Words Written in Water (Loser #3)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

With a little information from Juancho, I was able to start writing his article. Inilagay ko roon ang sinabi sa kanya ng mga professor niya at ang hindi niya paghingi ng pera sa ama. I also mentioned that the campus director was footing the bill for his tuition, answering the question about why he was enrolled at our university.

Kaming mga undergraduate student ay walang tuition fee pero ang mga nagla-law at med school ay meron. Hindi ko alam kung magkano, pero sabi ni Juancho, hindi naman daw mura kahit na public school pa. Tuloy ay hindi ko maiwasang maisip na may tampuhan sila ng tatay niya. I mean, why didn't he just ask him for money? He was even working part time while attending law school!

It made me wonder how he managed his time. Hindi siguro 24 hours lang ang isang araw niya. Ako ngang normal na working student lang ay hirap na sa pagbabalanse ng oras. Siya pa kayang law student, leader, at part-timer? I'm sure he's illuminati!

"Kailan mo ba sasabihin sa'kin kung ano'ng trabaho mo?" tanong ko habang sinasabayan siya sa paglalakad. "Come on! Sinabi mo na sa'kin na working ka. What's the point of hiding the nature of your job?"

Matapos ang kaswal na pag-uusap namin sa telepono, nagpasya akong ligawan siya ulit para ma-interview ko. I don't know what got into me, but I felt braver now that I realize he doesn't seem as bad as I thought he would be. Para akong nakahinga nang maluwag. I really didn't like the idea of having a little crush on him knowing that he was using his father's plundered money... pero ngayon, it felt liberating. Like I could be attracted to him without worrying about anything.

"I won't give you any more information, so stop pushing it," walang-tinging sabi niya sa akin.

Sumimangot ako. "Pumapatay ka?"

His forehead knotted as he glanced at me. Bahagyang nagwala ang dibdib ko sa pagtatama ng mga mata namin.

"No. Why would you think of that?"

I shook my head, holding my ground. "Nagnanakaw?"

"No."

"Nanloloko?"

Nagbuntong-hininga siya bago ibinalik ang mga mata sa daan. "No, I'm not a scammer."

"Kasabwat sa human trafficking?"

He had an impatient look on his face. "No."

"Nagbebenta ng illegal drugs?"

"No."

I was almost out of breath trying to keep up with his pace. Mahaba ang mga biyas niya kaya ang isang hakbang niya ay dalawa ko na.

Mula nang lumabas siya sa room nila ay hindi ko na siya tinantanan. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung saan siya papunta ngayon. I just followed him without thinking of that.

"Kung hindi ka naman pala gumagawa ng krimen sa trabaho mo, bakit ayaw mong sabihin?" tanong ko.

He ignored me. He just continued walking, oblivious to the attention he was earning. Pansin ko ang pagtataka sa mukha ng mga estudyanteng nadadaanan namin. Iniisip siguro nilang stalker ako ni Juancho pero wala naman akong pakialam. I needed answers and only this guy could give me that.

"Secret ba ang pagtatrabaho mo? Bawal ilagay sa article?"

Hindi niya ulit ako pinansin. Napanguso ako lalo dahil mukhang ginagamit niya na naman ang right niya to remain silent. Pakshet. Hindi naman ako detective o prosecutor para ganituhin niya.

I slowed my pace as I panted. Heto na nga at hinahapo na ako sa pagsunod sa kanya pero hindi niya manlang ako mabigyan ng solid na sagot. Paano ko siya titigilan kung hindi niya ako pagbibigyan? Akala ko pa naman ay tuloy-tuloy na ang pagiging mabait niya dahil binigyan niya na ako ng nickname.