Salem's Eyes (COMPLETED)

32 Salem

It was just the second week of school so everything wasn't as chaotic yet. Marami na rin naman akong ginagawa pero dahil siguro nasanay ako noong nakaraang school year, mas madali akong nakapag-adjust.

"Malapit na kamo ang anniversary n'yo ni Caius? Wow, so spicy!"

I blew out a sigh. It was really stressing me out.

"I have no idea about this shit. I'm not the romantic type but I wanna do something for him." I said out loud.

Hindi ko alam kung ano sa sinabi ko ang nakapagpatawa sa kanila. We were heading to the cafeteria for our lunch break. May dalawang subjects pa ako bago ako makauwi.

"Don't do something for him. Do something to him." taas-babang kilay na sabat ni Kiko sa usapan namin.

We were friends but still, fuck Kiko.

"I'm not talking to you." sagot ko sa kanya.

"Fucking pig." simangot ni Liza sa kanya.

"Y'all a bunch of kids." pang-aasar n'ya atsaka tumakbo para makaiwas sa amin. Sometimes, I couldn't understand why we were still hanging out with him. He stresses the hell out of me.

"But have you done it?" natatawang tanong ni Jenn. Parehas namin s'yang sinamaan nang tingin ni Liza. Isa pa 'to. She held out her palms as if she was surrendering.

I wasn't against it but I guess I wasn't just ready with that kind of relationship. Call me old fashioned but I have my own...choice and decision. I'd do it with him if the time was right. Yes, we were both adults but he was barely even mature. He couldn't handle the consequences yet. Same for me.

Just fuck Kiko and his ideas.

I'd probably buy Caius a new keyboard for his computer. 'Yung umiilaw 'yung key caps kapag pinipindot. I've already checked some online.

Pagkapasok ko sa cafeteria, si Caius agad ang nakita ko. Nakapila na s'ya sa counter. It was strange that he didn't call me para sabay kaming kumain. That was what he usually does last school year whenever our schedules were in sync.

This was the first time I've seen him this week. Friday na ngayon. Last week, hindi talaga kami nagkita sa school dahil magkasalungat nga 'yung schedule namin. But I waited for him twice at the bus stop. Tapos nagpunta s'ya sa amin noong Sunday. I plan on waiting for him again later. Isang oras lang naman.

Inilapag namin ang mga bags sa mesang napili ni Kiko at pagkatapos ay nagtungo kami sa counter. Dumiretso kami kay Caius dahil wala na s'yang kasunod sa pila.

He turned around when I poked him on the back.

"Salem," gulat na tugon n'ya. He wasn't really expecting me. Sa pagkakaalam ko, memorya n'ya ang schedule ko.

Binati n'ya ang mga kaibigan ko. I noticed the bags under his eyes. He was starting to get stressed. He looked sleep deprived.

"You don't have a class?" I asked because his lunch break was supposed to be two hours earlier than mine.

My friends went to order on the other line.

"Na-move 'yung klase ko kanina kaya free ako ngayon." pag-eexplain n'ya. He held my hand and made me face the counter. "Anong gusto mo?"

"The beef broccoli." I answered after reading the menu list that was plastered above. The girl on the counter immediately moved to prepare my food. Maraming nakahandang pagkain sa counter kaya nagtaka ako. "Did you order all of that?" I asked him. There were four different kinds of food.

"Oo. Naglibre kasi ako doon sa mga bago kong kaibigan." sagot n'ya. Tss. Caius the social butterfly. "Ihatid ko lang 'tong iba sa table namin. Babalik ako."