Chapter 2: That Jerk

“He's a jerk as hell, Zhen! I hate him!”

Natawa lang naman siya dahil sa ‘kin. Mas lalo akong nagkikisay sa inis.

Kalat na kalat na sa buong university ang nangyari at tama nga ang prediction ko na they will make it an issue. They thought we're together, and that's the most disgusting thing that I've ever heard.

“I think you two are compatible,” nakangiti niyang saad kaya't napairap ako. “Come on, he's not that bad.”

“Ewan ko sa ‘yo,” inis kong saad sa kanya. Ngayon matchmaker na siya, the last time I checked nagpapabigay lang siya ng card for that guy.

“Promise, bagay kayo,” panunuya pa niya kaya't inis ko siyang iniwan sa music room.

And that's one of my biggest mistake. Halos lahat sila ay nakatingin sa ‘kin at nagbubulungan paglabas ko.

Agh! I hate that weirdo.

He stole my first kiss, and my peace. He's really a trouble. Sana hindi ko na lang siya pinagtanggol noon.

He's a wild animal. Dapat sa kanya ay ma-expelled na.

“Thinking of me?” a cold baritone voice asked.

Agad nanlaki ang mata ko nang ma-realize kung sino siya. Tumigil ako sa paglalakad at matalim ang matang hinarap siya. “Leave me alone, jerk!” galit na sigaw ko sa pagmumukha niya.

But to my surprise, he just smirks. Seriously?

“Agh, I hate you so much!” Halos sumabog ako sa inis na nagpatuloy na lang sa paglalakad. Sumunod siya sa ‘kin pero hindi ko na siya pinansin dahil ma-ti-triple lang ang inis ko sa kanya.

“Why so annoyed, huh?” he playfully asked but I tried my best not to react. “Ignoring me?”

He keeps on pestering me but I really really did my best to control myself not to shout at him.

“Xai, we still have our quiz, right?” a man approached him, maybe his blockmate. “Alam ko namang gusto mo pang makasama ang girlfriend mo, pero mukhang babagsak ka talaga this semester kung hindi ka papasok. Once ka nga lang raw nakita ni Sir eh, before midterm pa.”

I rolled my eyes. Oh, seriously?

“Then, I'll remove him here. Fuck him, I'm not even interested of what's he's been talking there,” the jerk said casually. “Besides, he's so boring, teaching is definitely not for him.”

“Hell of your face, ikaw na lang kayang magturo, feel na feel mong you're the best eh,” komento ko. Oh, shit, bakit naman hindi ko napigilang magsalita.? Buwiset talaga kasing lalaking ‘to eh.

He put his arm on my shoulder so I removed it and glared at him, he just answered me with a smirk. “Teaching is not my thing, that's why I didn't choose that program. Do you want me to shift, huh?”

Sa inis ko sa kanya ay nagpapadyak akong umalis. Tumakbo na rin ako para makalayo na sa kanya.

He's ruining my day.

Buong araw ay bad trip ako dahil halos sa lahat ng sulok ng university ay makikita ko siya. I wish I'm a Mafia boss’ daughter so I can just order someone to kill him and feed his body to the crocodiles.

Pati clubmates ko ay tinutukso ako sa kanya. Hindi pa nakatulong na sumasama pati si Zhen sa panunukso.

And that devil really wants to defeat Lucifer. He even watched all my practices and kept on smirking while watching.

“I watched your practice, can you also join me at the art room?” tanong niya sa ‘kin pagkatapos ng practice ko. Nagusot ang mukha ko dahil sa sinabi niya.

“Watch your face!” I shouted in his face. The nerve of him to ask me to do it.

“Come on, I'll paint you,” calmly said, trying to convince me.

Nanlaki ang mata ko dahil sa sinabi niya. I'm curious about his talent. Sabi kasi ni Zhen, magaling siya eh. “Can you paint my friend instead?” I looked around to search for Zhen but I couldn't see her. So I just got my phone and showed him a picture of her. “She's beautiful, right?” I asked him.

