Chapter 5

Kumalat ang init sa mga pisngi ko dahil sa kahihiyan. Agad akong tumagilid ng upo, paharap sa aircon at inabot sa kaniya ang hoodie niya. Pasimple akong lumingon sa paligid at mukhang wala namang ibang nakarinig niyon bukod sa aming dalawa. Why does he have to point it out?! Kapag nasa classroom naman, wala naman siyang napapansing ganito, ah?

“I-I don’t need it!” pagmamatigas ko pa.

“Villantura and Velasquez! I’m discussing here in front, aren’t you aware?! Por que mga honor students kayo, ganiyan na kayo umasta?! Aba, ang taas naman talaga ng tingin niyo sa mga sarili niyo! Get out of my class, and stand outside until this class ends!”

Mangangatuwiran pa sana ako pero wala naman nang silbi ang pagpapaliwanag, lalong-lalo na sa teacher namin na ‘to. Labag sa loob akong sumunod kay Aven na nauna nang tumayo para lumabas. Great, I just missed a double-hour class because of that jerk’s madness.

Warmth crawled on my skin as soon as we got out of the Computer Lab, it was soothing. But the warmth I felt for Alessandro? It was different. It rushed up to my head! What the heck happened? Kaya ba hindi niya ako kinukulit kanina dahil bumubuwelo pa siya? Literal na sira na nga ang ulo niya!

“Now, what? Are you satisfied? Masaya ka na ba, ha? Nang dahil sa kalokohan mo, napalabas tuloy tayo! I know this is just a minor subject, but if you don't care how this is gonna affect your grades, huwag kang nandadamay!” I scowled at him.

Blangko niya akong tinitigan, “Kalokohan bang mag-alala? I’m just a concerned citizen. I did what I had to do.”

He acts so chill, mukhang walang pakialam na napalabas kami at hindi namin alam kung ano na ang pinagsasasabi ngayon ni Sir sa loob. Paano na lang kung biglang magpa-quiz? E, ‘di pareho kaming itlog?

“E, sa nanginginig ka. Anong gusto mong gawin ko? Manood? You can’t expect me to just watch you shiver. And what I’ve said was true, your skirt seems shorter than usual. Nakabalandra, Cindy. Kung sa akin, okay lang ‘yon dahil hindi naman ako naaapektuhan. Pero siyempre, hindi lang naman ako ang nakakakita niyan. Ayoko lang na mabastos ka kung sakali,” he added.

My cheeks started burning again when I remembered how open my thighs were for him to see. Argh, that was so embarrassing!

He crossed his arms, “Kung tinanggap mo na lang kasi sana ‘tong hoodie ko.” He slightly lifted the hoodie in his hand. “E, ‘di sana, tahimik tayong nakikinig sa leksyon at wala tayo ngayon dito sa labas. Napaka-arte mo kasi.”

“Excuse me?!” I gasped and let out a sarcastic laugh. “Why does it sounds like it’s my fault now? Ang sabihin mo, masyado kang bida-bida. I-I didn’t even ask for your help! Responsibilidad ko bang tumanggap ng tulong mula sa ‘yo, ha? Why would I want or need your help, Alessandro? You’re delusional.”

The nerve of this guy, kasalanan ko bang sintigas ng bato ang kokote niya at hindi niya maintindihang ayaw ko ngang tanggapin ang lintek na jacket niya?

“It sounds like it because it’s really your fault. At anong tulong? Hindi ‘yon tulong. Utang na loob mo ‘yon sa akin.”

I raised a brow.

He smirked, “Nilalamig din ako kanina pero mas pinili kong iabot sa ‘yo ‘tong hoodie ko. E, kaso nag-inarte ka. Don’t worry, hindi naman ako suwapang maningil.”

And that’s the story behind why we are strolling around the mall right now. After that stupid conversation with him, panay ang banggit niya sa utang na loob ko raw sa kaniya and that pushed me to agree to this. He asked for a day and it’s not that much, but wasting hours with him? I could’ve done something productive at home! Baka nga maisipan ko pang linisin ang buong bahay namin, e.

He said he wants to watch a movie, so, here we are—walking our way to the cinema. I mean, why spend money on a movie ticket when he can just watch N*****x at home? Aside from that, I wanna walk behind him but he just won’t let me. Kapag binabagalan ko ang paglalakad ko, babagalan din niya ang kaniya para masigurong magkasabay kami. What a f*cking lunatic.

“Go buy our tickets. Bibili akong pagkain natin.” He handed me some bills, bumaba ang tingin ko ro’n ngunit hindi ko tinanggap.

“Akala ko ba binabayaran ko na ang utang na loob ko sa 'yo? Bakit parang dinadagdagan mo pa? Hindi mo ‘ko kailangang ilibre, may pera ako.”

Napakurap siya sa sinabi ko ngunit agad rin namang nakabawi. He slightly tilt his head to the side, “Wala naman akong sinabing wala kang pera, e. At saka sino bang may sabi sa ‘yong gagastos ka? Puwede, time-freeze muna? G na G ka na naman diyan. Sige na, bumili ka na ro’n.”

