The Ravages of Time

Kabanata 10

Kabanata 10

Accidental Confession

"What? Saan galing 'tong ten?" I complained out of frustration while pointing my fingers at the solution he taught me.

"Ito? 'Di ba na-explain ko na kanina?" he grumbled too but in a calm way.

I know he's controlling his temper. I know inis na inis na siya sa akin pero hinahabaan niya lang 'yong pasensya niya. Sino bang hindi maiinis dahil isang oras na siyang nagtuturo sa 'kin pero hindi parin maintindihan!

"Iba naman 'yong kanina, e! Five 'yon, pero bakit ka nag-add ten dito?!" sigaw ko ulit habang sinasabunutan ang sarili. Bahagya naman siyang nagulat dahil sa lakas ng sigaw ko.

"P-pwedeng huwag kang sumigaw? Kalmahan mo lang... kalma lang," he commented while still smiling a little—a truly little one.

I glared at him and just focused on the given frequency table.

"Ito kasing ten, class size ito ng data. hindi 'to i-a-add, i-d-divide ito sa two—"

I cut him off, "Bakit naman two?"

Nakita ko pa kung paano siya napapikit ng madiin at napabuntong-hininga.

"Two kasi..." He opened his book again and showed me the number 2 in the formula. "Formula kasi iyan, part siya ng formula. Sundin mo lang ang formula, hindi ka magkakamali niyan," he added.

I nodded my head.

"Gets mo na ba?" he asked.

I raised my hand and motioned to him just "a little bit" with my thumb and forefinger.

"Mage-gets mo rin 'yan. Isang example pa, ah?"

Muli niyang kinuha ang ballpen niya at muli ring nagsulat pa ng isang example.

The frustration I had earlier faded as I saw how handsome he is in his side view. I've been staring at him for the nth time, and I just couldn't stop doing that because I felt like I was staring into heaven.

He is like the genius super-rich man born into a wealthy family with a perfect life in fiction stories. I know fictional characters aren't true but I just can't stop thinking Tariq is those gentlemen fictional male leads the girls have been crazing for.

"Ito, try mong i-answer. Hanapin mo muna ang mean, ha?" he reminded. I smiled at him before answering the equation.

Sa tingin ko'y nagiging madali ang lahat kapag siya ang nagtuturo kahit hanggang ngayon hindi ko parin talaga gets 'yong pinagsasabi niya.

***

"Alam mo, noong nasa probinsya ako, alas kwatro ako gigising. Tapos alam mo kung anong gagawin ko?"

"Ano?" I asked.

After studying and finishing our assignments we talked about our personal lives. We are sitting down still on the carpet and leaning our back on the bed's edge and facing the big window in front of us.

"Kukuha ng saging sa sagingan. Pagkatapos no'n, luluwas ako ng bayan. Bibili kasi ako roon ng lumpia wrapper," pagkukuwento niya.

"Alas kwatro? Do you mean like... four AM? Patulog pa nga lang ako niyan, e," I commented.

I heard how he chuckled.

"What time do you go to bed ba?" I curiously asked.

"Alas otso, minsan alas nuwebe."

My jaw hit the floor as I looked at him.

"What? You're sleeping that early?" I questioned while my mouth was wide open.