Thorns of Roses

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

When the door was opened widely, 2 guys entered our unit. Nakasunod sa kanila si Aly na parang umaalalay, she's saying some things with a small voice. Ang isang lalaking tingin ko'y sinasabi ni Aly na nurse is not what I expected. With his nursing uniform and an LSU lanyard, he passed by in front of me quietly kasama ang isang lalaking may dalang malaking paperbag ng adiddas. They all entered my room and Aly walked towards me.

"Kilala mo kung sino iyong bumugbog sa kanya?" Aly uttered raising her brows.

Mabilis kong binuksan ang aking phone. I let her swipe the pictures I took a while ago. Hindi ko alam kung malinaw iyon tho, my hands were shaking while I took it. Aly airdropped the photos from my phone to hers. At binalik iyon sa akin bago umalis patungo sigurong kwarto niya.

She's a woman with few words I must say. Sa katagalan naming magkasama at magkaibigan, sa akin lang siya nagiging nagger dahil sa desisyon ko sa buhay. Usually, she thinks very rational and logical. She always create decisions that is for the greatest good, taliwas sa amin ni Calla na nagpapadala sa sariling emosyon.

But the 3 of us stood together. In our darkest and worst times, kami ang alalay ng bawat isa. Our families are even close with each other, at kung may nakakakilala man sa akin nang sobra, except for my father, it's the both of them.

Although I don't understand much why Aly helped me with Sir Nico's situation, I am beyond thankful. Alam kong wala siyang masamang gagawin doon kay Sir even with her Bros inside our unit.

Soon enough, Calla called us for dinner. Nasa hapag kaming tatlo and Calla is again with her soft but wide mouth saying things. Nakikinig lang kami ni Aly habang ako'y paminsan minsang sumasabat. She's saying something about running for a position in Student Council.

Tumatango tango ako nang nilatag niya ang mga plano niya if ever she'll win sa senior year namin. She's pretty confident I must say. Freshmen second sem pa lang kami pero ang tiwala sa sariling mananalo siya ay hindi na nakapagtataka.

Even with my full support and her being famous for various things in the univ, she will not win this without Aly's support. Kung ganitong siya ang may planong tumakbo bilang Council President, Aly for sure, even with eyes lingered on her as the council's president, will back down.

"What do you think?" pagpapatuloy ni Calla. Mabilis akong nagthumbs up habang sumang-ayon naman si Aly. Calla smiled widely because of that.

I was about to prepare food for the 2 guys who helped Aly when she told me na huwag na raw. I quickly shrug, maybe she will be treating them with different food.

I started drawing while the TV on the living room is in full blast. At the back of my head, nagpapasalamat ako dahil Friday bukas at hindi ko kakailanganin mag-uniform. It will be our washday and later on with that day, bibili ako ng bagong bag at sapatos, iyon ay kung maagang magdi-dismiss. I sighed.

And when I finished reading my lectures and doing my plate, I dozed off. Uncertain of the time and place where I should be sleeping.

Habang naglalakad papasok ng school ay bumuntong hininga ako. The nerve of that guy! Nang magising ako kaninang umaga ay naabutan ko si Aly na nagbe-breakfast. She said that Sir Nico already left.

Without even thanking me! Ni hindi ko nakausap kung maayos na ba ang lagay niya o kung thankful ba siya dahil sa kamalasang ginawa niya sa akin. Halos minuminuto akong umiirap sa kawalan dahil sa irita. I am beyond pissed off now.

Wearing my mom jeans and a shirt, naglakad ako sa hallway ng Engineering building with a smug look. So much for an 8-AM-mood. When I reached the room, tumabi ako kay Hugh at hindi nagsalita. The class started when the Prof came.

Dumating ang break at sabay sabay kaming naglakad papuntang cafeteria. Seriously, mabenta itong limang 'to sa mga Tourism Students, kung kaya't tuwing dumaraan kami roon on our way to cafeteria halos mabali ang leeg ng mga babae kakatingin sa kanila. Sa engineering lang ata sila hindi pinapansin dahil busy lagi ang mga tao roon e. lol.

Umirap na naman ako nang naalala ko si Sir Nico.

