All Up In My Head [Completed]

2 On Edge

On Edge

Fortunately, Lila wasn't kick out of the scholarship because of what happened last semester. Patuloy pa rin siyang magiging student assistant sa library kasama si Shane. What she love about the library besides the strong WIFI connection and the centralized aircondition is the smell of old and new books. Kasiyahan niya kada nagdadagdag ang admin ng bagong titles.

"Pwede bang dalawang libro ang hiramin at the same time?"

Napatayo siya sa kinauupuan. The swivel chair rolled to the other side. Lila straightened her stance as she approach the guy. It was him, the umbrella guy and the filipiniana slut guy but different. His hair is brushed up and his uniform is buttoned and ironed finely.

"H-huh? Oo, naman."

"Great." Nilapag nito ang dalawang libro. Applied Physics.

"Library card?"

"Oh..." He fiddled on his backpack and handed her the card. "Here," ika nito at pinagmasdan siya habang tinitipa niya ang information sheet sa computer. Can he not do that? She thought. Hindi niya mapigilang ma-conscious. Matapos niyang gawin ang pag-scan ng book code ay binalik niya na ang library card pati ang libro dito.

"Ten days lang pwedeng magtagal ang libro at kapag lumagpas, may fines na," sambit niya.

He smiled. "Thanks..." He looked down to her name tag. "Lila?"

Bakit kasi may pa-name tag pa sila? Huminga siya nang malalim nang umalis ang lalaki. This is her fourth year in Gustavio and also fourth year being a student assistant but she can't still act casually around people. Parati pa rin siyang natatameme at naiilang.

"Friend, sino 'yon?" usisa ni Shane. Napatingin siya sa monitor at binasa ang pangalan ng lalaki. Hindi yata 'to mahal ng mga magulang. Ang pangit ng pangalan.

"Uhmm... Ewan?" she replied, a little unsure.

"O-okay." Shane shrugged and sat on the other chair. Mukhang hindi nito naiintindihan. His name is literally 'Ewan'.

"Ewan nga," mariin niyang sabi.

"Okay nga lang. Privacy, right?" Shane snorted. Hinayaan niya na lang. Who cares how someone pronounce their name? It's not like she's going to meet him again. Well, kailangan nga naman nitong isauli ang librong hiniram. But it doesn't mean she's going to be the assigned person here in the counter.

" 'Nak?" Pumasok ang kanyang mamang sa kwarto. Itinabi niya ang mga notebook at papel.

"Mang?" Tumabi ito sa kanya.

"May libro raw kayong bibilhin sa eskwela. Bakit di mo naman ako sinabihan?" May pagtatampo sa boses nito.

Ngumiti siya. "Pwede namang ipa-photocopy, mang."

Kumunot ang noo nito. The wrinkles in her forehead is getting a little more visible unlike before. Ngunit ang kulot at mahaba nitong buhok ay nagpapanatili sa batang awra ng kanyang mamang.

"Hindi pwede 'yan. Pinangako ko na kay Nelia na pag-aaralin ka."

Her Mamang is not her biological mother but her real mother's sister. She's just glad that she found another family in them. Hinaplos nito ang kanyang buhok. Madalas pa naman siya nitong pagsabihan na magsuklay. Minsan kasi ay isang beses o dalawang beses lang siya sa isang araw kung magsuklay.