Chapter 19: Black Horse

Tapos na ang second period class at recess na. Nang pumunta na ako sa cafeteria para makabili ng pagkain, Selton approached me. Huh? Diba mamaya pa ang lunch time? Don't tell me ililibre niya rin ako ng recess?

"Hey, Demerine! I assume that you're here to buy food?"

"Obviously," Sagot ko naman.

He chuckled then said, "Ililibre kita,"

"What?! Hindi na!" Sabi ko sa kanya sabay iling.

"Minsan lang naman 'to. Pambawi ko na rin sayo."

"Look Selton, I'm fine. Hindi mo kailangang bumawi." I stated.

"Sige. Pero please, sabayan mo akong kumain ngayon."

Bago ako makasagot ay may kumalabit sa akin.

"Sorry ah, sabay kami kakain nitong best friend ko." Sabi ni Julia na mahigpit na hinahawakan ang braso ko.

Gosh, parang sumulpot lang siya mula sa kung saan!

"Ah ganon ba? Sayang naman, Demerine... Anyways, I'll just see you later at lunch. Walang bawian, ha? You promised me." Nakangiting sabi ni Selton.

"O-Oo. Kita na lang tayo mamaya." Sabi ko at ngumiti ako ng pilit. Nandito kasi si Julia and I know she doesn't like Selton.

"Great!" Sabi ni Selton ng nakangisi at umalis na.

Hinatak ako ni Julia palayo sa cafeteria. "Diba sabi ko sayo layuan mo na 'yung lalakeng 'yon?!"

"He's nice, Julia!" Sagot ko naman.

"He's a well-known playboy! At talagang makikipag-lunch ka pa sa kanya, ha! He's not good for you!"

"Kaya ko namang protektahan ang sarili ko! Buhay ko naman 'to! Kung may mangyari man sa aking masama, wala ka ng pakialam 'don dahil wala namang mawawala sayo!" I don't know why I said all that. But it's too late to take it all back...

"Sorry ha, concern lang naman ako dahil kaibigan mo'ko." Aniya at tinalikuran ako.

Bigla akong natauhan. Shit, what happened to me?! My best friend was just being concerned for me! I feel like I broke our friendship! Naiyak na lang ako. I shouldn't have said those words. Sabay ng pagbuhos ng mga luha ko, ay ang pagbuhos din ng ulan.

"Stupid, Zaya! It's all your damn fault!" I say while crying.

Hindi ako nababasa ng ulan dahil may kisame ang lugar kung saan ako nakatayo.

"I shouldn't have said those words! Now, my best friend is not with me! Iba na ako para sa kanya!" Sabi ko habang humihikbi.

"Hey, stop crying."

Nagulat ako sa nagsalita. I turned my attention to the one who talked. My heartbeat suddenly escalated. Siya na naman.

"A-Anong ginagawa mo rito, MK?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"While I was... walking, I heard someone crying, and turns out, it was you."

Akala ko sinundan niya ako. Napadaan lang pala siya. "J-Just leave me alone, please. G-Gusto kong mapag-isa."

"Okay, I will leave you alone. But if you want someone to talk to, you know where to find me."

"A-Alright, t-thank you." Sabi ko at umalis na siya.

I cried harder. I didn't think about Julia's feelings! What I thought of was just myself! Sana inalala ko muna ang nararamdaman niya bago ako nagsalita!

I need to find her and apologize to her. This is the only way I can think of.

I ran to the dorm to see if she's there. But there is no sign of her.

I thought of the other places she could be. And an idea popped from my mind. Maybe she's in the president's office? Her brother's office? But wait, what if I see the president? Paano kung nagsumbong si Julia sa kuya niya? Paano na lang kung patayin ako? Well, I don't care anymore. I just want to apologize to her.

I went to the president's office. I opened the big double doors. Ang unang bumungad sa akin ay ang pangalang nakaukit sa wooden block. Ang buong pangalan agad ng presidente ang bubungad sayo kapag pumasok ka sa opisina niya.

