Never Again

Chapter 1

Napabuga ako ng hangin at pinaypayan ang sarili, my sweat is dripping while reading the reports. Kabanas, why did I even run as the Student Council President? Now I am facing these responsibilities, ang hassle sa buhay.

I am on the verge in becoming a King Kong right now, sira ang airconditioner dito sa office, napakainit and for goodness sake it's still noon! Para na atang nagpapawelcome party si Satanas dito.

Pati si Jelai at Carla ay nababanas na rin. Kami lang ang nandito sa office ngayon. I can't wait to go home and eat a lot of ice cubes. I glanced at their direction.

They're talking about this guy whom they have a crush on. Maputi raw, matangkad, Editor-In-Chief— Obviously not my type. I am into tall, dark, and handsome. And of course, an aussie accent. I find it sexy. Too bad there are no Australian exchange student in our university.

"Sino ba 'yang pinag-uusapan ninyo?" I asked. Napatingin silang dalawa sa aking direksyon at ngumisi. "I am just curious!" I groaned. They're giving me 'that' look.

"Isang cutie lang, interesado ka?" Jelai moved her brows up and down.

"Si Mattias. Ang hot ng name 'no?" Sagot ni Carla, they even giggled like kids. Yuck. Napailing-iling nalang ako.

"Sy, manlilibre ka ba ng Milktea?" Tawag sa akin ni Carla, she's wiggling her eyebrows, ganoon din ang ginawa ni Jelai. Sinamaan ko lang sila ng tingin.

Biglang bumukas ang pinto, lahat kami ay nagulat sa biglaang pagdating ni Ken, the secretary. It looks like he's in a rush. "Pres, may away!"

My brows raised, ibinaba ko ang business pen. "Anong away?" can't they just leave me alone? five consecutive days nang pabalik-balik ang away na 'yan.

"Jombag na away."

I rolled my eyes heavenwards. "Saan daw nag-aaway?"

"Malapit sa field, Pres!" he immediately left us. Napangiwi ako dahil doon. Did he just left me? Nagmamadali na rin akong naglakad habang hawak-hawak ang megaphone, kasama ko sila Jelai sa likod. They're part of the council after all, talagang sasama sila.

It's easy to spot a fight. Malamang may mga chismosong nakapaligid. Yesterday, babae ang mga nag-aaway because of some boyfriend issues. Ano na naman ang issue na 'to?

When the crowd felt our presence coming, lahat sila ay nagbigay ng daan. And yes, Ken was right, nagsusuntukan ang dalawang lalake. I crossed my arms while observing them. Sila Carla sa aking likod ay napasinghap.

"Si Mattias!" mahinang tili ni Carla at ganoon din ang ginawa ni Jelai. I looked at the man from head to foot. Maputi, matangkad, an Editor-In-Chief? doesn't look like one. This boy is clearly a delinquint.

Itinaas ko ang megaphone at agad itong ipinatunog. Lahat ay napatakip sa kanilang mga teynga dahil masakit ito sa pandinig. I turned it off when I noticed that the fight stopped. The other boy, who's seriously beat up, looked at me while scratching his nape. The delinquint boy, which they called Mattias, grinned at me. His nose is bleeding.

Inirapan ko siya at tinuro silang dalawa. "You two, disciplinary office." sakto naman na dumating ang mga teachers.

"Ang gwapo pa rin niya." puri ni Jelai.

"Ang hot pa!" sabi rin ni Carla.

What's wrong with these girls? gusto lang ba nila 'yon dahil gwapo?

"Salamat, Miss President!" someone shouted. Napahinto kaming tatlo sa paglalakad at napalingon ako sa sumigaw, it was Mattias, he's waving at me while his loopsided grin is plastered on his face. Hindi siya nakikinig sa pinagsasabi sa kaniya ng guro.

Hindi ko siya pinansin at nagsimula na ulit sa paglalakad. "Ey," tawag ko kay Carla at Jelai. "Lagi ba napapa-away 'yong Mattias na 'yon?" I asked out of curiousity.

They both shook their heads. Biased. "Nooo! he's a good boy kaya, talino pa." Carla reasoned out dreamily.

"Editor-In-Chief!" dagdag pa ni Jelai. They both giggled. Napailing-iling nalang ako, they're exanggerating him.

Unfortunately, usap-usapan kaagad ang nangyaring eksena kanina. Rumors said that they're both fighting over a girl. I want to cover my ears and ignore them all, though. It's really annoying. Sana wala nang away bukas.

"He's being punished?" hindi makapaniwalang bulalas ng kaklase ko. I am a hundred sure they are talking about him. I wanted to roll my eyes.

"Yes, disappointed nga ang adviser namin e..." sabi ni Kyla.

Who wouldn't?

"Wait, you're also part of the school paper?" I butted in. Medyo nagulat pa sila nang magtanong ako. I don't usually talk to them, hindi naman kami ganoon kaclose.

"Yeah?" napakamot sa kaniyang buhok si Kyla at nahihiyang ngumiti sa akin. "Gusto mo sumali?"

Umiling ako. "No, natanong ko lang..." I explained, I am already busy with sports and SCG tapos sasali pa ako sa school paper? Ang bibo ko naman kung ganoon.

