Chapter 7

"Hi Shara! Ano 'yang ginagawa mo?"

Nag-angat ako ng tingin at nakita ko si Hades na nakatayo sa harap ko. Caseth and Ziro wasn't with him and I don't know why. Palagi naman kase silang magkasama at bihira lang na magkahiwalay. I don't even know what's with him. 

"Ah, may pinabibili lang si maam sa'kin. Why?" tanong ko habang inaayos ang plastic na dadalhin ko kay maam. 

"Wala naman. Pumunta lang talaga ako dito para tingnan kung okay ka lang ba," nakangiti niyang sagot kaya napatingin ako sa kanya. 

My brows furrowed while looking at him."Ha? Bakit naman ako hindi magiging okay? I'm not even sick, Hades."

Sa totoo lang, hindi naman kase talaga kami close. We barely talk to each other even if he's a talkative guy. Ngayon lang siya nag-approach sa'kin ng ganito at tinanong niya pa talaga kung okay lang ba ako. Seriously?! Nakahithit ba siya ng katol? 

He was about to talk when Ziro suddenly arrived. Ngumiti siya sa'kin at may binulong kay Hades. I don't know what are they talking about because I couldn't hear their conversation. Hindi rin naman ako chismosa kaya hindi ko na lang din sila pinansin. Tapos na rin naman ako dito kaya nilagpasan ko na lang sila na hindi rin naman nila napansin. They are busy talking with something that the two of them just know. 

Ilang hakbang lang ang nagawa ko nang makita kong papalapit sa direksyon ko si Caseth. My eyes widened and stepped backwards before running away from the other direction. Kaasar! Bakit kailangan niya pa na magpakita sa'kin?! After that embarrassing moment last day, I've been avoiding him as much as I can. Hindi pa rin kase ako makamove-on hanggang ngayon. Gosh! 

"Maam, eto na po 'yong pinapabili niyo." Binigay ko sa kanya ang isang plastic at pati na rin ang sukli. 

"Thank you Ms. Lindzbergh."

Pagkatapos niyang ibinigay ang bayad ay nagpasalamat muna ako bago umalis. This has been my work since the first year. Every recess time and lunch break, I'm going to roam around the school to serve the teachers. Bale uutusan nila ako tapos babayaran nila ako pagkatapos. Kilala na ako ng lahat ng teachers dito, even the principal. 

"Hindi na ba masakit?"

"Ay shete!" bulalas ko nang may biglang nagsalita sa tabi ko. I almost dropped my phone while I was replying to Maui's message. 

"Why are you shocked?! Para namang multo ako sa paningin mo," inirapan niya ako kaya dahil sa inis ko ay hinampas ko siya. 

"Why are you here na naman ba?! I almost dropped my phone, did you know that?! Sulpot ka kase ng sulpot eh parang kabute." 

In-open ko ulit ang phone ko at nagsend na ng message kay Maui na papunta na ako sa session hall. She told me that I'm going to be the representative for our section in the upcoming English quiz bee. Lumabas lang naman kase ako para kumuha ng tubig dito sa dispenser dahil naubos ang dala kong tubig sa tumbler ko. Our teacher said that there will be an assembly on the hall so I must go there. Exempted daw ako sa 2 subjects ko sabi pa niya. 

"Why are you always stupid, huh?! Pwede bang tingnan mo muna yang ginagawa mo bago ka text nang text d'yan. Tsk."

Napaigtad ako nang bigla niyang isinara ang dispenser at saka ko lang nalaman na umaapaw na pala ang tubig sa tumbler ko. When I looked at him, he's already walking away. Hindi ko na lang siya pinansin at uminom na lang ng tubig para makapunta na sa session hall. I was running under the heat of the sun because the hall was 16 meters away from my building. Plus, I only have 15 minutes left before the assembly will start. 

"Excuse me po, may nakaupo na ba dito?" tanong ko sa isang babae habang nakaturo sa katabi niyang upuan. 

The girl slightly nodded."Yes po. My bestfriend just went out to but snacks."

"Sige, okay lang. Thank you."

Nasa apat na babae na ang tinanong ko kung may nakaupo na ba sa tabi nila pero ang sagot nilang lahat meron na daw. I don't know if someone already occupied the sits next to them or they're just saying it because they don't want me to sit beside them. Edi wow! As if naman I'd like to sit with them too. May mga iba pa namang upuan, makakaupo rin naman ako. 

