Pleace Notice Me

Chapter 5

Actions can be seen but it can't break a heart into a million tiny pieces, words does.

I casually greeted our lady guard as I walk in the patio towards our school building. It's still early so there are only few students lingering around the school grounds. Some rooms are still with no one.

Nagulat ako ng pagbukas ko sa room namin, nandun na si Arc. He stop strumming his guitar when he saw me entered our room. Tiningnan niya lang ako ngunit nagbawi agad ako ng tingin.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit late Arc." Napabaling ako sa nagsalita, papasok si Jane sa room. Nabigla siya ng konti ng makita ako sa upuan ko na nag-aayos ng gamit. Nakapagpasya ako na pumunta na lang sa Student Body Office para di na ako makaistorbo sa kanila kaya't tahimik lang akong tumayo at naglakad palabas.

"Where are you going, Ann?" Jane asked hesitantly.

"SBO." I replied shortly, trying to avoid to make a long coversation with her, with them.

May usapan siguro sila kaya't ang aga-aga nila. Sinulyapan ko muna silang dalawa bago ako lumabas, at ng nagtama ang mga mata namin ni Arc, pilit akong ngumiti para di niya maisip na may parte sa sarili kong nasasaktan.

Naging abala ako sa mga gawain sa org kaya di ko namalayan ang oras. Biglang bumukas ang pinto at iniluwa nito si Lucy at Tina na parang kanina pa nagtatalo bakas sa mga ekspresyon nila.

"Nandito ka lang naman pala Ann!" Exhausted na saad ni Tina.

"Oh bakit? Hinahanap niyo ako?"

"Oo! For God's sake Ann, kanina pa kami hanap ng hanap sa 'yo. Tinanong namin mga kaklase natin kung may nakakita ba sa iyo, wala daw. Even Arc and Jane na siyang nadatnan namin sa room, nagkibit balikat lang." What? Alam naman nila nandito ako ah.

"Sorry, I got preoccupied with these works here. Bakit niyo nga pala ako hinahanap?" I asked them, finally stopping writing and fixed everything.

"Tulongan mo muna ako doon sa Dating Booth habang naghahanap si Tina ng available na SB officer. Puro kasi may mga laro ang iba eh." Saad ni Lucy.

Lumabas naman kami agad at nagsipunta sa mga assigned post namin.

I scan the list of the students na kailangang dakpin para sa blind date. My eyes fixed at the two familiar names, and my heart aches because of it. This is not a blind date, this is Arc's penmanship. He must have listed themselves.

Mayamaya pa, dumating si Tina kasama ang iba pang SB officers at sinimulan na nilang dakpin ang mga nakalista sa listahan. When I saw Arc being guided by the officers towards the room, I tried to excuse myself and after a minute of debating with Lucy, she fortunately let me. Siya namang pagpasok ni Jane sa room.

I roam around the campus, trying to indulge myself to the view of the growing intramurals. I was caught offguard when someone blindfolded me behind and then it comes into my mind that this is not really good. I struggle to free myself from the persons holding me but my stubborn boy classmates who are just near helped them out. I am guided towards the blind date room and, no kidding, I really feel dizzy. Walking without anything to see is so hard.

"Oh my God, I feel so dizzy. Bwesit kayo. Matutumba na ako ano ba." I protested. Tinawanan lang nila ako ng matumba pa ako malapit sa upuan. Ang sakit ng tuhod ko, bwesit talaga.

"Bitiwan niyo ako. Hindi niyo talaga magugustohan ang gagawin ko. Wag kayong gumawa ng paraan para magkahiwalay agad kami ni Jane. Pag nalaman ko kung sinong may pakana nito, mananagot talaga sa akin. Sino ba kasi yang stupidang babae na magpapablind date sa akin." Galit na sigaw ni Arc sa labas and then I realized, kami ang ibablinddate. I hurriedly grab the blindfold in my eyes, nandilim muna ang paningin ko but I tried to adjust at the light. Tumayo ako at akmang lalabas na ng pigilan ako ng mga kaklase kong nakisali na sa blind date na ito. Arc is still outside, nahihirapan ang mga SB officer na ipapasok siya kasi nagwawala siya. Tumulong naman ang iba naming mga kaklase na lalaki, dalawa na lang ang natirang nagbantay sa akin.

"Fuck off guys! Magsisisi talaga ang babaeng ipinapablinddate niyo sa akin, I swear!" Galit na galit na saad ni Arc. That's it, enough of this stupid blind date.

"Arc naman! Bear with the rules, may nagbayad para sa inyo!" Galit na sigaw ni Tina.

"I don't care!" Gigil na saad ni Arc.

I walk towards the door where they are still struggling to drag Arc towards the room. Pinigilan pa ako ng mga nagbabantay sa akin but I glared at them and they knew me well, hindi ako madaling magalit pero pag ako na ang nagalit, no one will want to witness. Nang makita ako nila na lumabas, agad naman silang natigil.

"Fuck off! Urggh!" Gigil na saad ni Arc. Nagtagumpay naman na siyang matanggal ang mga nakahawak sa kanya. Dalidali niyang tinanggal ang blindfold niya. Siya namang pagdating ko sa harapan nila. Bakas ang gulat sa kanya, hindi agad siya nakaimik. He just stared at me, dumbfounded.

Linagpasan ko siya pero bago ako lumabas ng tuluyan, sinulyapan ko silang lahat.

"Before you guys do things, think first. I don't want to ruin anything. Lastly, don't brand a girl as stupid." Then I storm out of the room. Nakita ko si Jane sa labas, kasama sina Ara. Alam kong gusto akong lapitan ni Ara but she didn't dare, alam niyang galit ako. I saw the irritation on Jane's face but I really don't care. I don't care about them right now. I am a good friend but I am no saint.

I decided to go home. Coming here is a big mistake, staying here more so. I grab all my things in the SB office. Lucy and Tina showed up.

"Ann," Lucy called me. I ignored them. I'm not angry at them, nagtatampo lang ako kung bakit hinayaan pa nila itong mangyari.

"Ann, we're sorry. Si Ara ang may pakana nun, gusto niyang magkabati na kayo ni Arc. Gusto din namin na magkausap kayo, kaya pumayag kami." Saad ni Tina. Bumukas naman ang pinto at pumasok si Ara.

"Ann, I'm really sorry. Di namin alam na sila na pala, di namin alam na ganun ang magiging reaksyon ni Arc." Ara said, crying. She hugged me tight. And as if on cue, my tears flowed down my eyes. They all hugged me tightly, saying their sorry. We stayed like that for a moment until someone knocked on the door. Ms. Feliciano's head showed up.

"I want to talk with Ms. Cruz at my office. Pronto." Miss said then closed the door.

"Go on Ann. We're really sorry." Ara said. They again hugged me.

As I walk towards Miss Feliciano's office, I realized that my act of running away yesterday was futile. It didn't work. Ang mga actions lang ni Arc ang naiwasan nito, but his words aren't. Even though I ran away from him as far as I could, his words still caught me and crushed my heart into million tiny pieces.