I Write You

Chapter 9

"Wait lang. Let me breathe. Saan ba tayo pupunta?"

Nang makalayo na kami sa court ay binitawan ko na siya.

"Pahamak ka kasi!" Hinihingal kong sabi sa kaniya.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit gano'n ang tingin ng mga kaklase ko sa amin kanina nang makita nila kami sa court. Para bang isang kasalanan ang makita kami ni Patrick na magkatabi o magkasama. Like what the hell? Anong meron?

Nakakunot ang noo niya at parang nagtatampo pa sa'kin. "Bakit ba? Masama bang maupo sa tabi mo?" Tanong niya.

Hinagis ko sa mukha niya yung towel ko. Kanina ko pa nakikita ang tagaktak na pawis sa gilid ng mukha niya.

"I didn't say that. I don't know why they are like that." I said, leaning on the railings. "Do you know my classmates?" I asked curiously.
 
We're here in the corridor in front of my classroom. No one was left inside of our room because they were all in the court and some were anywhere in the school. It was time for practice, but I had nothing to practice in my competition. So now I'm here again with Patrick. I was hiding from my classmates because they might kill me with their stares if they saw me with him.
 
Hay ewan ko kung anong meron dito sa Patrick na 'to.

Tinabihan niya ako at sumandal din sa railings."Siguro? Well, I can't say that I know all of them. But I think I encountered them all. Matagal na kasi ako sa School na 'to. I'm here since my first year in high school." Pagpapaliwanag niya sa akin.

I sighed. "Did you see their eyes kanina? Parang sinasabi nila na bakit kasama mo si Patrick? Layuan mo 'yan." I tell to him what I saw and feel a while ago.

Tinignan niya ako ng masama. "Don't you dare, Athena."

Tinawanan ko siya at hinampas sa braso. "Wala naman akong sinasabi!"

"Eh kasi parang sinasabi mo sa'kin na gusto mo 'kong layuan." Sabi pa niya na parang nag-iinarte.

I can't stop smiling because I found it sound cute. He's like a kid, telling his mom to not go away.

"Tawa ka ng tawa diyan." Pagsusungit niya pa.

Siniko ko lang siya at pinigilan ang pagtawa. Binalingan ko ng tingin ang ground. Maraming student ang palakadlakad. Ang iba ay nagpapractice yung iba naman patambay tambay lang. Isa na kami do'n.

"Ikaw pala. Bakit hindi ka nagpapractice?" Tanong ko sa kaniya. Sa gilid ng mata ko ay nakita ko na nag cecellphone siya.

"Hindi ako sumali." He said while scrolling at his phone.

Tumango ako. "Wala kang sinalihan? Kasali ka sa Essay Writing 'diba?"

Naalala ko na narinig ko 'yon na pinag-uusapan nila ni Flor noong magkakasama kami.

"I don't know. Hindi ko pa sure." He simply said.

"Why? I thought your teacher choose you. You're good at writing pala ah." I said, teasing him.

"Saan mo nalalaman 'yan?ikaw ah, Chismosa ka." Pagbibiro niya.

Siningkitan ko siya ng mata. "Hindi ah! Narinig ko lang."

Tinawanan niya lang ako at bumalik sa pagcecellphone kaya binalingan ko na lang ulit ang ibaba.

So if he joins us at the contest, we will be competing against each other. He is in journalism and I am just an ordinary student. So how can I compete with him? 
 
Why does it feel like it will be unfair?
 
I sighed at that sudden thought. Now I am feeling a little bit nervous. It will be hard for me to join in that contest, especially now that Patrick will be joining.