But then, no one was there. The president is not in his seat. Walang bakas ng tao sa loob ng opisina. I stared at the whole room. There's a golden globe on top of the president's desk, tons of paper work, books, etcetera.

Silence is very evident in this place. Ang malamig na simoy ng hangin mula sa bukas na malalaking bintana ang sumalubong sa akin. I took another look around the place, and there's a lot of golden stuff in here. Almost all the things inside the president's office are golden!

My thoughts came back to reality. Hindi tamang magtagal ako rito. Pumunta lamang ako rito dahil nagbabaka-sakali ako na narito si Julia.

I immediately went outside the office. Namanhid ang mga tuhod ko. Where could Julia be? I badly want to apologize to her. She's my best friend, my closest friend.

Sinuyod ko ang mga lugar na alam ko rito sa Death University. I even asked people if they saw the president's sister pero wala talagang nakakita sa kanya.

Lakad lang ako ng lakad. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang gagawin ko. Sa ibang tao, balewala lang sa kanila itong nangyayari sa'kin. But for me, this is so bad. Julia is my best friend! And friends, value each other. I value Julia.

Paano ko kaya siya mahaharap sa dorm? Alam kong hindi kami mag-iimikan. And I will be the one to break the silence. I am the one who will talk because I am the one who's at fault.

Hindi ko na alam kung saan na ako napadpad. Kinain na ng pag-iisip ang sistema ko.

I turned my gaze around. Mukhang nasa likod ako ng library building.

Ang huling lugar na pinuntahan ko ay ang library. Tinanong ko ang librarian na si Mrs. Minnea Lepreshka kung nakapunta ba 'don si Julia. I know na malabong nasa library si Julia dahil hindi siya mahilig magbasa ng mga libro pero nagbabaka-sakali lang ako.

This place at the back of the library is filled with trees and plants. Of course that's what you'll see in a forest.

"Hmp..."

Nagulat ako sa narinig na ingay. My heartbeat quickened. Shit, what was that strange sound?!

"Hmp..."

Shit, ayan na naman!

"M-May tao ba riyan? Lumabas ka!" Nauutal kong sabi.

"Hmp..."

"Shit, lumabas ka!" My voice raised. Then, I heard my voice echo.

I heard the sound of metal. Oh God, was that a chain?! I'm gonna die!

Parang napako ang mga paa ko. Hindi ako makatakbo dahil sa takot.

"Hmp..." Umingay ulit sabay kaluskos na naman ng metal.

Nanginginig ang aking buong katawan at napapikit na lamang ako at hinanda ang sarili sa kung ano man ang mangyayari.

I heard footsteps. Oh no...

"Hmp..." Sabi na naman at parang papalapit sa akin. And I just kept my eyes closed.

But then, moments later, I didn't feel anything happen to me. I opened my eyes to see what's going on, and I saw a beautiful black horse in front of me.

I sighed in relief. Isang kabayo lang pala! But then, my nervousness turned into amusement in a split second.

I slowly touched the black horse's skin. Wow, it's so soft! I haven't touched a horse with skin as soft as this before! At napakaganda pa ng anyo niya!

"Wow, you're so beautiful. So... majestic." I say, caressing the horse's beautiful skin, and the beautiful black horse seems to like it.

"Hmp..."

Pero nagtataka ako. Sino naman kaya ang nagmamay-ari sa magandang hayop na ito? Imposible namang aksidenteng napadpad lang ito rito.

"Sino naman kaya ng nagmamay-ari sayo, napakagandang kabayo? Lagi ka niya sigurong inaalagaan kaya ka lumaking maganda at maayos." Nakangiti kong sabi.

Para na nga akong baliw na kinakausap ang kabayong nasa harapan ko. But I can't stop myself from admiring this animal. Kung sino man ang nagmamay-ari nito, mabuti siyang taga-alaga. Pinalaki niya ng maayos itong itim na kabayo! And so, I admire him or her.

"I like your color. Ang itim-itim mo. Your color fits you perfectly... Hmm, and I assume that you're a male horse." I say. May gintong saddle siya.

"Hmp..."

"Hmm... I'll call you Coal," I say still caressing the black horse.

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