Strings of Regret

Chapter 13

SJNS 50th Golden Anniversary
D-3

The bold letterings on the stage were the first thing I saw when I arrived. The school prepared different games for us yesterday. May message relay, guess the song at iba pa. I don't want to be a KJ so I joined. Worth it naman yun kasi nag-enjoy naman ako.

Reese texted me the night after he confessed. I had the guts to reply kasi through chat naman iyon. Buti nalang ang daming pakulo ang school kahapon kaya medyo naiwasan ko siya. Nakakahiya kaya! I even had a hard time avoiding him pagsapit ng hapon kasi kailangang nakaantabay lang kami sa program. Siya pa naman ang katabi ko. I know I wished for him to like me back at ngayon na nangyayari na... I just feel so shy. But everything turned back to normal naman. Baka magbago isip niya at hindi na naman ako pansinin gaya noon.

Today is the third day of the foundation week. Na-e-excite ako kasi ngayong hapon na ang Tula ng isang Estudyante. Reese looked normal but I know he's nervous based on my observation.

  "Stop moving!" inis na aniya ko sa kanya. Kanina pa sabog ang buhok niya sa kakahawi.

He innocently looked at me. "What?" he asked, confused.

I furrowed my brows at him. "I know your nervous but calm down."

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin at pabulong na sumagot. "I'm not nervous."

  "Don't deny it. You keep on brushing your hair back and your thighs keep on bouncing. You only do that when your nervous."

He smiled and stared at me with a tender look. I was about to retort when he spoke.

  "You know me that much huh?"

My cheeks turned red and I kept silent, not wanting to answer. I heard him chuckle. We were sitting near the quadrangle to wait for the program to start. Today is the dance competition. All contestants were busy preparing in the classroom. I saw Eunice and my other classmates doing a quick rehearsal in our classroom earlier. Cassi was with Rizza and Kyla, I think Sabrina was with JL and Kean was missing so its only Reese and I.

Everyone flocked to the quadrangle when our guardian counsellor's voice boomed from the speakers announcing that the program will start in five minutes.

Everything was smooth. From the introduction, criteria of judging and down to the competition itself. It was fun watching them dance and I have always admired dancers. It seems like dancing was their form of expressing their selves. I'm not good at dancing. I'm more into singing but I knew the feeling when you dance your heart out. It's amazing.

  "Sa tingin mo, sinong mananalo?" I asked Reese who was bobbing his head with the music.

He shook his head. "I can't tell. Magaling silang lahat." I nodded in agreement. After the competition, nagpa-games sila. Reese and I didn't join because we don't feel like it. We went to the cafeteria instead.

  "Isang orange juice tsaka sandwich, ate. Ano sa 'yo Bri?" tanong niya sa akin habang nasa harap kami ng cashier. 

  "Isang siopao at bottled water nalang po sa akin ate," aniya ko sa cashier na nasa harapan. I was about to open my bag and get my wallet when a hand stopped me. I looked up to see Reese holding the tray of food and shaking his head.

  "I already paid for it. Let's go," aniya at nagpatiunang naglakad. I fastened my pace to catch up to him.

  "Bayaran nalang kita," giit ko sa kanya.

He placed the tray on the table and sat on the chair. "It's fine. Let's eat."

  "It's not fine. I can pay for it. You don't have to do it!" One thing that I don't like is getting the stuffs that I want without doing any effort at all. Gusto kong makuha ang mga bagay na iyon galing sa sarili kong pawis at tiyaga. I want to work hard for the things that I want. I try to achieve things on my own and not be dependant of anyone or anything. So I rarely ask for help when I could still try to stand and search for the solutions myself.