My Ideal Guy (Cambridge Academy Series 2)

Chapter 3: Flashback

Kyla's.

I stared deeply out of nowhere. Aleign is just busy scrolling in her phone when she noticed my expression. Binaba niya muna ang cellphone niya at nasa akin na ang focus niya.

"Hmm, I'm curious. Ano ba talaga ang nangyari sa inyo ni Jake?" nilingon niya si Jake na nasa counter pa din at nageentertain ng ibang customers.

Ayoko na siyang lingunin pa dahil bumabalik ang sakit ng nakaraan namin. Bigla ko na lang naramdaman na uminit ang bawat sulok ng mata ko, parang may nagbabadyang luha doon.

"Do you want me to tell you a story about it?" tanong ko kay Aleign habang nakatitig pa rin sa kawalan.

She held my hand. "You know that I'll always be here for you, Kylalaine. Hindi tayo naging classmates and even schoolmates nung Junior High. We only met each other during our Senior years. And you told me something about Jake but I think I'm missing something." she suspiciously said.

She's right. Napangiti tuloy ako ng mapakla.

"If you want me to tell you anything about it... let's not do it here. His presence makes me uncomfortable," I honestly said.

Tumango-tango siya. "Okay. My car is parked outside. Doon tayo."

She drove me to the edge of the cliff kung saan kita ang malawak na tanawin. Nakaupo lang kami sa hood ng kotse niya while we're facing the wide view.

Meron ding coke in can sa tabi namin at some chips that we bought earlier in the convenience store. Hinayaan muna namin mamayani ang katahimikan. While staring at the distant city, some memories come flashing back at me...

At sinimulan ko ng ikwento kay Aleign iyon.

It was during my last year in Junior High when I met Jake. We're actually classmates pero hindi kami ganoon kaclose at hindi rin kami gaano naguusap.

I have no friends and I just enjoy my own company. I only talk to someone if they talk to me. And I can go on with a day without talking to someone.

Pero nagbago lahat 'yon nang si Jake ang nag-approach sa'kin. He wants me to be his friend. At first, I refused. Why would I even be friends with him?

We're not close then all of a sudden, he just wants to be friends with me? That's quite suspicious.

But he became persistent. One time, I knocked on the principal's office to pass some requirements. Sa akin kasi inutos ng adviser namin ang magdala ng requirements na ito sa principal namin. Dahil wala naman akong choice, sinunod ko na lang.

And then... Jake opened the door to the principal's office. Nagulat ako pero hindi ko ipinahalata sa kaniya. He just smiled at me.

Pumasok na ko at inabot sa principal ang mga requirements. Tinanggap lang iyon ni Ma'am at bago ako makalabas, narinig ko pa silang nag-usap.

"Jake, please proceed to your class..." ani principal.

"Okay, Ma. Sorry for being a disturbance here," he chuckled at nang nakita niya kong nasa pinto pa rin, pinagbuksan niya na lang ako ng pinto at pinaunang lumabas.

I walked outside while looking at him weirdly. Napangisi siya sa'kin at nagpamulsa sa kaniyang pantalon.

Habang naglalakad, napaisip naman ako kung bakit tinawag niya ang principal na "Ma"? Anak ba siya ng principal? Pasimple ko siyang nilingon at nakatingin pa rin siya sa'kin habang may weird na ngiti sa mukha. So annoying.

I stopped from my tracks and turned at him. "What are you smiling at? So annoying." I rolled my eyes.

Natawa lang siya sa inakto ko at hindi pa makapaniwala nang lampasan ko lang siya. "I just wanna be friends with you, that's all. Please give me a chance, Kylalaine," nakadikit pa ang dalawa niyang kamay habang kinikiskis ito.