Playboy Mouth (Queen Bee/RaStro)

Mistrustful

CHAPTER TWO

K a i

I'm in the library listening to Aretha Franklin's album, pretending to read while secretly humming quietly. As long as there are books, I'm safe. Natural Woman was playing when I noticed the time. "Oh, my God, really?"

To Frankie 😤:
Frakiana, you might want to say hello. I miss you! 👿

To Taylor 🌬:
Hey, you. Busy pa din?🔥

"Still no reply? Ugh." Kanina pa ako naghihintay ng mensahe, habang iniikot-ikot ang telepono'ng nakapatong sa lamesa, pero wala pa ding reply. Malamang ay nalulungkot pa rin ang aking mga kaibigan dahil sa aking paglipat ng eskwelahan. I will try to call Taylor later; she doesn't like changes and I don't want her to get upset. The only comfort I have on leaving Taylor is Frankie being there by her side. Aww, my two best friends. I miss them already.

Actually, it was Taylor who pushed me to take the qualifying exams. "We'll be fine, Sol," she says to me. "I won't lose it. Besides, Frankie's here." They are the only ones who call me by that name like it's a code or something. Some guy in our class kept on calling me that, imitating the way Taylor says it. Frankie and some guys he dated took care of him. Guy's still alive, no worries.

Frankie was opposed to the idea but Taylor was right. Inisip ko na lang din ang kinabukasan ko, kaya naman ako pumayag na pumasok dito. 'Pag dito kasi nakatapos, at makita lang ang pangalang Scarlet Rose University sa resume mo, pasok ka na agad. No questions asked.

Sa Lovers Lane kanina, may mga nagtutukaan na naman na parang walang tao sa paligid. Buti na lang at single ako. Nagka-boyfriend naman na ako, pero hindi ko naman talaga ito gusto. Inaasar lang kasi ako ng mga kaklase ko sa taong 'yun. Sa ngayon, ayoko munang magkaroon ng jowa dahil una sa lahat, sakit sa ulo 'yun, pangalawa, wala akong pang-date, at pangatlo, virgin pa ang lips ko.

OMG, naalala ko biglang hinalikan pala ako nung babaeng nabangga ko kanina. "Teka..." Hindi na nga pala virgin ang lips ko. "Nakakainis! ScaR U? More like scare you!" Kinalampag ko ang lamesa. The noise I made echoed around the room. Sumigaw pa pala ako, hay, nakakahiya. Makalabas na nga rito. Pinagtitinginan na naman kasi ako ng mga tao, eh.

"Ah, alam ko na'ng gagawin ko," Wari ko sa aking sarili. Hahanapin ko ang babaeng nagnakaw ng halik sa akin. Makita ko lang 'yun, jojombagin ko talaga siya. Or maybe not. Ang ganda kasi niya, kaya hindi rin ako pumalag kanina, eh. Yung mga mata niya, parang tsokolateng masarap kainin. At yung labi niya, ang lambot. Kilig! Lumandi ako internally. So, yeah, maybe I did like it. A little. No, I'm not sure.

I have to be careful, baka nasa paligid lang si Jackie. Mahirap na, baka manakawan na naman ako ng halik. "Miss, ikaw ba 'to?" Tanong sa akin ng lalakeng nakatayo sa aking harapan. "Ikaw ba 'tong kahalikan ni Yuri?"

"Grabe naman yung term mo."

"Well..." 'Yun pala ang name niya. Ang cool. Bagay sa kanya yung pangalan niya. Pero sandali, kahalikan? She kissed me, I'm the victim. I loved it, I did, but I'm still the victim. Tsaka isa pa, ba't parang ang bilis naman yatang kumalat ng litratong 'to? It's only been an hour. "I got my answer, then." This guy looks nerdy to me, only a little cooler than any other nerds out there. "Bago ka dito, 'no?"

"Pa'no mo naman nalaman na bago ako? May nakalagay bang signage sa ulo ko na nagsasabing bago lang ako dito? Umiilaw ba ako? Did some asshole put a note on my back without me knowing? What?" I asked him nicely kahit na medyo pataray na ang mukha ko. Kailangan ko yata'ng humingi ng tawad dahil nagtatanong lang naman siya. "I'm sorry. I was just stressed. My name is Kai."