Good Girl Gone Bad [MGGIGA BK2]

25 ♣ 3C ♣

"Damn, they're reaaally staring hard at us." Chase snickered, looking back his shoulders only to see Caitlyn's OHA friends glaring at him and Carter. Binalik nya ang kanyang atensyon kay Caitlyn na nakaupo sa harapan nilang dalawa ni Carter. Nasa cafeteria pa din sila, pero for the first time in history, hindi nakaupo si Caitlyn sa lamesa ng kanyang mga kaibigan.

Pagkatapos ng scene kanina, napagdesisyunan ni Caitlyn na umupo muna sa ibang lamesa kasama sina Chase at Carter para makapag-usap sila. Of course, agad na tumutol sina Tyler, pero once na makita kung gaano kagusto ni Caitlyn na makausap yung dalawa, pinagbigyan na nila kahit labag sakanilang kalooban. Kaya ayun, all they can do is to glare daggers at the back of Carter and Chase's head.

"What's all of those about?" Taas kilay ni Carter kay Caitlyn na napainom sakanyang tubig.

"Oo nga." Pinagkrus ni Chase ang kanyang mga braso at kunot noong tiningnan si Caitlyn.

Nanatiling nakatitig si Caitlyn sakanyang mga kamay na nakapatong sa lamesa.

They look...

Mad, I know... Napabuntong hininga nalamang si Caitlyn. Sumulyap sya sa dalawang lalaking nakaupo sa harapan nya, pero agad ding bumalik sa mga kamay nya ang kanyang atensyon once makita kung gaano ka-intense syang tinititigan ng dalawa, halatang gustong masagot ang kanilang mga katanungan.

"Caitlyn." Caitlyn flinched at Carter's cool voice.

"Okay, okay, makinig muna kayo." Tinaas ni Caitlyn ang kanyang mg kamay sa kanyang harapan, tila ba pinapakalma yung dalawa. Tumingin sya sa kay Chase at ngumiti ng malumanay, "Chase, pasensya na ha."

"Ba't ka nagso-sorry?" Tiningnan sya ng bintana na para bang tinubuan sya ng panibagong ulo.

Nagsimulang paglaruan ni Caitlyn ang kanyang buhok, "Dahil sa pag-atake sayo ni Marcus. Alam kong hindi nya yun sinasadya, nabigla lang sya siguro--"

Natigilan sya ng marinig na tumikhim si Carter. Tiningnan nya ang binata at napakurap once makitang medyo malamig ang mga mata nito.

"I see you're still doing that, huh." Ginulo ni Carter ang kanyang buhok, "Seriously, you never changed."

"A-anong ibig mong sabihin...?" Caitlyn asked, taken aback by Carter's cold stare.

"That. Where you always tried defending people even if they clearly mean what they did." Matalim na pahayag ni Carter, ibinuka ni Caitlyn ang kanyang labi pero walang lumabas na kahit ano.

Sinapak ni Chase ang balikat ni Carter, "Oi oi! First thing you do after seeing Second is to scold her, you sure are a tsundere Carter!"

Iwinaksi ni Carter ang kamay ni Chase na nasa balikat nya. "Shut up."

"...They're my friends too." Napatingin yung dalawa kay Caitlyn.

"Huh?"

"Kagaya nyo, kaibigan ko din sila. It...it might sound weird na I've been friends with a bunch of gangsters, but, they're not bad. Palagi nila akong pino-protektahan kahit na medyo nakakatawang tingnan since kahit asaan ako, andun din sila. Madaming nangyari saakin sa loob lang ng isang buwan, may mga nalaman ako na nagbago sa pagkakatao ko..." Napakurap si Carter ng diretso syang tiningnan ni Caitlyn sa mga mata. Si Chase naman ay kagaya ni Carter na napakurap.

"Kaya wag mong sasabihin na hindi ako nagbago."

That's my girl.

Ramdam ni Caitlyn na proud si Lyn sakanya. Napatitig sakanya sina Chase at Carter, parehas na nanlalaki ang mga mata. Clearly the two of them were not expecting for Caitlyn to look at them so determinedly, so fearlessly.

Back then when the three of them were still in Stanli, Caitlyn always acted so naïvely and innocent. Caitlyn wouldn't fight back if someone was trying to be rude to her, or if someone is insulting her. Ngingiti lang sya o kaya naman ay babalewalain lamang. Sobrang bait nya to the point na minsan napapa-isip sila Carter at Chase kung nagkukunwari lang ba sya.

Pero ngayon, iba na. Ibang Caitlyn na ang nasa harapan nila. Kita nila na meron pa ding mga pieces ng Stanli Caitlyn sa babaeng nasa harapan nila, caring and thoughtful. Pero kita din nila ang bagong Caitlyn, ang Omega Caitlyn, determined and ready to stand up for her friends and for herself.

Now that they had a closer look at her, Caitlyn did change. She looked stronger than before.

Carter looked away, huffing a small laugh. "Seems like it."

"And I can tell, hindi lang ako ng nagbago. You two did too." Caitlyn smiled at them.

Napakamot si Chase sakanyang ulo. "Okay, you got us there. Pero hindi kami nagbago,"

Caitlyn tilted her head to the aide, slightly confused, "Huh? Pero...parang may nagbago sainyong dalawa."

"Really? And what would that be?" Nangalumbaba si Carter sa lamesa at tinaasan ng kilay si Caitlyn na napaisip habang papalit-palit ang titig mula kay Carter papunta kay Chase tapos pabalik kay Carter.

"Hmm...hindi ko alam pero, medyo parehas kayo kung umasta sa ibang mga gangster. Cocky."

"Cocky?!" Napasinghap si Chase, "Nagbago ka na nga talaga Caitlyn! You would never say that to us!" He then proceeded to fake cry. Walang gana syang siniko ni Carter sa tagiliran at agad naman syang tumigil.

Caitlyn chuckled, shaking her head. "But I see you're still the same Carter and Chase. First and Third."

Napatitig sina Chase sakanya, tapos natawa ng bahagya. "It's been so long ever since we heard you call us by that, Second."

Kumunot ang noo ni Caitlyn, "Eh? Syempre. Hindi ko naman kayo pwedeng tawagin nun since andito ako tapos bawal pang tumawag through phone."

Carter and Chase blinked, staring at her with wide eyes. They then bursted out laughing, yes even Carter. Napunta sakanila ang atensyon ng ibang tao sa cafeteria.

"Hay, and we see that you're still our cute, innocent Cate." Pinunasan ni Chase ang gilid ng kanyang mata, patawa-tawa pa din.

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Don't worry your cute little head about it." Carter smiled slightly and flicked her forehead.