Bay of Strangers (Manila Girls #2)

Kabanata 3

Kabanata 3

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"Lei, bilis! Recess is over!" Kinalampag ni Vanna ang pintuan ng cubicle.

I lifted my head and wiped a few drops of my digusting barf. I heave out a heavy, exasperating sigh and momentarily closed my eyes as I tried to get a grip of myself.

My long slender fingers entangled my wavy hair, afraid that some of it will be thrown over the toilet bowl. I held onto my hair for a few seconds before I felt the throbbing sensation in my throat again—coaxing me to throw up just a few more.

It's always like it this way. I have a series of self-induced vomiting after eating takeout foods or foods that I deemed unworthy to enter my body. Sometimes, I'm afraid to eat at all, but most of the times, I eat a lot—and I have a great impulse to throw up or purge a lot. 

"Wait lang," I weakly uttered.

It's scary... Sometimes I cannot even control myself. It has caused me to have an unstable and relentless liking towards foods and its calories. I'm crazy for it. Buti na lang at nariyan palagi si Vanna. Atticus knows about this too, so he always try his best to cook me my favorite dish—sinigang na baka.

"I have a bottled water here and you drop your diuretics on the floor. Buti na lang, napulot ko kaagad."

"Thanks,"

In a hasty speed—I tried to regain my composure and fixed myself. I fixed my uniform and stood up. I'm a bit dizzy and my head is throbbing. My jaw felt like it was locked, and I cannot force it to close.

"Are you fine?" Nag-aalalang tanong ni Vanna habang naghihilamos ako.

"Yeah,"

"We should go na..."

I sighed. "Thanks, Vanna. Don't know what I would do without you,"

She shrugged and chuckled. "Pinatatawag ka rin ni Ma'am Orelio."

"Bakit?"

"I don't know, teacher's pet." Irap niya at kinuha na ang kamay ko para makalabas na kami sa comfort room.

Habang naglalakad, ininom ko na rin ang tubig na bigay niya. Dumiretso ako sa baba at nagtungo sa faculty room. Napatigil nga lang ako nang makita si River Gaisano na nakasandal doon sa gilid na pader. Nakalugay ang diretso't hanggang panga niyang buhok, natatakpan nito ang mukha niya, mukhang abala rin siya sa pagtingin sa lapag na tila ba mayroong entertaining doon kahit na malinis na sahig lang naman ang naroon.

Speaking of him—I tried asking my parents about him and they said that they don't know him. If he really is part of the Gaisano clan, then my parents would know. Baka nga nagsasabi siya ng totoo nang sinabing hindi niya kamag-anak ang mga iyon.

I cleared my throat so he'll know that I'm here. Nag-angat siya ng tingin. Agad kong napansin ang magulo at gusot niyang uniporme. Nakabukas ang dalawang unang butones nito kaya nakita ko ang collarbone at dibdib niya at iyong kwintas niya.

"Sabi ni Ma'am hintayin daw kita..." He muttered.

He fixed his hair and smiled at me. Taas-noo ko naman siyang nilagpasan at binuksan ang pinto ng faculty room.

It has been over a week since the class started. With the way I see it, River is having a hard time adjusting. I don't even have to worry about his performances because he's obviously going to flunk the subjects and he will not be in my way of achieving certain things. He hardly paid attention to class. Palagi ko siyang nakikitang nakatingin sa malayo na tila ba malalim ang iniisip at madalas din siyang tinatawag at napapansin ng mga teacher namin.