Kabanata 7

Mahaba rin ang panahon na hindi nagtagpo ang landas naming dalawa ni Sarathiel. It was supposed to be a good thing, mas mabibigyan ko ng pansin ang acads ko. Just like how I planned it to be.

Aral muna. Palagi namang aral muna. Ayoko rin talagang natataasan ako ni Sarathiel. Hindi ko maiwasan na ikumpara ang sarili ko sa kanya. I can do better, alam ko ang kakayahan ko. Bumuntong hininga ako at pinilig ang ulo upang lingunin ang mga kaibigan ko.

"Undas break!" tumili si Melanie at inalog-alog ang balikat ni Bea.

Ang bilis ng panahon.

I guess time repels you. Kapag gusto mo ito bumilis, daig pa ang pagong sa sobrang kupad ng paggalaw ng mga kamay ng orasan. Kapag naman gusto mo ito bumagal, mas mabilis pa siya sa speed.

"May halloween party daw, ah?" paalala ni Bea.

UJD likes creating balls, parties and other events for the students. Syempre, dagdag sa miscellaneous fees.

"Attend kayo?" tanong niya pa.

Lumingon ako kay Bea.

"Kailan daw ba?"

"Before Undas break," Bea answered.

Pwede naman. Wala naman akong gagawin. I may look like grade conscious but I know how to have fun.

Sometimes.

Pero masaya naman ako sa pagaaral ko. I really like studying, it's a habit of mine to at least read a few paragraphs from my subjects per day.

"Sige." Tumango ako.

We decided to shop for costumes. Si Melay napag-tripan maging isang kalabasa. Takot daw kasi siya kumain no'n. Si Bea naman ay isang manananggal, she has a white wig on, a pair of mananangal wings and she's dressed in all black.

Ako lang ba 'yung ginustong maging anghel dito? Bakit ganyan mga costume nila?

I opted for an angel look. I was wearing a white dress, a fake halo and a pair of angel wings. I also applied light make-up on.

The Halloween event happened in our school. 6pm ang start ng event kaya naman mas maaga kaming pumunta para di masyadong hassle kapag dumating 'yung ibang estudyante.

Bea and Melay were lining up for the free beverages. Syempre, red iced tea lang 'yon. Lahat kasi ng pagkain ngayon ay libre dahil nga isa itong party.

My phone vibrated so I decided to check it.

09*********:

Costume mo?

Zafirah:

Who's this?

09*********:

Nevermind.

Mukha mo pa lang.

Nakakatakot na e.

Nagtaas ako ng kilay at nagtipa ng sagot para sa text.

Zafirah:

Sino ka at bakit ang pangit ni Sarathiel?

09*********:

You obviously knew it was me.

Zafirah:

Ikaw lang naman 'yung may kapal ng mukha na i-text ako. Stalker kita 'no?

Hindi na siya nag-reply. I decided to changed the name of the contact. He replied after that.

Panget:

Asa.

Napangisi ako. I won! He's pissed off, for sure.

"Ka-text mo si Sarathiel?"

"Oo," biglang nawala ang ngisi ko nang mapagtantuan ko ang sagot ko. Lumingon ako kay Bea na umiinom ng red iced tea niya.

She was eyeing me with accusation. Para bang may ginagawa akong mali.

"What?"

"Gulo niyo," her eyes turns to slits. Chinita na nga siya, lalo pang naningkit mga mata niya. Para na tuloy siyang mawawalan ng mga mata.

"Mali ka ng iniisip. He's just pissing me off."

"Bakit ikaw pa, meron din naman siyang pwedeng inisin sa strand nila?"

Bea has a point. Pero ano bang malay ko riyan kay Sarathiel? Sobrang random niya kaya.

"I don't have feelings for him, okay?" I assured her.

"Wala namang issue kung may gusto ka o wala. Ang gulo-gulo niyo."

"Paano kami naging magulo?" tanong ko kay Bea.

"You say you hate each other but look—" Tinuro niya gamit ang baso ng red iced tea ang isang direksyon.

Lumingon naman ako rito at nakita ang tinutukoy niya. It was Sarathiel with his friends.

Uminom si Bea sa kanyang baso bago sabihin ang kanina pa niya gustong ibunyag.

"He's wearing a costume that complements yours."

Sarathiel was wearing an all black outfit. He's also wearing a headband of red devil horns. He also has fake blood on the side of his lips. He was smirking at his friends.

"Nag-usap ba kayo?" tanong ni Bea.

Umiling kaagad ako. "No!"

It was just a coincidence! Marami rin kayang naka-angel at devil ngayon! I look around to confirm what I've said but to my horror — those who have matching costumes are couples.

"May extra costume ba kayo riyan?" I asked in desperation.

Bea laughed and shook her head. I groaned in response.

"Yo! Kalabasa in the house, yo!" inakbayan kami ni Melay.

My eyes travelled to her costume. Unti-unti akong napalunok pero wala akong choice.

"Melay, palit tayo ng costume!" pagmamakaawa ko kay Melay.

"Sure ka? I'm enjoying my costume though." Tumingin pa siya sa sarili niyang costume.

It was a huge kalabasa mascot type of costume. Hindi ko rin alam kung saan niya ito nakuha, it was probably the ones that you buy whenever it's nutrition month.

Ngumiwi naman ako. I can't imagine myself in her kalabasa costume.

"Ate! Halloween po! Hindi nutrition month!" may sumigaw na naka-body paint na kulay brown.

Nagtaas ng kilay si Melay at akmang susugurin 'yung sumigaw pero agad namin siyang pinigilan.

"Mukha kang nuno sa punso!" sigaw pabalik ni Melay.

