Take Me Back To The Night We Met

Chapter 4-The Note

[Akina Dein Archangel]

"You said I should stay away from you or else I'll die. You told me that after you kissed me."

My mouth gaped when I heard the last three words he said. "I kissed you?! What do you mean?! Ako?! I would never kiss you! I don't kiss old men! Yuck!"

"You're overreacting, Miss Archangel. In case you don't know, ikaw ang unang lumapit at ikaw ang humalik sa akin. But anyway, kalimutan na natin 'yon dahil professor mo ako at estudyante kita ngayon. Kung anong nangyari kagabi, wala na 'yon."

I can't help but pull my hair in frustration. It's so frustrating not to remember anything from last night tapos malalaman ko na hinalikan ko siya? What the hell is happening to me?

"So, bakit mo sinabi 'yon?"

"What?" Sa inis ko ay hindi ko na masyadong naintindihan ang mga sinasabi niya.

"Sinabi mo na mamamatay ako kapag hindi ako lumayo sa 'yo. You were joking, right?"

"Ah, ignore it! I don't remember anything so stop asking me about what happened last night! Ugh! Mababaliw na 'ko!" I ruffled my hair drastically. Wala na akong pakialam kahit magmukha akong bruha sa harap niya.

"Wala na akong magagawa kung wala kang maalala pero ito lang ang masasabi ko sa 'yo." He leaned over the table to draw his face nearer to me. "Don't…ever…kiss…a man…you just met."

I made a disgusted face and stood up. "Wala nga akong maalala but I know I wouldn't kiss someone like you. Mas prefer ko pa rin ang mga guy na younger kaysa sa 'yo." I rolled my eyes.

Natawa siya at umayos ng upo. "Okay. This is the last time na kakausapin mo ako na para bang hindi mo ako professor. Kapag lumabas ka na rito sa office ko, kakalimutan ko ang mga nangyari kagabi total limot mo na rin ang mga 'yon."

I sighed lazily. I couldn't complain dahil tama naman siya. Mali ang inasal ko kanina sa kaniya dahil professor ko siya.

"Okay. Whatever." Tumalikod na ako para lumabas.

"And by the way, huwag ka nang maglasing ulit. Napagkakamalan mo kasi akong boyfriend mo, eh."

"I don't have a boyfriend!" I hissed, glaring at him.

"Pero sa mga sinabi mo kagabi, mukhang may boyfriend ka at inakala mong ako siya. Iba na talaga ang nagagawa ng alak." He shook his head like he was so disappointed in me.

"Ugh! Nakakainis ka!" Gusto kong siyang batuhin ng shoes ko!

"Manners, please." He smiled just to annoy me.

"Get lost! Sana maging single ka forever!" Bago pa siya makasagot ay lumabas na ako at impit na tumili pagkasara ko pa lang ng pinto.

"Gosh! He's so annoying!"

I had to take a deep breath over and over again just to calm myself. Pinanggigilan ko pa ang pinto, imagining that it was him.

On my way to the canteen, I keep on convincing myself about what happened last night. When that man mentioned that I was so drunk last night, it came to my mind that maybe…the alcohol had something to do with my amnesia.

Right. Baka nga dahil sobra akong lasing kagabi kaya wala akong maalala sa mga nangyari…to the point that I kissed the man who's 12 years older than me. Stop overthinking now, Akina.

But I suddenly remembered what that man said earlier. Did I really tell him to stay away from me or else he will die? Why would I say that? Baka naman may ginawa siyang something sa akin kaya ko 'yon nasabi?

Oh well, it was the first time I got drunk so kung ano-ano lang ang mga nasabi ko. I hate the presence of that man but I know he's harmless. I should stop overthinking now.

Pagbalik ko ng canteen ay si Miggy na lang ang naabutan ko. Aica was probably in the restroom.

"Anong nangyari? Pinagalitan ka?" he asked immediately when he saw me frowning. "Ice cream, gusto mo?" He handed me the ice cream cup he was holding. Hindi pa pala ubos.

