Take Me Home (City Series #4)

Chapter Six

L

"Ano kayang lunch ngayon?" tanong ko kay Z habang naglalakad kami patungo sa cafeteria. It's Friday today, so it's been four days of him accompanying me to lunch.

"Nagreview ka na ba sa econ? Mamaya bali-baliktad nanaman mga given mo. Exams are on Monday."

I nodded. "Thanks for your notes. I'll give them back later."

As much as I hate to admit it, Z has been a great friend these past few days. I didn't think I'd survive this week as it is. It's nice to have an actual friend you don't have to tiptoe around.

"Hindi ka ba namimiss ng mga kaibigan mo?" tanong ko sa kaniya pagkakuha namin ng pagkain. "Ilang araw mo na silang hindi sinasamahan."

"Then just eat with us," he suggested.

He suggests that every single day.

"You can eat with them. I can eat alone."

"I guess that's a no again." He laughed and sat down in front of me.

Bago pa ako makapag-salita ay may umupo na rin sa tabi ni Z na lalaki.

"Sarap!" Miguel said. "Fried chicken pala kinuha mo, Z. Pork chop sa'kin. Hati tayo."

Tumango si Z at hinayaan si Miguel na kumuha sa ulam niya.

"Hi, L. El, diba?" tanong ni Miguel sa akin. "Ako si Miggy."

"Miggy, Ellie. Ellie, Miggy."

"I'm not Ellie." I smiled at Miguel while kicking Z under the table.

"Hey, L," salita naman ng isa pang lalaki. Umupo si Ethan sa tabi ko at tinanguan si Z.

"So what, are we switching tables now?" iritableng salita ng isang babae at umupo sa kabilang tabi ko.

Z looked amused by his friends. Nakahalukipkip lang siya habang nakangiti sa kaniyang mga kaibigan.

"I guess this is our new table." Irap ni Magui sabay upo sa tabi ni Miguel.

I was overwhelmed at how fast everything happened. Napahinga ako nang malalim habang tinitignan si Z.

He just shrugged and gave me a cheeky grin.

"Kamusta ka naman, Lia?" Louise asked me.

"She's L," Ethan corrected her.

"What? My name starts with L, too! Bakit hindi ako ang L?" Kumunot ang noo ni Louise.

"She has two L's," Z said.

Louise laughed at him. "Okay, fine, she wins. Paramihan pala ng L, eh." Louise looked at me once again. "H'wag ka mag-alala! 'Di ka OP sa amin. 'Di rin kami nananapon ng juice sa ulo mo kapag galit kami."

I stifled a laugh and smiled at her. Nag-uusap usap na rin sina Z tungkol sa School Fair na mukhang matutuloy after exams. Magui and Louise are in the same club, kaya naman pinagusapan rin nila kung ano bang pwedeng booth para sa club nila.

Once we finished eating, we stacked up our trays and started walking back to the classroom. Nasa harap ko sina Louise habang si Z naman ay katabi kong mag-lakad.

"So.." He looked at me with hopeful eyes while both of his hands were in his pockets. "They're not bad, right?"

I slowly nodded. "Not bad."

Pagkarating namin sa classroom, kinuha agad ni Ethan ang gitara niya at umupo sa table ng armchair niya.

I felt awkward going near them in the back row, so I just sat on my chair. Hinila naman ako ni Z patayo at palapit sa kanila. Pinaupo niya ako sa upuan niya at umupo rin siya sa tabi ko.