Chapter 16

Rhainne Jhammira Alethea Lopez

It's been weeks and magaling na sugat ko. Isang buong linggo ko naring di kinakausap yung dalawa. Bahala sila diyan! Kasalanan nila bakit ako nabuko. Gosh they're ruthless but they're so honest, hindi rin sila magaling magtago ng secret well except our secret. They wouldn't know that I was stabbed kung hindi pumunta si Miss Presley at hindi sana makakapunta si Miss kung hindi sinabi ng dalawa. So yeah it's their fault so mag tiis silang hindi ako makausap. They're trying to talk to me but my pride won't let me.

Kagaya ngayon they're trying to talk to me but I didn't bother hearing and looking at them. Bahala sila!. I'm not mad though. I just want them to learn—learn to refrain themselves from telling every detail about me—us.

"Ulan"- Rayla

I still continue what I was doing and acting like I didn't hear her. Magaling ako sa ganito. I master this already—to act as if I didn't know anything. Well, we're great actor pretending to be innocent in a world full of crimes.

"Ulan naman. Talk to us na kasi"- pangungulit nila, ngayon dalawa na sila.

Hindi ako marupok they know it. One week ko silang natiis at kaya ko itong paabutin ng isang buwan. Life was boring without them but it's peaceful too but there is still a time na nakakamiss ang kaingay ng dalawang yon.

"Ulan, one week na. Stop making us suffer from guilt"- mangiyak ngiyak na sabi ni Jenaiah

Kahit umiyak pa sila ng dugo, no never. Pero hindi ko pala kayang tiisin tong mga to. I almost forgot that. Well I missed them but walang kapatawaran ang ginawa nila—how many times I did remind them not to tell anything about me to them but still they did it. Nagalit lang ako kasi nahuli ako and they told some information about me which I hate the most —I didn't trust any of them. Miss Presley called Ate when she sees the wound thingy and mabilisan namang dumating si Ate kala mo nanay ko kung mag alala eh kasama niya pa talaga si Prof Alvares na parang gusto akong yakapin. Tapos sinermonan naman ako ni Ate as usual parang nanay nanaman. Minsan naiisip ko mas naging nanay pa si Ate saakin kesa sa totoong parents ko.

"Ulan. Wag mo sila tiisin"- Amrielle said na nasa tabi ko.

Oh sige ikaw nalang dito sa sitwasyon ko.

"Let them"- I said and smile playfully

"Kung ano man pinaplano mo Rhainne Jhammira Alethea itigil mo yan"- kinakabahang turan ni Amrielle

Ngumiti lang may plano na agad?. I just want to know if they are really willing to ask for my forgiveness. Ang babaw ko masyado but it's fine ako naman to

I grinned.

"Where are you going?"- sabay na sabi ng tatlo but hindi na ako sumagot, susunod rin yan.

Nakakapagtaka kasi hindi na ata ako bina-bother ni Yana or maybe she's just busy as SSC president and I heard that her friends are also part of the council. Well I could say maganda ang pamamalakad nila sa buong university. Maybe Yana will be the one who's gonna manage this university in the future. I have no doubt in her ability she's good.

I entered the cafeteria and find a sit but shit wala ng upuan. Minamalas ka nga naman siguro sign to na wag na kumain

"Ali!"- tawag ng kung sino saakin kaya napatingin ako, it's Yana and friends

Lumapit ako, syempre aarte pa ba ako wala na ngang maupuan ayoko namang tumayo habang kumakain.

I'm not being kind. I just don't have a choice but to sit with them masyadong crowded ang cafeteria kaya wala ring bakanteng upuan. I don't want to eat on floor.

"Have a sit"- she said and gave me her sweetest smile, lucky for me cute ako pag nag smile because of my dimples. I just nodded, nakita ko namang lumapit yung tatlo saamin "Uhm can we have a seat too?"- kakapalan ng muka ni Amrielle yan

"Ah yes, yes sure"- my sister said while smiling again, hindi siya napapagod ngumiti no para siyang si Prof Alvares. Speaking of, they just arrived "Can we have a sit? Masyadong puno ang cafeteria so we couldn't find a sit"- Ate said kala mo hindi magkakapatid kung mag usap eh, they're being formal lang naman

Naupo na sila, buti nalang malaki yung table na nakuha nila Yana. Thanks to them hindi ako kakain sa floor. Bakit ba kasi ang daming tao dito ngayon?.

