Falling for That Badboy

Chapter 3

"Thank you ah." mahinang bulong ko habang sumisimsim ng kape sa loob ng coffee shop na ilang metro lamang ang layo mula sa Bar na kinaroroonan ko kanina.

I'm with the gangster. He saved me earlier from the guy who tries to harm me. I clearly remembers how he warned that maniac just to let go of me. Pero dahil matigas ang ulo 'nung lalaking manyak, hindi nito sinunod ang babala niya kaya nauwi lang sa gulo ang lahat.

I look at him, wala akong makitang galos or kahit anong marka mula sa nangyari kanina. Halatang prone na ito sa pakikipag-basag ulo dahil mabilis nitong nasasalag lahat ng suntok na ibinabato sa kanya nung lalaki kanina.

"Stop staring at me." matigas at seryosong sabi nito, habang ang mga mata ay nakatuon sa labas ng coffee shop na kinaroroonan namin.

After that fight, basta na lang niya akong hinila palabas ng bar, then he told me to leave pero hindi ko ginawa, instead i pulled him here in this coffee shop. Ilang minuto na rin kaming nandito pero ni minsan hindi niya itinuon ang paningin niya sakin.

Am i that ugly to look at?

I bows down to sip my coffee. Then after, "Sorry." i murmured.

I waited for him to reply but he didn't. Kaya naman nagtanong na lang ako sa kanya.

"Hindi mo ba bet 'yung flavor ng coffee? Kanina mo pa kasi hindi ginagalaw e." pag-iiba ko naman sa usapan.

But like earlier, di pa din siya sumagot. Siguro, kung kanina pa may nakatingin samin iisipin nila na pipi 'tong lalaking 'to.

Inismidan ko muna ito bago muling itinuon ang atensyon sa kapeng iniinom ko. Mukhang wala namang balak 'tong lalaking 'to na kausapin ako e.

Kasalukuyan akong umiinom ng tumayo na lang bigla ang lalaking kaharap ko, kaya naman napatigil ako. Puno ng pagtatakang tinignan ko siya.

"Don't follow me again. Sa susunod, hindi na kita ulit tutulungan." anito, bago walang sabing tinalikuran at naglakad palabas ng Coffee shop.

Habang ako, naiwan akong mag-isa.

So, he knows that i'm following him.

Kaya niya ba ako niligtas? Dahil alam niyang sinusundan ko siya.

I sighed.

Bakit ba naman kasi sa dinami-dami nang pwedeng iutos sakin, ito pa ang napunta sakin. I really hate violence. Hindi ko tuloy alam 'kung ano nang nangyari sakin ngayon kung hindi ako tinulungan nung gangster na si Luke.

I almost get myself in danger because of this. Maybe it's better 'kung kausapin ko na lang si Ms. Laxamana bukas about this. I will tell her to administer this task to another person,—i think i'm not the right person to deal with Luke.

Mabilis 'kong tinapos ang pag-inom ng kape na in-order ko, habang ang walang bawas na kape naman na in-order ko for Luke ay binitbit ko na lang. Sayang naman kasi.

I used some of my weekly allowance just to buy him a coffee—as a thank you gift but seems like he did not appreciate it.

We'll i guess he's the kind of person who don't do aporeciation.

I just sighed when i think of that, before i left the Cafe. I waited for a cab, when suddenly my phone rings.

I took my phone from my pocket and check who's calling—and it's Daisy.

I quickly press the answer button.

"Hey!" i greeted happily—as if nothing harmful incident almost happened to me.

"Nasaan ka na? Nakauwi ka na ba? It's almost 11 pm." mahinahon ngunit halata ang pag-aalala sa boses ni Daisy.

I let out a smile with that, "I'm waiting for a cab, Daisy. Thank you for the concern. And, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." note the sarcasm please.

I heard Daisy blows a deep sigh on the other line.

"You can't stop me from worrying. You're alone on that bar and you 'were just a girl." she talked again.

Napahinga naman ako ng malalim—at sakto naman na may humintong taxi sa harap 'ko. Agad akong sumakay sa loob, at pinagpatuloy ang tawag.

"Daisy. I told you that Dad is a Black Belter in taekwondo--"

"--at hindi naman ikaw ang Daddy mo. You're not a taekwondo player."

I roll my eyes. "But i know little thing about it."

"But you hate violence"

"Yes, but hating violence doesn't mean that i lack in self-defense---"

"--You lack on it, Leige. Remember? You told me before that you don't want to learn anything related to violence and hurting other people?" paliwanag nito, na nakapagpa-tameme sakin. "So, don't tell me that you can secure yourself." Daisy professed.

I let out a long breath, as my mind agreed to what Daisy have just said.

She's right. I really don't know anything about defending myself. I really can't fight back and ssve myself when something harmful happens to me. That is why, i'm thankful that Luke was there earlier.

"Ano? Natameme ka? Nabasag ba kita? Tama naman ako diba?" muling salita ni Daisy mula sa kabilang linya. "Leige, don't put yourself in danger. Please."

"Fine." i uttered. "I will talk to Ms. Laxamana tomorrow. I'll ask her to give this to someone else." i said.

And i don't know but my heart instantly became heavy when i said those words.

"That's good. Now, go home. Text me if you're home na, okay?" Daisy said, and through her voice—i know that she is smiling.

I laid my back at the taxi's seat. "Okay. Hope for a text message from me. Goodnight." i said, then i just waited for her reply, then i ended the call.

My journey towards home continued—but, my heart still felt heavy.

And i can't tell any reason why it feels heavy. Geez!

***

"Are you already giving up on him?" Ms. Laxamana asked me. We're currenly here at the Student Council office. Me and Ms. Laxamana are seating face to face, kaya naman kitang-kita ko ang pangungunot ng noo nito.

I quickly shakes my head when her words sink on my head.

"No Maam. Hindi ko siya sinusukuan, but i'm giving his issue to someone else na alam 'kong kayang i-handle ng maayos ang issues niya." i said. "Nararamdaman ko lang po na parang hind----"

"That's the term parang again. " Ms. Laxamana sighed while looking straightly at me.

"Listen to me Ryleige. Hindi sa lahat ng oras ina-apply ang conclusions. You can't just stuck yourself on what if's. You are the Student Council President, and your duty is to guide and protect the students of this school. And Luke is one of those. He is one of your wide responsibility, at alam 'ko at nagtitiwala ako sayo na kaya 'mo ang bagay na 'to. You can do it, Ryleige. I trust you, more than anyone about this issue." Ms. Laxamana stated then she stood up, walked towards to my side then tap my shoulders.

"I know that you can help him,Ryleige. I'm trusting you. BIG TIME."

And in that, i made a decision.

Sorry Daisy, but it seems like i'll continue following the Gangster Luke Andre Ignacio.

I let out a smile then look at Ms. Laxamana. "Thanks for trusting me Ma'am. I will hold on to that trust." i stated.

"Thank you, Ryleige. And i'm looking forward to that day when you make the badboy to be a good man." Ms. Laxamana said, and i just smiled.

"I'm looking forward for it too, Maam." then i stand up. "Thank you for the talk maam, i'll go ahead na po." paalam ko naman na tinanguan lang ni Maam. Tinalikuran ko na ito, at naglakad palabas ng opisina.

At nang tuluyan na akong makalabas, i unknowingly touched my chest where my heard is located.

Suddenly, after that talk with Ms. Laxamana, the heaviness i felt in my heart instantly vanished.