CHAPTER SEVEN
Cinegrand
KAPAPASOK ko lang pero gusto ko na agad umuwi.
Funny how I waited for my junior year to finally come, pero heto ako, araw-araw tinatamaan ng katamaran.
Ang boring pala talaga kapag walang kaaway. Napailing na lang ako saka ko nginitian 'yong mga bumabati sa 'kin sa hallway.
Pagkaliko ko sa kanan ko ay napahinto ako sa tapat ng locker ni Dest.
His name's still on it. I guess he never wanted to remove his name from it kahit wala na siya. Wala sa sarili akong natawa bigla. Kahit kalian talaga ay napakasama ng ugali n'on. Wala na siya pero ayaw niyang pagamit sa iba 'yong locker niya.
Agad na nawala ang ngiti sa labi ko.
Bakit ba nandito ako sa tapat ng locker niya?
I groaned in disbelief and walked away.
Natapos ko 'yong first two subjects ko at talagang antok na antok ako kaya inaya ko si Kath na tumambay sa cafeteria. Doon kami nagkuwentuhan at naghanap ng guwapo. Actually, si Kath lang talaga 'yong naghahanap ng guwapo.
Ibang tao 'yong hinahanap ko. At hindi ko alam kung bakit ko hinahanap 'yong taong wala na rito.
Napabuntonghininga ako.
Naiinis ako kay Dest dahil sinanay niya ako sa nakaiirita niyang presensya. Tapos ngayon ay mawawala siya bigla nang wala man lang pasabi. Kahit naman siguro wala kaming ibang ginawa kundi mag-away at mag-asaran, siguro naman may karapatan pa rin akong malaman na aalis siya?
Agad akong napailing.
Ano namang karapatan ko? Kaklse niya lang naman ako na palagi niyang ginagalit. Kaya bakit siya magpapaalam sa 'kin na aalis na siya, 'di ba?
Maybe it's better this way.
***
I shut my locker and sighed, grabed Kath's arm and pushed past the rest of the girls.
We walked down the hallway as soon as we heard a commotion around the corner.
Sinundan namin kung saan nanggaling 'yong ingay at pareho kaming natigilan ni Kath nang makita namin si Pauline na inaaway n'ong mga kaklaseng babae nina Helix at Gerald.
"How could you date Dest and Helix at the same time? You think that makes you the queen? Oh bitch, think again," Carra said.
Grabe talaga 'tong si Carra. Naiinis man ako kay Pauline, hindi naman ako gan'yan kaepal sa buhay ng iba.
Gano'n ba ka-bored si Carra?
Pauline didn't speak. Hinayaan niya lang na insultuhin siya ni Carra at paulit-ulit na ipagtulakan sa locker.
"What? She's dating the Guatamyel brothers?" Kath said, and her jaw dropped to the floor in dismay.
Kahit ako rin naman, ganiyan ang reaksyon no'ng nalaman ko. Pero, wala naman akong alam sa buong kuwento. So, who was I to judge?
"We're not sure about that," I said, linking my arm to hers.
Although I already heard from Helix himself that Pauline's dating his brother and hooks up with him, I still didn't know the entire story. Maybe Pauline has a reason she does what she does. Sure, what she's doing was wrong. Cheating was never a right thing and I was well aware of that, but that didn't change the fact that every person has a story.
Maybe Dest cheated on her first? Or maybe Dest was never a good boyfriend to her? Or maybe Dest abuses her? I don't know. There were so many possibilities for what really happened to them.
"Why are you defending her? I thought you like Helix?" Kath said, scrutinizing me.
Tiningnan ko siya nang masama. "Don't give me that look, Katherine."
"Whatever. Let's go get some iced coffee." She grabbed my arm to leave the dramatic scene, but the moment we turned around, pareho kaming napatigil.
Nandoon si Hel, nakatayo lang habang pinanonood kung paano ipahiya ni Carra si Pauline.
Seriously? Manonood lang talaga siya?
"Why are you not doing anything?" nakangiwing tanong ko. I knew he's a jerk, but I still expected something good from him.
Gano'n naman talaga, 'di ba? Kahit gaano kadami 'yong mga nagawang masama ng isang tao, mayroon pa ring kabutihan na nakatago sa kalooban nila. 'Di ba? Well, that's what I believed in for all these years.
Or maybe . . . I just got it all wrong.
Maybe I was too stupid to believe in all that.
His attention shifted to me. "Mind your own business, Park," he said impatiently before walking away.
***
I sat at the back of the class and pulled out my phone from the bag to send a message to Nico.
Ayoko naman kasing pumunta ulit ngayon ng bookstore dahil napakarami ko nang nabiling mga libro no'ng mga nakaraang araw.
Hey, do you like to watch a movie with me tonight? If that's alright with you and if you have no other plans tonight.
Minutes later, he texted back.
Sure! But we should bring Ger with us.
I rolled my eyes. He really is my brother's little minion, and I hated him for that. But I loved hanging out with Nico. He was really a good friend and we have too many similarities that Kath and I never had. Like watching romantic movies, comedies, dramas, and many more. Si Kath kasi, mas prefer niya 'yong action, sci-fi, and anything that I'm not into.
Okay. :)
I hit send and shoved my phone back to my bag.
Just when my classes ended, I immediately went home to change clothes and get money. Of course, I asked Kath to drop me off. I had no intentions to wait for my brother and I'm honestly planning on watching a movie with Nico without him.
Ger, dad wants you to pick him up at work.
I sent it to my brother before leaving the house.
He has his own car, sis.
Fuck. I forgot about that.
I should come up with another lie.
Think, Shin. Think.
Great.
His friend borrowed his car for an emergency. You should go pick him up. Bye. Love you.
After sending it to my brother, I sent another message to Nico.
Meet you at Cinegrand.
When I finally arrived in front of Cinegrand, agad kong itinaas ang kamay ko para sana kumaway, pero agad akong natigilan nang makita ko si Helix na nakatayo sa tabi ni Nico.
~
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