"U-ulan"- tawag sakin ni Rayla, hanggang ngayon kasi ay di ko parin sila kinakausap the only exception is Amrielle. Wala rin kasing alam yong isang yon sa mga nangyari nung nakaraan. I was so stupid that time to the point that I didn't even know na dumudugo na. I just know that it was painful fck it para naman akong manhid sa mga time na yon

"Rayla is talking to you"- Amrielle said na nasa harap ko. Oh yeah right I almost forgot na tinawag pala ako ni Rayla. Tinaasan ko lang siya ng isang kilay

"Ako na bibili ng food natin what do you want ba?"- Rayla said that makes me mentally smirked. Artehan ko nga

"Nothing"- I said with my monotone voice. I wanna laugh with her reaction. Para siyang natatae na ewan, nag hahalo halo ang emosyon niya

"Ulan naman eh. Forgive us"- she said in a low voice, sincerity was on it. She really looks guilty

I couldn't help it. I laugh that makes everyone look at me. What wrong? Am I not allowed to laugh?

"Pinagti-tripan mo nalang kami eh"- Jenaiah said na parang nag tatampo. I mentally rolled my eyes, it's their fault kaya!

"Just buy me food. Bilisan niyo. Alam niyo na bibilhin niyo"- I said

"Wahhh you're talking to us. You heard it right guys? She's talking to us diba?"- parang bata niyang sabi. Tsk isip bata rin to minsan eh no. Umalis na siya at hindi nawala ang ngiti sa labi niya kasama niya si Jenaiah

"Siraulo ka pinagtripan mo nanaman yung dalawa"- Amrielle commented

Tahimik naman ang mga kasama namin sa table na parang pinakiramdaman lang ang nangyayari saamin. Weird

"Celine! Angelie!"- sigaw ng Ate ko that make me look at what she's looking. A lady in black wide leg trousers and a red top with her black blazer and her usual poker face but it makes her look hot. Hot momma. While the other Professor that is next to her is wearing a simple black slacks and a long white polo na nakatupi hanggang sa siko niya, attractive but I have only my eyes on Miss Presley. Ewan ko ba parang may magnet siya that she can pull my eyes on her.

Lumapit naman ang mga ito "OMG Baby Mira! Ngayon nalang ulit kita nakita! Did you miss me? cause I miss you"- Prof Lacson said while looking at me. Mira? Where did she get that name?

"Tsk. Angelie hands off."- seryosong sabi ni Ate kaay naman tinanggal naman nito ang pag kakahawak sa waist ko "Relax, Ryleigh. I just miss my ba--"- hindi na natuloy ni Prof ang sasabihin niya ng biglang magsalita ang kasama niyang propesora "You're so loud can you just sit"- inis na turan nito kaya naman napaupo ito sa tabi ko. Oh God I know na kukulitin lang ako nito

"Angelie! No you won't sit there dito ka. I know that you're going to mess my sister"- Ate said. Oh God thanks for saving me from her. Inis naman itong tumayo at pumunta sa bakanteng upuan sa tabi ni Prof Alvares. Tumawa nalang ang mga SSC officers which is sila Yana and friends. Naupo naman ang isa pang propesora sa tabi ko.

Malas na swerte.

Malas dahil may katabi akong mala Elsa na propesora na kung makatingin ay kala mo papatayin ka

Swerte dahil maganda siya tapos mabango pa

"Eto na ang pagkain mo mahal na prinsesa"- Rayla said while teasing me "Thank you my servant"- I said while smirking that make her frowned, pikon.