Our afternoon classes passed by like a blur. I can't wait to go home and binge watch netflix, wala kaming training ngayon sa swimming, and my president duties are finished. Susulitin ko na ang araw na 'to. Jelai and Carla giggled because of something, kaya agad akong pumagitna sa kanila at inakbayan sila parehas.

"Pinagsasabi ninyo?" usisa ko. They giggled even more like kids. Napangiwi ako dahil doon. "Cringe niyo, pwe!"

"Hindi, naalala lang namin si Mat." nakita ko ang pagpula sa mukha ni Jelai.

"What is it this time?" buong araw siya nalang ang topic. Nakakasawa pala. Bumitaw ako sa pagkaka-akbay at humalukipkip.

"Napanaginipan niya raw na ikinasal sila," amin ni Carla, she laughed menacingly while Jelai is hitting her. "Parang tanga lang!" pinagsasapak siya lalo ni Jelai, napatawa na rin ako. Jelai's boobies are touching my shoulders.

Napahinto lang sila sa pag-aaway nang makita naming kinakawayan kami ng isang pamilyar na mukha. He's grinning from ear to ear as if we're close friends. Nasa labas siya ng gate, his nose has a band aid. Kitang-kita ang pamamaga ng kaniyang pisngi. He looks very crappy.

"Hi president!" he greeted when the three of us when got closer to him. Napahinto kaming tatlo sa paglalakad. Jelai hooked her arm around mine and I can feel her wavering. Nanlalamig din siya. Napangisi ako nang palihim at siniko si Carla sa kabila.

"Hello?" I greeted back. I can hear Carla's chortle beside me. "May sasabihin ka sa akin?"

Nagkamot siya sa kaniyang kilay. "Salamat nga pala kanina..." he trailed off.

My forehead furrowed. This is very unecessary. "Na pinigilan ko kayo? You shouldn't be," I smiled awkwardly. "But still, I don't like it, ang childish ninyo." his smile fell.

"A-Ayos ka lang?" biglaang sabat ni Jelai. Humigpit ang kaniyang kapit sa aking braso. Tumawa na talaga si Carla, hindi na napigilan. Mattias answered and Carla's laughs are now worse. Napatampal nalang ako sa aking noo.

"Uuwi na ba kayo?" he stuttered.

"Yes!" Jelai answered. Her face is now red as a tomato.

"Why? sasabay ka?" I asked him. He's weird and creepy. May gusto ba 'to kay Jelai? this is the first time I talked to him. I always see his face but I didn't know he's an EIC and he'd approach me. It's very unusual.

"Hmm, yes?" I tilted my head. "But in my defense, gusto ko lang kayong ilibre. Pasasalamat sa pagpigil kanina..." he reasoned out.

"I still don't get it why you're telling me this..." I mumbled. But there's no harm in accepting his offer, right?

"Libre naman pala e, tara!" Carla jumped while grinning. That was suppose to be my line... sino ba may ayaw sa libre?

"Basta hindi atay sa tao, kakain ako." Lahat sila ay napatawa sa aking biro. The three of them got closer really fast. They talked about Star Wars, I can’t relate tho. Aakalain mo talagang ang lapit nila sa isa’t-isa dahil tawang-tawa sila sa mga jokes nila. Jelai is very comfortable now, she should thank me later. Ako pa ang naging dahilan bakit sila magkatabi ni Mat ngayon.

I was about to bite my fishball when he went beside me and whispered something. "Tataba ka niyan,"

I squinted my eyes. "Hindi ako mataba, close tayo beh?"

"I can’t believe this, the SCG just called me ‘beh’ nani the fucc?" he was like a kid, excited and proud of himself.

"Feeling entitled ka? We’re not close!"

The sidewalk was filled with laugher. Feeling ko plinano lang nila ito! Pati ang vendor ay natawa dahil sa aking reaksyon. "Wala ka bang mga kaibigan? Hindi ba sila magtatanong bakit ka nawala?" tanong ko sa kaniya.

"I told them already, hindi naman nila ako pinigilan." Napakamot siya sa kaniyang kilay.

My phone beeped, agad ko itong binuksan para makuita kung sino ang nagtext.

From: Mama

Asan k na? umuwi ka na, paparating na mga tita mo…

Ibinaba ko ang aking phone at tumingin kay Mat, he’s busy eating his kwek-kwek. "Come to think of it, hindi ko pa alam ang buong pangalan mo."

"Huh?" he stared at me for a second, hindi makapaniwala. "Hindi mo pa ako kilala?" Bulalas niya.

I rolled my eyes. "Kaya ko nga sinabi e."

"You’re implausible," he mumbled. "It’s Mattias Blake Seolan, President." he even clapped his hands and bowed. His name is mouthful. Wala naman atang masama kung idagdag ko siya sa friendlist ko ‘di ba? Though we just met a few hours ago.

"Thanks for today, Seolan." He was stunned when I gave him a pat on his shoulder. I stood up and raked my hair using my hand. Nakita ko sila Jelai at Carla na nagtatawanan malapit sa fish pond.