1st of Spring - The Damsel, The Prince, and The Knight (P2)

School bell rang to signal lunch break. Selena returned to her classroom. Her friends quickly ran towards her. 

"Selena! Anong nangyari sa'yo? Nag-alala kami ng sobra sa'yo. May masakit ba sa'yo?" Kringle asked in a panicked voice.

"Sorry. Okay naman na 'ko ngayon." Selena looked down, rubbing her hands. 

"Sorry ka d'yan. Ano bang feeling na makarga ni Alexis?" Kringle asked jokingly, elbowing Selena's arm.

Selena felt her cheeks warm. "Ha? Ano kasi..." She was thinking of something to say when she was suddenly interrupted by giggles from some of her girl classmates, which caused her to turn. Their school twin heart throbs, Alexis Darren and Alexander Rex Fontanilla, were standing by the entrance of their room. 

Kringle elbowed her again. She was also looking at the door. "Uy... speaking of the prince,” she whispered to Selena. "Lapit na," she said, then jerkily pushed Selena towards the door.

"Oops. Hi," Alexis greeted cheerfully, lifting a hand. 

Selena showed a sheepish smile. She could surely distinguish Alexis from Alexander even if the two look so similar. Not only because Alexis smiles more often, which is a great contrast to his twin who has this permanent scowl on his face, but also because Alexis is the guy of her dreams.

"Kamusta ka na? Okay na ba'ng pakiramdam mo?" he asked in a concerned voice.

She looked down and nodded. "Thank you nga pala sa pagdala mo sa'kin sa clinic." She looked back at him.

Alexis glanced at Alexander and back at Selena. "Wala 'yun. Pahinga ka, ha?" he said, patting her head. 

Selena blushed a little at the gesture. "Thank you ulit," she uttered and smiled at him.

He bobbed his head. "Una na kami." He excused and walked away with his twin brother.

Selena touched her head and giggled. She watched the two as they walked by the hallway, thanking Alexis in her head for the nth time. She was staring at Alexis' back when her eyes suddenly shifted to Alexander's. His hands were in his pocket but she noticed something odd. Alexander's left wrist was bandaged. Her smile vanished.

Kringle slapped Selena's back. "'Kaw ah. Kaka-debelopan na kayo ng prince mo, ah." 

Selena looked at Kringle then back at the hallway again. "Hindi ah." The twins disappeared at the sight but she could still picture Alexander's bandaged wrist.

Kringle put her arm around Selena's shoulder. "Manlibre ka naman! Let's celebrate para sa katuparan ng pangarap mo!" She exclaimed. 

"Ssshhhh! 'Wag ka ngang maingay," Selena hushed her, looking around for the twins' fangirls that might have heard Kringle. They'd surely come after her and burn her alive. She shuddered at the thought.

"Selena, pinagsulat pala kita ng notes habang wala ka kanina. Eto oh," Sharmaine said, handing the notes. 

"Thank you, ah?" Selena responded as she accepted them.

"Bilisan natin! Nagugutom na ako, eh!" Kringle complained. 

"Wala nang race! Baka maiwan na naman natin si Selena," Lucy butted in. 

"Weh? Ayaw mo lang maging pangit eh," Kringle teased. 

Lucy glared at her friend. "Shut up." 

Kringle poked Lucy's waist, and the latter jerked. "Panget. Panget." Kringle taunted Lucy again.

"Panget pala, ha?" Lucy bantered, warning Kringle. Kringle ran and Lucy ran after her. 

"Panget!" Kringle shouted at her and kept running as Lucy chased her. 

Sharmaine and Selena were left laughing. They walked to the cafeteria together. While they were walking, Selena heard a group talking, girls from class 3A. 

“...ba kung saan nakuha ni Alexander 'yung pilay n'ya?" The first girl asked. 

"Hindi nga eh. Basta ang pagkakarinig ko, may tinulungan daw s'yang someone from the other section. Ikaw ba, ano pagkakarinig mo?" The second girl asked, turning to the third girl.

