Kabanata 15

"Patikim naman ako, Zyair."

Nakatingin lang kami kay Suzy na malanding nakatitig kay Zyair na inaayos ang toque blanche nito sa ulo.

Agad kaming ngumiwi ni Franny sa sinabi ng kaibigan namin. Ang mga mata namin ay napunta kay Zyair na seryosong nakikinig sa harapan.

Wala namang niluluto si Zyair! May lecture lang kami sa klase ni Sir Gomez. Ang harot ni Suzy umaabot hanggang dito sa laboratory!

Tinaas ni Franny 'yung sleeves ng chef's jacket niya. "Pigilan mo ako, makakasakit na ako ng kaibigan!"

Ngumisi ako. "Go lang sis, deserve naman niya."

Paulit-ulit lang na nagpapapansin si Suzy kay Zyair.

Hindi siya pinapansin ni Zyair pero naririnig ko ang mahihina nitong mga mura. Nakakunot ang noo nito. Mailap talaga sa mga babae.

Franny sighed. "Gwapo rin kasi 'tong si Zyair lalo na kapag suot 'yung chef's jacket natin."

I nodded to agree.

Sa TVL, Home Economics strand na cookery ay meron kaming isa pang uniform. It consists of a black chef jacket, black pants, and toque blanche. Syempre may hairnet kami na suot dahil ginagamit lang namin ang toque blanche kapag ginagamit ang kitchen.

Hindi kami nagtagal sa kitchen dahil nagkaroon lang kami ng lecture dito. This semester, focus kami sa food and beverage services o FBS. Sa tingin ko, mas makakapag-luto ako sa susunod na taon. We had bread and pastry last semester so the cooking will be probably next year.

"Magpapalit na ako." Paalam ko kay Franny, tumango naman siya.

Matapos ko makuha ang uniform ko sa locker, sa TVL comfort room ako nagpalit. Pwede rin naman kami sa swimming area mag-palit kaso tinatamad na ako dumayo pa roon. Babalik na ako sa room nang makita ko si Adren at Zafirah na naglalakad sa baba.

Sumilip ako at sumandal sa railings. Sumigaw ako.

"Adren! Pwede ka ba maging sugar daddy? Kung hindi, kahit daddy na lang! Rawr!"

Awtomakitong napalingon silang dalawa sa akin. Zafirah looks shock while Adren arched an eyebrow at me.

Umalis din ako kaagad matapos ko 'yon gawin. A satisfied grin on my face as I walk my way on my class.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

After class, I waited for Adren in the corner of their building.

Sa ibang schools, nasa iisang building lang ang mga nasa SHS department. Iba't ibang floor lang kada strand. Pero sa UJD kasi masyadong magara, kaya iba't ibang building kami para naman worth it ang fifty pesos na bottled water nila.

Nagitla ako nang may pamilyar na babaing sumulpot sa gilid ko.

"Ate Arrisea." Tatiana looks at me with her doe eyes.

She looks more angelic in her uniform. Bumagay sa kanya ang uniform namin, it made her look more child like and innocent.

"Tati! Bakit ka nandito?"

"ABM building po ito, Ate Arrisea."

I laughed awkwardly. "Oo nga pala."

"Ikaw po?"

"Uh, may hinihintay lang ako." My gaze shifted into somewhere else.

"Sino po?" she kept on prying. "Baka po kakilala ko po."

"Arrisea!"

Gio waved his hand enthusiastically. Medyo natigilan siya nang makita si Tatiana pero agad naman siyang ngumiti rito. He walked towards us.

"Nandiyan ka na pala! I was waiting for you!" I faked my tone of happiness.

Gio beamed. "May shanghai ka na dala?"

Napawi ang ngiti sa aking labi.

Mukha ba akong shanghai?!

"Uh, wala pero hinintay kita!"

Kumunot ang noo ni Gio.

"Bakit?"

On cue, Adren followed Gio's lead. Nakasunod pala siya rito at kanina pa siya nakatitig sa akin. His eyebrows were furrowed.

"Kuya Adren," namula kaagad si Tatiana. Agad siyang nagtago sa likod ko.

Napapikit ako nang mariin. Tatiana doesn't know, wala siyang pananagutan sa mga kilos niya ngayon. Of course, if she knew I was Adren's girlfriend she'll probably not act like this.

"Pardon?" lumingon sa kanya si Adren.

"Ako po si Tati..." Tatiana trailed off. Hindi matanggal ang tingin niya kay Adren. She bit her lower lip and hide from his sight.

"Si Tatiana nga pala, Adren." I was the one who continued what Tatiana is about to say.

Recognition registered in Adren's face. He nodded his head slowly as he gaze at me, medyo may yupi sa kanyang noo.

"So you're Tatiana?"

"Hello po." Tatiana blushed when Adren noticed her.

