Chapter Eight

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"Happy birthday, Paula!"

Paula looked happy as we and her family celebrated her birthday. Parang bago sa akin ang mga masasayang mukha nila habang nagbabatian na may yakap pang kasama.

I remember back in the Avila's hacienda. Halos doon lang din kami nagdadaos ng mga kaarawan namin. Galing kanila Mama at Papa at sa magkakapatid na Zachmann. We always had the big party. But it was more of a business party... than a real party like this. Kahit simple lang din ang selebrasyon ng kaarawan ni Paula. Pero nakita kong mas mukhang masaya ang mga tao rito...

"Here's your food." Adam went back to my side.

Tinanggap ko naman ang pagkaing kinuha niya para sa akin. At muli ko na naman siyang napagmasdam sa tabi ko...

Simula yata nang dumating ako sa Masbate ay si Adam na ang laging kasama ko. He was always with me except when I go home to the dorm. Parang simula noong hinayaan kong maging magkaibigan kami... ay hindi na niya ako tinigilan... At palagi na lang siyang nasa tabi ko.

Hindi naman ito ang unang beses na mapalapit ako sa isang lalaki. I'd like to think that I grew close to Aldrich, and also Kuya Asher. Although it was because they had become my family...

Siguro nga iba pa rin itong pakikipaglapit ko kay Adam. Aside from he's my mission. He's also the very first friend I have...

I sighed thinking all about these things.

We thanked Paula and her family for inviting us to their home in the weekends. Both Adam and I enjoyed their place and the food. Masarap din magluto ang Mama ni Paula. At sinabihan pa kami ni Adam na bumalik.

"Hi!" Hinarang ako ng isang senior palabas ako ng pintuan ng room namin.

Natigilan naman ako.

He smiled while looking at me. "Ilang beses na rin kitang nakikita. At ito pala ang course mo." He creepily looked inside our classroom for a while. "Oh." And then when he returned his attention to me he raised both his hands up as if the police just caught him. "Don't look at me like that. Gusto ko lang makipagkaibigan." He said in a friendly manner this time.

Totoo nga yata ang sinabi sa akin ng ilang kaklase ko na may nagkakagusto raw sa akin sa ibang courses...

"Aeva?" Adam was behind me now.

Napabaling ako sa kaniya.

"Do you know him?"

Umiling ako.

"Is he bothering you?" Adam asked again.

"Wait, chill, dude. I was just trying to get to know her..." Pagkatapos ay tumingin ito sa akin. "Is he your suitor, too? Ang sabi sa akin wala ka naman daw boyfriend." He said as he turned back his gaze to Adam.

Pumagitna na si Adam sa amin. Bahagyang napaatras iyong lalaki. And Adam was taller than him kaya siguro medyo na intimidate...

"Stop bothering her. Can't you see that she's not comfortable of you talking to her?"

"Adam." Hinawakan ko na siya sa siko niya at pinigilan dahil baka magkaroon pa ng komosyon... And I wouldn't really like that.

Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit bigla na lang akong nilapitan ng lalaking ito at kinausap...

And I understand his confidence when Adam and I saw him in the parking lot of the university na kumaway pa sa akin at sa tabi niya ang isang mukhang pinagmamalaking sasakyan the afternoon after. Nang mag-uwian na. Kanina ay mabuti na lang hindi naman sila nagkagulo pa ni Adam because he was already called to his club.

Sinabi nga rin sa akin ng mga kaklase kong babae na miyembro rin daw iyon ng basketball team ng university at captain pa. At apo rin daw ng Mayor. At may kaya ang pamilya rito sa lugar. Kaya siguro ang lakas ng loob at hindi na nagdahan dahan sa paglapit sa akin...

And would I like that certain type of a guy? The answer is no. And I think the reason is obvious...

"Tell me when he bothers you again. Or anyone." Adam said before we entered his car. At ihahatid na niya ako sa dorm. Nasasanay na rin ako sa paghahatid sundo sa akin ni Adam palagi.

Tumango na lang ako bago pumasok sa kotse niya matapos niya akong pagbuksan ng pintuan ng sasakyan.