I sighed heavily. "No. I just realized that I was so drunk last night to the point that I kissed him. My God…nakakahiya—"

Miggy slammed the table so I couldn't finish what I was saying.

"Hinalikan mo si Sir Bryan?!"

My eyes went bigger because he said it out loud. I reached for his hair and pulled it which made him groan.

"You shut your mouth, ano ba!"

"Buhok ko! Aray!" Inalis niya ang kamay ko sa buhok niya kaya binitawan ko na rin siya. Padaskol niyang nilapag sa table ang ice cream cup niya at tiningnan ako nang masama.

"What?" I raised a brow.

"Hinalikan mo siya? Seryoso? Kaka-18 mo pa lang kahapon tapos gumarutay ka na."

"What's 'gumarutay'?"

"Gumarutay…lumandi, aba! May pahalik-halik ka na ngang nalalaman diyan tapos hindi mo alam anong ibig sabihin ng gumarutay! Nag-legal age ka lang tapos nanghahalik ka na. Kailan nangyari 'yan? No'ng after-party, 'no? Dapat pala binantayan kita! Hindi dapat kita hinayaan na gumala noong lasing ka na! Babaeng 'to ang landi…tss!"

Sa sobrang haba ng sermon niya ay naging speechless na lang ako. I scoffed before I pinched his cheeks.

"Are you my dad? Why are you overreacting? I don't even remember kissing that man."

"Bakit ka kasi ganyan? Noong bata pa naman tayo hindi ka malandi—"

"I'm not malandi, ano ba!" I kicked his foot under the table.

"Malandi tawag do'n, nanghahalik ka ng lalake…at professor pa, ha!"

"You—" I pressed my lips together to stop myself from pulling his brown hair again. "Stop it, will you? Hindi ko naman alam ang ginagawa ko, eh. For sure, dala lang ng alcohol 'yon."

"Kung ako kaya kasama mo, iki-kiss mo 'ko?"

I made a disgusted face. "Yuck. Hell no! I don't kiss friends!"

He scoffed, mocking me. "Pero sa gurang nagki-kiss ka! Umamin ka nga, crush mo siya, 'no? Subukan mong tumanggi!"

"Ew! Stop it na nga! Dapat hindi ko na lang kwinento sa 'yo!"

"Hindi ka tumanggi! Crush mo nga!" Tumayo siya bigla at sinukbit ang bag, ready to leave me alone. "Alis na ako! May klase pa ako!"

"How about your chocolate ice cream?" I handed him the cup.

"Ayoko na niyan. Ang pait na sa panlasa ko. I also have class to attend so I have to go." He sounded serious so I squinted my eyes while looking at him. Affected ba siya na may kiniss akong guy?

"Are you okay?" I asked him. I'm worried.

He nodded but he looked away from my eyes. Tumayo ako at hinawakan ang pisngi niya. I know we fight a lot of times but I really care for him. He's my bestfriend.

"Don't worry. Kung affected ka sa ginawa ko, hindi ko na uulitin 'yon. If you want, you can be my bodyguard tuwing lasing ako para mabantayan mo ako. In that case, hindi ako magkakaroon ng chance na mag-kiss ng kung sino-sinong guy. I know you're just concerned about me so stop frowning. Nagmumukha ka nang old."

He met my gaze but his eyes looked gloomy. He took a deep breath and held my hand on his cheek, squeezing it a little bit.

"Ang OA mo." He poked my forehead with his point finger, letting go of my hand. "May pahawak-hawak ka pa sa pisngi ko. Pa-cute."

"You—" I was ready to kick his butt but he already ran away.

"Bye!" He blew a kiss at me before he vanished in my sight.

Normal lang sa kaniya na gawin 'yon tuwing nagpapaalam pero binigyan ng malisya ng ibang students na nakakita sa ginawa niya.

Pair of eyes were glaring at me, especially the girls who have a crush on Miggy. Well…my friend had this charismatic look. He's a varsity player in swimming, and has won a lot of times. He's also friendly kaya marami ang nagkaka-crush sa kaniya.

