Just Like How the Sun Sets (del Grico Series #2)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Sunflower

I’m done! I’m done with this craziness!

Pairap kong inalis ang tingin sa pinanonood namin ngayon ni Felicity. I couldn’t stand the jealousy I was feeling while watching Zanrell having a good time with his new girlfriend.

“Jealous?” my friend asked with an annoying smirk plastered on her face. It just worsened the anger within me.

“Shut up!” mahinang singhal ko dahil hindi ko na napigilan pa ang iritasyon. She just laughed at my reaction.

My eyebrows almost met while I harshly shaking off the dust on my skirt. Maski ang kamay ko, nalagyan na rin ng lumot galing dito sa puwestong tinataguan namin ngayon. Ang iba pa rito, pumasok sa kuko like eww! So gross! It's so dirty!

Diring-diri kong pinahid ang dalawang kamay sa skirt ni Fely na siyang kasama ko ngayon. I didn’t know why did I do that. Maybe because she’s nakadaragdag ng annoyance ko ngayon?

“Oh my! Why did you—” Before she could screech louder, I stopped her mouth using my dirty hand.

Tch. She’s so arte rin sometimes. Akala naman niya mamamatay siya sa lumot.

My friend’s eyes widened while stopping herself from screaming. Bakas sa mukha niya ang pandidiri dahil nga naitapal ko pa sa bibig niya ang marumi kong kamay. She was so ingay kasi. So annoying. She wasn’t thinking that Zanrell might glance at our direction because of her voice. Tch!

“Hush! I can give you another skirt later! You’re so noisy! Mahuhuli tayo n’yan sa kaartehan mo e!” mahinang saway ko sa kanya at muling dumungaw sa lugar kung nasa’n sina Zanrell at Danica, Zanrell’s girl for this week.

For the nth time, I rolled my eyes.

“Aren’t you tired of doing this, Shinel? We’ve been doing this for four years now! Wala pa ring—“ My tears started to form at what she said.

“Shut up! ‘Wag kang nega.”

It’s true though. It’s been years since I started being crazy over Zanrell. Till now, I am still. Every time I reminisce that moment, I couldn’t help but to fall for him over and over again.

It’s when I was in 8th grade. Kuya Ynigo ordered me to buy flowers for our Lola.

“What flower should I buy ba, Kuya?” I asked my Kuya with slight irritation. Hindi kasi ako makasama sa mga kaibigan ko no’n dahil sa utos niya. Fortunately, I convinced Felicity to join me. Hindi rin siya nakasama sa party ng section namin para lang mag-buy ng flowers with me.

“Ikaw na lang ang pumili. Hindi naman sinasagot ni Mom ang tanong ko. Parating pa naman na si Lola.” I rolled my eyes at my Kuya’s answer.

Ako pa talaga ang pipili e hindi nga ‘ko mahilig do’n. Tch! Another thing, I’m really not in the mood right now. Hindi nga kasi kami nakasama sa outing ng section namin.

“Don’t forget, Shinel. Pagkatapos mong bumili, dumiretso ka nang umuwi rito. Malapit na si Lola,” paalala pa ni Kuya bago ako binabaan ng phone.

Goodness!

“Ano’ng sabi?” tanong ni Fely sa ‘kin nang makita ang pag-irap ko.

We were already inside a flower shop. As usual, maraming bulaklak sa loob. Not only flowers but also seeds and plants. Maski mga paso at kung anu-ano pang gamit sa pagtatanim, mayroon sa loob.

Curiosity was visible on my friend’s face when I darted my eyes on her. If I know, she likes my brother. Isa rin ‘yon sa reasons kung bakit dikit siya nang dikit sa ‘kin. She’s not bad for Kuya though. She’s average with her chinita eyes and straight long hair. Her lips were thin and her skin was paper white. After all, she’s half Chinese.

“Any flowers will do raw,” walang ganang sagot ko sa kanya at ibinalik ang phone sa pink backpack purse ko. I guess I’ll just buy their best seller in here na lang.

I don’t like flowers. I think they are kadiri. Some of them have a lot of insects pa that might bite me or go inside my ears. Just eww!  

Lumapit na lang ako sa counter para mag-order ng best seller bouquet nila rito. Sakto namang nag-aayos ang tingin kong florist ng bouquet of sunflowers. In front of her was a tall guy watching her. Halata ang pamumula at pagkailang ng florist kahit morena siya.

By looking at the back of the guy, I could say that he had a broad back. Habang papalapit ako sa counter, mas lalo kong naaamoy ang napakabangong amoy na sure akong galing sa kanya. Still, I tried to act cute and not affected by the guy’s presence. Pinanatili ko ang tingin ko sa sunflowers. Tumabi rin ako at pumuwesto sa harap ng florist. I even touched the flowers.