Umismid siya at basta na lang inagaw ang phone ko. “She's so ordinary.”

“Siraulo ka, ah!” Pinilit kong abutin ang phone ko pero itinaas niya ang kamay niya at may kung anong pinagtitingnan roon. After that he give it back to me with a smirk.

“I love you too, baby,” he replied and winked on me.

Namula sa inis ang mukha ko dahil sa kanya. Babatuhin ko sana siya, pero naalala kong cellphone ko pala ang hawak ko. Hindi pwede, marami pa ‘kong memories dito.

“Bumagsak ka sana sa majors mo!” I shouted at him instead before I ran away from him.

My parents were not home when I arrived. They are probably on their business trip again.

“Manang, mamaya na lang po akong 9 kakain, kahit ako na lang po ang maghanda ng pagkain ko.” paalala ko sa matanda naming katulong matapos nagmano rito. Madalas kasi ay naghahanda na siya ng pagkain sa ‘kin at paulit-ulit na kakatok sa kwarto ko. Sa sobrang lakas ng music sa kwarto ko ay hindi ko siya naririnig.

Umakyat ako at pumunta sa kwarto ko na naka-dim color at punong-puno ng musical instruments, speakers at stickers ng mga sikat na singers at banda sa dingding.

Malaki naman ang kwarto ko. Sa katunayan nga ay ito ang pinakamalaking kwarto sa bahay na ‘to. Pero lumiliit ito dahil sa mga music related things dito. Pati nga ang bedsheet, kumot at unan ko ay may mga naka-print na notes and guitar.

I opened my speaker and played the song “Strong” by One Direction. Well, they are my favorite boyband group. I even mourned when Liam Payne died.

My phone vibrated in my skirt’s pocket so I got it. Someone is calling me. An unknown number. I rejected it before putting it on the bedside table and just went to the shower.

I checked my phone again when I finished drying my hair and it's flooded with messages and missed calls from that unknown caller.

“Who's this jerk?” I asked before opening the messages.

From: Unknown Number

Baby?

“Oh shit!” sigaw ko at itinapon sa kama ang phone ko. Sa dinami-rami ng text niya ay puro lang naman ‘yon “baby?” and this devil really love pissing me off.

Maya-maya ay tumatawag na naman ito. Humiga ako sa kama at sinagot iyon. “What do you want?”

“Well, you,” he replied immediately.

“Fuck you, Harrison!” sigaw ko sa kanya.

“Oh, really, baby? I can come over and do it for you.”

Napasigaw na lang ako ng sobrang lakas dahil sa mga pinagsasabi niya.

I heard him chuckle that made my blood boil even more. “I just want to check on you. By the way, I'm glad you recognize me, does that mean I'm your only baby?”

The nerve of this jerk?

“Baby your face!” galit kong sagot sa kanya.

“Well, I love you too, baby,” he replied and I just ended the call before I could throw my phone in anger.

“Agh! I hate you, jerk!”

Nakatulog akong galit na galit sa kanya at nakalimutan nang kumain at patayin ang speaker. Kahit pagkagising ko ay binaha pa rin ako ng messages galing sa kanya. Pati nga social media accounts ko ay napasok niya. He even posted his photo in my timeline.

“Mom, Dad, can I just transfer school?” tanong ko nang nag-aalmusal kami. Gulat lang naman silang nakatingin sa ‘kin. “I don't like the environment there.”

“What's wrong, dear?” my Dad sweetly asked.

Napabuntong-hininga ‘ko. “Someone's pestering me, Dad, he's so annoying, how can I study if he keeps on bothering me?”

“A suitor?” my Mom asked. “You'd get multiple of it when you're in high school but you're not even bothered by it. You just ignored them all. What makes him different, huh?”

Oh gosh, the answer is so simple. That man is a jerk, he's the worst.