Smashed

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 #smashedsrs

"Hi."

My eyes rounded a little when I lifted my gaze. "Uy. Hi."

The last time we talked was that night, a few hours before the New Year's Eve. Specifically, it was four days ago. Hindi rin naman kami nagka-text. Because for what?

Uno was wearing our school's black jogging pants for P.E. but his top was a gray Nike dri-fit shirt. Hindi suot ang I.D. dahil nang ipinatong niya ang sports bag sa mesa, nakita kong nakarolyo ang lace sa isang kamay at hawak niya lang ang I.D. card.

Pinagsalubong ng itsura niya ang mga kilay ko. Maybe he was from P.E. class? But he looked fresh that as in his skin impossibly exuded sweat? Papunta pa lang siguro?

He was smiling boyishly while settling himself on the concrete seat across me where his friends sat before they left earlier. Ma

"Sabi nina Ulrich, nandito ka raw," he supplied with a shrug.

"Ah, oo. Nandito nga silang dalawa kanina. Halos kaaalis lang nga. Diyan nakaupo."

"Kinulit ka ba?"

Kumibit balikat ako. "Medyo. Ayos lang."

I couldn't tell if he noticed my reluctance with how I responded. Napaisip lang ako kung bakit siya nandito. This is how friends are, right? You approach them at school. Napasinghap ako sa isipan ko. Are we friends now?

He scrunched his nose. "Sorry. Ganun talaga sila."

Kumibot ang isang kilay ko. "Sila lang?"

Natigilan siya at halatang hindi inasahan iyon. Tumiim ang nakangiti niyang mga labi nang tumango isang beses. "Kami."

Bumunghalit ako at aliw na pinilig ang ulo. Uno bit his lower lip to stifle a wide smile. His eyes dropped to my iPad when I looked back at it too.

"Busy ka ba?" he asked.

I failed to instantly formulate a safe answer. Dahil tama siya at busy talaga ako kaso kung sasabihin ko iyon, magmumukhang pinapaalis ko siya o istorbo siya. I think it would be an impudent move.

"Ah, wala, advance reading lang," tipid ko na lang na sagot.

"Ay, sorry."

I hastened a smile, though I didn't make it look like it. "Okay lang, baliw."

"Sige. Patambay, ha?" He quickly raised a hand like he was about to pledge. "Hindi ako manggugulo. Iidlip lang ako."

"Go lang!" tumatawa kong sinabi. "'Di naman akin 'tong spot para paalisin ka. Nagbabayad ka rin naman sa school."

"Nauna ka rito," he pointed out.

Kumibit balikat ako. "Kahit na."

He just smiled. Nginuso niya ang cellphone ko. 

He was obviously urging me to resume reading. Tumango ako. Hinilig niya na ang ulo sa mesa para simulang umidlip tulad ng sinabi. Payapa naman akong nakapagbasa habang nakayuko si Uno sa harapan ko. Mag-iisang oras din 'yon. Mula noong humilig siya ay hindi siya bumangon. He napped nice, huh? 

May klase na ulit ako. Magbubukas na rin ang ilaw dito dahil didilim na since this is an open area. Napaigtad bigla ang mga balikat ko nang may sumabog na tune. It didn't take me long to know that it was from Uno's cellphone. I was sure that it was... He set an alarm.