Mistakes We Can't Laugh About (Loser #2)

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

We were engulfed by an awkward silence.

Hindi ko siya magawang kumustahin. My mind was all screwed up. He talked to me casually . . . and he watched the live stream! At talagang nagkataon pa na mukha ko ang nakabalandra doon! It must be a coincidence . . . or maybe it just happened to show up in his newsfeed. Wala namang rason para sadyain niyang panoorin iyon.

I didn't know he had social media accounts already. Hindi naman kasi siya kasali sa group chat naming magkakaklase. Isa pa, I didn't look up his name on any social media platform. Gaya ng sabi ko, matagal-tagal na rin noong huli siyang dumaan sa isip ko.

So, being in the Philippines and hearing people talk about him kind of made me think of him from time to time. Ewan ko ba. Parang pilit ipinapaalala ng mga tao sa paligid ko na minsan siyang naging parte ng buhay ko.

"Mari, hi!"

Nakuha ni Ms. Lubrica ang atensyon ko. She closed the door behind her with a huge smile on her face.

"Sorry, medyo na-late. May isinubmit lang ako sa dean's office," aniya pa habang naglalakad patungo sa mesa sa unahan.

Despite the tension building in my core, I smiled at her.

"Nice seeing you again, ma'am."

Mabini siyang tumawa. "It's my pleasure, madame."

My smile turned into a soft laugh. She then turned to face Leon, and I had to fight the urge to follow her gaze.

"Kanina ka pa?" tanong niya sa lalaki.

"No, ma'am," he replied, his voice clear and deep, just like how I remembered it.

Tumango-tango si Ms. Lubrica. "Okay, lapit kayo rito. You don't have to sit across from each other because we're not going to have lessons, you know." She chuckled but stopped midway. "Oh, Mari . . . will that be alright?"

I breathed deeply, trying to kill the pressure within me. Tumayo ako at walang pagdadalawang-isip na pumunta sa unahan.

"Of course, ma'am," I said confidently as I pulled up a chair in front of her table.

"If that's the case, I must have asked the wrong person . . ." Sumilip siya sa puwesto ni Leon. "Ikaw? Will you be comfortable?"

Hindi ko binigyan ng kahulugan ang sinabi niya. She was aware of our past relationship because of that silly drawing Leon did on a personality test. At syempre, sa pag-akto namin ngayon, imposibleng hindi niya malaman na hiwalay na kami.

Narinig ko ang pagtawa ni Ma'am kahit na hindi naman sumagot ang lalaki. From my peripheral vision, I could see him pulling up a chair in front of the table, and just making sure that there was a distance between us.

Naamoy ko agad ang pamilyar na bango niya. That manly, crisp, but fresh scent.

I could remember waking up to that smell . . . the only thing he left behind for me to remember him before.

"I wouldn't beat around the bush," Ms. Lubrica said. "The board exam for psychometricians is approaching, and I'd like you to review our graduating students because we want to produce more students like you two."

Napakurap ako. "But . . . I'm leaving in six days, ma'am."

"Babalik ka sa Italy?" She looked like she was taken aback. "You're not here for good?"

"Pinag-iisipan ko pa po," pag-amin ko. "I actually want to start a career here, but I've grown to love working in Italy, so I'm a little confused."

"Mari, trust me. You're a big deal already. Ikaw ang hahabul-habulin dito," saad niya.