Every Bad Thing

Chapter Twenty-Three

Matapos kong kumalma ay kinuha ni Silas ang first aid kit sa aking kwarto at ginamot ang mga sugat ko. He looked worried and annoyed the whole time he was fixing my battle wounds. He looked frustrated, too. Kunot ang kanyang noo at paminsan-minsang kumukukuyom ang panga niya.

"What?" I pursed my lips.

Ibinaba ni Silas ang kamay niya at napabuntong hininga. Pagod na tiningnan niya ako. "Hindi ka na dapat nakipag-away."

"I got mad." I looked else where. I couldn't stare at him for too long, talking about this.

"Kahit na..." he bit his lip. "I don't want you hurt, Laurene."

"Then don't kiss other girls, para hindi ako masaktan."

"I didn't. Siya lang ang humalik sa akin."

Umirap ako. "Don't let other girls kiss you then, para hindi ako mang-away."

Tumango siya. Seryoso siyang nakatingin sa akin. Hindi binibitawan ang mga mata ko. His face was shouting of innocence. "Ikaw lang ang hahalikan ko."

Napakagat ako sa labi sa sagot niya. Silas is so good at making me feel things... and he doesn't even know it.

I got suspended for three days and I was asked to help out in the library. Pati si Rachel ay iyon ang naging sanction. Hindi man lang kami pinaghiwalay. They must really want to see a war ensue.

Inisip siguro nila na pwede kaming maging close dahil dito. A way to form a bond? I scoffed. Not in this life time.

I went to school just like how I usually go to regular school days. Pero hindi kasing aga katulad ng dati kong ginagawa para makausap si Silas. I didn't bother to attend the flag ceremony. Sa library na ako agad dumiretso.

Isang text ang natanggap ko kay Silas pagkatapos na pagkatapos ng flag ceremony na iyon.

Silas:
Where are you? I didn't see you in line.

Hindi dapat ako magreply. May kaonting galit pa ako sa kanya. Pero hindi ako makatiis. Basta pagdating kay Silas talaga, sobrang hina ko.

Me:
Library.

Akala ko ay ayos na dahil sa narinig ko ang paliwanag ni Silas. I really thought I'm okay after that kiss he gave me... Until Rachel's voice echoed in my head, poisoning my mind with doubts.

Ayaw kong maniwala sa kanya. Why would I want to believe that? That Silas kissed Pia back. That he even pulled her close. That Rachel even saw tongue...

"Miss Serrano, don't use your phone. This isn't your free time." the librarian, Mrs. Hermano, said. I was thankful for it because it snapped me out of my ridiculous thoughts.

Napatingin ako sa katabi niya. It was Rachel. She's sporting a few scratches on her face like me. Mas marami nga lang ang kanya. I'm sure she's wounded elsewhere, too. May kaonting ngisi sa mga labi niya. She looked amused and happy that I was scolded. I chose the better path and ignored her existence.

Itinago ko ang phone sa aking bag. I intend to do this task with full attention. Mas okay na abalahin ko ang sarili ko rito kaysa maisip ko na naman ang tungkol sa... Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko.

For this day, Mrs. Hermano assigned us to arrange the books using the Dewey Decimal System. Napairap na lang ako ng nakuha pang itanong ni Rachel kung ano iyon. It was comical. Graduating student na pero hindi iyon alam?