Amidst The Vying Psyches

Kabanata 28

Serenity Hiraya

Hindi ako kaagad nakauwi pagkatapos sabihin 'yon sa akin ng taga-kabilang section. Pinatawag pa kasi ako sa debate club para itanong kung available ulit ako for training dahil may parating na competition.

I politely declined. As much as I love debating, I need to focus on my studies. Ito nga 'yung reason bakit hindi ako sumali ng kahit anong club o kahit pa journalism dahil ayaw ko ng distractions.

Kaso, ibang distractions yata ang nadala ko sa sarili ko.

Kinakabahan ako pauwi ng unit. Tila ba natatakot akong umuwi kung hindi ko naman maabutan si Steven sa apartment.

A part of me was pissed after seeing that picture. Just like a normal person, a lot of scenes flooded my mind but I don't want to jump into conclusions. I want to hear his side, too, before making my judgment.

However, I still can't help but feel bitter. Hindi niya ako nirereplyan sa mga texts at tawag tapos makikita kong nasa ibang school siya? At hindi ko rin alam ang tungkol doon.

Nakahanda na ang mga salitang gusto kong sabihin sa kanya pero agad itong naglaho ng salubungin ako ng tahimik na paligid. Medyo madilim na dahil mag-aalas singko na ng hapon pero nakapatay pa rin ang mga ilaw.

Sa dining table ay kita ko si Steven na nakayuko sa mesa at nakaharap sa laptop niya. May hawak pa siyang ballpen at nakabukas din ang notebook na pinapatungan ng kanyang ulo. Mukhang malalim na ang tulog niya dahil nakapatay na ang screen ng laptop.

I approached him quietly before combing my hair through his hair.

"Hey..." I called him softly. "What happened? Are you okay?"

I was worried about him. I want to make sure that he's feeling well first before asking him a couple of questions.

It looks like he woke up with my touch and his eyes widened.

"Shit. Shit," He cursed instead of answering my question before opening his laptop again.

He stared at his screen for a while before sighing in disappointment.

He closed his eyes tightly before resting his forehead on his hand. He looked so stressed and it seems like a lot of things are circulating his mind.

"What happened?" I asked him once again.

Umiling lang siya bago huminga nang malalim. Tumabi ako sa kanya bago siya bigyan ng mahigpit na yakap na agad niya ring sinuklian.

"You're not replying to my texts and I cannot call you either..." panimula ko.

"Fuck." He cussed once again before he got up and rummaged his bag. Then, he pulled out his phone and tried turning it on.

Pabagsak siyang bumalik sa tabi ko bago isnaksak ang charger sa laptop niya. Pagkatapos ay ipinahinga niya ang kanyang ulo sa aking balikat.

"I'm sorry, hirang. Nakalimutan ko na halos na may cellphone ako tapos na-low batt pa. I forgot to tell you na hindi ako makakapasok sa afternoon class kanina."

"Bakit?" I asked instead of telling him about what the other girl told me. Gusto ko sa kanya mismo manggaling kung saan siya galing.

"Galing ako sa MCU kanina..." he was talking about the university near our school. "May kailangan lang akong i-meet up. I just need to give her something."

Oh. So it means, totoo nga 'yung sinabi nung kabilang section kanina.

"And? I know it's not my business pero bakit hindi mo sinabi sa akin?"