I heard that Fely followed me. She even nudged me for my abrupt action.

“That’s not yours,” mahinang saway sa ‘kin ng kaibigan ko. I didn’t listen to her anyway.

This looked fine. Ayaw ko na rin kasing maghintay pa sa pag-aayos ng flowers ng tindera. Gusto ko na lang umuwi.

If ever someone already owns this, then I’ll just pay twice the exact amount.

“How much is this? I’ll buy this,” litanya ko dahilan para mapatingin ang tatlo sa ‘kin. The florist immediately shook her head as she also eyed the tall guy beside me right now.

“N-Nabili na po ni Sir ‘to, Ma’am—“

“Kaya kong bayaran ‘to nang doble—“ Maski ako, naputol sa sasabihin nang magsalita na ang lalaki.

“Hands off. I won’t let you.” His voice was so cold that sent shivers down my spine. Maiirita na sana ako sa sinabi niya pero nang mag-angat ako ng tingin, hindi ko na nagawa pa.

For the first time in my life, I got mesmerized by a guy’s look. My heart started throbbing fast as my lips slowly parted.

Oh my god! H-He’s so guwapo!

I never really imagined that a pair of thick eyebrows would be that gorgeous. Nakakunot ang noo niya at ang ganda ng kulay ng kanyang mga mata. His lips were also thick and naturally pink. His nose was creating a perfect shadow because of light. As he looked down on me, his long eyelashes became visible.

Magulo ang buhok niya at halata sa mukha niya na wala siya sa mood ngayon. All and all, he looked like a bad boy in some novels. Para siyang isang fictional character sa itsura niya.

“Shinel!” Pagsiko ulit ni Fely ang nagpagising sa ‘kin sa katotohanan. Mukha na pala akong tanga habang nakatitig sa lalaking katabi ko ngayon.

Goodness! What were you thinking, Shinel? I’m sure I looked pretty hopeless a while ago!

I cleared my throat, hoping it would help to get myself back. But then, hindi ko na naman napigilang sumulyap pa ulit sa katabi ko. Suplado pa rin ang paraan ng paningin niya and f**k! Instead of being offended, it even gave me butterflies. What the f**k is wrong with me today?!

“I-I was just kidding,” pagbawi ko na lang sa kayabangan kanina. “This is yours, right? H-Here.”

I even smiled at him but I’m sure that my smile was faltering. It was so awkward!

Minsan, hindi ko na talaga alam ang ginagawa ko kapag sobrang kabado ko na. I snatched the flowers from the florist and handed it to the guy beside me. Mabuti’t tapos na ring i-arrange ‘yon ng tindera.

Mas lalong nangunot ang noo ng lalaki. Kinailangan ko pa siyang tingalain dahil sa higit na mas matangkad siya sa ‘kin. In the end, he still accepted it and I took that chance to get a touch of his hand. It made my heart become wild.

That was the first time I felt that kind of feeling. ‘Yon din ang unang araw na nabaliw ako sa kanya at pati na sa sunflowers. What I did was so embarrassing that time. Hindi ko alam na mas marami pa pala akong gagawing kahihiyan dahil sa kanya. Just like what we’re doing right now.

We followed Zanrell and his new girl for the nth time. And just like what I usually feel, I became jealous again and again.

Nakakainis! Ano ba’ng mayro’n ang mga nagiging girlfriend niya na wala ako? I am pretty! In fact, I'm much prettier than his girlfriends.

I stared at Zanrell's flavor of the week. Danica has long hair, pale white skin, and a pretty face. But I am way prettier of course. She’s also tall. Well… I guess she’s just five inches taller than me.

I stood straight and fixed my bangs. Nakasanayan ko 'yong gawin kahit hindi naman nagulo ang bangs ko. Gigil akong bumuntong-hininga. I can’t endure it anymore. All I wanna do right now is to pull the hair of that b***h! But of course, I can't! Nasa tabi niya si Zanrell. Tch!

Tinitigan ko na lamang ang mga bulaklak sa harapan ko gamit ang nanunusok kong tingin para mawala ang kahit kaunting inis. I still hate flowers but sunflowers are now excluded because of Zanrell.

We’re here at the garden of Arquero University, following him for the nth time.

“I-I think we should go now, Shinel. I know you when you are irritated or kinda piss. You always fix your bangs even if it’s okay. Isipin mo na lang na kung may gagawin kang masama sa girlfriend niya ngayon, baka magalit pa siya sa ‘yo at mas lalo ka pa niyang hindi pansinin.” Napadako ang natalim kong tingin kay Fely dahil sa sinabi niya. She took a step backward because of it.

