Brave the Storm (La Familia Series #1)

Chapter 02

"Nga pala, I'm Cove Wilder Hernandez," pagpapakilala niya.

Tinignan ko lang siya pagkatapos niya sabihin yun.

"And you are?" I sighed with his question. Ang kulit.

"Nakasulat sa papel." Naguluhan siya sa sagot ko.

"Tinanong ko pangalan mo tapos isasagot mo nakasulat sa papel? Magulo ka rin kausap no." Huminto ako para harapin siya. "Oh, galit ka nanaman?"

"You know for starters napaka-feeling close mo e no? You don't even know my name pero kung makipag-usap ka parang ang tagal-tagal na nating friends."

"Eh pano gusto mong way ng pakikipag-usap? Yung tatanong ko sayo favorite color mo, favorite food? Ang creepy naman pag ganon"

He has a point though.

"Nasa papel yung pangalan ko. Diba ikaw pa nagpasa," I retorted at nagsimula na ulit maglakad.

"Ah, yun naman pala ibig sabihin nun. Linawin mo naman kasi." This guy's really full of sunshine. "Pero di ko napansin pangalan mo kasi nga nagmadali ako paramahabol kita. Ano nga pangalan mo?"

"Kirsche," I said para naman matahimik na siya

"Yan lang pangalan mo? Wala kang last name?" Inis ako na napapikit dahil sa tanong niya.

Hindi ko alam kung nang-aasar pa ba siya para lang magsalita ako.

"Kirsche Artemis Sanchez, okay na ba? Dami mong satsat."

Tumawa nanaman siya. Napakasaya niya talaga.

"Edi ayan kumpleto. Sasagot ka nalang kasi lubusin mo na. Wala naman bayad yan eh. Ikaw rin, mapanis laway mo babaho pa hininga mo," pang-aasar niya.

"Ewan ko sayo" inirapan ko siya for the nth time this day.

Sa may chapel nalang kami tumambay, may mga tables and chairs kasi sa labas ng chapel na cemented. And the atmosphere here was very serene and refreshing. That's one thing I loved about our University, it has lots of trees and plants, kaya naman presko at mahangin.

Habang nag-aaral ako at kumakain pansin ko na kanina pa patingin tingin sakin 'tong lalaki na 'to. Di naman siya nagsasalita at di nanggugulo kaya hinayaan ko nalang.

"Di mo ba talaga ako kakausapin? Kanina ka pa aral nang aral diyan. Mag-usap nalang tayo," sabi niya ng sa wakas ay di na ata siya nakatiis na hindi magsalita.

"Ano naman ang pag-uusapan natin?"

"Kung ano-ano lang. Napakaboring mo naman kasi." I know he doesn't mean to offend but I am offended.

"Excuse me?" sabi ko sakanya

"Oh bakit dadaan ka ba?" hindi ata talaga makakausap ng matino 'to.

"You know if you find my company boring then go on and find someone else who can entertain you better. I never asked you to come with me in the first place."

I knew he knows that I was annoyed with what he said dahil nanlaki ang mga mata niya pagkatapos ng mahaba kong sinabi.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you nung sinabi ko na ang boring mo. I was just stating facts," he rebutted.

"Well, obviously, I am offended"

"Then you shouldn't be. Nasabi ko lang naman na boring ka dahil di mo man lang ako kausapin at panay lang ang basa at aral mo diyan."

I seriously don't understand why we're suddenly arguing and I don't understand why I am offended with what he said. Alam ko naman na medyo boring ang personality ko, I am well aware of that.

"You know what? This is nonsense. Just go and find other company."

I was about to resume doing my thing when I noticed that he has that ghost of smile on his lips.

"Why are you smiling?" and his smile even grew wider the moment I asked.

"Di mo ba napansin? Ang dami mong sinabi kanina. We were actually having a conversation," manghang sabi niya na akala mo isang achievement yun.

"We were conversing kanina. Arguing, ang ginagawa natin ngayon."

"Kahit ano pan itawag wala na akong pake. Sumagot ka sakin ng hindi lang one word," masayang turan niya.

"What is with you and my one word reply?"

"Di ko rin alam. I think it's just fascinating to make you engage in a conversation with you replying a sentence and not just a word," mahabang paliwanag niya.

"Whatever. I'll go ahead since it's already lab time" agaran kong kinuha ang mga gamit ko at iniwanan siya.

Nakita ko siyang tumawa habang nailing. He does that like twice this day.

"Wait up!" he told me at patakbo na humabol sakin.

I just ignore him dahil sa totoo lang nakakaubos siya ng energy. We still have six hours for laboratory time and honestly, I don't really like the idea of six whole straight hours. Sobrang nakakadrain ng energy. Kahit nung first year kami ganyan na ang set-up ng laboratory time.

"Since this is just the first day of this semester, we won't be having any experiment as of today." Thank, God! "But we will still discuss the do's and don'ts inside the laboratory. I know that this has been discussed to you in your first year but we were asked to discuss it once again since the incident last year," mahabang paliwanag ng prof namin.

Another boring hours to bear.

"Alam mo dapat nagcut nalang tayo eh. First day palang naman," pagdedemonyo ng katabi ko.

"You know if you want to cut classes then please do so. Wag yung nang-dedemonyo ka pa."

"What? I'm just saying and c'mon it's true! We already knew those stuffs and who cares about laboratory rules anyway"

"I care!" agad na naglingunan ang mga kaklase ko dahil sa pagsigaw ko.

"Yes miss? Do you have any question?" tanong sakin ng prof ko

"None, Ma'am. I'm sorry." Agad kong pinanlisikan ng tingin si Cove at nagmake face lang siya sakin.

"That would be all. I know it's still early to dismiss you but I'll dismiss you guys anyway. Have a great week. Goodbye!" at naglabasan na ang mga kaklase ko.

That discussion took three hours. Bagot na bagot na ko kanina and though I hate to admit it, Cove's bubbliness helped me through those three boring hours. He kept me entertained.

"Hey Kirsh" agad akong napalingon kay Cove dahil sa pagtawag niya sakin ng ganon.

"What did you call me?" he looked at me confused.

"Kirsh?" nalilito niyang sagot

"We're not close so don't call me by that name" he still looked confuse.

"Okay? Then I'll just call you Artemis," nakangiting niyang sagot

Mas nairita ako sa sinagot niya sakin. I just want to toss him outside earth.

"Never call me that!" bulyaw ko sakanya.

"Woah, chill. You don't want me to call you Kirsh but then you also don't want to be address as Artemis? How should I call you then?"

"Just call me Sanchez since di naman tayo close," I dismissively replied at iniwan na siya.

"Whatever you say, Sanchez! I'll see you tomorrow!" sigaw niya pa.