Chapter 17

"Dad! We had a deal! We had a freaking deal!" I shouted at him while I followed him from behind.

It has been a year since that Batangas incident happened. Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko sinasabi sa kahit kanino ang tungkol sa nangyari, except tita who knew everything. I want to burry it on the ground and forget about it already.

"No!" He shouted and looked at me, "you will be staying in UST up until your fifth year!"

"Fuck it! We had an agreement! Sabi ko, pag fourth year college na ako, sa UP Diliman ako mag aaral. Doon ako mag tatapos! Kelan pa naging UP and UST?!" I shouted back at him.

I saw how the jaw of my dad tighten because of what I did. He was about to slap me, nang pumagitna na si tita sa amin dalawa.

"Eli, calm down," then tita looked at me, "ako na bahala sa miscellaneous fees mo. Pack your things and we will go to UP right now."

"What the fuck?! Loisa, don't tolerate her!" Sigaw ni dad kat tita.

Matapang na hinarap ni tita si dad, "Hear your daughter, Eli. Kung ayaw mo siyang pag aralin sa UP, pwes ako ang sasagot sa bayarin."

Dad smirked at tita before laughing sarcastically, "Ang tapang mo ng babae ah," then he suddenly slapped tita on the cheeks, at agad ko siyang dinaluhan. I hold her shoulders for support, while looking at my father, angrily.

"Punong puno na ako sayo! Okay lang na ako ang saktan mo, huwag lang si Chelsy!" Sigaw ni tita kaya nabaling ulit ang tingin ko sa kanya.

"Do whatever you want! Mag sama na kayong dalawa! And you!" Bigla akong tinuro ni dad, "bahala ka na sa buhay mo!"

Just like what tita said, I just packed my things before I went outside. Finally, makakahinga na rin ako.

"Uh, hello. Anong pangalan mo?" The lady asked as soon as she walked inside the dorm I rent.

Sa dorm dito kasi ay talagang may kasama ka. Sa situwasyon ko ngayon, dalawa kaming magsasama dito sa dorm, and I guess she is my dorm mate.

I smiled at her before standing up to greet her, "Lyric Chelsy," nag lahad ako ng kamay sa kanya, "you are?"

Binaba niya saglit ang mga bagahe na daka niya before shaking her hands on mine, "Hope Asea, pero Hosea nalang. Lol."

Madali lang kaming nagkasundo ni Hosea because she's very friendly and all. Even though she was kinda shy to tell me more about herself because of her family background, madaldal at napakahumble niya. Wala nga lang preno ang bibig niya dahil pala mura siya, but she is very kind anf has a good heart. Hindi lang iyan, we also have Azure, Alysia and Gail. Sila yung mga naging kaibigan ko habang nasa UP ako.

Wala kaming pasok ngayon, so I decided to go back to UST and visit my friends.  I just wore something comfortable, since mainit ngayon. I'm wearing my pastel pink lace dress, partnered with my pastel pink doll shoes. I even tied my hair up into a ponytail, leaving some strands of my hair on the sides of my ears.

"Kyaaaaaaaaah! Chelsy?! Hala, namiss kita!"

Carla ran towards me as soon as she saw me outside their building.  I was leaning my back against the wall, at nang makita nga ako ni Carla, she immediately hugged me reallt tight.

"Madre de dios, por favor! Chelsy?!"

I looked at the back of Carla, and I saw Gertrude. Her mouth is wide opened, like she saw a ghost.

"Wala kang klase?" That's the first thing Gertrude askrd me as soon as she arrived at my place.

I smiled at her, "No classes. Quezon city day eh."

I looked down at Carla who is still hugging me, "Akala ko nakalimutan mo na kami," nakanguso niyang sabi and I can't help myself but to laugh at her.

"Lets go grab some snacks. My treat," I smiled at them at mas lalong lumaki ang ngiti nila.

"Chelsy! Are you here for me?"

Nang marinig ko ulit ang boses na iyon, nanlamig agad ang buong katawan ko. I can feel myself trembling, but I manage to stay calm on the outside para hindi mag taka ang dalawa kong kaibigan.