She had a point. And that irritated me!

I hate the fact that I can’t hurt Zanrell’s girlfriend because he is the one who’s stopping me to do it. Napairap na lang ako sa iritasyon.

Though I hate his girlfriends, sometimes I couldn’t help but envy them. At least, sila, naranasan na maging boyfriend ang lalaking pinaka pinapangarap ko. Ako? Almost four years na ‘kong nagpapapansin sa kanya pero wala pa rin. Malapit na nga ‘kong mawalan ng pag-asa.

But because I love him, I’ll keep on trying. I call it love because I’ve read somewhere that when your feelings take more than a year, you can now call it that way.

“Let’s just go.” Hinatak na ‘ko ng kaibigan ko palayo sa dalawa. Kahit gano’n, nanatili ang tingin ko sa kanila.

After washing my hands and giving Felicity a spare skirt, we decided to stay and sit on a bench.

“What should I do now?! I already told the whole campus that I am into Zanrell! ‘Tsaka, alam mo ang mga nakahihiyang ginawa ko para lang magustuhan niya! But ano? Wala namang effect lahat,” I uttered with full of frustration.

That was not an exaggeration. I really did spread the news about my feelings for him. Para lang layuan siya ng maraming babae. Well, hindi naman sa pagmamalaki pero kilala talaga ako rito sa school. Hindi lang dito, actually. Lumalabas na kasi ako sa TV as an endorser and sometimes, as an extra in movies and series.

I have a lot of suitors as well. But of course, they don’t matter to me. Isang lalaki lang ang gusto kong manligaw sa ‘kin. Si Zanrell lang. That’s not a secret yet I still don’t know why he’s not doing so! Nakakainis na minsan.

“Alam na ng lahat pero bakit parang wala pa rin siyang care?!” Sa sobrang irita ko, ibinuhos ko ang lahat ng iyon kay Fely sa pamamagitan ng pagyugyog sa kanya.

“M-Maybe uhm… y-you should try hard like uhm… know his type! Observe his exes and know their similarities!” she suggested while nodding her head, trying to convince me.

I pouted and rolled my eyes. Binitiwan ko ang mahigpit na pagkakakapit ko sa kanyang balikat at sinubukang huminahon.

Of course, pansin ko ang common denominator ng mga naging ex ni Zanrell. They were all tall, petite, pretty, and have long hair. Nag-isip ako kung may nakaligtaan ba ako. Wala naman na. And as far as I know, lahat ng ‘yon, pasado ako.

“Sa four years na pag-alam ng lahat ng tungkol sa kanya, you still think that I don’t know about that already?” iritableng tanong ko.

Minsan talaga, hindi nag-iisip ‘tong si Fely.

“f**k! What should I do?” I hopelessly asked myself. Napahilamos na lang ako ng aking mukha dahil sa kawalan ng pag-asa.

He’s already a fourth-year college. Kaunting buwan na lang, aalis na siya sa Arquero. Pa’no na lang?

“I have an idea!” biglang bulalas ni Fely dahilan para mapabaling ako sa kanya. Kahit gano’n, hindi naman na ‘ko umaasa na maganda ang idea niya.

“What is it?”

“Why don’t you ask Ranzell? Kung titingnan ay halos pareho sila ng tipo! Pareho rin silang guwapo! Kapatid niya pa ‘yon kaya for sure, kilalang-kilala niya ang kuya niya!” suhestyon niya na agad namang ikinairap ng mata ko dahil narinig ko na naman ang pangalang ‘Ranzell’.

No way. No f*****g way!

Napangiwi ako. Mas imposible pa ang gustong mangyari ni Felicity kaysa ang magustuhan ako ni Zanrell e!

Napakasungit kaya no’ng Ranzell na ‘yon. Mas matinik ‘yon sa babae. Kung si Zanrell, lingguhan magpalit ng girlfriend, ang isang ‘yon ay tumatagal lang ng tatlong araw ang mga babae.

Another thing, napakaimposibleng humingi ako ng tulong sa kumag na ‘yon dahil iba ang ugali no’n kaysa sa Zanrell ko. Wala 'yong respeto sa babae kapag hindi niya type habang si Zanrell ay gentleman naman. ‘Naman’ dahil mas madalas ay umiiral ang mapaglaro niya. But still! Mas brutal ang nakababatang kapatid niya!

“You know that’s impossible, right?” Hindi ako tutulungan ng isang ‘yon!

“I have a plan for that,” sabi naman ng kaibigan ko na ikinakunot ng noo ko. She even winked at me that made me roll my eyes for the nth time.

Whatever. I’d do anything just to get Zanrell’s heart anyway.