9

"Like this! People leaving you behind! Acting like you don't exist and you're obviously fine with it!"

Umiwas ako ng tingin. I tried to walk away but he grabbed my hand. Sinubukan kong baklasin ang kamay niya pero mas lalo niya itong hinigpitan. "Sky ano ba!"

"Can you stop letting other people bring you down? Just for once, Soliel! Huwag mo naman sana hayaan na tapakan ka ng mga tao! Hirap na hirap na ako na iparamdam sayo na deserve mo ipagmalaki but here you are allowing these bullsh*ts to drag you down! Sana naman huwag mong hayaan na mapunta sa wala ang efforts ko. I can't do it by myself, Soliel. How can I show you that you are actually worth it when you yourself don't feel that you actually are." He cupped my cheek. Nilapit niya ang mukha niya sa akin. He rested his forehead on mine. I could actually feel his breath near my mouth. 

"Gusto ko lang naman iparamdam sa'yo na you are more than what you think of," he sounded so hopeless. He cupped my cheek and made me look at him. "You are a hopeless case." Napa-upo si Sky sa sofa chair at hinilot niya ang kanyang sintido. 

Moments later ay narinig namin ang pag bukas ng pinto. Steph peeped in and showed us a Starbucks paper bag. "Coffee?" She smiled genuinely at us. I saw Sky sighed and forced a smile. 

She placed the paper bag on top of the desk and took out our coffees. "Here's your Caramel Frap, Lex," inabot naman niya sa akin ang drink ko. Kinuha ko naman ito at ngumiti ako sa kanya. "Sky, I don't know what your fav starbs drink is kaya I got you Caramel Frap din like Alexis. Is it okay lang ba?" She asked him. Tumango naman siya at ngumiti. 

"Yeah, sure. It's not a problem," he simply answered. Inabot niya din ang drink niya at umupo ulit siya sa sofa chair. I sat on my usual place. I never sat sa chair ni Fiona. Even if I am the Council President now, sa dating upuan ko pa din ako umuupo which is on Fiona's right side. The center chair remains vacant kasi for us, Fiona is still our President. No one can compare to her leadership skills. 

I was busy creating a power point presentation for our meeting later with the council. Nagulat ako when Sky stood up and leaned in to me. I could smell his perfume. He placed his hand on the table and the other one was behind my chair. I gulped when I felt him lean closer to me. I heard him click his tongue kaya napatingin naman ako sa kanya. Nakita ko kung paano kumunot ang noo niya. "W-what's wrong?" Tanong ko naman sa kanya. He looked at me at agad naman niya inagaw ang laptop ko. "Hey! Teka!"

"The attendance is not compulsory? Really? And you think students would attend if hindi compulsory ang attendance? You are too soft for your position," malamig na sabi ni Sky at agad naman siya nag type sa laptop ko. Tinignan ko nalang siya habang binabago niya ang gawa ko. "Be strict, will you?" Tumango nalang ako sa kanya at kinagat ko ang ibabang labi ko. 

Isa-isa naman dumating ang mga member ng council. I saw there shocked faces when they saw Sky sitting in one of our sofa chairs. "Oh? Sky! What are you doing here?" Avery, one of our council member asked him. Sky did not respond. Tinignan niya lamang ito at ibinalik niya ang tingin niya sa phone niya. Avery faked a cough and sat down on her chair. 

I stood up and started presenting. I was having a hard time plugging the hdmi cord kaya agad naman na tumayo si Sky at siya ang sumaksak nito. I whispered thanks sa kanya. Bumalik naman siya sa upuan niya. 

We discussed about the upcoming UAAP. On what designs we should do for our t-shirts and a lot of stuff concerning the event.  Some were debating regarding their schedule of handling the attendance pero bigla silang napatigil when the door opened. "Hi! Sorry na late nanaman ako! Ah! Sky! Bro bakit ka andito?"

Sky smirked and stood up I saw the two guys fist bumping each other. "Kanina pa namin tinatanong iyan sa kanya," Avery intervened. "Bakit ka andito Sky? And why did you help Alexis kanina?" 

"Help? Well that's a first. You never helped any female species before man. Why? Are you courting her?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Nate. Nagulat kaming lahat sa malakas na tawa ni Avery. 

"Court? Her?" She scoffed. "Are you joking, Nate? Who would court Alexis? She's a loser," Avery mocked. "Well, Sky is a playboy. Oh my!" Napatakip si Avery ng bibig. "Did I ruin your plan Sky? Were you actually planning to toy with her? I am so sorry! I did not mean to ruin your game." 

