CHAPTER FIVE (제5장)

The following days went by so fast after the pageant. The entire school was busy with catching up requirements and final projects, since final examinations are coming.

“Mama Kends, natapos mo na yung compilation mo sa Physics?”

“Almost. Meron pa yung activity kahapon tsaka yung assignment last week. Hindi pa binabalik ni sir eh.”

“Hala, may kulang akong tatlong activities!”

“Eh diba excused ka naman nun kasi yun yung galing ka sa province? Insert mo na lang yung photocopy nung signed na excuse letter mo jan.”

“Ma, may copy ka pa nung experiment natin nung Monday?”

“Hmm.. yeah meron. Here. Yan na yung extra na copy.”

It was my favorite time of the academic year. Compilations are the best for me since I see what I have achieved so far in the subjects at school. Most of the time, I help my friends with their compilations since I always love helping out a friend. For some subjects, they’ve exempted me from a few activities because of the results of the pageant. This week has been the best week of my life!

*incoming call from Travis*

“Hello?”

“Kendra, nasa school ka ba?”

“Uhm, oo. Pero wala si sir kaya okay lang. Bakit? Okay ka lang ba?”

“Ahh sorry sorry!! Tatanong ko lang kung game ka sa recording next week.”

“Hahaha! Oo naman. Game na game. Send mo na lang yung lineup natin.”

“Got it, bes. Uwian mo ako ng Lengua at Ube Jam ah?”

“Aba aba. Nasaan pambayad mo? ”

“Hahaha ito naman. Libre mo na ako. Hindi, joke lang. Oh sige na. Mag-aral ka na jan. Tatawag na lang ako kpaag nasa bahay ka na.”

“Oo sige. I’ll text you when I get home. Ingat ka naman jan, Trav.”

“Yes ma’am! Hahaha labyu!”

*call ended*

The twins were looking at me teasingly, smirks on their faces and all. I looked back at them and chuckled.

“Uyyyyy magkikita na ulit sila ni Traviiissss”

“Hahaha! Uwian na eh.”

They know about me and Travis, and basically my entire life. Well, almost.

After a few minutes, the bell rang and it was finally time to go home! Ames walked towards me and wrapped her arms around me.

“Besh, SM tayoooo.. pleaaasseeee”

I laughed. “Aba, Amethyst. Napapdalas ata pag-aya mo sa mall?”

She pouted. “Sige na, Kends. Uuwi na kayo next week eh.. Please?”

I chuckled at the sight of her pouting.

“Matitiis ba kita? Hahahaha tara na nga!”

The twins went to the mall with us. As we walked to the mall, the three of them did not stop from teasing me with Travis.

"I'll miss you three for sure."

"Mas mamimiss ka naman namin no."

"Oo nga, ma. Pero 'wag mo na kaming intindihin. Bebe time niyo ni Travis 'to! HAHAHAHA"

I smacked Tiffany's head playfully and laughed.

"Bebe time ka jan. Hindi ko nga bebe yun."

"Pero kinilig ka? HAHAHA"

"Yung totoo, Kendra. Kailan mo ba sasabihin sa kanya?"

"He already knows. He just...rejected me."

"Bakit? Because he values your friendship? Ganun?"

Trixie even made the air quotes sign and rolled her eyes. I sighed.

"That's what he said. And I mean, he has a point. Kung man maging kami, LDR lang din. Ang hirap pa man din ng ganun. Every holiday lang or summer lang kami magkakasama. It

IS kind of useless."

"You guys don't even want to try? Kendra, I've seen you with him and you sure look different when you're together."

I sighed deeply and closed my eyes as I sip on the coffee they ordered.

"Well, I really wanted to try but he's already decided on that before. Ayoko naman siyang ipilit sa ayaw niya."

“Sabagay. Pero at least happy naman kayo ‘di ba?”

“Oo naman! Ako masaya ako.”

I wish he’s happy with me too. It’s all I ask for since I know he can’t reciprocate the feelings I have for him. Ahh, Travis. How I wish….

“Ma, yung phone mo.”

“Ha?”

I looked at my phone, it was ringing. Travis was calling me.

“Trav?”

Silence. Shit. This is not good.

“Catch.”

I hear his sniffles on the other line.

“C-catch..”

“Anong nangyari? Ayos ka lang ba? May nangyari ba jan?”

I heard him chuckle a little. “Relax. Nahiwa lang ako nung string sa gitara. Nasira na si Whitey huhu.”

I sighed and shook my head. “Akala ko naman kung anong nangyari! Ibang klase ka rin no?”

“Sorry na, Kends. Wag ka nang mag-alala, nalinisan at nalagyan ko na ng ointment. Nandito naman si mommy.”

“Don’t scare me like that, Trav! Jeez.”

“Sorry naaaaa. Tsaka I called kasi nasend ko na yung lineup sa Messenger mo. At tsaka, bakit wala ka pa sa bahay?”

“Oh okay, I’ll check it in a bit. I’m still with Ames sa mall.”

“Tsk tsk. Uwi na.”

“Hahahaha! Oo na oo na. Uuwi na po. Sige na, itetext na lang kita mamaya.”

“Ingat naman kayo ha. Loud speaker mo nga saglit.”

I signaled my friends to be quiet and put him on speaker phone.

“Okay na.”

“Ayun. Ames! Uwi na kayo mamaya ah? Alagaan mo yan, mahalaga yan sa akin. Hahaha! Ingat kayoooo byeeee.”

"Napakatamis! Oo na, sige na, bye!"

I ended the call and as usual, they kept teasing me and I was as red as a tomato. I don't think I'll ever get used to Travis saying those sweet words to me, even if as just friends.

~A few days later, after the examinations...~

Waking up to the warm breeze of the province always feels so good. I was smiling from ear to ear because I'm about to spend time with my boy best friend! I took a shower, changed into something comfortable- in this case a loose black shirt, a pair of cropped trousers and my favorite sneakers. 

"Oh nak, ngayon ka pupunta kila Travs di 'ba?"

"Opo ma. Dadalhin ko na po yung mga pasalubong kila tita."

"Oh sige. Uwi ka na lang pag dinner na ha, para hindi naman nakakahiya kay tita Laarni mo."

"Opo. Sa labas naman po ata kami kakain ni Travis eh. Nag-aaya pong pumunta sa mall."

"Ah sige. Ingat naman kayo ha. Mag-text ka lang din sa akin."

I rode a tricycle going to their place since I didn't have my license yet. Jeez, ito na. Magkikita na ulit tayo, Trav.

--TRAVIS' P.O.V.--

"Oh Travis, ito si Kendra. Anak ng tita Diana mo."

"Hi! I'm Kendra Castillo Perez!"

Said this cute girl in front of me.

"I'm Travis Bartolome Zamora."

She nodded and giggled. She waved good bye after that and went off with her parents.

I wish I could spend more time with her. She seems really nice. I said to myself.

I shook my head and smiled as I remembered the time when we met, as I was getting ready.

"Oh Travis, papunta na daw si Kendra sabi ng tita Diana mo."

"Ah opo. Nag-text na rin po si Kendra sa akin. Bale mommy, pupunta muna po kami sa mall tapos babalik na lang po kami bago yung practice namin nila Liam."

"Sige. Ingatan mo si Kendra ha."

I nodded and I was putting on my shoes when-

"TRAVIIIIIIIISSSSS!!"

I looked up and there she is. The girl I love.