Sheena's POV
"Good morning, Sir Manong Guard!" I greeted the guard before going to the venue. Honestly, I am not into kinds of stuff like doing the same thing every day. For some reason, I find it boring that's why I always ask my coach a different dance choreography once I am done learning it.
"Ang aga mo ngayon ah!" He said and handed me the log book.
"Opo, may inaabangan kasi ako." I replied while writing my personal details.
"Sino? Boyfriend mo siguro." Halos mapangiwi ako nang marinig ko ang sinabi niya. "Ah, girlfriend ba?" pagbawi niya nang mahalata niyang hindi naman ako katulad ng ibang babae.
"Hindi pa po pero magiging girlfriend ko rin 'yon!" I bragged before waving my hands to say goodbye to the guard.
While walking, I suddenly remembered what my parents said earlier. They said that if I continue doing what I'm doing now, like going to the hospital and enjoying the things here, they might make my punishment light at pwede na akong tumigil sa pag-assisst sa mga bata rito. I wanted to be happy when I heard their good news but I thought of Gweneth, instead.
Makikita ko pa kaya siya pagkatapos nito?
But me being me, I already thought of some plan and strategies to make my stay longer than what they are expecting. Wala eh, I'll do everything just to see her when I still get a chance to do it.
I smiled when I saw her sitting on the same spot yesterday, this time, she's sketching something from her sketchpad. She's wearing a simple black oversized shirt, mom jeans, and white sneakers. She's not even wearing any make ups but for me, she's perfect.
"Hi!" I greeted as I approached her.
She looked up. "Hello, Sheena." she answered back but didn't even bother throwing me a smile. Akala ko pa naman good ang morning ko!
"What are you doing?" I asked curiously. I noticed kasi na aside from what she's sketching now, may mga previous sketches pa siya. Makapal na nga 'yong sketchpad niya eh at halatang laging nagagamit.
"I am sketching. I'll be giving these to the kids pagkatapos ng buong program." she replied and went back to her own business.
When she moved her left arm, I saw that she's wearing a bracelet. Hindi niya naman suot 'yon the past days ah? Who gave it to her? Boyfriend niya? Girlfriend niya?
Mama mo.
"Mama ko?" she confusingly asked. I didn't realize that I said it out loud.
"Ah wala, tara kain tayo?" I smiled at her. I was expecting that she'll reject me again but this time, she nodded and started packing her things and put it inside her bag.
We decided to go to the convenient store in front of the hospital but before we could finally entered, a guy bumped into me and surprisingly, I know him.
It's Alas. What is this piece of shit doing here?
"Look who's here!" he said while slowly clapping his hands, gaining the attention of everyone in front of this convenient store.
"Not now, I'm with someone. Hindi ka pa nadadala? Hindi ba I almost broke your teeth?" I told him.
Gwen was just watching while Alas and I are exchanging stares. "Sino siya? Girlfriend mo?" he said and looked at Gwen from head to toe, maliciously.
I turned to Gwen and gave her an assuring smile before hiding her behind my back. I smell trouble. This is trouble.
"Nako! Sheena is dangerous. Sayang ka naman kung mapupunta ka sa kanya. Dito ka sa akin, I'll protect you. Anong magagawa ng babaeng 'yan eh mas malakas ako diyan?" Alas smirks.
"You really do fuck shit up! Wala ka bang magawa sa buhay mo!?" I greeted through my teeth.
"You're the one who's fucked up here. Pero don't worry, when Gwen realized kung gaano ka kagago, baka siya na mismo ang lalayo sa'yo."
When I saw him bit his lower lips, alam kong signal ko na 'yon. So, I approached him and gave him three hard punches on his lower lips. That's my strategy, inaantay ko munang kumagat labi ang kaaway ko para pag sinuntok ko, mas masasaktan siya. But when I felt my fist connect to his lips, it sends me a sharp pain to my hand.
"Ang dami mong sinasabi! Hindi ako babae lang, babae ako, gago!" I hissed and stepped away from him. I pulled Gweneth inside the convenient store. Good thing they have a guard here kaya safe pa rin naman kami.
I turned to Gweneth to check up on her. "Are you okay?" I asked.
"Y-your right hand is bleeding." she said and panicked.
Inupo ko siya sa mga chairs inside this convenient store and I immediately went to the counter to buy some ice. Okay lang naman ako pero mas nakakatakot makita siyang magpanic sa harap ko.
When I reached our seat, no one dared to talk. Siguro she's still observing what she have witnessed.
"I'm sorry you have to witness it. Are you okay? Nasaktan ka ba?" I asked, breaking the silence.
