Strings of Regret

Chapter 9

dedicated to killerbitch_hanz

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I stood immobile and stared at him, dumbfounded by what he said. Is he serious?

I was about to say something when a smile broke out of his face and he laughed hysterically.

"Your reaction was priceless!" he even clutched his stomach because of how hard he was laughing. Some students are already looking our way.

Pinagpapalo ko siya sa inis. Walang hiya talaga ang lalaking 'to kahit kailan!

He use his arms to shield himself from my hitting.

"Kinilig ka siguro 'no?"

Yes, I did. But I am never gonna admit that. Ever. Gosh! I was even refraining myself to assume because everything just seems like a joke to him. He was clueless to what those words mean to me. O siguro ako lang naman talaga ang nag-iisip nang ganito. He was like this before as well. Nothing new.

I glared at him. "Nakakainis ka na ha? Lubayan mo na nga ako!"

Tinalikuran ko na siya at humakbang papalapit sa classroom ni Renan. Hindi parin pala sila lumalabas.

Hinigit niya ako papalapit but I didn't budge. "Sorry na.. Nagbibiro lang naman ako e."

"Totoo naman talaga na gusto kitang makasama." he continued.

I turned to him with a blank face. Better not get my hopes up.

"Why are you staring at me like that? It's true. Who wouldn't want to be with you? Masaya kasama, jamming, hinding hindi tayo mawawalan nang topic," giit niya.

See? Advance ako mag-isip diba? I learned. char.

Sasagot na sana ako nang nagsilabasan na ang mga kaklase ni Renan.

"Naginstruct pa si ma'am sa amin ng kung anu-ano sa foundation day kaya natagalan," nakabusangot niyang ani. When he noticed somebody else's presence, he turned his gaze to the person next to me.

Renan raised a brow, asking who the person was.

"Renan this is Reese my guy friend, Reese this is Renan my brother."

"Hi Renan! ML player ka ba? Anong rank mo?" Reese started.

Renan's face glowed as if he's a kid given a candy. They eventually started talking about ML as we made our way out of the school. Nagpaalam naman si Reese na umuwi na nang nakarating na kami sa sakayan.

We were casually eating kwek-kwek in the tricycle as we waited for it to go. Inabot ko ang water bottle ko sa bag at uminom nang tubig.

"Ate?"

"Hmm?"

"Boyfriend mo ba si Kuya Reese?" si Renan habang ngumunguya pa.

I coughed and almost choked when I heard him ask. Sinimangutan ko siya. "Don't talk when your mouth is full. And no, he's just my friend."

"That's not what I see.." he replied which made me stop what I'm doing. I, then shook my head. Erase, erase, erase!

We already arrived earlier and I'm currently scrolling on my news feed. Kakatapos ko lang maghalf bath and hindi na naman regular ang classes so balik sa dating gawi na naman ako. I checked my messenger thinking that maybe nag log lang 'yong cellphone ko pero may reply naman talaga ni Reese pero wala. It's been thirty minutes since he last replied to me. Baka nakatulog?