Chapter 33

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ENCE
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"Nakakaasar! May pa let's be friends pang nalalaman, joke lang pala! Tapos ako raw, life intruder? Nakakagigil!"

She continues her rants while she hardly stomp her feet going down to the hill. Her arms are stiffed on the both sides while her fists are tigthly closed. By the looks of her, she's really mad.

I was just joking her and I didn't expected she will react as if she's a hungry lion ready to eat her bait.

"Nasaan ang sakayan dito, Santiago?" I immediately stop from walking when she suddenly turn her head to me revealing her red as tomato face with a furrowed eyebrows and narrowed eyes. "Santiago, tinatanong kita."

I flinched and shook my head, "Hanggang six o'clock lang may bumibyahe rito. Wala kang choice kung di maglakad." I stated maintaining my composure as if I didn't done anything wrong.

Now, she's calling by my last name and I'm not used to it. Maybe mad is just an understatement to what she feels right now.

"Wow naman, pagkatapos akong utuin, paglalakarin pa ako. Magaling!" She said sarcastically and flips her hair before she turns away. She made her steps longer and walks faster but thanks to her short legs, I'm able to maintain our distance.

I let out a deep sigh and absent-mindedly scratch my head as I remember what happened earlier.

"Let's be friends." Nakataas pa rin ang mga braso ko habang hinihintay ang pakikipagkamay niya sa'kin. Nanatili lang akong nakatitig sa kanya habang pinagmamasdan ang namimilog niyang mga mata at nakaawang na mga labi. She do really have a talent in making herself look like an idiot.

"S-seryoso ka ba?" I just nod then suddenly her smile grow wider while her eyes sparkles. "Okay, frie—"

"Time's up!" I cut her off and keep my both hands inside my pants' pocket. "I've changed my mind. You took your time too long." I bit my tongue to restrain myself from laughing.

"A-ano?" nanlalaki ang mga mata niyang tanong sa'kin habang unti-unting namumula. Medyo nanlalaki rin ang butas ng ilong niya.

"I said, I've changed my mind. I don't want to befriend you, anymore." I said casually. She opens her mouth as if she's ready to say a word but she just close it and shift her gaze.

I let out a sheepish smile as I turn my back to her. I'm really enjoying to see her pissed reaction. The way she bit her lips, gritted her teeth, vasting eyes, everything.

Huminto ako at lumingon nang mapansin kong hindi siya nakasunod. Nakatayo lang siya habang nakalagay ang mga kamay sa beywang.

"To be friends with you is like giving myself a daily headache since you're a big life intruder. That's why I've changed my mind," dagdag na pang-asar ko. Mas lalong kumunot ang noo niya, napapikit siya at humugot ng malalim na paghinga.

"Ah, talaga?" asik niya nang makadilat siya. Gumawa siya ng ilang hakbang at huminto sa mismong harapan ko. "Pagkatapos kong maging concern sayo at patawarin ka, life intruder lang pala ang tingin mo sa'kin?" She smile bitterly and I feel something in my chest.

"Fine. Pagod na akong mamilit." Saad niya at diretsong nakatingin sa mga mata ko. She blinks twice to hold back her tears before she talks again, "you should learn how to use proper adjective to complete your sentence."

Tinulak niya ako saka nagpatiuna nang bumaba ng burol. I really crossed the line, I guess. Cut that shitty tongue of yours, Ence.

B-but I was just joking. Damn.

"Ahm!" I fake a cough to get her attention but it seems like she's just walking alone and I don't exist.

I really feel guilty right now at hindi na ako magtataka kung bakit ko nararamdaman 'to. Palagi namang nagiging abnormal ang reaction ko kapag narito ang kutong-lupa na 'to sa paligid.

"Jhaeyszel," tinawag ko siyang muli sa pangalan niya. Nagbabakasakali na muli siyang matigilan kagaya kanina, pero hindi.

"Tralalalalalalalalala~" she childishly chanting a Jack 'n Jill nursery rhyme while covering her ears. Ayaw niya talaga akong pansinin.

