Imee's Point of View

Staying here on the rooftop makes me feel at ease. Kahit papaano, nakakalimutan ko pansamantala yung mga bagay na gumugulo sa utak ko. Exactly two weeks had been passed since that incident happened. I was bombarded with questions by my friends but good thing Irish was there to save me. She covered me up that moment since she's the only one who knew me and thank goodness, they believed her stories... Or maybe not.

"Still thinking about what happened two weeks ago?" I just heave a sigh when Xydelle asked that.

"Not really." I shrugged where in fact he's right. These sudden events were kind of suspicious to me. I feel like they are really aftering me.

"Don't you want to ask me who really I am?" I faced him. I know they had lots of questions on their mind especially him. It's their right to ask me but I can't tell them everything, just yet.

Nakasandal lang ako sa railings dito sa rooftop. Lumapit siya sa akin. He plucked my hair on the back of my ears and he looked at me.

"You're the girl I love. That's who you are."

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako. Tumabi siya sa akin at sabay naming pinagmasdan ang mga estudyanteng nasa quadrangle. Yung iba, palakad-lakad lang, may nakatambay naman sa lilim ng mga puno, may mga nagkekwentuhan at yung iba nama'y busy sa pagse-cellphone, animo'y may sari-sarili silang mundo. May mga naghahabulan din at paniguradong mga junior students ang mga iyon.

"Ang saya sigurong bumalik sa pagkabata 'no?" It just came out on my mouth while watching those students busy from playing.

Ramdam ko ang paggalaw ni Xydelle sa tabi ko. I was facing the students while he's facing the opposite at isinandal nito ang kanyang likod at siko sa railings.

"Yeah. I still remember those days when I used to play with my cousin back then. We were so close to the point that people think we're twins. Unfortunately, he's already gone." Ramdam ko ang malungkot sa tono nito and I feel sorry for him. If I just only knew, I shouldn't have asked him that.

I feel sorry for myself too because I never experienced the feeling of being a child. Yung maglalaro ka ng kung anu-ano, magtatakbuhan ka kasama ang ibang mga bata, maliligo sa ulan, magtagu-taguan at kung anu-ano pa. I never had the chance to experience all of those.

"Come here." Not knowing why, inakbayan niya ako at ipinilig niya ang ulo ko sa balikat niya. I just let him do what he wants.

Every time I am with Xydelle's arm, I feel so secured and protected but he should be the one I'm protecting now. He can't risk his life for me. I should be the one risking my life for him. I just closed my eyes. I even felt him kissed the side of my head.

"Everyone, listen to me!" Napamulat ako ng mata dahil sa biglang pagsigaw niya. Napadungaw ako sa baba and all students were looking at us.

"What the hell are you doing?" I curiously asked.

"Kyaaaah! Si Xydelle!"

"OMG! He's still so handsome from afar."

"What is he doing there?"

What does he think he is doing? I quizzically looked at him. I'm about to stop whatever he's doing but I wasn't able to do so when he grabbed me on my waist and started talking.

"Kilala niyo ba 'tong babaeng kasama ko?" He asked the crowd. I can't see their reactions because I'm too focused on him.

"She's mine and I love her so much." He said as he turned his gaze on me, looking straight into my eyes making my heart beats fast.

"Yieeeeeeeeeeeee!"

"Kyaaaaaaaah! Ang sweeeeeet!"

Those students were shouting and cheering. Napailing na lang ako. This guy is unbelievable.

We stayed there for more minutes before we decided to go down when the bell rings. As we went downstairs, Xydelle took my hand without my consent and yeah, I just let him.

"What's with the commotion earlier?"

My forehead creased as I saw my friends blocking the stairs. Si Irish ay nakacross-arm, si Alice ay nakataas ang kilay, si Zephyr naman ay nakasandal ang isang paa sa pader at si Aris ay nakasandal din habang nakahawak sa staircase banister. Until their eyes went to our hands.

"Kayo na?" Napaikot na lang ako ng mata dahil sa reaksyon ni Irish.

"Move." I said because they are blocking our way.

"Ano nga, kayo nga?" She once asked nang harangin niya ako. Xydelle answered her on my behalf.

"Ang sama niyo! Naunahan pa kami ng ibang tao na malaman ang tungkol sa inyo. Kung hindi pa namin narinig ang usap-usapan sa baba, hindi pa namin malalaman!" Mahaba nitong reklamo. Nang tignan ako nito ng masama, pinangunutan ko lang siya ng noo.

"What? You didn't ask." I answered bago ako naglakad palayo.

"Aish! Kakaiba ka talaga!" Reklamo ulit niya at narinig ko na lang na tumawa si Xydelle sa tabi ko.

After our class, they planned to have a coffee nearby. Pumayag na lang ako dahil paniguradong kukulitin lang ako ni Irish. We've been staying here for thirty minutes already.

Sitting on my spot, I felt something weird. I roamed my eyes inside this shop. Naningkit ang mga mata ko nang mapansin ang isang taong nakaupo hindi kalayuan sa amin. Hindi ko alam kung babae ito o lalaki dahil nakasuot ito ng bonnet at natatakpan ang mukha niya ng isang librong kasalukuyan niyang binabasa.

I stood up.

"Where are you going?" Xydelle asked. I looked at him and acted normally.

"CR." When I turned my gaze on that person, tumayo na ito.

I walked faster on the CR's direction and when I saw glass door on the left side, doon ako lumabas. I should have exited on the main door but I don't want my friends to know that something's going on.

I followed that person on the carpark. My suspicions were confirmed nang makita ko itong papunta sa direksyon ng itim na kotse, halatang nagmamadali siya sa paglalakad at kanina pang palinga-linga sa paligid.

I turned on the opposite direction and walked fast. I succeeded on my plan to come first and rested on the car's hood. Since he's busy roaming his eyes, he was shocked when he saw me. Mabilis itong tumalikod para tumakbo palayo but I was faster than him.

"Who are you?" I seriously asked when I caught him. Pinilit nitong kumawala sa akin but I pinned him against the car.

Sa kapipilit nitong kumawala, nagulo ang bonnet niya and when it fell, I gritted my teeth when I noticed who he was. He's the same guy who brought me in the hospital back then, the one who gave me the message from that piece of fucking paper.

"N-napag-utusan l-lang ako." He stuttered as he could hardly breathe.

"By whom?" I met his gaze pero umiwas ito ng tingin.

"H-hindi ko a-alam. H-hindi ko siya k-kilala." I'm losing my patience with this guy now. Hinila ko siya patayo at hinawakan ko ng mahigpit ang kanyang kwelyo.

"Whoever that message sender is, tell him I don't like his game. It sucks." Hinigpitan ko lalo ang pagkakahawak sa kanyang kwelyo. I even felt his trembling body. "At ikaw, huwag kang sunod nang sunod sa akin, hindi ka aso." Mariin ko itong tinignan samantalang siya ay kulang na lang upang magpalamon sa lupa.

"Don't get caught. You'll be killed next time. Also, tell your boss not to mess with me." I forcefully pushed him away.

Nakayuko at nagmadali itong umalis sa harap ko. Sinundan ko na lang siya ng tingin nang sumakay ito sa itim na kotse at mabilis na pinaharurot iyon paalis.

Malalim ang naging pagbuntong hininga. This message sender is rousing my ire.