Chapter 2

...Chapter 2...

"Saan ulit?" tanong ko kay Helios. Hindi ko masyado nahabol ang sinasabi niya, masyado syang energetic.

"As I said, galing akong Saintess University. That's the thing I told you when you ask me," he said, napapakamot sa ulo niya.

Natawa na lang ako kasi hindi ko talaga nahabol 'yung kinukwento niya sa 'kin, masyado akong nasisilaw sa muka niya.

"Saintess, eh diba sa west 'yun?"

Tumango-tango siya bilang sagot.

"Iyon na nga, nasa west 'yung Saintess while nasa easth tayo. So it was good exercise for me, how about you?"

Humalukipkip ako at nag-isip kung ano nga ba ang ginawa ko nitong last weekend. Wala naman masyadong ganap sa weekend ko.

"Hmm... Movies?" hindi siguradong sabi ko at napakamot sa ulo.

Nakita ko si Helios na natawa sa sinabi ko kaya natawa na rin ako. Sa totoo lang, hindi naman talaga ako nanood. Nag-aral lang ako.

Nagpatuloy ang pag-uusap namin ni Helios hanggang sa umingay ang paligid namin.

"Their at it again"

"So picture perfect"

"What do you expect? They're both popular and always together"

"Are they dating already?"

"Hey! Lunch is already here!"

Inangat ko ang tingin ko at tumambad sa 'kin ang naiinip na muka ni Phoebe. Tumayo na 'ko.

"Hindi ka sasabay sa 'min, Helios?" tanong ko ng makita kong naka-upo pa rin siya.

"Nope, kasabay ko 'yung dalawa," sabi niya, tinuro ang dalawa niyang kaibigan.

Tumango na lang ako at nagpaalam kaming dalawa ni Phoebe ng harangin kami ni Janna, one of our classmates and also a friend.

Ngumiti siya at bahagyang kumaway habang ang isang kamay ay nakapulupot kay Ruby.

"Lunch? Sabay na kayo sa 'min," aya niya. Tinignan ko si Phoebe dahil ayos lang naman sa 'kin, ang inaalala ko lang ay kung papayag siya.

She shrugged and nod her head a bit, so ngumiti na lang ako kay Janna at binigay ang sagot ko.

Magkakasama kaming lumabas sa kwadro ng tumambad sa 'min ang alon ng mga estudyante, may pinapalibutan at mukang nagkakasiyahan.

"Anong meron?" tanong ni Ruby na bahagyang tumingkayad, nagbabakasaling makita.

Napag-pasyahan namin na lumapit sa kumpol ng mga estudyante at bahagyang sumilip. Kahit anong gawin namin ay hindi namin makita.

"Excuse me," saad ko. Isinisiksik ang katawan para makapasok.

Bakit ba sila nagkukumpulan, meron bang artista o popular student na dumating galing sa ibang school? If meron sana si Cairo ng Kareem o kaya naman si Tyrone sa Saintess 'yung model.

Nang makapasok kaming apat ay tumambad naman ngayon ang apat na tao na siyang pinapaligiran namin.

What's with them? Are they bullying her? Wait, it's not bullying.

It was a three guy and a girl, mukang confession para sa taong nasa gitna. The girl---hmm... She looks familiar.

"That's Kassandra, diba?" Biglang sabi ni Ruby. Ibinalik ko ang tingin ko sa babae at bahagyang napatango dahil si Kassandra nga iyon.

"Yeah, Kassandra from STEM," I said.

It's definitely a confession since Kassandra looks flustered and all shy in front of the guy.

Inilipat ko ang tingin ko sa taong nasa harap niya.

"Anong sabi niya?" Tanong niya at nilingon pa ang dalawang kasama niya. His short, I think shorter than me. Siya ang pinaka maliit sa kanilang tatlo.

"I like you daw," he said, yung nasa kanan. The one na mas matangkad, he has a clean cut, tall at payat nakasuot din ito ng round eye glasses that looks fine in him.

"It's a confession, you should say something," sabi niya, nasa kaliwa naman.

