MONTE COSTA SERIES 3: INNOCENT TIDES

Kabanata 2

The poor guidance counselor suffered from hypertension and mild attack. Itinakbo ito sa ospital. Dahil sa nangyari kay Mrs. Ferrer ay ipinatawag ng pincipal sina Linel at Ae.

Linel, however, managed to charm the school principal. Ni hindi man lang siya hinayaan ni Linel na magsalita upang ipaliwanag din ang bersyon niya ng nangyari kaya paniwalang-paniwala ang principal na simpleng tampuhang magnobyo't nobya lamang ang nangyari. Dahil nga rin may shares ang Shaults sa eskwelahan, their case was waved in a blink of an eye.

Napabuntonghininga na lamang si Ae nang makalabas silang dalawa sa opisina ng principal. Poor Mrs. Ferrer. Naatake dahil sa kakupalan ni Linel.

Nilingon niya ito. Her eyes squinted as she saw no remorse on his face. 'Wala talagang konsensya ang tukmol!'

"So, looks like you owe me a whole year of date night, hmm?" Hinagod nito ang sariling balikat. "Grabe ma-appreciate mo dapat 'yon. Imagine the things I can do for you, huh?" He flexed his biceps then kissed it.

Napakurap si Ae nang mag-sink in sa kanyang isip ang sinabi nito. Date? s**t. Oo nga pala. Iyon angi pinang-uto niya kay Linel kanina para lang buhatin nito si Mrs. Ferrer patungo ng clinic. Ang lintik na ito? Akala ba nito ay seryoso siya nang sabihin niya iyon?

"Linel, sinabi ko lang 'yon para kumilos ka kanina. You know? Considering how heartless you are towards other people?" She rolled her eyes out of extreme irritation. Nakakainis talaga ito!

The brute smirked. "I am only heartless because you stole my heart." He winked while a devilish smirk was plastered on his thin lips. "If I don't feel grimace towards others, it's actually your fault since you took my heart away."

Ae couldn't help but grit her teeth while throwing a deadly gaze on Linel. Bwiset talaga. Isisisi pa sa kanya ang kakupalang taglay nito!

"Gagamitin mo pa akong dahilan eh sadyang kupal ka lang talaga," asik niya bago siya nagsimulang magmartsa palayo, ngunit ang magaling na si Linel, mabilis na humabol at biglang hinawakan ang kamay niya upang ipagsalikop ang kanilang mga palad.

Her lips parted in disbelief. "Bitiwan mo nga! May I remind you why Mrs. Ferrer called us?"

Bumuntonghininga ito bago marahang pinisil ang kanyang kamay. He then started swinging their hands while his pair of naturally expressive blue eyes are staring at her. Those are like the ocean. Deep and mysterious.

She never liked the ocean, and never will she like him of course.

"Due to public display of affection." He smirked. "May record na. Why still bother hide about us?"

Ae hopelessly rolled her eyes. "Diyos ko naman, Linel. There is no us and there will never be!"

He pouted but his eyes twinkled as if he's liking what he's seeing. "The harder it is to get something, the more worth it it becomes. Pinapahirapan mo lang ako kasi alam mong kursunada talaga kita." Kinurot nito ang kanyang pisngi. "And you're so cute when you're throwing a fit. Feels like I'm already having a glimpse of your pregnant version. You know? Kung naglilihi na? Early training, baby huh? Thanks for doing me a favor."

Uminit ang kanyang magkabilang pisngi at ang mga ngipin niya ay hindi na niya napigilan sa pagngitngit. "Gago ka talaga! Ang bata ko pa para sa mga ganyang bagay kaya kilabutan ka nga!"

Linel pursed his lips together. Mayamaya'y inangat nito ang kanilang magkahawak na kamay. "You're right. Bata ka pa para sa mga gano'ng bagay." Binalik nito ang tingin sa kanyang mga mata saka nito hinawakan ang kanyang baba. "It's a good thing that I don't care, baby..."

"Tigilan mo ang kakatawag sa akin ng baby. Hindi ako baby."

"Baby ka pa, 'di ba?" He licked the corner of his lips while grinning. "Baby ko."

Napailing na lamang si Ae. There is really no use talking some senses out of Linel. Wala rin naman itong planong makinig sa kahit anong pangaral ninoman. She just pulled her hand from his hold and walked as fast as she could. Mabuti na lang at nakasalubong niya ang mga kaibigan niya na mukhang pupuntahan sana siya sa principal's office.

Linel smirked while her friends narrowed their eyes while looking at him. "I'll see you later, baby."

"Sabi nina Marimar napatawag kayo sa principal's office. Ano bang ginawa no'ng si Linel?" tanong ni Vina.

