Guarded ✔ (Alpha Sigma Omicron #5)

11. Possible Danger

CHAPTER ELEVEN

WARNING: SPG. Read at your own risk, or better skip.

Sweetheart. Sweetheart. Sweetheart.

He can really be annoying nonstop. Parang sirang plaka niyang pinaulit - ulit ang pagtawag ko sa kanya ng sweetheart kahit isang beses lang iyong lumabas sa bibig ko. It was just slip of the tongue once and he was using that against me.

Mas lalo akong busy nitong nakaraan kaya mas lalong lumala ang pagpapansin niya sa akin.

After taking various exams to accelerate, everything I studied the past months paid off. Nagbunga ang halos gabi - gabi naming pagpupuyat ni Gotham. He would help me understand my lessons and stay awake while I study on my own.

I was as excited as my brother, at the same time I was afraid of the new environment I was about to face. Hindi ko naman naranasan ang mag-aral sa paaralan. Bata pa lang ako, nasa poder na ako ni Bernabe. Nasa poder ng sindikato. It was far from what schools could offer.

Imbes na pumasok sa klase at matuto, I was learning and training to do bad things. Mas natuto akong maghanap-buhay sa pamamagitan ng pagnanakaw dahil iyon ang kinalakihan ko.

The only time I wanted out was when I met Russle.

For the first time, I wanted to be clean and a good role model to him. But things took the wrong way, I was brought back to my old lifestyle to survive and to make sure my brother would live long than he was intended to.

Ako lang ang gumawa ng paraan para turuan ang sarili ko noon at hindi manatiling mangmang. Hindi madaling mamuhay bilang salot sa lipunan. But some of us didn't have a choice.

It's between death and barely living.

Kung excited si Russle pumasok sa kanyang klase, nawala naman ang excitement ko nang tumuntong ako sa classroom. I felt left out of place.

Most students were teens and in their early twenties, I guess. Ako lang ang pinakamatanda sa grupo.

Kahit lunukin ko ang laway ko, may pait pa rin akong nalalasahan. Nawala ang tiwala ko sa sarili at pumalit ang pagdududa.

Maraming beses ko nang sinabi na walang masamang bumalik sa pag-aaral sa edad ko, pero hindi ko pa rin maiwasang isipin ang tagal kong napag-iwanan. Maybe, education isn't something for me.

Tahimik ako buong klase. I only talk whenever I was asked. Ramdam ko rin ang pagiging mailap ng mga kaklase ko, siguro dahil mukha akong intimidating tingnan at mas matanda ako kumpara sa kanila.

I was zoning out most of the classes. Good thing, it was only orientation day.

When my last class ended, I was the last one to leave the room.

My phone vibrated.

Parking lot, sweetheart. It was a text from Gotham.

Kusang lumakad ang mga paa ko patungo sa parking lot upang tagpuin ang asawa ko. Nakasandal ito sa may pinto ng kotse habang hinihintay ako. Other students were checking him out. Gusto ko sanang hindi dumeretso sa kanya.

Nang gumawi ang paningin ko sa kabuuan niya, saka ko lang napansin ang hawak niyang bouquet. They were pink carnation with combination of baby pink roses. Gotham was smiling from ear to ear.

"How's your day, sweetheart?" malambing ang boses niyang tanong.

Ibinigay niya ang hawak na bouquet. I was hesitant to accept the flowers. Para saan ba iyon? Anong okasyon? Masyado siyang pakitang tao gayong mag-asawa lang naman kaming dalawa sa papel.