This one is the a bit tall than the guy in the middle, his a bit bulk not really bulk---parang malaman lang ng kaunti do'n sa lalaking mas matangkad. He looks a bit young and masyadong malinis, mukang naka Johnson's baby powder.

I just realize that they're making him realize that Kassandra is confessing on him, what is he? Dumb? Panong hindi niya alam na confession 'yan, eh nasa harap niya si Kassandra at may hawak pang envelope---a love letter, I guess.

"Do I know you?"

I gasped on the way he talk, ang harsh. Hindi niya kilala si Kassandra? Well, it's not like his required to know Kassandra. But, isn't he a bit harsh for someone na natitipuhan ng isang babae? He should at least treat her with a little kindness.

I watch Kassandra getting all flustered and shock by the guys respond, kahit naman ata ako ang nasa posisyon niya magiging katulad n'ya rin ako.

Sino ba ka kasing matutuwa na kapag sinabi mong gusto mo siya eh tatanungin ka kung kilala ka niya, hindi ba pwedeng deretso reject or accept na lang para hindi masakit?

Anyway, who is that? He's so short but I couldn't get a full view of his face aside his height. All I can see is his side view, his fine jawline and a sharp edge of his eyes while his hair a bit long.

This guys is wearing our uniform, the dark blue coat with a gold lining and gold logo of our school.

"That's Eros, diba?" Napatingin ako kay Janna dahil sa sinabi niya.

Eros, sino 'yun?

"Sino 'yun?" Tanong ko sakan'ya. I was a bit curious.

Tumingin sa 'kin si Janna at nagtaka ako ng bigla siyang tumawa.

Bakit? Did I say something?

"You don't know him?" Tanong niya, natatawa at sumulyap doon sa pwesto no'ng tatlo at ni Kassandra. Tango lang sinagot ko sakan'ya, dahil totoo naman na hindi ko siya kilala.

"It's quite understandable, his very quiet," ani Janna, tinatapik-tapik ang balikat ko.

Hindi niya sinagot ang tanong ko. Gusto ko malaman kung sino siya.

"I... I said, I like you!"

Nilingon ko ulit ang eksena na hindi pa namin nilalayasan para kumain ng lunch. Kassandra's arm are extended towards the guy, the one in the middle.

The guy look at her with disbelief, I can clearly see his face now because we decide to change our spot to get a better view.

Pinaningkitan ko ang mata ko at sinubukang basahin ang name tag niya dahil sigurado ako na mababasa ko 'yun lalo na ngayon sa pwesto ko.

Eros Anise Suarez... The name written.

Eros? Eh diba 'yan 'yong name na sinabi ni Janna---wait! Don't tell me s'ya 'yun? Eros.

"I don't talk to strangers, hindi kita kilala," he pause, "and I don't like you, go away," he coldly said, nakatingin bg deretso sa nakatungong si Kassandra.

Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya ngunit mas nagulat ako ng marami ang natawa sa sinagot niya.

"Grabe talaga mang reject 'tong si Suarez."

"What do you expect? All he cares about is his games and his friends."

Nilingon ko ang dalawang lalaki sa gilid namin, pamilyar sila pero hindi ko naman kilala.

Why do I feel like everyone is familiar at the same time they're not that familiar.

What's with all this fuss? Sino 'to at bakit parang kilala siya ng lahat samantalang hindi ko naman alam na nage-exist siya.

Nang binalik ko ang tingin ko kay Eros ay nagulat ako na nasa sa 'kin na ang tingin niya at dahil do'n nakita ko na ng maayos ang muka ng lalaking gusto ni Kassandra.

He is handsome... the voice inside my head said.

I shook my head off and look at back at him pero wala na siya do'n, 'tsaka ko lang din napansin na halos wala na ang mga estudyante.

The show is done? Since when?

"Spring, let's go."

Tumango ako at sumunod kanila Phoebe. Binalik ko ang tingin sa pwesto ni Eros kanina, his short height and his bland looking eye.

"Buti na lang talaga natapos ko yung homework natin last week, thank you Spring!" Niyakap ni Phoebe ang braso ko at ngumiti.

"Buti na lang talaga kasi if not, I'm sure nasa labas ka buong klase," sabi ko, dinidiinan ang mga salita na nagpatawa sa kan'ya.