"Shit! There's a spider!" I made a stupid act out of nowhere. Tinuro ko pa ang mga paa niya kahit hindi niya naman nakikita dahil nasa likuran niya ako.

"R.I.P joke, tralalalalala~" she answered me sarcastically as she continue her chant. I'm loosing my temper now.

I hold my chin while thinking how could I get her attention then suddenly a curve form to my lips as a weird thoughts come out in my mind.

"Ahm," I cleared my throat and relax myself. "Jhaeyszel co," I said in a husky voice. I bit my lower lip while waiting for her to turn around. Please, let it work.

Unti-unti niyang binaba ang mga kamay na nakatakip sa tainga at marahang lumingon sa'kin na may mukhang hindi ko maintindihan.

"J-jhaeszel ko?" pag-uulit niya sa sinabi ko. "Talaga bang binibwesit mo ako?"

"Got you!" I said with a gun sign. "What's wrong with Jhaeyszel co? It suits you well." I said while forcing myself not to laugh.

"What the hell?" Nakakunot ang noo niyang tanong na mas lalong namula ang pisngi. Pffft.

"Jhaeyszel co- short for Jhaeyszel constipated. Pffft" Hahahahaha. Damn!

"Ah, ganon?" yumuko siya saka pinagpupulot ang mga bato sa paanan niya at walang awang pinagbabato sa'kin.

"Hey!" Sigaw ko sabay ilag. "It was just a joke."

"Lamunin mo yang joke mo! Bwesit ka, kanina ka pa!" Saad niya saka itinapon ng sabay ang hawak na mga bato at nagsimula nang maglakad palayo.

"Aray!" sigaw niya. Agad akong tumakbo palapit sa kanya nang makita ko siyang natumba. Siguro sa sobrang inis ay hindi niya napansin ang butas sa dinaraanan kaya lumusot ang kaliwang paa niya.

"Aray," daing niyang muli nang sinubukang iangat ang kaliwang paa. Pagkalapit ko ay agad akong lumuhod sa harapan niya para tignan ang kalagayan niya.

"Let me help you."

"Don't touch me! You really did it on purpose!" asik niya. I did what?

"What comes to your mind to think that I did it on purpose? Are you insane?" I asked in disbelief. She just ignore me and continue helping herself to get off her foot in a hole.

Patuloy lang siya sa pagdaing hanggang sa tuluyan niya ng maalis ang paa niya sa butas. Sumasabay ang pagpatak ng luha niya at ang mga pawis sa noo niya. Mukhang wala nga siyang balak na humingi ng tulong.

"I guess you got a sprain." Saad ko habang nakatitig sa paa niyang namamaga. "Now, let me help you unless you can walk." Lumapit ako sa kanya para sana alalayan siyang tumayo pero tinulak niya lang ako.

"Kaya ko ang sarili ko! We're not friends, right? You shouldn't care for me!" giit niya.

"Look, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean what I've said earlier." But she just rolled her eyes again to the nth time.

"Fine. Gumapang ka hanggang sa makakita tayo ng masasakyan! Is that what you want?" I'm really loosing my temper, kanina pa ako nanunuyo and it's not my thing.

"You're a cold-hearted monster and you should continue the act! Hindi 'yong magiging mabait ka sa'kin, mamaya wala ka na namang pakialam!" galit na sigaw niya habang nakatingala sa'kin. Nakahawak rin siya ng mahigpit sa palda na suot niya na para bang nagpipigil ng inis.

"Sa tuwing nagiging mabait ka ay naniniwala ako sa isang malaking kalokohan na magbabago ka pa. Binibigyan mo ako ng maling pag-asa." Halos pabulong na tugon niya. "Bakit mo ba ginagawa sa'kin to?"

I blink, froze and disconcerted. That's the same question I kept asking on myself. Why I am doing all these shits to her? Why I'm acting different when it comes to her? And I don't have a fucking answer yet.

"I don't know," I plainly answered.