Si Torpe at Si Feeling

Chapter 19: Feelers

Chapter 19: Feelers

Prom was done. He asked me out on a date, wherever we liked. It was our first date as a real couple, so naexcite ako. So I took him to McDonalds after naming umattend ng misa sa simbahan, and ate fries and Coke Float. We strolled around the mall at naglaro sa arcade. Naubos yung change ko sa kabibili ng tokens for Mario Kart. Sobrang competitive ko eh, ayaw kong magpatalo. The weekend date ended as we strolled sa night market habang nilibre niya ako ng kape sa favorite coffee shop ko doon. It was simple, but a very happy day. I felt fuzzy and warm inside even if pinagalitan ako ni mama, dahil past curfew na ako umuwi.

Then school naman. After that first date, he held my hand a lot now. I flirted with him more openly now. It was like the pretend relationship, but mas real na real.

Kinikilig pa rin ako kapag sinusubuan niya ako ng fishball, o kung bibigyan niya ako ng chocolates kapag tinutopak ako... Haisst ang sweet niya guys! I feel the love!

Strangely, parang malayo sa akin si Tris ngayon ah... Last time I've seen her was when nagkahiraman kami ng homework sa Math before Prom. Pinakopya niya kami sa Math dahil medyo matumal ako sa Statistics, pero parang galit siya. Hala.

Naglilinis ang section namin ng room dahil may school evaluation, at nakahawak ako sa mop nang may tumama na lata sa ulo ko.

"Hoy! Sinong tumapon nito sa ulo ko?" Napasigaw ako sa sakit ng impact, at pinulot ang Fanta can. Only Tris in this class drinks Fanta, though.

"Sorry, akala ko basurahan eh." Tris said irritably as she wipes on the glass windows.

"Tristine, nandun ang basurahan para sa lata oh. Don't me." I pointed sa basurahan sa other side of the room, before continuing.

Napaisip ako nang kaunti. Wala naman akong kasalanan sa kanya ah? Diba?

I didn't do anything. Bakit galit siya?

I finished mopping the floor and threw the can on the trash can rather loudly. Napakamot ako sa natamaan kong ulo at nilapitan siya.

"Tris may problema ka ba sa akin?" I leaned on the wall beside the window she was cleaning. Tinapon niya ang rug sa balde.

"You leaked my answers!" She exclaimed. "Pinakopya mo ang buong klase, when I told you not to!"

"Confused ako sa sinasabi mo... Ako? Magpapakopya? Hindi nga ako nakikipag-usap sa kanila palagi eh!" I gasped when her hand came contact with my cheek.

"Kayo ni Szane! Kayo ang nagpakopya!" She pointed her fingers at me furiously.

"Wala nga akong kasalanan eh! Hindi lang naman ikaw ang marunong sa Math dito eh! Kung alam ko na ganito ang aastahin mo, kay Gab na lang sana ako humingi ng answers." I explained calmly towards the end. " Tris, you're freaking mental if you think I'll do something to break your trust, given that ako palagi ang nakiki-ayon sa inyo."

I walked out of the room, wiping the tear I let out when I was out of her sight. Why would she be like this to me?

Pumunta nalang ako sa classroom ng kabilang section. Gab and Jared were talking while Red's classmates we're catching up on reading materials.

"Gab, matanong lang." I said, breathing deeply. "Diba ikaw yung nagpakopya sa iba nating classmates ng own solvings mo?"

"Oo naman... Bakit noona?"

They both flinched when I screamed, groaning in anger. "Aargh! Bakit ba ako yung pagbibintangan niya? Bakit kami ni Szane?!"

"Anong problema noona?" Gab held my arm and nodded at me to answer. Sumimangot ako at tumalikod.

"Tris accused me of spreading her answers sa class. I told her I didn't, at dinamay niya pa si Szane." I explained, looking out the window. Jared comes closer and nudged my shoulder.

"Kalma lang, Avy." Jared smiled softly, somehow like trying to tame a beas. "I'm sure you two will figure it out after niyong kumalma dalawa. By the way, may joke ako. Where should a dog go if it lost its tail?..."

"Sa Vet?"

"No..." He chuckled. "To a retail store."

My frown was slowly erased my a grin, holding off a laugh by biting my lips.

"Ulol... paano akong mananatiling galit kung palagi mo akong pinapakilig..." I quietly said to myself as he looks over my direction.

----

I pulled Tris to an empty classroom, locking the door.

"Did you pull me here to apologize?" She said, raising a brow.

"Apologize ka diyan, wala akong kasalanan eh." I muttered. "I came here to talk. Exactly anong problema mo sakin, Tris? Kilala kita. Hindi mo to magagawa ang pangbubully mo sakin these past few days kung walang malalim na rason."

Tumahimik siya, staring and blinking at me.

"I didn't spread your homework, Tris. Cross my heart, hope to die." I raised my hand to promise, looking at her. "As a matter of fact, Gab also got the correct answers by solving, and shared it to the boys in our class. That's why everyone had homework even though walang alam ang lahat sa topic."

Namula ang mukha niya sa kahihiyan, staring at me with a shocked expression.

"Naalala ko pa noon yung sinabi mo. Binully mo rin ang classmate mo noong elementary dahil ipinagkalat niya sa school na crush mo daw ang lalaking palaging habol ng habol sayo, at hindi kana tinigilan ng lalaki, diba?"

Hindi parin siya umimik kaya nagtinginan na lang kami.

"You still like him, don't you?" I blurted out as she looks at me again.

"Oo." She finally said.

"Ulol, bakit mo hinahayaang sirain ng lalaki ang friendship natin?" I softly asked. "Dahil lang sinagot ko siya at dating na kami ngayon?"

"I thought, 'Red and I shared something while working on that quiz bee, Clare." She shook her head, laughing. "Ang feeler ko talaga."

"Baliw, pareho tayong feeler, diba? Remember second year?" I smiled as i recalled the memory. Yung nag-eensayo kami ng sayaw at nagbibiruan na about sa pagkagusto namin kay Jared.

"Hahaha, hindi ko yun makakalimutan." Tris answered, breathing heavily. "Sorry na, Clare..."

"Napatawad na kita, baliw." I held her arm.

Nagyakapan ang dalawang feelers sa loob ng classroom.