"Nga pala, sino si Eros?" batong tanong ko kay Ruby bago kumagat sa burger ko.

Nagtaka ako ng bigla nila akong tignan na parang hindi nila inaasahan ang tinanong ko.

Gano'n ba kasikat si Eros para ganito ang reaks'yon nila sa 'kin?

"Hindi mo talaga siya kilala, Spring?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Janna. Inosente kong tinango ang ulo ko bilang sagot sa tanong niya.

Hindi ko naman tatanungin kung kilala ko siya, diba?

"Hindi nga."

Napakamot si Janna at Ruby sa sagot ko. Ano ba kasing mayro'n at bakit parang kasalanan ko na hindi ko siya kilala?

Janna sighed.

"So let me give you a little knowledge about our cold-hearted rejector. His name is Eros---Eros Anise Suarez," saad niya.

"His one of our classmates and by your expression halatang hindi mo alam na classmate natin s'ya."

Napakamot nalang ako sa batok dahil totoo naman ang sinabi niya. I was friendly but I don't really take a notice to a lot of people in my surroundings, kaya siguro hindi ko kilala si Eros.

Hindi ko rin alam na classmate pala namin siya, ano ba 'yan Spring.

"What's with the cold-hearted rejector?" Tanong ko at sumimsim sa strawberry milk.

"That's the name that I made, ngayon ngayon lang"

Tumango-tango na lang ako at mas pinakinggan ang iba niya pang sinasabi.

Base on her introduction daw about kay Eros, Eros is a very rude person that they can talk with. After his rejection for the first girl who approach him, Eros begun to be despise by a lot of girls who used to confess their feelings because Eros reject them in a very rude way---but not a all of the girls, there's still a lot of them who find him very attractive because of his attitude.

Despite his short height, girls likes his vibes---quiet and a bit of rude.

Weird taste, sinong babaeng magkakagusto sa gano'ng lalaki? Well, I can admit that he has a handsome face, his eyes is just bland and a bit of empty parang I don't give a shit look.

Anyway, Eros is a bit popular to boys because he likes gaming. It was said that he used to be in a team where in they play a part in a few tournament and won few trophies, in that case even though he has a rude attitude and bad sense of words boys still try to befriend him because of his gaming skills.

"Pero, hindi naman talaga ako magtataka if madaming may gusto kay Eros---" sumulyap s'ya sa table nila Eros. "---ang g'wapo n'ya kaya." Nakangiti niyang sabi.

"Balita ko, magaling din s'ya sa sport," ani Ruby.

Sinulyapan ko si Eros na tahimik lang na kumakain.

"Hindi halata," I mumble. As soon as I said that narinig ko ang bulalas na tawa nila Phoebe na nagpagulat sa 'kin.

Did I just say that out loud? Jeez.

"True naman, hindi talaga halata lalo na if gan'yan 'yung energy niya." Tatango-tango at bahagyang kumuha ng sulyap kay Eros.

"Isn't he handsome, Spring?"

Naubo ako ng bigla kong marinig ang tanong ni Phoebe. What's with the sudden question? Anong isasagot ko? Should I say yes or not? Should I tell him that his a bit cute and his height is a little adorable?

This is insane, Phoebe. You shouldn't have ask.

"Tubig." Abot ni Ruby ng tubig sa 'kin na agad ko ring tinungga.

"So what can you say?" Nagulat ako sa biglaang paglapit ni Phoebe ng muka niya sa 'kin. "Isn't he handsome, Spring?"

I was a bit stunned to even think for an answer to her question.

Ginala ko ang mata ko sa nakikita kong si Eros na ngayon ay kausap ang kan'yang kaibigan. He look gentle in this view, ang magulo niyang buhok na hindi naman naging hadlang.

I never felt this before, why is the leaves falling when I was only staring because of curiosity? I don't know, everything feels so ticklish---when the sun strike his face, when the air made his hair messy, when his eyes close and open slowly.

Why does it feel warm and the breeze of the open cafeteria of the Adamantine University smells sweet, like Spring.

"He is handsome," I murmured, still looking at Eros face until our eyes met.

It's more ticklish.

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