Chapter 4

"So bakit ka nga late kahapon?" Yzza arched a brow while we were eating.

Uminom ako sa bottled water ko. Break time kaya nasa canteen kami. I inhaled an air and looked at them. They were all waiting for me to answer Yzza's question like it was that big deal.

I put the bottled water down. "Bawal na ba akong ma-late ngayon?"

Pumangalumbaba si Inna sa lamesa. "Masaya ba bebe time?"

"Hindi ko alam! I've never experienced it, what's the point of asking me?" I shook my head.

Nakita lang nila na hinatid ako ni Joaquin hanggang sa building namin kahapon, ganito na ang mga tanong nila! Ano bang akala nila sa' min! We aren't dating!

I should really avoid Joaquin seriously this time or else my friends would keep thinking the wrong way about the two of us. Nakakasawa na magpaliwanag!

"Feeling ko nasa talking stage pa lang sila." Tumango-tango pa si Jhannus.

Why are they jumping into conclusions? I already clarified. I don't like Joaquin. He's just... maybe an acquaintance now? Yeah, right. He's not a stranger to me anymore.

"Ang kulit n'yo. Hindi nga," pakikipagtalo ko na. "Kaya lang kami magkasama kahapon kasi.." If I tell them that we ate together, they might think we're really seeing each other. Bahala na nga sila!

"Kasi?" tanong nila.

I shook my hand. "Kasi wala! There's no reason! Basta hindi ko siya gusto, that's it!"

Yzza laughed. "You'll never know."

Inirapan ko sila. You'll never know my ass.

Pinilit kong ubusin ang chocolate shake ko pati na ang order na pizza. Hindi ko sure kung makakakain pa 'ko ng lunch sa lagay na 'to. I felt full all of a sudden. I sighed while chewing the pizza.

Pagkatapos kumain, sumabay sa' min si Yzza hanggang sa building namin. Wala siyang prof sa subject niya ngayon kaya balak niyang maki-sit in sa klase namin. I sat on my chair and opened my small notebook to see my previous notes in the class that we attended today. Baka may biglaang recitation.

"Hoy, pa-sit in din!" Sumilip si Jhannus sa pinto. Hindi pa pala siya umaalis.

"Boba, may klase ka. Hindi pwede," sagot ni Inna kaya sumibangot si Jhannus bago naglakad paalis.

Nilabas ni Zea ang box ng natirang pizza para ubusin sa mga upuan namin habang naghihintay kami sa prof. Kahit busog na, kumuha pa rin ako. Hindi na nga talaga ako kakain mg lunch.

"Good morning," the prof greeted minutes after we started eating.

Tumalikod kami nila Zea para hindi makitang kumakain kami. When we successfully chewed our pizzas silently, we turned around and looked at the blackboard. Buti na lang hindi napansin ng prof.

Siniko ko si Inna nang maglabas siya ng phone, itinago pa sa loob ng notebook niya. She just simply gave me a thumbs up and a nod, asking me not to make her obvious on what she was doing.

Hinayaan ko na lang siya roon at nag-focus na sa sinasabi ng prof. When the class got dismissed, we waited again for our next professor.

Yzza held the strap of his shoulder bag to leave the classroom when the professor arrived. "I'll go now," she whispered to us so we nodded.

Nakinig lang ako nang nakinig sa lahat ng prof ko sa bawat subject hanggang sa matapos ang lahat ng klase ko. Hindi agad ako nakaalis sa building namin nang magsimulang umambon.

I have no umbrella. I didn't like bringing one with me, that's why. I held onto the strap of my shoulder bag while observing if the rain drops would stop pouring o lalakas pa.

Napabuntong hininga ako nang tuluyan na ngang umulan. Bad timing naman nito. Dapat pala sumabay na ako kila Zea kanina. Nagmamadali kasi silang dalawa ni Inna kanina, parehong may magkaibang lakad kaya ang sabi ko mauna na sila.

May ilan pa naman akong kasama dito sa building na naghihintay din tumila ang ulan kaya hindi gaanong nakakakaba maghintay. The only problem was that, I wasn't sure if how long I should wait for the rain to stop.

"Hindi ka pa uuwi?" Napasinghap ako nang tumabi sa akin si Joaquin. Nakakagulat naman siya!

"I'm waiting for the rain to stop, obviously." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Don't you have an umbrella with you?"

"Oo nga. Wala nga." Pinigilan kong mag-sungit.

I looked at my watch. Quarter to 6 PM na ang oras pero dahil umuulan, madilim na agad. I grabbed my phone to text my mother that I might come home late because the rain won't stop pouring.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Joaquin after putting my phone back to my bag.

He raised the brown folder his right hand was holding. Napansin ko rin ang kaliwang kamay niya na may hawak na payong. "I have to give this to someone from this building."

"Kanino? Sa girlfriend mo?"

His forehead creased. "Hindi. Girlfriend a****a. Wala ko no'n," sabi niya, natatawa.

"Why? You don't like the idea of having one or just because you're picky?" I asked, raising my left brow. "Or maybe, maybe you don't like commitment."

He pushed his tongue against his cheek. "What do you think?"

I cocked my head to the side. "I think, you don't like commitment?"

"Why do you think so?"

"Why, am I wrong?"

He pursed his lips. "Siguro," sagot niya habang nakatingin sa harap at bahagyang nakangiti.

I stared at his side profile only to see how good it was. He's really attractive, huh? I quickly looked in front too when Joaquin suddenly turned his face to me. Hindi ko alam kung nahuli niya akong nakatingin sa kanya!

"Crush mo siguro 'ko," he accused me, smiling.

"You're making me want to vomit. Please, stop." I rolled my eyes.

