Take Me Home (City Series #4)

Chapter Eleven

L

"Are you going to the student council lounge?" tanong ko kay Z. "Can you bring my bag with you? I need to get the paint pa sa locker ko."

"I can carry those, too," salita niya habang sinusuot ang bag niya.

"No, I'm fine. Dalawa lang 'yon," I said as he held onto my bag. "I gotta clear out my locker na rin."

He nodded and looked over at Ethan and Miggy who were still jamming out to Parokya Ni Edgar with our other classmates. It's Friday, and it's the end of our hell week, meaning our final exams are up next week.

I expected nga na this week would be extremely hard, and I don't know whether it was the calls with Z or the planning with the student council, but it was bearable. It's been a good week, despite the fact that I'm possibly sleep deprived because of the continuous calls and messages with Z.

Continuous, very platonic calls and messages.

The first time I fell asleep while we were on the phone was the first night we spoke on the phone for that long. I couldn't remember anything after my mom showed up at my room at 2 in the morning. Hindi rin naman ako sanay na nagpupuyat masyado. I don't usually cram, and I fall asleep whenever I try to watch movies before I fall asleep.

Z followed me to my locker and leaned against the one beside mine. Humalukipkip siya at tinignan lang ako habang naka-ngiti.

"Why are you smiling?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "May ginawa ka bang masama?"

Tumawa siya at tumayo nang maigi. "You sure you don't need help here? I'm going to the lounge."

I nodded and avoided his gaze. It's crazy being so close to him over the phone, pero kapag magkalapit na kami, parang nahihiya na ako.

"See ya," he said before turning around.

My eyes followed his back until he was out of my sight. I shook my head and focused on getting my stuff out of my locker. I didn't realize na ang dami ko palang mga libro at gamit dito. I should have at least brought a box. This has been my locker for 4 years now, pero kailangan na namin i-empty out dahil lilipat na kami ng building next school year.

"Hi," salita ng isang babae sa tabi ko.

Nagulat na lang ako nang makita ko ang mukha ni Isabelle. I haven't talked to her, or any one of the three, the whole quarter. Ever since Z became my seatmate, I haven't even bothered to look over at Isabelle.

"Look, I'm here to apologize, okay?" Isabelle sighed. "Grace and Katie are sorry, too."

My eyes remained on the stuff I had inside my locker.

I miss them as my friends, that's for sure. But they've caused me way too much trauma. Ayokong kumaibigan ng taong nand'yan lang kapag maganda pangalan ko, pero kapag sirang sira na, bigla silang nawawala.

"Katie was asking if you could set her up with Z's cousin, before he graduates. You know, since you and Z are close now."

I laughed in amusement. The audacity, that's what amuses me.

"Seryoso ka ba?" I asked.

"Come on, Lia. You can't hate us forever."

"I don't hate you." Umiling ako at hinawakan nang maigi yung ibang paint na kailangan kong idala sa lounge. "I barely think of you guys. I'm not mad. I'm not angry. I just.. don't care anymore. It doesn't have to be dramatic. There doesn't have to have any bad blood or anything."

Isabelle's jaw dropped in disbelief. "So you're cutting us off? Just like that?"

"You guys didn't seem to have a problem doing it to me." I smiled with my arms full of books and paint.