Tumawa naman kami ni Bea. Hindi naman siguro ako lalapitan ni Sarathiel. I mean, there's no reason to. Marami rin naman ang may angel na costume rito. Inayos ko ang halo sa aking ulo dahil nawawala ito sa ayos.

Bakit ako matatakot?

"Hey, let's try the red tea!" anyaya ni Melay. Agad akong tumango at sumunod sa kanya.

Pumila kami sa isang booth kung saan may mga TVL students na nagaasikaso. I don't know what subject this is for them but it sucks because it's almost undas break yet they still have to do some requirements.

I decided to also grab one of the beverages. It's nice to have some refreshments. Kumuha ako ng red iced tea sa babaing nagbigay saakin at uminom dito.

"Hi," Sarathiel greeted.

Nasamid naman ako sa iniinom ko. Muntik ko nang bugahan si Sarathiel sa mukha.

Sayang, di ko ginawa.

My eyes widened when I realized he was standing infront of me. Nanglalaki rin ang mga mata niya pero agad naman itong bumalik sa dati niyang ekspresyon.

He moved backwards.

"What the hell?" I grimace upon seeing his face.

Disgust was shown in his face. "Kadiri naman."

Tumikhim ako at tiningnan ang costume niya. I knew he was wearing the counterpart of my costume but I didn't want him to think that I intentionally went as an angel just to match with him!

"Bakit ganyan costume mo? Did you really stalk me?" I accused.

His eyes widened. Agad siyang umiling para itanggi ang paratang ko.

"No, I run out of options."

I scoffed at his reaction. Totoo ba? Pero ayoko naman maging assuming. Sobra nga lang talaga ang pagiging coincidence.

Tumaas ang isang kilay ko.

"Ang daming ibang costume, ah."

"I—" he was about to speak but stop as if he remembered something.

I was curious why he suddenly stopped amidst of what he was suppose to say. Don't you just hate it when someone stops speaking in the middle of almost saying something?

"What?" I urged him to speak.

Umiling naman siya. He averted his gaze before speaking.

"Wala. Ingat ka, baka matuluyan ka."

Naningkit ang mga mata ko.

"Ano?"

"Sa langit. Baka matuluyan ka sa langit." He said and decided to walk away.

Nalaglag ang panga ko.

That prick! I almost crushed the cup of my red iced tea in frustration.

Mas mauuna siya sa langit! Baka nga hindi siya papapasukin doon e.

In my frustration, I wanted to get back at him. Lintik lang ang walang ganti!

Sinundan ko si Sarathiel. Hindi pwede na ang gabi ko lang ang masisira. Dapat sa kanya rin! Para it's a tie!

"Sarathiel!" sigaw ko.

Lumingon naman siya saakin. He went back to his friends after he greeted me. Kaya naman ngayon ay nandiyan ulit ang mga kaibigan niya.

"Oh, nandiyan na pala ang anghel na susundo sa'yo Sarathiel." Halakhak nung isa nilang kasama. He looks playful.

"RIP bro." Tawa nung isa pa.

"Shut up, Iscalade." pagsusungit ni Sarathiel.

Medyo umawang ang bibig ko. These were the guys who I mistook as models! Sila rin ang dahilan bakit naligaw ako sa STEM nung first day!

Ghad, si Sarathiel ba talaga ang puno't dulo ng kamalasan ng buhay ko?

"Sayo na siya, Miss. Kahit huwag mo na i-balik. Marami 'yang issues sa buhay kaya lugi ka talaga." Iscalade was laughing his ass off.

Sarathiel's forehead creased. Nahagip na naman ako ng paningin niya. His lips parted and he went towards me.

"We're leaving," nagulat ako nang hawakan ako ni Sarathiel sa pulso.

My mind went haywire because of it. Hinawakan niya ako. His mere touch sends tingles to my entire being.

Sobra akong napako sa aking kinatatayuan. This was something I didn't think of. Ni hindi ko nga kailan man naisip na magiging ganito ang epekto niya sa akin.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit sumama ako kay Sarathiel palayo sa mga kaibigan niya. Pero agad kong hinatak pabalik ang kamay ko.

"Bakit kapag ako parang mamamatay ka kapag di mo ako naasar? Pero sa kanya, tamang walk out lang? Ganun?"

I asked as I was rubbing my wrist. Pilit na tinatanggal ang naramdaman na kuryente kanina. That's so freaking weird.

He fixed the horns on his head. Tinanggal niya ito at pinasadahan ang kanyang magulong buhok.

Tumingin lang siya sa akin. Even if it was already dark, his attractiveness can still be seen. Kahit yata ang anino niya ay kuhang-kuha ang pagiging matipuno niya.

"I don't know..." he answers blandly.

Sarathiel was sarcastic as hell. Kaya naman kanina akala ko ay babarahin niya si Iscalade.

"You don't know? Talaga?" I sarcasticly remarked.

He shrugged his shoulders. Ang tingin sa akin ay hindi inaalis. There was a budding smile on his lips before he chuckled softly.

"You're the only one I like pissing off."

Nalaglag ang panga ko. I thought I have already remove the volts of electricity that he gave me — mukhang saglit lamang pala itong naka-switch off. He can switch it on whenever he want to.

My cheeks went crimson and I decided to brush it off.

"Zafirah," he called me.

"A-ano?" I hissed at him, gritting my teeth. Pinipigilan na mahuli niya sa akto ang kiliting nararamdaman ko.

"About the costume..." he scratched his nape and his gaze lowered down.

"Ano meron?"

"I..." mukha siyang nahihirapan magsalita. Tumingin siya sa akin muli bago bumuntong hininga.

"Nevermind."

"Parang ewan, ayaw na lang sabihin e." I rolled my eyes. He only smiled at me.

Ano ba dapat ang sasabihin niya?

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ✎❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