When we sat after ordering food, ramdam nilang lima ang pagiging moody ko sa araw na iyon. So much happened yesterday at kung hindi lang ako makalma, I will probably keep this from them. But knowing this 5, hindi nila palalampasin ang mood ko nang hindi ito napapagaan. So I told them what happened yesterday.

So after what I said ay halo halong reaksyon ang natamo ko. Minsan ay natatawa sila dahil habang nagku-kuwento ako, I am doing it with actions. Tumayo pa nga ako sa upuan ko for better visualization and explanation noong binuhat ko si Sir. Kaya't kahit wala naming nakakatawa sa nangyari ay hagalpak sina Renz at Hugh dahil sa ginawa ko.

"Pinatuloy mo sa kwarto mo, tapos in-indian ka. Saket." Jace said and jokingly placed his hands sa kanyang chest na kunwari'y nasasaktan pa.

"Baka nagulat bro, hindi naman niya kuwarto iyon tapos bigla siyang naroon, I mean, Sir must've freaked out?" si Hugh after nguyain ang pangalawa niyang sandwich for a 30 minute break. This guy. Kung bakit hindi tumataba sa dami ng kinakain ay hindi ko rin alam.

"Pero ni thank you wala? O kahit man lang note! Nagkatinginan pa nga raw sila ni Aly pero wala naman daw sinabi sa kanya!" I hissed. Kahit papaano ay gumaan ang loob ko na nakausap ko sila.

"Kung ako sa'yo, uncrush mo na 'yon." Si Brain at tumango tango pa.

"Omsim." Sang-ayon naman ni Renz. "Para kay Brain ka na lang." he continued. That earned a thrown bottle on Renz' direction at isang irap sa akin, habang natatawa naman ang natirang tatlo. Sometimes, I think I am beyond crazy for befriending them, pero mas madalas kong naiisip na swerte ako sa limang 'to.

"Duh, hindi ko na crush iyon 'no. Turn off." I hissed.

Nang nakita kong sabay sabay silang tumayo ay tatayo na rin dapat ako, pero pinigilan ako ni Arn. With Arn being quiet and all, mas madalas ay sinusunod ko ang sinasabi niya dahil pakiramdam ko, may sense!

"Sir! Dito po!" Si Jace habang turo ko na parang may kasigawan sa aking likuran. I froze when I realized who it must be. Tatayo na sana ako nang hawakan ni Arn ang aking balikat. He was smirking while shaking his head, like telling me to stop.

Mabilis silang umalis sa table naming at natatawa pang lumingon si Renz. "Uncrush na huh." He  mouthed walking away from me. And from the person in front of me.

Binabawi ko na pala iyong sinabi kong swerte ako sa kanilang lima dahil sa ginawa nila sa akin ngayon.

Halos lumuwa ang mata ko nang nakita ko si Sir Nico na umupo sa katapat kong upuan. I thought he was attractive enough kahapon noong nagtuturo siya. But he was beyond it right now. With his formal attire and carefully brushed hair para akong hihimatayin. And he didn't have his glasses on. Akala ko, I was attracted to him because of his glasses, pero ngayon,

'di ko na alam.

Nang maalala ko kung anong ginawa niya sa akin kahapon at kaninang umaga ay napairap ako. Anong attractive attractive ka riyan AC, uncrush na 'di ba. Though I don't think that he can sense what I'm feeling when I feel like he can't even manage to see me clearly.

When the bell rang, I stood up. I was about to walk away because he wasn't saying anything, mga Segundo na ang lumipas nang nakatitig lamang siya sa akin, pero hinawakan niya ang siko ko. I froze. His hands felt smooth against my skin. Now I feel like I'm very conscious sa balat ko! Dapat 'ata ay nagpa-spa ako kahapon kahit never ko pa namang nata-try iyon—

My thoughts smoked out when he spoke, softly.

"I'm sorry." When I looked at him and saw nothing but sincere eyes, mabilis akong naguilty. But then, I remember Renz' words. Uncrush.

"Thank you and, babawi ako promise. You should head back to your class now, your break is over." He continued. Hindi ako nagsasalita at nakatingin lamang sa kanya. When he sensed that I won't tell him anything, he cursed with frustration. I arched my brows and looked at him questioningly.

"Can I get your number?" with that being said. I froze, throat ran dry and a blank head approached me.