Marami rin naman ang mga babaeng nagkakagusto kay Adam. Ito ang nasa utak ko habang nakasakay ng kotse niya at nasa labas ng bintana ng sasakyan ang tingin.

Ilang babae na rin ang sinubukan akong komprontahin dahil malapit kami ni Adam sa isa't isa...

I'd like to think that Adam was just worried of the guys whose trying to get to know me... Gaya ng pag-aalala ko rin sa mga babaeng nagkakagusto rin sa kaniya...

Maybe as my friend he's just acting like a big brother to me, too...

I knew that at first it was just attraction. He's undeniably attracted, too. And we've been always spending time together for almost a year now. He's even brought me to places here in Masbate para mamasyal na hindi ko naman naisipan noon.

I've been experiencing many and new things with Adam... He made me experience all these things with him...

And I think I know when I like someone...

Because I think that I like Aldrich...

But I do not forget that Adam was still my mission. And that after all these... I still have to kill him.

Hindi naman siguro masama if I'd play with him a little before everything should fall in place...

I can't blame some of my classmates thinking that I'm hiding something behind my silent or what they believe my timid appearance. Because it's true that deep inside I'm the devil here...

At walang kamalaymalay ang inosenteng si Adam na siya ang bibiktimahin ko... After he's completely tempted by this evil...

"Thanks." sabi ko at nagkalas na ng seatbelt.

"You're welcome. Uh, Aeva," He called.

Lalabas na sana ako ng kotse niya nang tawagin pa niya ako. Binalingan ko naman siya. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa.

"You'll come to my house this weekend?" He confirmed.

"Uh, yes. Kami ni Paula." I answered.

At dahil din kay Paula kung bakit nagkayayaan na lang kami na pupunta naman ngayon sa bahay ni Adam. I learned that he's really living alone on his own in a property his parents own here in Masbate. At iyon ang pupuntahan namin sa linggo.

Tumango na si Adam at ngumiti.

Pagkatapos ay tuluyan na akong lumabas sa sasakyan niya at tuloy-tuloy na pumasok sa building ng dorm.

"Matagal na rin kayong magkaibigan ni Adam, ah!"

Yes, it's Paula again.

I sighed.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang makukuha niya sa pagtutulak sa amin ni Adam sa isa't isa...

"Minsan binibiro ko iyang si Adam, at alam mo ba hindi niya tinatanggi!" She even seemed happy.

"Ang alin?" patay-malisya ko namang tanong.

"Na may gusto siya sa 'yo!" Paula loudly said.

I just sighed.

Pagkatapos ay nag-focus sa akin si Paula. While I just remained doing my thing for school. She spoke. "Eh, ikaw, Aeva? Ano ba ang tingin mo kay Adam?"

Hindi agad ako nakasagot kaya nagsalita pa siya. "Gwapo naman siya, matangkad, maganda katawan, mabango, matalino! Tapos mabait pa!" She blabbered.

I sighed again. I don't know exactly how to answer her... Napaisip ako at magtatanong pa sana sa sarili, but I stopped myself. I don't need to think this deeply. Para saan pa? I just sighed for the nth time now. "Matulog na lang tayo, Paula." I said instead and went to my bed and lie down there.

"D'yan ka talaga magaling, 'no? Sa pag-iiwas sa mga tanong ko sa 'yo tungkol kay Adam. O ang hindi mo talaga pagsasagot." She said.

Hindi na ako nagsalitang muli. Pagkatapos ay nagsalita ako pero tinalikuran ko na siya. "Ano ba ang makukuha mo sa ginagawa mo, Paula..." I asked, a little curious...

"Hm! Wala naman..." Ramdam ko ang pagngisi niya. "Pakiramdam ko lang ay may inaabangan akong real life drama. At ship ko talaga kayo ni Adam sa isa't isa!" Her answer was crazy.

Napailing na lang ako sa loob-loob ko at pinikit na lang ang mga mata. "Turned off the lights, please." bilin ko.

Naramdaman ko namang tumayo si Paula at pinatay na ang ilaw sa dorm room naming dalawa.