"Miss, walang nakaupo dito oh. You can sit here," sambit ng isang lalaki sa gilid ko. 

He's with guys and there's no girls on their side. Ang panget naman kung ako lang ang babae na kasama nila. Besides, I don't feel like mingling with them. 

Before I could even speak, someone pulled me that made me sat on the chair. Nanlaki ang mata ko at tumingin sa gilid ko kaya mas lalo lang akong nagulat. Why is he always with me?! Kahit na palagi kaming nagkikita, still I'm shocked whenever I saw him with me. Like, we just met a few minutes ago. Tapos pati dito sa session hall magkatabi kami?! Gano'n ba kaliit ang mundo para sa'ming dalawa? 

"Why did you grabbed my hand?" I asked him annoyingly. 

He raised an eyebrow at me."So, you preferred to sit there with that morons? Alam mo bang ang manyak ng mga 'yan?!"

Why is he pissed right now?! 

"Did I say something like that?! Bakit parang ikaw pa 'yong galit kahit wala naman akong ginawang masama sa'yo?!" inirapan ko siya dahil nakakainis na talaga siya. Well, palagi naman. 

"Ikaw na nga ang inalok ng upuan, nagmamaldita ka pa. You can sit with them if you want. Bahala ka." He crossed his arms over his chest, probably irritated. 

I did the same way too while mocking him."Wala naman akong sinabing gano'n, tsk. He even grabbed my hand without telling me. What if I fall in the ground and students will see it. Psh!"

I heard him murmured something but I just ignored him. Hindi rin naman siya nagsalita kaya hindi na ako nainis pa hanggang sa dumating ang tatlong teachers sa harap ng stage. Sometimes, I can't help but to take a glance on him. He didn't notice me because he's too busy typing something on his phone. Nakita ko pa nga ang pangalang 'Ashley' eh kaya alam ko agad na babae. Tsk. Galit siya kanina kase hindi raw ako nakatuon sa pagkuha ng tubig kaya umapaw tapos siya nga nagte-text kahit na nagsasalita 'yong teacher sa harap. Though, I know he wouldn't be scolded because he's the owner of this school. 

"From the 4th year Section D, Cassandra Ashlen."

"Present po, maam."

"From the 4th year Section C, Lander Oxford."

"Here, maam."

"From the 4th year Section B, Shantal Farah Lindbergh."

Tumayo kaagad ako at ngumiti."Present, maam."

"It's going to be the last. From 4th year Section A, Cahleen Seth Monteserio."

I turned my gaze on him beside me and seems like he didn't hear the name calling. Paano niya naman maririnig kung busy siya sa pagta-type sa phone niya?! He didn't even listen or give a single opinion about the contest that will be held the next day. Hindi niya ba talaga pwedeng ipagpaliban muna ang ginagawa niya?! 

"Again. From the 4th year Section A, Cahleen Seth Monteserio," pag-ulit ni Mrs. Rivera pero hindi niya pa rin narinig. 

Damn him! Matatagalan kami dito kung hindi pa siya sasagot. Argh. I get his phone that made him looked at me with his mouth open. I glared at him and motioned him to face in front and so he did. Nanlaki ang mata niya na tumingin sa mga teachers na hindi maipinta ang mukha at pati na rin ang magbubulungang mga estudyante. Psh. Tanga kase! 

"W-What is it?" tanong niya at umayos ng upo. 

"Why aren't you listening, Mr. Monteserio?! Kanina pa ako ulit ng ulit sa pagtawag sa'yo," striktang sabi ng teacher sa harap. 

Sino ba namang hindi maiinis kung nagsasalita pa pero hindi naman pala nakikinig sa'yo. Tsk. 

"I'm doing something important, didn't you notice?!" pilosopo niyang sagot na ikinairap ko. 

Important?! Duh. Nakikipagtext lang naman siya. Who knows if he's flirting, 'di ba? 

After the assembly, we were asked to go to the library for some research. And you know what?! It's by pair and Caseth was my partner. Hindi ko nga alam kung may mabuti ba siyang maidudulot dahil palagi lang namang nakatuon ang atensyon niya sa phone niya. We're partners in the English quiz bee pero ako lang ang kumakayod para sa'ming dalawa. He didn't even helped me for once! Ugh! I hate him for being my partner. 

"Bwisit! Walang silbi! How I wish it's just an individual activity so that I won't be stressed," bulong ko habang nagbabasa sa encyclopedia. I couldn't even count the times that I rolled my eyes because of inis. Hmp! 