"Ang daya mo talaga! You really know how to tease me back!"- inis na turan nito at umupo na

"You know that you can't win at me, so stop trying"- I boredly said at tumahimik na wala naman akong sasabihin na eh. Nagkukulitan lang ang tatlo kong kaibigan minsan sinasama ako but after that tatahimik na rin ako. Ramdam ko rin ang pag sulyap saakin ng katabi ko, weird niya ngayon. Sila Ate naman ay nag uusap kasama ang friends niya at yung katabi ko ay parang ako lang din tahimik but sometimes pag tinatawag nag sasalita naman. Sila Yana ay umalis na may aasikasuhin pa daw sila yan ang ayoko sa council eh masyadong time consuming.

____

Boring

Nakikinig lang ako sa discussion ng prof naming panot, discussion ni Sir Ren but it's boring or sadyang ayoko lang ng subject niya ay basta so boring pero malapit na ring mag bell anytime so konting tiis nalang.

Ringgggggg

And that's the hint. Goodness gracious finally makakauwi na a--

"Bar?"- Jenaiah

Ay hindi pa pala. Nakakamiss rings mag pakalasing but I still hate this crowded, noisy place they call the bar.

"Sure"- sagot ko na ikinagulat ng tatlo, para nanaman silang tanga na nakatingin saakin. Nababaliw na talaga tong mga to

"Se-seryoso ka? Pumayag ka?"- Nauutal pang sabi ni Rayla while checking me as if I'm kind of clone. She even put her hand on my forehead "Wala ka bang sakit? Lagnat? Sipon? Upo? Plem-" I cut her off, masyadong nakakadire na susunod niyang sasabihin "ayaw niyo? edi wa-"- bago ko pa matapos ang sasabihin ko ay pinutol na nilang tatlo at sabay sabay pa talagang sumigaw "BAR!"- nakakarinding sigawan

Hindi mawala ang ngiti ng tatlo habang nag lalakad kami sa hallway. Hindi ko rin sila masisisi bat nagulat sila. Matagal narin kasi simula nung ako ang nag aya mag bar. When I started to hate people I started to hate everything pero parang ngayon hindi ko na dama.

"Boys hunting tayo mamaya?"- Jenaiah said

"Let's go ulan"- Rayla

"Alam mo namang hindi yan papayag, she's been loyal for almost 4years"- Jenaiah said, yeah she's right 4years. I've spent my four years loving the same person. How could I flirt when I feel like I'm cheating on him everytime I tried to. How could I forget you my home. Hindi ko pa pala siya nabibisita ulit and I miss him so much kung pwede ko lang siyang sundan.

"Hoy lalim nanaman ng iniisip mo. Don't mind of what Jenaiah is saying, kami nalang mag boys hunting chill ka nalang sa tabi"- Rayla said that makes me go back to myself. Paano nga ba ako makakalimot sa masalimuot na nakaraan na yon kung sa bawat galaw salita ay laging siya. How hard could it be to move forward.

Bakit kasi iniwan mo ako. I feel like I became so miserable when you left me at hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko magawang umusad—as I thought of it but all the heaviness are starting to feel bearable.

"Stop thinking about it again Ulan. We'll visit him some other time."- pag pagpapagaan ni Amrielle sa loob ko but it doesn't work that way. Pagdating sakanya ang hirap bumangon. Ang hirap kumalimot. Ang hirap umusad.

Why am I being sad all of a sudden, gosh. Iba parin ang epekto niya. He didn't leave me, someone took him away from me and I swear that person will pay for it....soon

I'll make him taste his own medicine.

"I'm not and I want to visit him all alone"- I said na siyang kinatango nalang nila. Pag dating sakanya hindi na sila nakikipagtalo cause they know that he's so special to me.

Ibang iba siguro ako kung nandito siya. Maybe I am happy and contented with my life. There's so many maybe

____

"Woah hard drink na agad iniinom mo?"- Amrielle said na kakarating lang sa table namin, galing siya sa dance floor. Ako naman kanina pa ako dito nakaupo pinapanood silang makipag sayawan sa kung sino sino. Sa pag kakaalam ko sikat ang bar na to at ang may ari neto ay walang iba kundi ang dalawa kong kaibigan, Rayla and Jenaiah. Matagal na ang bar na to sabi nila bwesit kasi mag kwento yung dalawa paputol putol eh pero yeah 4 years na simula nung pinatayo nila tong bar na to, kasabay ng pag-iwan niya sakin, argh I hate this day lagi ko nalang siyang naaalala.