"T-tara na, isang oras lang ang break time niyo ngayon," I smiled at my friends, at buti nalang pumayat na silang umalis na.

"Nux! Sanaol walang uniform," nangalumbaba si Carla sa mesa, "tell me, pormang porma ka doon noh?"

I laughed a little bit, before sipping on my cup of coffee, "Hindi naman. Sakto lang."

Gertrude looked at me with a smirk on her face, bago niya binaba ang iniinom niyang frappe. We're here at our usual spot tuwing break time nong nandito pa ako sa USTe. Starbucks.

"May boylet na bang bago?" Nanunudyong tanong ni Gertrude.

Nasamid ako bigla habang umiinom, kaya agad akong binigyan ni Carla ng tissue. While Gertrude is laughing the hell out of me.

"Oh my gosh! Totoo?! May nabiktima ka sa UP?" Gertrude asked, still laughing.

I rolled my eyes, "Fling lang. I'm not that serious."

Mas naging interisado si Carla, at nangalumbaba ulit sa mesa while her hands and on her cheeks, "Sino? Gwapo? Lakad mo naman ako sa mga kilala mo sa UP. Baka nandoon ang forevrt ko," Carla said kaya nagkatinginan kami ni Gertrude at agad kaming natawa.

"Tingin nga ng sinasabi mong 'fling'" Gertrude asked at lumapit pa sa akin.

Nakangiti akobg umiiling while I'm opening the zipper of my pouch. Nang makuha ko ang phone ko, I opened my phone and scrolled on my photos. Nang makakita ako ng picture namin dalawa, hinarap ko na ang phone ko sa dalawa kong kaibigan na nag hihintay.

"What the freak! Ang gwapo!" Gertrude reacted at nilagay panang kamay sa bibig niya.

"Ehem, Chelsy, beke nemen," parinig ni Carla kaya natawa naman ako.

"Ano name?" Nanunudyong tanong na naman ni Gertrude.

Napailing ako before I put back my phone inside my pouch, "Taurus Del Señor," I answered while I'm fixing the strands of my hair na nakabagsak.

"Pangalan palang, nakakagwapo na," nakangising sabi ni Carla while she's tapping her pointing finger on her chin.

"Nako dapat lang na mag date ka," then Gertrude looked at me with a serious face, "alam mo bang simula noong malaman ni Sebastian na umalis ka ng UST. Ayun, pinag dedate ang mga Med students."

"Oo tama tama," napalingon naman ako kay Carla, "nako, usap-usapan nga na may bago siya ulit ngayob eh. Med student din."

I gulped at napangiti nalang ako ng mapait. Well, looks like yung pangako niya ay napako. Why did I expect that he's different from any other guys?

"Ayun oh," Gertrude said at nginuso ang pintuan nitong SB.

Sinundan ko iyon ng tingin, and I saw Sebastian walking inside the Starbucks. He's still wearing his med uniform. Mas nagmukha siyang masculine ngayon. I smiled bitterly when I saw his hands wrapped around the girl he's with. Med student din siya, based on her uniform.

Nang mapatingin siya sa gawi namin, bahagya pang umawang ang bibig niya, but he immediately nod his head.

"Chelsy?"

Napatingin ako sa tabi ko ng may tumawag sa pangalan ko. It was Jayden.

"Pucha! Si Chelsy nga!" Jayden looked at Sebastian, "pare! Yung ex mo oh!"

Muntik akong mapasapo sa noo ko ng sabihin iyon ni Jayden. Okay lang sana kung sinabi niya iyon ng mahina, pero fuck it, he just said it out loud. Sinigaw niya pa eh. Parang pinapangalandakan niya sa buong tao dito sa SB na mag ex kaming dalawa.

"Hey," awkward na bati ni Sebastian sa akin.

I smiled at him, "Hi."

"Wait, you got raped?" Gulat at mahinang sabi ni Taurus sa akin.

I bit my lower lip at napayuko nalang. Nadulas ako habang nag kukwento sa kanya. We're here at the Sunken garden, nag papahangin kang before kami pumunta sa klase namin. Sinadya talaga namin na magkita ng maaga, para magpahangin at makapag usap.