Adren extended his hand to her. Tati's hand was trembling as she reach for his hand.

"Nice to meet you." Adren smiled, his usual fake smile.

Tatiana was too busy gawking at Adren. She looks like she was on cloud nine.

Adren craned his head to my direction."May groupings pa kami, babe."

Nanglaki ang mga mata ko. I heard Tatiana gasped and Gio's jaw dropped.

Hanimal ka, Adren.

Napasapo ako sa sentido ko nang wala sa oras. Hindi ko alam paano haharapin si Tatiana.

Gio's eyes almost bulge out. "Babe? What? Kailan pa? Ano 'to? Parang di niyo naman ako kaibigan!"

"Bye, I'll text you." Adren even gently kissed my cheek before going. Hindi man lang natakot na baka ma-POD kami!

Gio turned to me to ask. "Kayo na talaga?"

I hesitated at first but eventually nodded my head.

"Congrats!" Gio smiled brightly then furrowed his eyebrows. "Nauto mo 'yon? Pumayag? Di na nakapalag?"

Gio was least of my problem, bumaling ako kay Tatiana para humingi sana ng tawad dahil hindi ko nasabi kaagad.

She was just looking at me. Namula ang pisngi niya at medyo nangingilid ang luha sa kanyang mga mata.

"Ate Arrisea..." Her voice croaked. "Kayo po ba ni Kuya Adren?"

I gulped before answering. "Actually, we just started dating."

Tumango-tango si Tatiana na may malungkot na ngiti sa labi.

"Bagay po kayo, Ate." Her lips primed. "Maswerte ka po sa kanya."

"Tatiana..." I didn't know what to say.

It was so awkward. Wala naman akong ginawang mali. Una ko naman talagang nilandi si Adren.

I didn't want to be insensitive. Pero hindi ko mahanap ang mga salitang dapat sabihin para sa kanya.

"Hoy Cabrera." Zyair was walking towards our direction.

He sighed. "Nakakasawa man mukha mo, pero kagrupo kita sa Practical Research."

Nanglaki ang mga mata ko. "Gagawa tayo ngayon?"

"Hindi, papabayaan lang natin 'yung research paper natin maghanap ng sarili niyang RRL." Sarkastikong sabi niya.

"Umuwi na mga kagrupo natin!"

Nagkibit balikat si Zyair. "Edi walang gagawa. Pauwiin na lang din natin research paper natin."

"Kailan ba pasahan niyan?"

"Bukas."

Bukas pa naman pala, meron pa kaming oras mamaya para gumawa. Kaya naman siguro naming dalawa ni Zyair.

Pumayag ako na gawin namin ang paghahanap ng RRL para sa research paper namin. I had to say goodbye to Gio and Tatiana, who both looked dumbfounded. Pumunta kami ni Zyair sa Main Lib.

Pumunta kami sa section ng library kung saan mahahanap ang mga thesis na ginawa ng mga former students dito.

"May ipapagawa ka ba sa iba nating kagrupo?" tanong ko para masabi ko sa GC namin kung meron man.

"Depende." Kibit balikat niya.

"Paanong depende?"

"Depende kung may pake sila. Let them volunteer, Arrisea."

Nagtaas ako ng kilay. "Paano kung di sila tumulong? O wala silang balak tumulong? Okay lang sa'yo? Leader ka e."

Ako kasi nahihiya. Alam ko naman na mali 'yung pang-1-2-3 ng mga kaklase ko kay Zyair. Kahit naman ganito ako, may kwenta naman akong kagrupo.

"Let them. Sino bang mahihirapan pagdating sa college kapag sila na lang gagawa? Kung hindi man sila mag-kokolehiyo, what about grade 12? For sure, they'll go nuts." He chuckled.

"Pero..."

He grinned at me. "Matanda na tayo, Arrisea. We know our responsibilities. I don't wanna force anyone to do something they don't like."

May point naman siya. Kung gusto nga nilang tumulong edi sana nagtanong sila kay Zyair pero mukhang umaasa lang sila rito. Zyair doesn't mind though.

"Bakit ba kasi kailangan ng maraming RRL? At saka bakit sa mga thesis tayo naghahanap?" I asked Zyair while he was putting thesis books on my hands.

Bumaling sa akin si Zyair. "Do you remember what research is?"

"Research is searching again," saad ko. "Naks, nakikinig ako."

Zyair wrinkled his nose. "Well yeah, fair point. Research is actually done to answer queries or in layman's term questions. Hindi ba mas magandang sagutin ang isang tanong kapag may basis ka?"

He continued. "That's why we need RRLs to find prior knowledge, relevance, supporting studies, contradicting studies and more. It is simply reviewing other studies related to the one you're trying to research on."

If someone would say the TVL strand are for those who don't excel academically, I'll introduce them to Zyair. He's good with both academic and to our specialized subjects that are actually considered to be more on technical skills.

