𝚁𝙾𝚂𝙴 𝚃𝙰𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚃𝚂

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚇𝙻𝚅𝙸

—

Matagal kong pinagmasdan ang sarili sa salamin matapos akong humilamos. Mabuti at kumalma ang puso ko saglit dahil sa ginaw ng tubig sa balat ko.

I need to fix myself before going back to that suffocating room. I better not look like a shit or they would know I'm affected. I survived many situations that so much worse than this. I can handle it! Ako pa ba!

Matapos kong punasan ang basa kong kamay ay inayos ko na rin ang suot ko. Ayokong mag mukhang dugyot ano!

Aabutin ko na sana ang sedura ng pinto ng washroom nang kusang bumukas ito at nasa harapan ko ngayon si Pres. Aiko hawak ang sedura at ang maskara nito sa isa. Nakakunot ang noo nito na parang stress na stress.

"Press..." tawag pansin ko rito dahil parang lutang pa ito at di pa ako tuluyang napansin.

Her eyes quickly snapped at mine at mula sa blankong mga mata ay kumislap agad ito at isang malaking ngite ang pumaskil sa mga labi nito.

"R–Rhyzhen? Hi!" di magkamayaw niyang bigkas. Nakangiting tumango naman ako rito pabalik.

I step aside from the door so she could enter the washroom, you know its rude to block someone's way. She thank me later after she placed her purse and mask on the sink and absentmindedly stare at her reflection on the mirror.

"About what happened at the cafeteria..." her eyes quickly darted to mine through the mirror. Ilang araw na rin akong kinakain ng guilt ko dahil sa nangyari. Di ko rin kase siya mahagilap sa skwelahan nitong mga nag daang araw eh ngayon lang talaga. I really feel bad prom the slap she got from Sorana, she doesn't deserved that. President Aiko's eyes held so much emotion as she stare at me, probably from recalling that incident last time.

"I'm sorry." I whisper genuinely.

She took a deep breath and gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't be. May pagkakamali rin naman ako. I should have ask if your available, none of that would've happen. Pasensya ka na rin, naging mapusok ako. Don't worry I already moved on from that. No hard feelings!"  aniya at ngumiti ng matamis, tipong mawawala na ang mga mata niya bago nag simulang mag retouch ng make up niya. I nodded understandingly.

"It's fine and thank you for understanding." ani ko bago humakbang palabas ng washroom ngunit di ko pa gaanong maisara ang pinto ay tinawag ulit ako nito. Lumingon ako sa kanya na nakatingin na pala sa akin ng matamaan na parang kinakabisado ang buong pisikal na anyo ko.

"I mean it." seryosong untag niya nga ikinanoot ng noo ko sa lito. I don't get what she mean and before I could ask she talk again.

"I've been watching you since the first day of school, you're lost and you ask me for the direction to engineering department. I've been liking you since that day Rhyzhen and so loving you on the next year's pass in secret." she sounded so emotional, almost broken from reminiscing the past.

"I shouldn't have stayed quite, sa akin kana sana ngayon." nanatiling tikom na lang ang bibig ko, ni di ko rin siya matignan sa mata dahil sa awang nararamdaman ko ngayon para sa nararamdaman niya sa akin.

I was so focus in pursuing Sorana that I don't notice what's already happening around me. Napakaraming na miss ko sa mga nagdaang taon dahil sa ang atensyon ko'y nasa iisang tao lamang.

"And just to tell you, Blanchette isn't really the person you really think she is. Don't trust her that much. What you're seeing right now is only a tip of the iceberg."

Pres. Aiko's words kept repeating on my head as I head back to the ballroom. My mind and soul are now exhausted from all conundrum I'm thrown into. Clearly, fate doesn't want me to have an easy life. It must be my no. 1 hater! I'll fuck you in the face when I see you bitch!