ng mababang score.

“I still have my notes with me when I was your year.” He said. Napatigil ako sa pagbabasa at tiningnan siya.

“Totoo?”

“Yes, you can have it.” he said. I’m happy because it would be a big help but naisip ko rin na baka para ‘yon kay Belle?

“Paano si Belle?” I asked.

“Don’t mind her, sinabihan ko na siya but she won’t take it dahil mayroon na raw siyang nakuhang notes doon sa crush niya.” Kwento niya saka tumawa. Gosh, Belle and her tactics when it comes to her crush.

“I’ll just photocopy your notes then.” I suggest.

“I’ll give it to you personally, but let’s not risk to cut another tree for this.” Sabi niya sabay kindat.

“Is this your way of saying sorry to me?” sabi ko.

“Well, depende sa kung paano mo tanawin ang offer ko.” He then shrugged.

“Talaga lang ha.” I smirked. Isinandal ko ang likuran ko sa upuan to rest a bit dahil nangangalay ang leeg ko.

“Yes talaga, so take it or leave it?”

“Fine, apology accepted.” I uttered, I saw him grinned for a second. It was my way of saying that I’ll take his notes. It will help me along the way, ayokong bumagsak o magkaroon ng pasang-awa.

After that, I saw him stand up and come close to me. He extended his arms with me and showed a smile.

“Lexus is the name.” sabi niya.

“I’m Tala…” sabi ko naman saka nagshake-hands kami. And I felt again that electrifying feeling with in me.

After that, he asked for my permission if he could share a table with me because there’s still an available space for his reviewer.

Pumayag naman ako, I mean he’s harmless naman, and I think it would be much nicer if you have a study body? Plus, he could help me.

We focused to whatever we were doing. He’s doing his thing and I’m doing mine in silence. But sometimes, I’d feel like he was watching me, pero kapag titingin naman ako ay focus na focus naman ito sa binabasa, o sadyang feelingera lang ako na tinititigan niya ako?

I reviewed till 1:00am, and he was still there too. Nag-umpisa na akong ligpitin ang mga gamit ko because I was already sleepy and I want my bed’s comfort.

“You done?” he asked me. I nodded and for Pete’s sake, I wasn’t able to control my sleepiness so I yawned in front of him and it’s so embarrassing.

I heard him chuckled when I immediately cover my mouth after I yawned.

“I’m sorry, I’m just too sleepy.”

“Ang cute mo namang antukin.”

I heard him said but I wasn’t able to clearly comprehend what he has said, gawa na rin siguro ng ingay ng paghatak ko ng upuan kaya hindi ko masyadong narinig ‘yon ng klaro.

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. Anyway, malayo ba rito ang tinitirahan mo?” he asked suddenly. Why is he suddenly interested sa tinitirhan ko?

“Ha?” tanging nasambit ko habang nakakunot pa rin ang noo ko sa tanong niya.

“Hakdog.” Sabi naman niya, agad ko siyang inirapan.

“Chill, you look like you’d strangle me.” He said and chuckled a little. Bakit ang gwapo niya sa tawa niya?

“Muntikan na, bakit kasi?” I said.

“Hatid na kita.”

“At bakit mo ako ihahatid?” I arched a brow.

“Kasi delikado na sa labas, hindi natin alam baka holdapin ka, tutukan ka ng kutsilyo, or worst…kukunin nila ang lamang loob mo para ibenta.” He grinned after saying that and shrugged his shoulder off.

Hindi ko alam kung nagjojoke lang ba siya, worried, o talagang tinatakot niya lang ako for some reason. Far from the type of person I see him, masyadong malayo ‘yon sa kung paano siya mag-isip.

At hindi ko rin alam kung matatawa ba ako o mababahala sa mga sinabi niya a while ago pero apart of me is scared too. Sikat pa naman recently ‘yong modus na ibebenta ‘yong lamang-loob ng tao.

So I didn’t have a choice, nagpahatid na ako sa kanya sa tinitirhan ko kahit malapit lang naman. It’s better to be safe, I guess. Ayoko namang mabalita kinaumagahan na missing in action ako. Kasalanan ‘to ng mga sinabi ni Lexus, nag-overthink tuloy ako sa mga possibilities.

“Salamat.” Saad ko.

“No problem.”

“Okay, pasok na ako. Mag-ingat ka pauwi.” Sabi ko saka tumalikod na para pumasok, but he called my name.

“Yes?”

“My notes. When are you going to get them?” he asked.

“Can you give it to Belle na lang?”

“I don’t live there in our house. I’m living on my own.” He said.

“Ganoon ba? Madalas ka bang nag-rereview sa Osiris café?” I asked and he nodded. Doon ko na lang siguro kukunin sa kanya ang notes niya.

“Doon na lang tayo magkita? Anong oras?”

“Hindi ako available bukas, siguro by Wednesday. I’ll just contact you through f******k I guess?” I suggested. Because why not? We are a 21st century learners, saka easy way of communication ang mga social media accounts so why not use it?

“Hindi ako fan ng socmed.” Biglang sabi niya at natawa. I saw him pressed his lips and bit his lower lip. I don’t know but fuck, I find it so sexy.

And really? He don’t use any socmed accounts? My god, when I was in high school lulong na lulong ako sa f******k and i*******m. Pero ngayon I’m more into twitter and I*, f******k is too toxic already.

“Grabe, taga-ibang planet aka ba kaya wala kang f******k? So paano ‘yan, how we’ll contact each other?”

“Give me your number.” He suggested while giving me his phone. I didn’t know what prompt me to accept his suggestion na ibigay ko ang number ko sa kanya, but I just did. I just found myself walking towards him more and entered my number on his phone.

“Good night little star.” I heard him said and flashed a smile and then waved his hand.

Wait, little star? I don’t know but I have this feeling that the little star he said was something.

Oh my god! I knew it! Did he just called me little star because of my height?! That Jerk! How dare he mocked me?!