"Nag iba yung tingin mo sa akin noh?" I looked at the garden right in front of us. I can't look at Taurus right now, matapos kong madulas at masabi sa kanya ang sikreto ko. I'm afraid that he will judge me.

"No..... you're still the same Chelsy I know," gulat akong napatingin sa kanya, at naabutan ko siyang nakatingin pala sa akin. No disgust and judgement at all, "don't worry, I will not judge you."

Suddenly, naramdaman ko ang pag bagsak ng luha ko. I wiped my tears away using my hands, but Taurus held my hand to stop me.

"Let me," with that, he wiped my tears away using his thumb.

"Thank you," I said while he was wiping my tears away.

He suddenly stopped and looked at me, "For what?"

"For not judging me, at sa hindi mo pandidiri sa akin."

Bumuntong hininga siya, and licked his lower lip a little, "Who am I to judge and be disgusted to you? Lahat naman tayo may tinatagong dumi sa atin. We're not perfect and we're just a normal human being."

I pursed my lips, fighting the urge not to cry in front of him. Mukhang napansin niya iyon kayanhe pulled me closer to him and hugged me. I felt him planting small and soft kissed on the tip of my hand. Sa ganon palang, kumalma na ako.

"Nakulong na ba siya?" Taurus asked and I immediately shook my head.

"Hindi kami nag sampa ng kaso laban sa kanya. Wala naman kasing nakakaalam na nangyari iyon, bukod sa mommy ko," I answered and I felt him sighed.

"Someday, makukulong siya sa ginawa niya. Akong bahala."

After class, dumeretso na ako sa dorm. Hosea is not with me today, kasi may date siya kasama si Icerael. Isa sa kaibigan ni Taurus.

I was busy cooking food for our dinner nang tumunog ang phone ko. I immediately got my phone para tignan kung ano ang notification.

From: Sebastian

Are you free tonight?

Kumunot ang noo ko nang mabasa ko ang text niya. Matagal na simula noong huling text namin, so I was surprised that he texted me again.

To: Sebastian

Hindi masyado. Why?

From: Sebastian

Nasa Sunken garden ako ngayon. Pwede ba tayo mag kita?

Nahulog ko pa nag sandok nang mabasa ko ang text niya

To: Sebastian

The fuck? Ano ginagawa mo dito sa UP?

From: Sebastian

Nothing, I just miss you. Can we just meet each other?

From: Sebastian

Saglit lang

I sighed before closing the stove. Sinalin ko muna ang pagkain na naluto ko sa bowl before I changed my shirt. I'm wearing my oversized shirt I bought from Bench, at yung maong shorts na galing sa Bench din. Sinuot ko na rin ang oversized hoodie ko. I tied my hair up into a messy bun, bago ako lumabas ng tuluyan sa dorm.

Hindi naman ako nahirapan para hanapin si Sebastian, because I already saw him sitting on one bench, nakahrap siya sa Sunken garden mismo.

"Hi? Ano nangyayari?" I asked as I sat down beside him.

He looked at me and smiled at me, "Wala, namiss lang kita. Bawal ba?"

I pursed my lips and looked in front of us. Tahimik lang kaming dalawa, hanggang sa mag salita siya ulit.

"Mahal pa rin kita, Chelsy."

Gulat akong napatingin sa kanya, "Huh?"

He shifted his seat para makaharap niya ako. He held my hand at dinala niya ito sa bibig niya. Just like what he was doing before, hinalikan niya ang likod ng palad ko.

"I..... still love you," he said while he was looking at me straight in the eyes.

The next morning, kinausap ko ulit si Taurus before we went to our class.

"We should break up," panimula ko habang nakatingin sa kanya.

To my surprise, hindi siya nagmukhan nasaktan or what. He was just calm while looking at me, waiting for me to continue.

"I admit, I still love my ex," aminado kong sabi habang nakayuko.

"I know," agad akong napatingin sa kanya ng sabihin niya iyon, "halata naman eh. You should go back to him. Deserve niyong sumaya. I will just stay at your side as your friend. Pwede mo akong takbuhan kung may kailangan ka. No awkward."