I saw how his eyebrow arched and put down his phone. Nakita ko lang sa peripheral view ko, ba't ba?! Besides, I don't care if he heard it or not. Who cares kung natamaan siya sa sinabi ko. 

"What am I going to do?" bigla niyang tanong pero nagpatuloy pa rin ako sa pagbabasa. Bahala siya d'yan.

Natigil ako sa pagbabasa nang bigla niyang binaba ang librong binabasa ko at nilayo sa'kin. I looked at him with a confused reaction. He's so paepal talaga. Kitang nagbabasa ako tapos iistorbohin niya ako. 

"Look, I'm not joking around so give me back the book. Kung ayaw mong mag-study para sa susunod na araw, just quit on it. 'Wag mo'kong idamay," I hissed and reached for the book on his hand. 

Nanlaki naman ang mata ko nang matapilok ako kaya hindi ko sinasadyang mapayakap sa kanya. I was still shocked on what I did and haven't recovered yet. Napabalik lang ako sa ulirat nang tumikhim siya kaya napaayos kaagad ako ng tayo. I couldn't look at him directly because of ashamed. Kinuha ko na lang agad ang libro sa kamay niya at pumunta sa isang table para umupo ro'n. 

"So, ano na'ng gagawin ko? Titigan ka buong magdamag?" tanong niya nang makaupo siya sa harapan ko.

Hinampas ko naman siya ng libro kaya napadaing siya. Napatingin tuloy sa'min ang ibang mga estudyante."Anong bang dapat gawin sa library, ha?! Magrosaryo ka kung gusto mo. You didn't listen to the assembly earlier."

"I'm texting some---"

"Shut up, will you?! Kitang nagbabasa ang nag-iingay ka," irap kong sagot at nagpatuloy ulit sa ginagawa ko. 

Good thing he isn't disturbing me anymore. He's reading the books that I get from the shelves and I find him serious while doing that. Mas mabuti na rin 'yon 'no. Or else we'll fail the contest and it will be embarrassing. As much as possible, I don't want them to get disappointed. Alam ko rin namang matalino ang mokong na 'to dahil nga first din siya sa section nila. Well, first honor naman talaga ang kinuha ng teachers para isalang sa contest eh. Though, the contest that will be held the next day is for our school only. Tapos ang team na mananalo every grade ang isasalang sa division sa Saturday. Gosh! This would be really exciting and at the same time nervous. 

"Ay! Mali ang kinuha kong libro. I think it was supposed to be that one," bulong ko sa sarili ko habang namimili ng libro sa shelves. 

My face lightened when I saw the book that I was searching for. I was about to get it but sadly, I couldn't reach for it. Hindi naman sa dakilang pandak ako eh. It's just that the shelves is so big and the book that I want to get was on the 7th line. Kaasar naman! 

An idea popped out on my head and get the chair near it. I'm in the other corner that has no students so maybe it's my chance to get it. Nasa counter lang naman ang librarian kaya hindi niya siguro nakikita ang gagawin ko. Nilagay ko ng dahan dahan ang upuan at pumatong ako roon. Laking tuwa ko nang makuha ko ang libro pero may nakita akong ipis na lumabas kaya nataranta ako. I accidentally slipped on the chair and it creates sound. I closed my eyes and waited to fall in the floor but it didn't happen. Lumutang ba ako o ano? 

"Silly. Open your eyes now, you didn't fell."

Nang marinig ko ang boses na 'yon ay agad kong dinilat ang mga mata ko. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makitang sobrang lapit ng mukha niya sa'kin. Like, there's just a few inches and we're gonna kiss. 

"H-How did you catch me? Y-Youre not here earlier."

He gulped and suddenly looked away."I was here. You didn't saw me, don't you? Ang tanga tanga mo kase, tsk."

I just rolled my eyes and was about to stand up but my ankle hurts that's why I lost my balance. Mabuti na lang at nakahawak pa rin siya sa'kin kaya hindi ako natumba. 

"What the---Students?! Anong ginagawa niyo?!"

We froze and slowly turned around with priceless reactions. The librarian was there and so with the other students. Ang panget pa naman ng posisyon namin ngayon, nakakailang. Shocks!

"Don't wanna let go of my hand?"

Napatingin ako sa kanya at sa kamay naming dalawa kaya agad ko itong binitawan. Nakakahiya. Wah! Bakit ba palagi na lang akong napapahamak?!