"That's what I heard too. Pero whoever she is, ang swerte n'ya ha?" She replied. 

The first two girls exclaimed in chorus, "Nakakainggit s'ya!"

Selena stopped from walking and fixed her gaze at the girls. She seemed to have mistaken something. 

"Mukhang mali 'ata 'yung napasalamatan mo kanina," Sharmaine repeated the words on Selena's head, searching for her face.

Selena turned her stare at Sharmaine. "Ako kaya talaga 'yung tinutukoy nila?" she whispered.

"Siguro. Eh, 'yun lang naman 'yung pwedeng maging sagot. Pero 'di ko alam na na-injure pala si Alexander sa pagsalo n'ya sa'yo," Sharmaine answered, unsure as well.

Selena sighed and stared into space, thinking what to do.

----

"Why didn't you tell her the truth? That you're the one who helped her?" Alexis asked Alexander when they arrived at the cafeteria. 

Alexander took a glance at his bandaged wrist and placed it again in his pocket. "She's fine now and nothing bad has happened to her. I think that's what matters after all." He walked towards the line in the cafeteria counter.

Alexis followed his twin. "So you'd just let it be? Let her think that it was me when in fact it was you who did?" He couldn't help but ask. 

Alexander kept silent. He took a tray and waited for his turn in the line. Alexis sighed and he took a tray, too.

---

Selena thought if she should apologize to Alexis or say thanks to Alexander, because surely, only one of them would be present at the Students' Committee meeting later. She's the representative of class 3B in the committee and the twins are class 3A's representative and vice-representative. She was lost in her reverie when the teacher suddenly called her.

"Would you tell us the answer, Ms. Manansala?" The teacher asked, irritation seen on her face. Selena stood and answered correctly. She sat down and went back to contemplating her thoughts. Her teacher was glaring at her from time to time, but she barely noticed.

When the class was over, Selena hastily gathered her stuff. She needs to arrive at the SC office early so she could accomplish either of her plans. 

"Bumengga ka kanina kay Mrs. Robles, ah. Ano ba'ng iniisip mo n'on?" Lucy interrogated as she slung her bag over her shoulder. 

"Nasagot ko nang tama 'yung tanong n'ya. Ibig sabihin, nakikinig ako sa kanya," she explained, clearly avoiding Lucy's question.

"Eh, ano nga kasing iniisip mo kanina?" Kringle repeated Lucy's question. 

"Ha? Ah. 'Yung trabahong naiwan ko kaninang umaga. Iniisip ko kung tinapos nga ni Miss Jean," she lied. She carried her bag. "Sige, mauna na 'ko. May meeting ang SC, eh. Kita na lang tayo bukas." She waved and immediately went out before Kringle or Lucy could ask any more questions. 

---

When Selena arrived at the Students' Committee office, there were still few officers around. Her eyes wandered to see who would be attending the meeting today, Alexis, who was almost-never-present or Alexander, who was almost-never-absent. And as she thought, the latter was there. He was comfortably sitting in his usual place, at the front and by the window. She sat beside him.

"Ba't 'di mo naman sinabing ikaw pala 'yung tumulong sa'kin kanina?" She asked. 

"Nagtanong ka ba?" He responded to her with a question without glancing at her. 

"Hindi." She pouted. "Nakakahiya talaga sa kanya. Minsan ko na nga lang s'ya makausap 'yung magkakamali pa ako," she complained. 

Bakit naman kasi hindi agad nagsabi ‘tong mokong na ‘to, eh. Nagmukha pa tuloy ako ewan kanina sa harap ni Axis. She pouted.

"Kamusta na nga pala 'yang kamay mo?" Selena asked, remembering that he injured hand. 

He leaned back on the chair and lifted his wrist. "Eto? Wala lang 'to. Normal lang 'to sa'kin," he replied.

"Hala. Naglalaro ka nga pala ng basketball. Sorry." She bit her lip. Guilt was creeping up her heart.