But instead of answering, she asked me back. "Why did you punch him? What did he do to you?"
"Basta. Here, I ordered foods too. Kumain ka na at babalik pa tayo sa venue." I told her at inabot sa kanya 'yong food.
"Wow! You show you care yet you punched a guy earlier?" she asked sarcastically.
"Do you want me to say sorry to him?" I jokingly asked para tumigil na siya sa kakatanong.
"Yes." she answered without any hesitations.
Tinitigan ko lang siya tapos nakipagtitigan din siya sa akin. That's when I know that I am in a deep mess. This girl, this girl will be my downfall. "Damn! You're going to be the death of me. You're making me do things I've never done before. Pero sige, Gweneth, para sa'yo, I'll say sorry to him."
And then I finally saw her smile genuinely. Fuck! Why am I using the word 'genuinely' now? Naririnig ko lang 'to kila Colet at Maloi eh.
"Tell me muna why did you punch him?" pangungulit niya na naman sa akin.
I heaved a sigh and looked at her seriously. Come on, Gwen. See through me. Let me show you that I adore you.
"Pinapalayo niya ako sa'yo." I answered with all honesty. And she tried hitting on you too, Gwen.
"No. Not a valid reason to punch someone. But thank you for telling me. Now I know why." she shook her head.
"What? Lalayuan mo na ako?" I asked frustratingly.
"I don't know how to deal with you, Sheena. " she sharply said. And right now, I am so anxious. I don't know nga what's happening to me because of Gwen. Bigla bigla akong lumalambot at ayaw ko ng ganito.
So, I said something that I know I'll surely regret.
"And you think I know how to deal with you? You just ... you're so difficult to read sometimes." I rudely said.
I hope I can take back what I said but she walked out, not even bringing the foods I bought for her.
After the incident, Gwen never talk to me at hindi niya man lang ako tinapunan ng tingin buong activity. On the other hand, Miggy noticed that I was not in the mood so he did everything to cheer me up. Sa huli, naghabulan nalang kami inside the venue nang maaga naming natapos 'yong activity namin ngayong araw. Hindi kami tumigil when one organizer made us stop kaya hinayaan nalang nila kami.
Pero para akong mababaliw kasi ginawa ko na yata lahat ng pagpapapansin para tingnan ni Gwen pero hindi man lang niya ako sinulyapan. Ilang beses pa akoong dumaan sa harap niya habang hinahabol si Miggy at minsan pasimple kong tinatabig ang kamay niya pero wala talaga.
I can't help it anymore! Bahala na!
She's talking to some teenager volunteers tapos tumatawa pa siya sa jokes nung lalaking volunteer na sobrang asim naman tingnan. I felt a slight tug in my heart. What the fuck?
"Usap tayo." I simply said.
"Gwen? Let's talk." I repeated what I said when she just looked at me.
She stood up and went to a corner kung saan walang tao. Sinundan ko siya. "Bakit hindi mo ako pinapansin?" I asked.
"I am difficult?" she looked at me. I tilted my head to the side while looking at her too.
I hummed.
Gwen squinted her eyes in confusion. She's maybe wondering why I said that to her. "You're the one running around, punching people." She slightly brushed her foot against the ground.
"Sinisira niya ako sa'yo, Gwen." I snapped at her, slightly raising my voice.
She flinched a bit kaya medyo nagpanic na naman ako.
Get it together, Sheena. Bakit ba hindi ka marunong huminahon?
"Are you scared of me?" my voice softened.
"You punched him." she said.
I exhaled loudly and looked away. Damn this girl! "Kasi nga pinapalayo ako sa'yo. Ano bang hindi mo magets doon?"
"All of it. You! You're not even clear." she reasoned out without raising her voice. "Bakit ayaw mong lumayo? Why does it bother you so much when we don't even know each other?" she asked.
And I was taken aback. Yes, hindi nga namin kilala ang isa't isa.
"Paano kita kikilalanin kung lalayuan mo ako?" I asked back. She's so close to me at naaamoy ko ang pabango niya.
She huffed and jutted her lower lip out. "Why do you want to know me?"
"I ..."
"Sheena?"
"I just thought that maybe after all this time, I can actually have one good thing in my life." I told her before leaving the venue hurriedly.
Putangina! Paano pa ako magpapakita sa kanya? Wala na, mahihiya na ako.
Lahat ng inaankto ko sa harap niya, ni minsan, hindi ko pa nagawa sa iba. I'm having a hard time figuring this out. Bakit? Bakit biglang nagiging ganito ako?
Indeed, knowing Gwen and being with her is something new.