I can't. Ayokong isiping I was stuck. I was stuck for 4 years already and that's enough.

"Baka malasing ka kaagad ah"- bulong ng mosquito, si Amrielle pala.

"You know that I have a high alcohol tolerance"- I said which is true, para ngang tubig lang tong iniinom ko eh kanina pako dito di man lang ako tamaan.

"Hey isn't that your Prof Lopez?"- Rayla said while pointing at the other table na medyo malayo sa table namin, they're busy having fun. Kakarating lang ng mga to sa table kung ano ano nanamang nakikita. "Let's approach them then"- turan ni Amrielle at tumayo, bahala sila.

I just look at them while they're approaching to our Professors. Yes Professors, dahil kompleto ang mag kakaibigan Allisha Alvares who's wearing a black skirt and a sleeveless pink top na mas nagpatingkad ng kaputian niya hanggang dito ay suot niya parin ang eyeglasses niya kaya hindi mo mahahalata na she has a chinky eyes. Ryleigh Lopez my hot gorgeous Ate, mana sakin. She's just wearing a high waist black leather short with her white sleeveless top na pinatungan niya ng leather jacket na naka unbuttoned. Next, Angelie Aeria Lacson the funny professor among them, she's wearing a white high waist pants with her backless top, so hot. Then, Ria Vasquez isa rin to she's jolly kagayang kagaya niya si Prof Lacson pero mas malandi si Prof Lacson, she's wearing a red sleeveless dress with a slit on the side, geez. And the last one was no other that Celine Claire Presley who is sitting pretty while drinking she's wearing a black pants and a tube

Nangungulit naman si Amrielle sa mga taong nandon sa table na yon. Fuck, kahihiyan nanaman Amrielle. I think she's already tipsy, this bitch lagi siyang ganyan. Kumaway naman si Amrielle saamin na parang inaaya kami, hindi naman pinansin ng dalawa si Amrielle kaya hindi ko na rin ito pinansin.

After ilang minutes hindi na natiis ni Amrielle at lumapit ito saamin "Let's go, dun na daw tayo sa table nila"

"Kakapalan ng muka mo Amrielle, tumigil ka"- sita ni Rayla

At nag talo na sila .........

"Ehmm excuse us, kami nalang makikitable sainyo since it looks like ayaw nilang sumama sayo Miss Lee"- Prof Vasquez said habang kasama ang mga kaibigan niya na isa lang ang nakangiti, what's with their faces? Mukang napipilitan rin sila.

"Sure, sure, sure po. Usog ka Ulan tabi ta--"- she didn't finish what she supposed to say nang bigla nalang umupo sa tabi ko si Miss Presley. Hirap basahin ng utak ng isang to. Amrielle was left in shock by what Miss Presley does. Bakit naman kasi nang aagaw ng upuan eh ang dami pang space, parang baliw.

"Since when did you learn to be drunk young lady?"- Ate said ng makaupo sila. She's looking at me same as Prof Alvares na parang nag hihintay ng sagot ko. Tsk, I feel the hint of alcohol in my system. Alam kong tinatamaan na ako ng mga alak na ininom ko, different kinds of alcohol.

"Since he left me"- I murmured

What I was even saying. I can't control my mouth gosh. They look at me with a question in their face na para bang tinatanong kung sino ang tinutukoy ko.

"Ah eh pag pasensyahan niyo na po mga Miss, mukang tinatamaan na"- Rayla said na nasa tabi ko at kinuha ang baso na dapat iinumin ko. Fuck this nang aagaw ng inumin! Asan ang hustisya!

"Talaga ba Heaven? Give me that and hindi ako tinamaan. Tsk to answer your questions 4years ago."- I used my monotone voice but Rayla rolled her eyes on me maybe because tinawag ko siyang heaven

"And your clothes aren't they're too revealing?"- Dagdag pa ni ate. I was wearing a see through top na may tube sa loob, and a miniskirt.