He glanced at her. "What are you being sorry for? It's not your fault." He then gazed at the board. 

"Salamat nga pala," Selena said.

Alexander placed his elbow on the armchair and rested his cheek on his knuckles. “Your ‘thank you’ is not enough. Mahal ang serbisyo ko." And he flashed a mocking grin. 

Selena glared at him. "Nagpapasalamat na nga ako, naniningil ka pa? Wala akong pambayad." 

He smirked. "I didn't ask you to pay me. Ang sabi ko lang, hindi sapat sa'kin ang basta 'thank you' lang." 

She gave him a bored look. "So, anong gusto mo?"

"Give me your number and I'll give you a call kapag naisip ko na ang gusto kong ipagawa sa'yo," he teased. 

She hid her face. "Hihingi na lang ng kapalit sa tulong n'ya kailangan pa kunin ang number ko," she said in an almost a whisper. 

"Ano 'yon?" He asked, though she knew he heard what she said. 

She faked a smile. "Wala po." Kung ‘di ka lang talaga kakambal ni Axis, naku, binatukan na kita. 

He pulled his cellphone from his pocket and handed it to Selena. She keyed in her digits. "Oh, eto na."

The room was almost full now. After a few minutes, Mr. Aquino, the SC adviser arrived. The committee discussed things about the incoming events of the school, particularly the school festival which is being held yearly to celebrate the foundation of the school. It will be held in two months.

"We'll be having another meeting in two days para malaman kung ano ang theme ng bawat klase," Mr. Aquino explained. "Isa pa. Nagdesisyon ang admins na gumawa ng mini fest sa kick off ng inter-school games since tayo ang host this year. Magsisilbi itong advertisement para sa school festival. Kaya paghandaan nyo 'tong mabuti. Lastly, the members of the sports clubs will be excused tomorrow to practice for the inter-school games. So, is everything clear?"

"Yes, sir!" They all said in chorus. 

"Okay. Meeting adjourned," Mr. Aquino dismissed them and left. 

Selena stood up and gathered her things. 

"Selena," Alexander called, still seated on the chair. 

She turned. "Bakit?" 

He looked at her. "Naka-dorm ka, 'di ba?"

"Oo. Ba't mo natanong?"

He stood up. Their height difference was lessened, thanks to the two-inch heels she was wearing that day. "Ihatid na kita," he offered. 

She placed her hands on her back. "Hindi na. Okay na 'ko. Kaya ko na ang sarili ko."

He placed a hand in his pocket, the one with bandage and the other carrying his bag. "Let me. Sinisigurado ko lang na hindi kita kailangang dalhin ulit sa infirmary o sa ospital." He glanced at her feet then back to her face. "Nakatakong ka pa naman. Mamaya, mahilo ka na naman, matapilok ka pa't mapilayan. Kargo-de-konsensya pa kita 'pag nagkataon." 

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Kung mapilit ka ba, eh." 

He slung his bag on his shoulders and carried Selena's. They walked out of the room and continued their banter.

---

Not from afar, two girls were intently watching them, one obviously envious of Selena and the other had her eyes filled with rage. If only looks could kill, Selena would have been dead a minute ago.

"She surely has some guts para magpahatid kay Xander. Wala pang ibang nakakagawa n'yan bukod sa'yo, Marga," the first girl spoke. 

Margarita Janelle Castillejo, hailed as the campus queen, crossed her arms and raised her brow at the other girl. "Pwede ba, Vaness. Kita ko. Hindi ako bulag," she said with clear annoyance. "Malakas lang ang loob n'ya dahil hindi pa niya kilala kung sino ang binangga niya." 

"So, anong plano mo?"

Marga returned her gaze to Selena and Alexander, who were now almost out of sight. "Hayaan muna natin s'ya magpakasaya at sulitin ang bawat minuto na nakakausap n'ya sina Xander at Axis. Dahil sa oras na kumilos ako, pagsisisihan niya ang araw na nakilala niya ang mga Fontanilla."

END OF CHAPTER