Behind This Name (UNEDITED)

39

CHAPTER 39 — LIST

I'VE lost in a game against Hana.

It's been days and I still couldn't accept the fact that I have the courage to challenge her and ended up losing. I don't how how it happened but after that night when we played, a rumor spread among the young adults in the sanctuary that Hana and I weren't in good terms and that I tried to challenge her just to prove I'm better than her but I ended up losing so it made me look like a desperate girl.

I swear, it's one of those moments I just want to give them the taste of my pain illusion. Hana, on the other hand, was just chill about it. She seemed like she doesn't give a single care about it.

"Bothered?"

Napaangat ako ng tingin nang marinig ang boses ni Gail. I'm here at the house, eating lunch with her. It's weekend, so I decided to stay here for two days. It's what Manang and Gail wanted, just to see my face at least once a week.

"That's rude," I reacted. She's intruding in my thoughts again, as she always did.

Instead of replying, she just stared right into my soul, as if reading my deepest thought. Napatigil ako at napatitig din sa kanya. See? Still reading my thoughts. She didn't budge and firmly stayed her eyes on me.

Wala sa sariling napairap ako. "Oh, come on."

"Ano kaya sa tingin mo ang dahilan kung bakit galit siya?" she suddenly asked.

"Sinong siya?"

"'Yong Hana."

"Galit? I don't think she's mad. She has no reason to."

"Pero 'yon 'yong iniisip mo." Ngumiti siya nang nakakaloko na para bang sinasabi niyang nahuli niya ako.

I sarcastically scoffed in disbelief. "Okay fine," I paused and swallowed first a spoonful of vegetable. "I had this strong feeling that it's somehow because of me. Ayaw kong mag-feeling ha. Pero feeling ko kasi the first time I've seen her, noong nasa park kami ni Arche tapos nakita ko siya, feeling ko nakita niya rin ako. I mean, it's possible because she was staring at Arche and he was staring back at her. Actually, doon ko na-realize na magkakilala sila. And then, it turns out she's his girlfriend."

Imagine, seeing your own boyfriend holding a girl's hand. That was literally what I was doing that moment. Iniinis ko lang naman 'yong isang babae roon, I was not intending to flirt with him or what. I choose who I flirt with. So, there's a huge possibility that Hana saw us and that's why she was staring at him. It's like she's trying to communicate with him.

I wondered what Hana and her friends think about me. I just realized now that I'm the one who's making my image bad.

"Ngayon mo lang na-realize?" biglang epal na tanong ni Gail.

I raised a brow. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Isipin mo, kalilipat mo pa lang do'n tapos mayroong may galit na agad sa'yo."

"Nah. She would forget about it. Let her think the way she wanted to think. Alam ko sa sarili kong wala akong masamang ginagawa, alam din 'yon ni Arche. Why stressing myself, right?"

Tumango na lang siya para siguro manahimik na ako. After eating lunch, Manang Jessi went home from the grocery. She's with Mr. Gallentes who's helping her to carry the paper bags. Napatingin ako sa puting kotse na nasa labas ng bahay. I remember that we don't have a white car, so probably that's a new one.

Mr. Gallentes just got out of the kitchen and was currently walking towards my direction.

"Is that a new car?" I glanced at him and pointed at the car outside.