Beneath What it Seems

Kabanata 16

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Halos wala akong enerhiya at lakas bumangon kinabukasan pero tuwing iniisip ko na makikita at makakausap ko na si Ridge ay napipilit kong gumalaw ang sarili ko.

I'm excited to see him. Funny cause we're just not together for one freaking day but it feels forever to me. I look forward on having him by my side and being on his as well. I can't wait to share to him how my day went yesterday and ask him how he spent his day too.

Pagtungtong ko pa lang sa school ay gustong-gusto ko nang pabilisin ang oras at paabutin ng break time.

Pagsara ko ng pinto ng sasakyan ay nakarinig din ako ng parehong tunog sa tabi.

Napalingon ako at nakita si Sir Jad na kakababa lang din sa sasakyan niya. Nagkatinginan kami at nginitian niya ako. Nahihiyang ngumiti rin naman ako pabalik.

Medyo binilisan ko ang galaw para mauna na sa paglalakad. Noong elementary pa lang kasi ay ako na yung tipo ng estudyante na hindi magaling maki-pagclose o makipag-usap man lang nang casual sa mga teacher. Nahihiya at naiilang ako tuwing sinusubukan. Kaya minsan ay bumibilib ako sa mga kakakilala kong nagiging kaibigan ang mga guro nila dahil hindi ko kaya yun.

Nagulat ako nang maramdaman ang presensya ni Sir sa gilid ko. Nasabayan niya pa rin pala ako.

"Hi, Lia," nakangiting bati niya.

Naiilang na ngumiti rin ako. "Hi, Sir."

Binagalan ko naman ang lakad para mauna na sana siya pero bumagal din ang lakad niya. Magkatabi pa rin tuloy kaming naglalakad nang sabay at mabagal.

"I've read the paper you submitted," napalingon ako sa kanya. "I was impressed. Content and quality - wise, it was really good. Plus maaga mo pang pinasa." he flashed a pleasing smile.

Hindi ko maiwasang mapansin na hindi talaga halatang prof si Sir. Sa unang tingin ay iisipin mong estudyante lang din siya. Ayon pa nga sa mga kaklase kong may crush sa kanya ay fresh graduate lang daw siya.

Hindi ko alam ang ire-react sa sinabi niya. "U-uh, thank you Sir," ngiti ko na lang.

He stared at me before his lips curved into another smile.

"That's what I like most about you," unti-unti akong napahinto sa paglakad dahil sa pagliko ng usapan. Nakita kong napahinto na rin siya.

"Aside from your charm," he started, while staring at me with his bright eyes. I can feel my cheeks burning from embarrassment. "..you also take your studies seriously." then a genuine smile plastered on his face.

I don't know what my expression right now looks like pero natawa siya. Ang alam ko lang ay gulat ako at hindi alam kung anong dapat sabihin sa ganitong klaseng sitwasyon.

Maybe my reaction looks funny because he really did chuckle after seeing it.

"I'm kidding," he cheekily said then he put his left hand on top of my head to ruffle my hair slightly. "..Don't think too much about it." he added.

I was too taken a back by the contact he made between us that I failed to process what he just said.

I was just about to step back to free my self from his touch when my gaze darted to a pair of dark eyes from a far.

My lips parted at the sight of Ridge. I want to feel excited but no. Not when he looks like that. Not when he looks intense and angry.