I stayed there for another minute, waiting for Aica to come back but she sent me an annoying message.

From: Aica

Sissy, akyat ka na. Tinamad na ako bumaba. Miggy texted me that you were waiting for me raw. Hehe.

"Gosh…that girl…" I stood up, ready to leave but a girl wearing an Archi uniform approached me.

"Hey, you're Akina, right?" she asked while surveying my body from head to toe.

"And who are you?" I raised a brow. Ngayon ko lang siya nakita.

"Boyfriend mo ba si Miggy kaya lagi mo siyang kasama?"

"And you care because?" This isn't the first time a woman asked me about my connection to Miggy but this one is annoying me the way she asks the question.

"Boyfriend mo o hindi?" she repeated, raising her voice.

"He's my childhood friend," I answered just to cut our conversation short. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have to go to my class."

"You didn't answer my question!" I gasped when she grabbed my bag when I was about to walk past her.

"OMG!" My mouth gaped the moment I saw my expensive bag on the floor, together with my notes. I immediately glared at her. "How could you hurt my bag?!"

I was about to pull her hair but a tall man suddenly went between us.

"Get the hell outta my way!" I tried to push him aside but he held both of my arms instead.

"Enough," he said in a calm way.

I stopped not because he said—but because his voice was familiar. I looked up to see his face and I wasn't wrong when I thought it was Sir Bryan.

"Don't make a scene here," he told me, almost a whisper.

Wala akong nagawa kundi magpapigil. Mabuti na lang talaga at walang ibang nakapansin sa amin. Pinulot ni Sir Bryan ang bag at mga notes ko bago hinarap ang girl na umaway sa akin, pinapagalitan.

"You're both adults to do this."

"I'm sorry, Sir." The girl was about to cry.

Tss…wala pala siya, eh.

When the girl left, Sir Bryan handed over my bag together with my notes, sighing deeply.

"You should control your emotions next time. Kung hindi ako dumating, baka nasabunutan mo na siya."

"You don't have to come between us. Kaya ko ang sarili ko. You don't have to worry about me." I hung my bag on my shoulder after putting back my notes inside.

"Who says I'm worried about you?" He let out an amused laugh. "You're cute when you're daydreaming."

"What? Did you just call me 'cute'?" I could feel my blood boiling.

"Inawat ko kayo kasi 'yon ang tamang gawin ng isang professor." He shook his head, laughing a little bit. "Mga kabataan talaga ngayon…tsk."

"Are you making fun of me?"

Nawala ang tapang ko nang sumeryoso ang mukha niya at humakbang pa palapit sa akin. "Ikaw…sinabihan na kita na ituring mo akong professor, 'di ba? Mahirap bang gawin 'yon? This is your last warning."

Hindi ako nakasagot kaagad when his perfume filled my nose. Ang bango-bango niya. Hindi nakakatulong na mahilig ako sa mga guy na mababango at laging fresh-looking.

"Miss Archangel…" He flicked his fingers in front of my face. "Zoning out again?"

I had to shake my head to send away my thoughts about him. I cleared my throat and crossed my arms over my chest.

"I'm sorry. I really hate you kasi, eh…Sir Bryan," I sarcastically said, emphasizing the last two words.

Imbes na mainis ay mas natawa lang siya sa sinabi ko. In the end, ako pa ang nainis kaya tinalikuran ko na siya.

"Miss Archangel! You dropped this!"

Lumingon ako at nakitang hawak niya ang isang piraso ng pink na post-it note.

"It's not mine," I said.

"Pero galing 'to sa mga nahulog mong notes."

I was so irratated by his presence kaya kinuha ko na lang mula sa kaniya ang post-it note. Nginitian niya ako bago siya tumalikod at naglakad paalis.

"What's this?" My brows met, trying to read what was written on the note.

'Stay away from Bryan. He's'

Mukhang hindi natapos ang nakasulat pero hindi 'yon ang nagpatindig ng balahibo ko. The handwriting was mine but I don't remember myself writing this.

"What the hell?"