You Tripped, I Fall

chapter five

Chapter Five,
   Aina

     My mind is a mist of emotions as I stand in front of the café and watch it tear down.

Naipon ang luha sa aking mga mata. But no matter how wretched I feel— my tears forbid itself to flow. Sumisikip ang dibdib ko. I feel my world starting to be consumed by blacks everywhere.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and brushed my hair upwards before turning my heels to head home. The smell of the dusty air that reigned was totally different from that cinnamon smell the café once carried.

It's the only place I could hide from the messed up life of Aina Gomez.

Apparently, wala man lang katao-tao sa paligid maliban sa mga lalaking nagre-renovate nito. Kumirot ang puso ko knowing that no one appreciate it better than me.

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa strap ng bag ko. I looked down the road while walking home but someone caught my eye that I hadn't noticed earlier. His flaming eyes are glued to me and the ruined café. And I feel shivers in my spine just thinking that he's been occasionally watching me just like this time.

I planned on ignoring Seiji or walking past him, but it didn't happen when I stopped midway, putting a distance between us.

"Are you here to laugh at me? Because I failed to keep katulad ng sinabi ko sa issue?" Diretso kong tanong, salubong na naman ang kilay because that's how I normally act when Seiji's around. And definitely, he'll make a sarcastic remarks about it. Ang café lang ang tanging excuse na binanggit ko sa lahat.

But milliseconds after saying it, my mind stops. Wait, am I mistaking something from what I'd said? Like— alam niya bang Riroms ang ginawa kong excuse for 'school fund stealing' matter— whatever how Mrs. Mendoza put it? Nandoon ba 'yun sa letter? Oh my... did I just randomly drop myself?

No, I believe not, Aina. Chill.

Chill??? Nilaglag ko sarili ko!

With one strap of bag hanged on his shoulder, tumaas ang isang kilay nito. "Huh, anong connect nun?"

Kinagat ko ang labi. A sliver of relief flow through me hearing that Seiji is that dumb. I'm glad may mga bagay pa rin talagang hindi nakakairita sa mga mabagal pumick up na tao.

Huminga ako nang malalim doon but after that, I threw him a sharp look. "Why are you here? Class time is not over yet."

"Hindi na umaattend mga next subject namin eh, malapit na rin naman mag-uwian. Ikaw, nagcutting ka 'no? Suot mo pa uniform niyo—"

Nasamid ako bigla. Paulit-ulit akong napa-ubo even when I heard him click his tongue, "Tsk, tsk, tsk." What the heck? I would never commit to cutting class. I just pretended to be sick because I was not in the condition to deal with school that day. Hindi ko pa rin matanggap na pinabayaan ni mommy magiba at maibenta itong Riroms after all the troubles she had put to keep it all these years. I know it's not very popular with others. But this café was made to put a person to comfort.