TW: Abuse, ViolenceZandrey's POVI was almost running late for my next class. Naharang kasi ako nina Jed at Dominic. Nag-aayang makipag-group date. To avoid prolonging the conversation, I just agreed to go. There's no harm in it. Besides, I might benefit from it. In whichever way, I'm not sure. Lagi lang naman akong game sa mga buhay nila. Lately, all I did was study and go home when I have the chance. I can't mess this up. Not when I don't want to be under my dad's roof anymore. Kaya kailangan kong pagbutihin ang pag-aaral. I know he has the wealth, but I don't really trust him in giving it to me as his heir. Baka may iba siyang anak, so I have to do well on my own. I don't really need his money.I passed by the Library since it was the closest route going to our building. But it was quite packed with students so I bumped into a girl."Are you okay? I'm so sorry," I quickly said. I helped her picked up her things that fell on the floor. When I looked up, I almost stopped.Man, she's
My mother was right when she said that not all things go according to plans. She said they have their own ways of complicating lives. But all things, the easy and the complicated, also have their own ways of serving their purposes, and it shall make everything make sense one day.I waited for that day. Dahil gusto kong malaman kung bakit nangyari ang mga nangyari. In fact, I waited for so long.Kaso minsan pala sobrang tagal din ng paghihintay na dapat nating gawin."Ma'am, hinahanap ka po ni Ma'am Daisy," Janine, my assistant said. Napatingin ako sa kanya. She was all smiles kaya napangiti na lang din ako.Tinanguan ko na lamang siya and left my unfinished bouquet to her.Sunday has been the busiest day of the week. The orders are a lot more than the usual lalo na ngayon at Valentine's day pa at dalawa lang kami ni Janine ang nandito sa shop. I don't even know how we managed to make it half the day."Yes? What took you here?" I asked my best friend as I entered my office. She's alrea
"Sige na, Ai. This will be fun, promise!" Daisy said. Kanina pa siya nagmamakaawa sa aking samahan siya sa isang group date. May dalawang babae pa naman daw kaming kasama mula sa klase nila. Hindi ko lang alam kung bakit ako ang pinipilit niyang sumama kung pwede namang sa bloc na lang nila siya maghanap."Ayoko nga," I replied. Binilisan ko iyong lakad ko. Pupunta pa kasi akong Library kasi vacant time ko. Ito namang si Daisy ay kahit late na sa klase niya ay andito pa rin at sunod nang sunod sa akin."Aira naman," malungkot niyang sabi. "Samahan mo na 'ko, please? Kasama kasi iyong crush ko. Ipapakilatis ko sana sa 'yo," she added.I stopped from walking. Huminto rin siya at tumingin sa akin, her eyes almost pleading. "At sa akin mo pa talaga naisipang ipakilatis? Sure ka?""Bakit hindi? Magaling ka namang mang-judge.""Gaga ka."Daisy laughed. "Totoo naman. At saka, ipapa-check ko rin kung may red flags ba. Magaling ka 'don eh.""So basically, isasama mo lang ako doon para i-judge
Feeling ko ang liit ng University namin 'nong nakita ko ang lalaking nakabangga ko kanina na nandito na ngayon sa harapan ko. I mean, ang dami naman kasing estudyante sa school! Well, baka coincidence lang talaga. Hindi dapat ako mag-overthink.Naramdaman kong sinipa ako ni Daisy sa ilalim ng mesa. Hindi ko iyon pinansin."Ikaw 'yong nakabangga ko kanina," I suddenly said."Yeah. I think it's me," he said with a smile. Tumango na lang ako saka ibinalik ang atensyon sa juice ko. "I'm Zandrey," he said sabay abot sa akin 'nong kamay niya.Tinanggap ko iyon. "I'm Aira.""Bakit naman ang tagal mo?" Narinig kong tanong 'nong Dominic kay Zandrey."Na-late ako kanina. Ang tagal kong nakapasok kasi nawala ko ID ko," I heard him said."Right!" Napalakas iyong boses ko sa narinig kaya napatingin sila sa akin. Agad naman akong nag-sorry. "Nahulog kanina. Isasauli ko sana kaso nakaalis ka na. Saka idadaan ko sana sa lost and found kaso nawala sa isip ko." Hinanap ko iyong ID niya sa bag kaso bigl
