Take Me Home (City Series #4)

Chapter Seven

L

"Here nga kasi," sabi ko kay Z habang mas inaangat yung banderitas. "Itaas mo pa, Z! Ang tangkad tangkad mo na nga eh."

"Oks na?" he asked while raising it super high up.

I glared at him and let go of the banderitas. Bahala siya! Ako na nga tumutulong!

"Last na 'to, Ellie! Come on." He laughed and waited for me as he stood on top of his ladder.

Umirap ako sa kawalan at umakyat na ulit sa ladder na gamit ko kanina pagkatapos ko hablutin yung kabilang dulo ng banderitas. We both placed it in its right place, and went down on both our ladders.

"Ano lunch natin?" tanong ni Z. "Wala atang food sa cafeteria ngayon, Saturday eh. You wanna order?"

I nodded. "Can we buy KFC?"

Tumango siya at tinapon sa akin ang cellphone niya. "Ikaw mag-order, hugas lang ako ng kamay. 2 piece sa akin!"

I nodded and walked back to the edge of the stage. A big stage was set up by the end of the football field, and other stalls are ready, as well. Each club in the school did a really good job with the stalls this year, despite the School Fair being so close to the exams.

The music club doesn't have a stall, though. The bands from the music club just perform a few songs every year, kaya the School Fair is one of our favorite events every school year. Minsan kasi, the really rich kids na higher years, they hire some famous bands to play in our school. Nagiging sariling private concert ng school namin.

"Okay po, ma'am. To be delivered po in thirty minutes," sabi nung kausap ko galing sa KFC.

I made sure to ask about the amount to be paid, para madagdagan ko at makupitan ko si Z! Dapat talaga shine-share ng kuripot na 'yon ang kaniyang blessings!

My legs were hanging at the edge of the stage while I watched the booths starting to give life to the field. I'm honestly so excited for Monday.

"Can you move?" mataray na tanong sa akin ng isang babae galing sa likod ko.

Lumingon ako, at bumungad bigla sa akin ang mukha ni Katie. She was wearing some kind of costume that I.. couldn't possibly describe. But it looks good on her, anyway.

Ngumiti ako at tumayo. "Nice."

"If you're gonna be sarcastic, do it elsewhere, you freak."

Kumunot ang noo ko. I guess I can't give out compliments, either, without being called a freak.

Tumingin siya sa hawak kong cellphone at napataas ang kaniyang kilay.

"Whose phone is that? Kay Z ba 'yan?"

Napataas ang dalawang kilay ko. Paano niya naman nalaman na kay Z ito? Napaka-observant niya naman.

"So, what? Are you two, like, friends now?" mataray na tanong ni Katie sa akin, kahit na hindi ko pa nasasagot ang una niyang tanong.

"Best friends." May umakbay bigla sa akin. "Don't believe anything Ellie tells you. She has the habit of denying the fact that we're friends."

This is the first time he did that. Ngayon lang siya umakbay sa akin. And it made me realize that..

He's so tall.

I wouldn't call myself a small girl. I'm around 5'5! I didn't realize how tall he was, but now that he's standing literally right beside me.. ang tangkad nga niya talaga. He has to be at least around 6'0.

A crease appeared on Katie's forehead. Hindi ko masabi kung dahil sa galit ba o sa gulat. Pero bago pa siya makapag-salita ay nauna na ang tiyan ko sa pag-ingay. My stomach grumbled, which made Z stifle a laugh.