He reached for my hand and placed the bills on my palm. Hindi na ako naka-alma nang tinalikuran niya na ako para tumungo sa snack kiosk, kaya tumungo na rin ako sa ticket office. Never in this lifetime I would want to watch a movie with Aven. But look at me now, ako pa ang bumibili ng tickets namin! Just what the f*ck, right?

Habang naglalakad kami papasok ng sinehan, hindi pa rin talaga siya matigil sa kadadaldal.

“Sa gitna tayo pumuwesto, ha? Mas maganda kasi kapag nasa gitna kasi hindi—“

“Sure. As if I have a choice,” I blurted.

“Ano ‘yon?”

Umirap ako, “Can we just watch the movie without talking?”

Nang maglakad kami sa gitnang hagdan, may nadaanan kaming mga mag-jowang naglalampungan sa dilim. Hindi pa nagsisimula at commercial pa lang ang pinapalabas sa malaking screen pero nandidiri na ‘ko sa mga nakikita ko. Right, I almost forgot that this is a horror movie theater room.

I have no idea that Aven is fond of the horror genre and I didn’t care when he chose the movie because I thought it was okay. At first, it was okay.

I gripped the armrest beside me while I closed my eyes as tight as I could. Ilang sandali pa ay niyayakap ko na ang sarili ko dahil sa lamig at kaba. I should’ve thought twice before letting him choose the movie. This is freaking scary that I feel like I’m not gonna be able to sleep peacefully tonight and for the next few nights!

“Sh*t…” I breathe.

“Takot yarn? Okay ka pa ba, Cinderella Margaux?” he asked, obviously teasing me while eating popcorn. Imbes na manood at matakot sa pelikula, aliw na aliw siya at hindi man lang nagugulat kapag may lumalabas na nakakatakot sa malaking screen.

“Gusto mo ng yakap? I mean, I don’t mind if you’d cling to my arm.”

“Shut up, Alessandro!”

Napapitlag akong muli nang bigla na namang may lumabas na nakakatakot sa screen kasabay ng hiyawan ng madla. Ganoon lang ang nangyari hanggang sa matapos ang pelikula. Aven was just laughing his a** off until the movie ends. Papalabas na kami ng sinehan pero tumatawa pa rin talaga siya. Buwiset.

“Matibay ka rin pala, ‘no? ‘Kala ko yayakapin mo ‘ko sa sobrang takot, e! Sayang naman.”

Inis ko siyang nilingon.

“You should be thankful that I didn’t. I might have choke you at baka ito na ang huling pagkakataon na nakapanood ka ng sine.”

Panay pa rin ang pang-aasar niya habang naglalakad kami patungo sa—hindi ko alam sa kaniya kung saan naman niya gustong pumunta. Natigil lang siya at sabay kaming napalingon nang may biglang tumawag sa pangalan niya. And there’s our classmate Analice, running towards us. Naka-bestida itong bulaklakin at may bitbit na ilang paper bags galing sa mga kilalang brands.

“Hi!” she beamed. “Kayo lang?" tanong pa nito nang tuluyan na siyang makalapit sa amin. Mukhang nagulat pa nga itong makita kaming magkasama ni Aven dahil pabalik-balik ang tingin nito sa aming dalawa.

Pero nagulat ako at matik na nagsalubong ang mga kilay nang mapansin kong pasimple niya akong hinead-to-toe. And that’s very offensive on my part! Ano bang problema nitong g*gong ‘to? We barely interact with each other since she’s an ABM student too, so, I don’t have any idea for her to act like that towards me. Sa kabila ng pagka-irita sa inasal niya, hindi na lang ako umimik at pinanood silang mag-usap nitong kasama ko.

Aven smiled, “Yeah, katatapos lang namin manood ng sine. How about you?”

“Hmm…” Ana nodded. “Obviously, I went shopping. Anyway, tutal nandito na lang din naman kayo, why don’t you join me? I was about to dine, naghahanap lang ako ng Italian restaurant since I’m craving Italian food.”

She smiled at Aven then she glanced at me and smiled too, but I didn’t smile back. I’d rather ignore her and treat her like carbon dioxide than pretend to be nice to her. Yuck, non-biodegradable.

Suddenly, I felt Aven’s slowly reaching my hand. Confuse, I distanced myself ngunit tuluyan niya na niyang nahawakan ang kamay ko at walang kahirap-hirap na pinaghugpong ang mga kamay namin. Nanlalaki ang mga mata kong naibaba ang tingin do’n. Ano na naman ba ‘to?!

“Sorry, Ana,” he said sadly. “Cindy and I are actually on a date. Maybe, next time?”

At that moment, I don’t know what to say. Hindi naman ‘yon totoo pero hindi ko rin alam kung anong nangyari at ni hindi ko man lang nagawang umiling bilang pagsalungat. I can’t even speak a word. I feel like I was palpitating, my heart skipped a few beats and eventually pounded faster and... harder.