I could feel my face heating up in embarassment. Halos hindi ako makatingin sa kanya! Kung saan-saan ko tuloy naibabaling ang tingin ko. Para na akong tanga!"I'm sorry," I heard him said. Wala namang may sadya 'non diba? Pero bakit kasi!"I'm sorry too," I said. Saglit lang akong tumingin sa kanya and looked away hurriedly. Nakakahiya talaga!"Should we go back inside?" He asked. Mabilis akong tumango. Pakiramdam ko nahimasmasan na ako dahil sa nangyari.We went back to the KTV and it was the most awkward walk of my life! Buti na lang naisip kong hindi naman na kami magkikita after nito. Saka malaki naman ang University! Hindi naman ako nagagawi sa college nila. Iiwasan ko na lang din lahat ng mga nakaputi!Pagkarating namin ay medyo hindi na ganoon kagulo. Nakatulog na nga si Daisy. At nakasandal pa kay Jed! Para-paraan talaga ang bruha.Nag-aya na akong umuwi at sumang-ayon naman silang lahat. I had to retrieve the rest of my stuff from Daisy's car after getting the keys from her s
I never got myself in trouble before. Maingat akong tao kaya kampante ako sa mga desisyon ko sa buhay. Hindi rin ako sanay na pinapahiya ang sarili. I know how to get out of situations. I am that smart, as my Mom would say. Pero lately, parang gusto ko na lang ikahiya ang buong pagkatao ko.Nanlalaki ang mga mata kong nakatingin kay Zandrey na nasa harapan ko ngayon. I can see him suppressing a grin kaya mas lalo akong nahihiya. Gusto ko na lang magpalamon sa lupa at this very moment.Kung kanina ay malakas na ang tibok ng puso ko, ngayon ay mas lalo pang lumakas.Ngayon pa naisipan ng utak kong tumigil sa pag-function."Are you okay?" Tanong niya.Alam kong alam niya ano ang sagot sa tanong niya sa akin. Kaya hindi ako sumagot saka tumayo na lang nang maayos. I tried looking away. I can't keep on looking at him when he looks so amused. Mas lalo lang akong nahihiya.I heard him chuckled. "Kumain ka na?" He asked."I was going to," sagot ko na lang. "Nakuha mo na ID mo?" Tanong ko. Thi
After that lunch with Zandrey ay kanya-kanya na kami ng lakad. He still has his classes, while I have to go home. It was still weird for me to be friends with him. Hindi naman kasi ako friendly lalo na sa mga lalaki. Nagtataka pa rin ako how everything happened so quickly. Kanina lang I was determined to avoid him and now we have this weird connection.Or maybe he was just that good in making friends.I still have plenty of free time kaya nang makauwi ay tulog agad ang inatupag ko. But I set an alarm for two hours. Hindi naman pwedeng tutulog lang talaga ako maghapon. Hindi ako pwedeng mag-cram sa mga gagawin ko kasi mababaliw ako. I'm not much of a multi-tasker.When I woke up from my nap, I proceed to doing my plates hanggang sa makaramdam ako ng gutom. Timingly, Daisy was done with her classes and texted me she's on the way. Nagpa-take out na lang ako ng pagkain so we can eat it together."So you're telling me na he suggested to be your pretend boyfriend para tigilan ka na ni Char
Para akong lutang nang matapos lahat ng klase ko. Ilang beses pa akong nakabangga kasi tatanga-tanga ako.Kasi naman eh!Even when the classes are ongoing, all I could think about was what happened earlier. Unang araw pa lang ng plano namin ni Zandrey pero pakiramdam ko hindi ko na kayang panindigan. Dagdagan pa ng text ni Daisy na nag-aaya ng dinner. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung tatanggi ba ako o magpapanggap na lang na may sakit para lang makaiwas.Seriously, this should be easy. I just don't know why things are starting to be complicated.I just continued walking, unsure where I'm going. Ayaw ko pang harapin sina Daisy. Pakiramdam ko hindi ako makakatagal kung nasa harapan ko si Zandrey. Tatakas na lang siguro ako.With my tote bag on my right shoulder and books on my left arm, I walked cautiously. Panay ang tingin ko sa paligid, checking if someone can see me right now. So far, wala namang Daisy o Zandrey na umaaligid.I heaved a sigh. Para naman akong may atraso nito."Hey."Ay, puch