"Hay nako normalize na po sakanya yan. Minsan nga Bra lang suot niyan pag nag ba-bar kami sa US tapos wag narin kayo mag taka if may makita kayong kahalik--"- tuloy tuloy na sabi ni Amrielle, damn this girl. Kahalikan? Imbento hawakan ko pa nga lang ang lalake di ko na magawa makipaghalikan pa?!

"Damn you. Stop making stories kung ayaw mong pag lamayan ngayong gabi"

And that's the last thing I told before shutting up.

Nahihilo

Nalilito

Asan ba ako?

I feel the dizziness already, ang isa ay nagiging dalawa at ang dalawa ay nagiging apat, weird. Umiikot man ang mundo ko sakanya, joke. Umiikot man ang paligid ko ay pinilit kong tumayo para makapunta sa wash room. Yung mga kasama ko umuwi na, iniwan ako pati ba naman sila nang iiwan. Joke nandon sila sa table nag iinom pero hindi ko alam kung lasing narin ba sila gaya ko kasi muka pa naman silang matino except sa dalawang tatlong propesora, sila Prof Lacson, Prof Vasquez and no other than my Ate. Sakanya ata ako nag mana ng pagiging lasinggera pero siya mahina siya tumumba eh.

I just wash my face para mahimasmasan but it didn't work umiikot parin ang paligid ko. Eto na nga ba yung tama ng mga alak na ininom ko

"Hoy Ulan, ayusin mo lakad mo"- I heard someone's voice I think it came from one of my friends hindi ako sigurado kung sino. Naramdaman ko nalang na may humawak sa waist ko at pinaupo ako, sino ba yon? Maganda, maputi, masungit at mukang galit. Bakit ba siya galit?

"I'm finejsjkajakajah"

"Putcha first time malasing ni Lead"- I heard a familiar voice I think it's Jenaiah, Lead huh, Yes I'm Lead but I can't even protect my love from them. I still failed to be one.

"Hey what's the problem Ulan. Sabi ko na nga ba you have a problem, what is it?"- I heard Rayla's voice yes I know that it came from her kahit na blurry na ang paningin ko.

"Problem? Fucking problem? I have none"- I murmured

I know what I'm doing but mas pinangungunahan ako ng alak ngayon

"Come on. Wag mong sarilihin lahat, hindi lang ako nag tatanong sayo pero ramdam ko ang bigat ng nararamdaman mo Ulan. Stop being selfish. You know that you have us"- damn this tears it's showing how vulnerable I am.

"No. This isn't right mauna na ako"- I said at umalis na fuck nahihilo talaga ako. Bubuksan ko na ang pinto ng kotse ko ng biglang may kamay na pumig rito, it was Miss Presley.

"You can't drive. You're too drunk"- she said

"I can Miss now remove your hands, may pupuntahan pa ako"- I said but she didn't remove her hands at mas lalo pang humigpit ito

"And where is that?"- she coldly said

"I think it's none of your business Miss Presley, now please can you remove your hands po"- sabi ko pero masyado siyang makulit kaya hindi niya parin inalis ang kamay niya.

Fck Why does she have to stop me. I can manage myself. I don't need the help of others. Kaya ko ng mag isa—lagi naman.

"Yeah none of my business, but your sister told me to accompany you kung sakaling malasing ka and look at you now too drunk to drive"- Asik nito na halatang nauubusan na ng pasensya saakin. Kailangan ko siyang puntahan. I want to see him

"Then just tell Ate that I can do it. Kaya ko ang sarili ko hindi niyo ko kelangang alalayan. I'm not a patient"- she rolled her eyes on me before opening the driver sit at umupo siya. What the fuck?

She open the window "What are you waiting for, let's go"- paladesisyong sabi niya wala naman akong nagawa kundi ang pumasok sa sasakyan ko ng labag sa loob ko. Damn her. Bakit ba ang kulit niya?