"The deadline will be on friday next week. I expect your outputs to be clean and presentable." The school bell rang. Napatingin ang aming guro sa wall clock na nakasabit. "Okay class, dismiss."
All of us fixed our things and stood up.
The day was exhausting because of the very long quizzes, assignments, and projects. May groupings pa na ginawa para sa mga magrereport next week. It is tiring but also exciting. I like the thought of competing with other students and challenging myself. The thrill is making me more productive and energized to do works.
"Akin na." My friend Dale came to help me with my things.
"Thank you." Puno na ang backpack ko at hindi pwedeng matupi ang mga handouts na dala ko kaya laking pasalamat ko na dumating sya.
"Let's go." Aya nito sa'kin.
Inayos ko ang uniporme at itinali ang buhok saka humarap rito. "Yeah."
"Let me carry your bag. Mabigat 'yan."
That's so nice of him. Pero kaya ko naman.
"No. Kaya ko 'to, magaan lang naman Dale."
"Hindi pwede, you should always take care of your health. Paano kung makuba ka ng maaga." Puno ng pag-aalala ang boses nito.
"Stop overreacting." Saway ko rito. "Natatawa ako sa'yo."
"That's what a fiancé does right? to take care of his bride..." He said seriously. Yung parang talagang pinaninindigan nya na talaga yung status namin. My friend never really failed to make me smile.
Alam kong nagpapatawa lang ito kaya 'di ko napigilang tampalin ang braso. "Grabe naman. Thank you sa pag-aalala mo, Dale." Napailing-iling ako.
Nagpumikit talaga itong tulungan ako kaya hindi na ako nakatanggi. Sa huli, sumuko rin ako at nakangiting hinaayaan sya. Sabay kaming naglakad papalabas sa hallway.
"Do we look good together?" He asked out of nowhere.
Naguguluhang napatingin ako rito. "Of course, we do. We're bestfriends. Magkatugmang-magkatugma ang mindset natin pati pag-uugali." Nakangiting sagot ko.
"Hindi mo nasagot ang tanong ko." Mahinang wika nito. He shook his head before looking at me. "People kept on looking at us. Siguro nagtataka sila na mag-fiancé tayo kahit di naman tayo bagay." Tukoy nito sa mga estudyanteng nasa paligid.
"Syempre naman, Dale... tao tayo eh." Pagbibiro ko.
"It is really funny to think that men are jealous of me for being close to you." Isinilid nito ang dalawang kamay sa bulsa bahagyang yumuko. "They envied us together. Imagine, the smartest student in the school was hanging out with me everyday."
It took me second before answering him.
"Hmm... that's normal." Sagot ko na parang wala lang. Palagi naman nang nangyayari ang ganito na may nagseselos o naiinggit. "Jealousy has already been a normal thing to the people around us." Tumigil ako sa paglalakad saka ngumiti rito. "At nakakalimutan mo na bang ikaw ang pangatlong nangunguna sa buong school? You're smart and respectable too Dale, wala kang dapat ipag-alala sa tingin nila sa'tin."
"Salamat." Gumanti ito ng matamis na ngiti. "Siguro hindi lang talaga bagay sa'kin 'tong haircut ko."
Natawa akong muli sa sinabi nito. "You're hair looks neat and presentable." His hair is always neatly brushed. Pati ang pananamit nito ay maayos at napaka-disente.
"And you like messy ones, right?" He said between chuckles.
"What?" Hindi ko masyadong narinig ang sinabi nito kaya nagpatuloy lamang ako sa paglalakad.
BINABASA MO ANG
Countless Mistakes
RomanceBeing a daughter of a highly respectable government official had put a lot of pressure on Heather Garcia. She couldn't find herself enjoying her life like every teenager does. She came from a very famous political family and had to act prim and prop...
