THE LOVER : Lucius Marco

[Veinticuatro] UNRAVEL

12:46 pm

Napatingin si Lucius sa sarili niyang relo saka binalin ang tingin sa cellphone niya.

@CiusMarco:
Are u still at home? It's almost 9. Baka sarhan ka ng gate.

"She didn't even read it.." bulong ni Lucius sa sarili habang tinititigan ang huling sinend niyang message kay Emmanuela. Hindi rin niya napansin ang dalaga pumasok sa campus at 'di rin niya ito nakikita sa campus. It's hard for Lucius to look for her this day, it's Friday, and Emmanuela doesn't need to attend his class since it's not on their schedule and the fact that she haven't read his recent message made him think that she won't attend the tutor session as well.

I need to settle everything fast. I can't bare this any longer, I might be late.

He pursed his lips as he leans his elbow on the railings. Kasalukuyang nasa labas ng faculty si Lucius at nakatingin sa mapayapang view ng soccer field. Napakunot ang noo niya nang may napansin siyang dalawang estyudante sa bench malapit sa field. Hindi masyadong nakita ni Lucius ang mga mukha dahil natakpan ito sa mga dahon mg malaking puno katabi ng bench.

Napailing si Lucius. Probably some students that's planning to make out again.

He sighed. He knows he should warn them but he doesn't have the energy to do so. Wala pang enerhiya si Lucius dahil sa kasulukuyang nararamdaman niya na unti-unting nilulunok siya ng buo.

Napakurap si Lucius nang makita ang estyudanteng babae sa may bench ng field ay tila bang lumalayo. His eyebrows furrowed as he saw the student's face.

"Emmanuela?" he rose up from leaning on the railings. "What the hell are you doing there?" he squinted his eyes.

His expression went blank as he saw another student, male student, grabbing her arm— trying to pull her back. He didn't hesitate to start his tracks, walking his way downstairs, determined on his way to the field.

———

"What the fuck, Delijino?"

"What? Am I wrong, Besar?" bakas ang pagiging sarkastiko sa tono ng pananalita ni Tristan.

Tumayo ito galing sa pag-uupo sa bench.

"Nakita ko kayong lumabas sa isang restaurant," paninimula niya, napatikom naman ang bibig ni Emmanuela dahil alam niya sa sarili niyang galing sila sa isang restaurant kagabi.

"Mukhang ang saya mo pa nga eh," dagdag pa niya. "Ang laki ng ngiti mo, it somehow broke the stereotype that you're a loner." He said in a playful tone.

Parang sasabog si Emmanuela. It can't be. No, they did not just got caught by someone whom she just barely know. Someone that would always be somehow annoying to her. Nanlumo ang mga mata ni Emmanuela. Mas lalong naging halata na mali ang ginagawa niya— mali ang ginagawa nila ni Lucius.

Napalunok si Emmanuela nang biglang tumawa ng nakakaloko si Tristan.

"Relax, Emmanuela. Hindi ako magsusumbong," he said, if she knows, she's certain that his lips curved into a smirk and that didn't helped to support his sentence.

"I actually think your set-up is cool—"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Pagmaang-maangan. Yun lang ang naisip ni Emmanuela na paraan para makaalis sa sitwasyon kung nasaan siya ngayon. Totoo man o hindi na nakita sila ni Tristan kahit nagbigay ito ng tamang paglalarawan ay wala siyang pakialam. Ayaw niya malaman ng iba, ayaw niyang umamin.