Chapter 10

Sola’s POV

“Why can’t I find you anywhere?” tanong ni Hugh nang makalapit siya. Kumunot pa ang noo niya nang mapatingin kay Justin. Napatingin naman ako kay Neela na siyang nagtataka nang makitang huminto si Hugh.

“You already found me,” ani ko kaya napairap na lang siya.

“Who’s that guy?” Nilingon niya pa si Justin na siyang atat na atat nang magtungo sa gym.

“Oh, that’s a secret.” Napakibit na lang din ako ng balikat. Hahaba pa ang usapan kung magpapaliwanag pa ako.

Nang mapansin ni Hugh ang tingin ko kay Neela ay agad niya itong pinakilala.

“Her name is Neela. I just got to know her inside the gymnasium because you said that you’ll be here. She’s asking for a direction,” he said kaya mas lalong kumurba ang ngisi sa mga labi ko. Napanguso nga lang nang mapansin na mukhang hindi naman umiyak si Neela. Isang ngiti ang pinakawalan sa akin ni Neela kaya ibinalik ko ‘yon sa kaniya.

“Nice to meet you po. I’m Neela,” nakangiti niyang saad bago naglahad ng kamay sa akin. Tinanggap ko naman ‘yon bago sinabi ang pangalan ko.

I already my part kaya nang makita kong palapit na sa akin si Rough ay mas lalo lang kumurba ang ngiti sa mga labi ko. Agad akong kumaway bago nagpaalam sa mga kasama ko. Susunod pa sana si Hugh sa amin subalit mukhang nagtatanong din sa kaniya si Neela ng direksiyon. I can’t help but smirk nang mukhang hindi naman nagkaroon ng interaksiyon si Justin at Neela.

Nagtungo na kami ni Rough para manood sa laban ng department namin. Instead of wearing a color red for their department, kulay blue din ang suot niya kaya ang ilang kaklase niya’y inaasar na siya.

“Luh, secretary ng department natin pero traydor!” reklamo nila kaya natatawa na lang na napailing doon si Rough. Hindi na rin pinansin pa ang pang-aasar nila.

Rough and I gotten much more closer right now. Masiyado rin akong natutuwa kasama ‘to. I can say that things are good but I still always beat my self too much kapag hindi ako nakakapagsulat.

I can’t help but smile when he gave me cheesedog. Rough was always good with action. Hindi na ako magtataka kung bakit ang dami talagang babaeng nagkakagusto rito. He’s gentleman by nature. I made him one. Hindi ko nga lang alam na he’s sweeter than I describe him to be. Those small actions he do for me. Opening the lid of my water, saving me sits, walking beside me on the sidewalk and those little things that I didn’t know will make my heart full.

O baka nasosobrahan lang talaga ako sa pagiging maobserba. Well, I don’t really give meaning to those things because that’s just part of him.

“You are looking at me again as if I’ll be gone anytime,” natatawang saad ni Rough nang mapansin niya ang titig ko sa kaniya.

“Why? Are you getting bored now?” Nagtataka niya pa akong nilingon.

I never really enjoy this kind of events when I was kid. Maybe because I don’t have someone with me at masiyado akong maraming responsibilidad para magsaya.

“Hmm, not really. I  enjoy watching too…” Ngumiti pa ako sa kaniya. Unti-unti namang kumurba ang ngiti mula sa kaniyang mga labi. Mayroon talaga siyang ngiti tila ba balak kang dalhin sa paraiso.

After we watch the play, we enjoy ourselves eating foods. Ang dami ring bumabati sa amin. Nang makita pa kami nina Sheena ay naniningkit na agad ang mga mata nito.

“You two look so close this past few days, huh? That’s the reason why people keeps on saying that the two of you is dating!” ani Sheena sa akin kaya nagkatinginan kami ni Rough. Pareho na lang natawa at napakibit ng balikat. Rough doesn’t seem to mind the rumor. I’m a little uncomfortable with it but I slowly get use to it as the days pass by. The owner of this body just is just always center of rumor.

Matapos manood ng iba pang game ay hinintay rin matapos ang competition of the football team kahit gabi na.

“Want to sneak here?” tanong niya sa akin. Pinapaalis na kasi ang mga estudyante dahil magsasara na ang school. Agad naningkit ang mga mata ko roon.

“I didn’t know that you are someone who will just disregards the rule, hmm?” Pinagtaasan ko pa siya ng kilay kaya natawa siya nang mahina. Well, this guy is a big softie but I never knew that he have this side of him too. Right. I remember that I wrote a naughty side of him from his background story.

“Fine,” ani ko na akala mo’y napipilitan lang but the truth is I don’t want to go home yet. Napangiti na lang din siya roon.

We bought pizza and a lot of fastfood before we sneak out again to go to the field. I can’t help but feel amaze for myself that I’m doing this kind of things for my own pleasure.

“Here’s your laptop,” aniya na iniabot sa akin ang kinuhang laptop from my locker. Napanguso ako roon.

Nilatag niya lang din ang biniling kumot mula sa bayan. Hindi ko maiwasan ang mapangiti roon. He knows that I’m always typing at night kaya hinayaan niya ako. I don’t know what’s the difference right now but I feel so excited writing something today. It’s been a while since I felt excited holding my laptop like this. It feels nice not forcing yourself something, rather, you do it because you enjoy it.