"Aba't!" Akmang susugurin na sana ni Stephanie ni Avery pero agad ko naman hinawakan ang braso niya. She looked at me pero umiling lamang ako sa kanya. I tugged her hand kaya naman kumalma na siya. 

"If Sky is courting her, what will happen next? After a few months mabubuntis din ba siya kagaya ng kaibigan niya na si Fiona? Since both of them are the same naman hindi ba. Para nga silang twins eh. They both excel in academics. Almost perfect na sa mata ng diba and most importantly. Kunware mabait at insonte, nasa loob pala ang kulo nila." 

Avery kept on spitting out nonsense and no one even dared to stop her. All of us are close, yes. Pero si Avery lang talaga and Anika ang masama ang ugali sa amin. Sa aming tatlo lang naman at hindi namin alam kung bakit. Masama ang ugali ni Avery dati pa pero we would get along just fine. Civil lang but when that stupid nickname appeared ay bigla nalang nag bago ang trato ni Avery sa amin. She would always do what she wants. She would throw activities na hindi pinapaalam sa council. Always sila nag-aaway ni Fiona because of that. Matagal na din pina-plano ni Fiona na paalisin siya sa council but of course hindi niya ginawa. Despite her attitude, Avery is very responsible. She is a good leader din kaya sayang if tatanggalin siya sa council. Besides, sa amin lang naman siya ganyan. We can tolerate it. 

"Sumosobra ka na!" Hindi na napigilan ni Stephanie na mapasigaw. Avery looked at her and rasied her eyebrow. 

"I'm telling the truth though. Look at Sky. He's not even saying anything. I bet he finds this amusing," lumapit si Avery sa upuan ni Sky at umupo sa arm rest ng sofa chair. He didn't even budge! "We all know Sky is very well-known for dating most of the female population of DLSU. So I am pretty sure that Alexis is just his flavor of the month. O baka nga isang oras lang since she is too plain and boring. Am I right Sky?" Mapang-akit na tanong niya kay Sky. He just gave her a smirk and that made Avery's eyes twinkle. 

I balled my fist while biting my lower lip. Pinipigilan ko ang sarili ko na hindi umiyak. "You're right," nagulat si Avery when I talked. I saw Sky looking at me with amused eyes. "I might be his new flavor for this month. At least nasama ako hindi ba? Eh ikaw? I haven't heard any rumor na naging fling ka niya or even as f*ck buddies," I went near her and leaned closer to her face. "Does that mean you're much more boring and plain than me? For him to not even offer you that kind of relationship? Hmm, Avery?" Kitang-kita ko ang pamumula sa mukha niya when I said that. Tumayo naman ako ng tuwid at tinignan siya with bored eyes. Tumalikod ako para umupo ulit sana sa upuan ko when I heard Avery screamed kaya agad naman ako humarap sa kanya. 

Sky pushed her off the chair! I looked at Avery who is currently lying flat on the floor while Sky massaged his nape, eyes closed. "Ingay," he said coldly. Umayos naman ng upo si Sky at tinignan si Avery na nasa sahig habang hawak-hawak ang kanyang balakang. "Ang ingay naman ng bunganga mo," he said. Agad napaangat ng tingin si Avery. She looked shocked! Well we all are! Who would have thought he would push her that hard! Medyo naawa ako kay Avery kasi medyo malakas ang tunog ng pagkahulog niya mula sa upuan ni Sky. 

"First of all, thanks for making her mad. She finally had the guts to talk back to a worthless piece of trash like you. And second, can you not say that? I have standards you know. I just don't date anyone. Hearing you say that makes me think I even dated people who are stupid and has a pea size of a brain."

"D-dude, that's a low blow," Nate said pero ngumisi lang si Sky. 

"Let's change that, shall we? Sky is known for dating girls who actually have class and are not stupid," Sky stood up kaya biglang napa atras si Avery. "No wonder I ghosted you. You're ugly inside and out."

Agad naman lumapit si Sky sa akin at hinatak ang kamay ko. He sat on my chair and he pulled  me towards him which made me sit on his lap. I was about to stand up when he wrapped his arm around my waist. I heard Stephanie giggled at agad naman siya umupo sa upuan niya, which is in front of me. Nate shook his head while smirking and sat down on his chair too. The others did the same. Only Avery and Anika were the ones who are left standing on the side. 

"C-can you sit there nalang? I'm uncomfortable," I whispered. He groaned pero tumayo din naman siya at lumipat sa bakanteng upuan pero lumapit siya sa tabi ko. "Anong ginagawa ninyo?" I coldly ask. "Umupo na kayo hindi pa tapos ang meeting natin."

"That's my girl," Sky whispered on my ear which made me smile.