Tumawa lang siya bago binuksan ang payong na dala niya. Naguguluhan ko siyang tinignan nang inabot niya sa' kin 'yon. "What should I do with this?"

"Pwede mong titigan," sarkastiko niyang sagot.

I hit his chest a little. "Ano nga?"

"Gamitin mo na." Tinanguan niya ako.

"But, what about you?"

"Okay lang, hihintayin ko na lang tumila 'yan." Tukoy niya sa ulan.

But I bet the rain would take long to stop and it was getting late, too! Nakaka-guilty naman kung tatanggapin ko 'to tapos iiwan ko siya dito. I'm not like that!

"Sige na, mauna ka na," he urged me but I shook my head. "Bakit?"

I grabbed the sleeve of his uniform. "We can share, you know?" Hinatak ko siya pasulong sa payong kaya medyo napayuko siya.

I heard him sigh after we stepped outside the building. Siya na ang humawak ng payong dahil hamak ang tangkad niya sa' kin. I didn't bother to complain anymore when he put his hand on my shoulder to pull me more para hindi m****a ang kabilang side ng katawan ko habang naglalakad kami sa ulanan palabas ng University.

Huminto kami sa waiting area na nasa gilid ng gate ng University. Kinuha ko ang panyo at box ng tissue sa bag ko. I gave my handkerchief to Joaquin so he could wipe himself. Medyo nabasa kami pareho.

"Stay here. I'll just get my car," he said after wiping his face bago ulit tumakbo sa ulanan habang hawak ang payong niya.

Umupo muna ako sa bench habang hinihinatay siyang bumalik. Tumayo ako nang marinig ko ang busina niya. He stepped outside the driver's seat and opened the umbrella again before running to me.

Sumulong ako sa payong kasama siya at agad na pumasok sa loob ng kotse niya. May mga diyaryo nang nakalatag sa mga upuan para hindi 'yon m****a.

"We're now so wet." I wiped my arm with a tissue.

Napalingon siya sa' kin. "Anong sabi mo?"

Inabutan ko siya ng tissue dahil nabasa na rin ang panyo na pinahiram ko sa kanya. "B**a na ako," ulit ko.

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. "Inulit pa talaga," bulong niya.

"Are you saying something?" I creased my forehead.

"Wala. H'wag mo na lang ulitin ang sinabi mo. Ang pangit pakinggan." Napailing siya.

Umawang ang labi ko nang maintindihan kung anong ibig-sabihin niya. I threw a tissue at him so he laughed. He can really find time to annoy me, can't he?!

"Stop annoying me, will you?"

He dramatically looked at me. "Wala naman akong ginagawa, ah?"

"Wala kang ginagawa pero ang dami mong sinasabi!"

"Ewan ko. Gulo mo." He rolled his eyes.

Wow! Ako pa talaga! He was the one who kept on blabbering nonsense! Akala ko pa naman we're already okay but I guess I was mistaken! He can't stop himself from being annoying!

Tumahimik na lang ako habang hinihinatay na makarating kami sa village. Unti-unti na rin humihina ang ulan. I frowned and looked at Joaquin again when I felt my stomach hurting.

"I'm hungry," I whispered but enough for him to hear it.

"Bakit mo 'ko tinitignan? Hindi ako pwedeng kainin," walang kwentang sagot niya at niyakap ang sarili gamit ang kaliwang kamay niya.

I clicked my tounge. "Forget about it."

Pipikit pa sana ako saglit pero bigla kaming huminto sa tapat ng isang convenience store pagkalipas ng ilang minuto.

A smile quickly appeared on my lips. Hinintay kong makaikot si Joaquin bago bumaba. Tinapat niya sa' kin 'yong payong para sabay kaming pumasok sa loob ng convenience store.

I grabbed two cup noodles and gave Joaquin the other one. Nang malagyan ng tubig na mainit ang mga cup namin, pumunta na ako sa counter para bayaran 'yon pero naunahan akong maglapag ni Joaquin ng cash.

I took his money and gave it back to him. "It's my treat now," I said, remembering what he told me yesterday when he paid for my shake.

"I'll buy us drinks," he still insisted so I just let him do what he wants.

Naupo kami sa isa sa mga table na nakalagay sa loob ng store. We were both facing the glass wall, waiting the noodles to be cooked by the hot water that we put.

Kumain na ako nang maluto ang akin. I thanked Joaquin when he opened the bottled water for me. Humigop ako ng sabaw bago ako nag-balik ng tingin kay Joaquin na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin kumakain.

"Ayaw mo ba ng flavor?" Spicy ang kinuha ko para sa kanya dahil sabi niya 'yon ang gusto niya.

Umiling lang siya at nagpangalumbaba, nakangiti sa' kin. I bit my lip and flicked his forehead. He's the source of my consciousness these days! Ayoko nga nang tinitigan ako.

"Gutom na gutom." Umiling-iling pa siya pero nakangiti naman.

"Hindi kasi ako nag-lunch," depensa ko.

Agad na kumunot ang noo niya. "Bakit?"

"I had no appetite." Sumubo ako ng noodles.

"Hindi ka pala healthy, e," akusa niya.

I moved his cup closer to him. "Go and eat that. Ang dami mo na namang sinasabi."

Naubos ko na ang noodles ko dahil nauna akong kumain kaysa sa kanya. While waiting him to finish eating, I took my phone to secretly take a picture of him. I don't know.. I just want to do so.

I angled myself and clicked the button of the camera but I almost hit my head on the table when it made a sound and flash. Joaquin looked at me and furrowed his brows a little but after a moment, he shook his head.

"I'm not trying to take a stolen picture from you," I quickly denied even though he wasn't still saying anything.

He sat properly, staring at me. "Tara na nga. Nahahalata ka na masyado." Mahina siyang natawa.

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