Since then, Killian has always been at the university. I always see him around. At first, I was confused about why the university let an alumnus walk around the campus and loiter in the corridor where classes were still going.
Kung noon ay nagtataka rin ako kung bakit kahit graduating si Killian ay hindi s'ya mukhang busy. As if he has time on his hands. But now that he already graduated, I stopped questioning myself. They own businesses. He was the boss. Kaya kumpara noon, mukhang mas marami nang oras si Killian ngayon.
And then, I remembered that he's a Romanov. By now, I realized that their family could do anything they wanted. Including being around the university even if he already graduated.
I was wrong when I thought that I could get away from him easily just because he finally graduated. Of course, he wouldn't be around the university anymore. Mas madali akong makakaiwas. But as half of the semester went by, I already accepted the fact that there was really no escaping him.
Nagtataka pa nga ang mga kaklase ko noong una. Palagi kasing nandoon si Killian. Like before, he was always outside our room. Hindi naman araw-araw pero sa kagaya n'yang graduated na sa university, it was really unusual that he was still going around the campus.
But they got used to it quickly. They were even happy that they could still see a Romanov around. Nalungkot daw kasi sila that the Romanov brothers already graduated. They thought they wouldn't see them again. So, Killian being around was a happiness for them.
Which was so opposite for me.
Inis na inis ako. I was trying to get Killian out of my system and my life. Pero kung palagi ko s'yang nakikita, mahihirapan akong gawin 'yon. And the devil seemed like he was enjoying my misery. He even looked more comfortable around. He was enjoying himself, entertaining my block mates when they were talking to him, especially those girls who obviously liked him. Parang nang-iinis pa nga s'ya.
Fortunately, Killian didn't try to approach me either. He was just... around. As if he wanted me to know that he was always there, watching me. As if he didn't want me to think that I finally got rid of him. As if he didn't want me to forget about him, to forget about my feelings for him. Even just for a second.
But still, I tried my best not to mind him. Hindi ko s'ya pinapansin. I've never talked to him again after the first day of class. Iniwasan ko s'ya. Hindi ko na s'ya kinausap.
But I guess, even if I did all of that, it wasn't enough. Like a predator who already caught his prey, he wouldn't let me escape from his claws anymore.
"Aren't you really gonna tell me what happened between you and Killian?"
I glanced at Annika. Nagdi-discuss 'yung prof namin harap but it didn't even stop her from asking me that. Siguro ay hindi na talaga s'ya nakatiis. I could imagine that ever since that first day of class, she wanted to ask me what happened. Alam kong doon pa lang, may nahalata na s'ya. May na-confirm pa siguro ang hinala n'yang when Killian began to stick around pero hindi naman kami nag-uusap.
To be honest, I was even surprised that it took Annika this long to ask me.
"Do I have to?" tanong kong sa harap nakatingin.
Annika fell silent. Hindi kaagad s'ya nakasagot. I closed my eyes when I realized that I might've offended her. I looked at her to apologize but she had a guilty look on her face.
"You don't," mahina n'yang sabi. "But... I feel guilty. I was the one who pushed you and Killian together. I think... I somewhat forced you to spend time with him even if you didn't want to. Like when I asked him to be our model without even asking you first."
I took a deep breath. I didn't know that Annika was feeling this way.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Annika." Muli na akong tumingin sa harap. "It's not your fault that I fell in love with him."