Rough was also busy painting. Both of us our both just silently doing our work when a whistle stopped us too. Both of us look at each other. Parehong nanlaki ang mga mata namin lalo na nang lumapit na ang gwardiya sa gawi namin.

“Aba! Hindi ba’t sinabi nang magsiuwi na kayo—” Magagalit na sana ang gwardiya subalit both of Rough and I immediately say our sorry. Unti-unti ring lumambot ang ekspresiyon nito lalo na nang makita kaming dalawa. Well, both Rough and I is actually a model student kaya medyo kilala rin kami ng ilang prof and staff dito.

“Hindi kayo puwedeng tumambay pa rito. Isa pa, delikado na ng ganitong oras, magsiuwi na kayo,” aniya sa amin ni Rough kaya pareho kaming napatango.

“Pasensiya na po, Manong. Uuwi na po kami.” Tumango naman ito. We gave them some midnight snacks too bago lumabas. Nagkatinginan naman kami ni Rough nang makalabas doon, pareho kaming napatingin sa isa’t isa bago natawa.

“Look at the sky.” Tinuro niya pa ang langit sa akin. Unti-unting kumurba ang ngiti mula sa aking mga labi.

“It’s pretty like you,” ani kaya napailing na lang ako bago natawa. Before we went home, nagtungo muna kami sa bundok. Masiyado na rin naming nakagawian dahil madalas ko siyang sinasabihan na gusto kong magtungo roon.

“You two are together again. Kumain na ba kayo?” tanong ni Tita nang makita niya kaming nakauwi na ni Rough.

“We just had a light snack, Auntie,” ani Rough.

“Oh siya, have a heavy meal too. Marami ang niluto ko subalit hindi raw kayo sumasagot ng tawag ang sabi ni Hugh.” Napanguso ako nang mapatingin sa phone ng may-ari ng buhay na ‘to.

Both Rough and I are so pre-occupied on what we are doing earlier na hindi na rin namin namalayan na may tawag na pala ‘to.

“Ah, we were busy earlier, Auntie. Hindi na po namin napansin,” Rough said. Tumawa lang naman si Tita.

“That’s what I thought too.” Pinapasok niya lang kami sa loob.

“Where Hugh then, Auntie? He’s not going to eat?” tanong ni Tita kaya napatawa siya nang mahina.

“’Yon. Nasa kwarto, nagbubugnot na naman.” Tumawa pa siya kaya napailing na lang kami ni Rough. Lagi namang bad mood si Rough nitong mga nakaraang linggo.

“Want this one?”

“I have a hands though?”

“I know but I want to do this for you.” Nailing na lang ako nang ipinaglagay niya ako ng ulam sa plato. Napatitig ako sa kaniya. I can’t help but think that this is just really a fictional. You can’t really find someone like this in real life.

Pareho lang kaming nahinto nang mapatingin sa nakasimangot na si Hugh nang lumabas siya sa kaniyang kwarto.

“Oh, I thought you’re not planning to eat?” Napatawa pa si Tita habang nakatingin kay Hugh na tumabi sa akin.

“I’m hungry, Mama.” Sumimangot pa lalo si Hugh sa kaniyang ina. Natawa lang naman sa kaniya ang kaniyang Mama. Tila kilalang-kilala na rin talaga niya ‘to.

“Both of you are always together for the past weeks. Mukhang unti-unti ka nang nagmo-move on ka na kay Hugh, Sola. Don’t you like him even a little now?” Agad akong nahinto sa tanong ni Tita habang si Hugh naman siya agad binanggit ang pangalan ng kaniyang ina.

“Mama!” reklamo nito kaya napatawa pa lalo si Tita.

“What’s wrong? I’m just asking Sola. She keeps on confessing to you months ago but you keeps on rejecting her. I’m just happy that she’s slowly moving on now. What’s wrong with that?” Pinagtaasan pa niya ng kilay si Hugh na mas lalo lang napasimangot ngayon.

“I’m slowly moving on, Auntie. And yes, Hugh and I decided to be just friends. I decided to disregard my feelings for him,” I just said so we can end the conversation. I answer on my own but the owner of this body probably doesn’t want to move on. I like Hugh as my character but never as a man. Napakibit na lang din ako ng balikat doon.

“So the two of you decided to be just friends?” nakangising saad ni Tita. Tumango naman ako before looking at Hugh who was staring at me. Even if he’s my character, I don’t know why he looks annoyed.

Well, I made him as someone sweet and cold to the person he likes but never the always bad mood type. He just always like to be with Neela’s side because he wanted to protect her, unluckily, Neela didn’t choose him despite being with her everytime she’s in pain too.

“Yeah.” Parang labas pa sa ilong ang pagkakasabi niya no’n kaya napatawa na lang ako nang mahina bago napailing.

Natahimik naman na kami. Rough and I just keeps on talking about random things. I like listening to Rough random talks. Ni hindi ko na nga rin namamalayan paminsan-minsan ang mga tanong ko.

“Do you like my cousin or are you just using him to move on?” tanong ni Hugh kaya pareho kaming natigilan ni Rough sa tanong niya.

Mabuti na lang din ay nagsalita agad si Tita, dahilan kung bakit hindi ko na kailangan pang sagutin ang tanong ni Hugh.

I do like Rough. As a person. Maybe because of the comfort that he gave me or maybe for the reason that he gave me familiarity in this foreign place.

But do I like him as a man? I doubt that.