"Magaling ka pala talaga 'no? Bakit nag-TVL ka? Edi sana mas maraming nakaka-appreciate sa utak mo."

I know that the TVL strand is being frowned upon by some people. Akala mo naman talaga hindi kami kumukuha ng core subjects tulad ng ibang strand. It's unfair how people say we're all just skills.

He shrugged. "I like cooking. Since I was kid, always wanted to be a chef."

Tumango ako. "Naks! Pareho pala tayo. Pero gusto ko rin magkaroon ng business o kaya maging investor sa isang business."

Zyair murmured. "It's actually annoying how people would only associate cooking with women."

"Kaya nga e, nakakainis din na may mga trabaho na tinitingnan ang kasarian bilang basis kung qualified ka sa trabaho o hindi."

It's tiring to prove yourself to a world where everything has a system you cannot break. Kapag sinubukan mo itong baguhin, people would think you're looking for trouble. When in fact, matagal na talagang bulok ang sistemang pinaniniwalaan nila.

He gave a small smile. "Thanks for not prying on that issue."

Ngumiti ako pabalik. Zyair, if he's not on his period, is actually quiet nice.

A flashed of light made us look into a direction. It was as if someone took a picture and forgot that the flash was on.

I grimaced. "Artista ka ba? Bakit may paparazzi?"

He rolled his eyes skyward. "Thanks for complimenting my looks, pero hindi ako artista."

Did one of his fangirls took a picture of us? Nakakairita.

Matapos kami makalikom ng mga RRLs ay pinayagan na ako ni Zyair mauna. Siya na raw magaasikaso ng paraphrasing. I insisted to do some but he told me unless I have a laptop, it would just be a hassle.

Nakita ko si Adren sa Bonanza Area habang kausap si Tatiana. Tatiana was glowing with joy while talking to Adren. Para bang hindi niya nalaman na boyfriend ko ito.

"Hinintay mo ako? Sweet mo naman," sarkastikong bungad ko sa dalawa nang makarating ako sa harap nila.

Adren lips twisted into a grin before placing his head on my shoulder.

"Let's go?" Malambing na tanong niya.

"Saan na naman?"

"Kakain lang sa labas. Saan mo gusto?"

"Kahit saan. I-uwi mo ako bago mag alas siyete para may kasama si Archer sa bahay."

Tatiana cleared her throat so our eyes went to her. She was beaming at us.

"Pwede po sumama?"

Tumingin sa akin si Adren. It was as if he was giving me the choice to answer the question. Agad ko naman siyang pinanglakihan ng mga mata.

"Arrisea, pwede raw ba sumama?" Adren asked, suppressing his laugh.

"Sige. Uh, sure." I awkwardly agreed. Pambawi na lang dahil medyo napahiya nga siya kanina.

Tatiana's eyelashes fluttered happily. "Thank you, Ate Arrisea! Kuya Adren, tara na po."

Para tuloy kaming ewan habang kumakain sa isang malapit na Pancake House. Tatiana was eagerly talking with Adren who kept on nodding his head and listening to her.

Kahit tuloy mahal 'yung pagkain ay hindi ko magawang masikmura. Halos magutay-gutay na 'yung pancake sa sobrang inis ko. I can't hear what they're talking about because my feelings are clouding my judgements.

Napigtas ang natitirang pasensya ko nang tumawa si Adren kay Tatiana. The nerve!

"Restroom lang ako." I said but the two of them were too focused on each other.

Gumapang ang paninibugho sa dibdib ko. I clenched my fists. Fine! Ayaw niyo ako pansinin? Kayo na lang mag-date!

Marahas kong tinabig ang lamesa para umalis. Pumunta ako ng restroom para kumalma. I look infront of the mirror and fix my look. Tatiana isn't to blame, she's nice and innocent.

Matapos ko maghugas ng mukha at kamay ay lumabas na rin ako. Nagitla ako nang may naghihintay sa akin sa labas.

"What?" I asked, annoyed.

"Hinahanap ka ni Tatiana."

"Huwag na, kumain na lang kayo nang kumain. Nakalimutan niyo na nga 'yatang kasama niyo ako e. Tawa pa kayo nang tawa..."

He shrugged. "I didn't react that way when you were smiling at Zyair."

"Ano?" hindi ko mapigilan ang mapataas ng kilay. He showed me a picture and my lips parted.

It was a recent picture of me and Zyair talking. Kanina lang ito, ah?

"I already paid the bill and called a cab for her. May gusto ka pa bang puntahan? We can ditch her."

Who took that picture? Hindi ko mapigilan ang kilabot na naramdaman ko.

"Don't trust easily, Arri. Remember that there can be a wolf in sheep's clothing." Adren says, smiling.

❛ ━━━━━━･❪☽༓☾❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