"Na-highblood sa kanya si Mrs. Ferrer. "Napailing na lamang si Ae habang pinanonood itong maglakad palayo. "Hindi ko na talaga alam kung anong gagawin ko para lang patahimikin ng lintik na 'yan ang buhay ko."

Vina looked at Linel before she smirked. "Sayang. Kung sa akin nagkagusto 'yan? Hindi ka na mamomroblema dahil papatusin ko 'yan."

"Seriously?" naiirita niyang asik kay Vina.

Her friend laughed. "Joke lang, ito naman hindi na mabiro. Tara na nga lang sa library."

Raiah gave her an apologetic look. Tila ito na ang humihingi ng tawad para sa kaibigan nila nang hindi sila mag-away. Wala naman kasi sa ayos ang mga biro ni Vina. Baka kung wala si Raiah ay matagal na silang nagbangayan.

They went to the library to gather some books for their report. Habang pumipili ng mga libro ay natanaw niyang pumasok ng library si Linus. He's wearing his eyeglasses so she knows it's him and not his asshole twin.

Umayos siya ng tayo nang mapansing patungo sa kanilang mesa ang lakad ni Linus. Friends naman sila ngunit hindi ganoon kalapit sa isa't isa dahil pinagseselosan ng girlfriend nito ang mga babaeng lumalapit kay Linus.

"I'm sorry about my brother," halatang nahihiyang sabi ni Linus nang malapitan siya.

Ae smiled sweetly as she pulled a few books from the shelf. "Don't mention it. Ang kapatid mo dapat ang nanghihingi ng sorry hindi ikaw. Never apologize for the things you're not responsible for, Linus."

Linus shyly fixed his eyeglasses and grabbed the books she was holding. Hindi niya tuloy maiwasang kiligin sa ginawa nito kahit na alam niyang hindi dapat dahil may girlfriend na ito.

Vina and Raiah spotted them heading to an empty long table. The two grinned and pretended to hide so Linus wouldn't see them teasing her.

Hindi na lamang niya inintindi ang dalawang kaibigan. She decided to just do some advance reading with Linus. Besides, nakakahawa ang pagiging studyholic ni Linus. Minsan tuloy napapaisip siya kung sa parehong matres talaga nabuo sina Linus at Linel.

Bakit kaya hindi mahawaan ni Linus ng kagandahang asal at sipag sa pag-aaral ang lintik nitong kapatid?

She sighed. Sometimes she just comes up with weird conclusions like Linel was just picked up from the trash. Basura kasi ang ugali nito.

"Linus, saan mo pala balak mag-college?" she asked in a low voice so the librarian wouldn't kick them out.

"I'm thinking of sending an application letter to an aviation school." He flipped the thick book open. "I'm planning to be a pilot."

"Woah!" Mabilis niyang tinakpan ang kanyang bibig nang mapalakas ang pagkakasabi niya.

They both chuckled in a low tone before she cleared her throat. Nakaka-amaze naman kasi talaga si Linus. He knows exactly what he wanted to be and he seems to know how to get there.

"Bakit pilot? Don't you wanna be a businessman, too like your dad?"

"Actually, hindi naman talaga full-time businessman ang daddy namin, Eline." He called her by the nickname he chose for her. Kinikilig na naman tuloy ang pantog niya kahit alam niyang bawal. Kainis!

"Eh ano pala?"

"Uhm . . ." He looked hesitant to answer her at first. "Our parents just buy stocks from companies. Saka may sarili silang financial advisors. Kung tutuusin halos hindi naman sila nagtatrabaho para sa pera. They invest and pay someone else to manage the money."

Napatango-tango siya. "Ang cool naman ng parents mo. So you mean to say those trips outside the country, hindi talaga for business purposes?"

"Some are, but majority ay dahil gusto lang nila mag-travel. Daddy just bought a private plane. I wanted to fly that someday and hopefully kapag may license na ako, I can be a commercial flight pilot ng sarili naming airline."

Ae sighed. "Ang layo mo talaga sa kapatid mo, 'no? You think of your future thoroughly habang ang isang 'yon ay . . ." She pursed her lips together. Iniisip naman ni Linel ang future. Kaso ang future na kasama siya!

Her nostrils flared. As if turning her into his wife was the only long-term goal that he could accomplish? "Ew," she murmured unconsciously.

"Hmm?" si Linus.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. I uhm, I was just thinking how different you are compared to your twin. No offense but . . . he's kind of a hopeless case."

"Two months na lang graduate na kami ng Senior high but . . ." He exhaled heavily. "Looks like Linel is failing his grades purposely. Matalino 'yon. He's even smarter than me to be honest. Ewan ko ba kung bakit ganito ang nangyayari sa kanya ngayon."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Smarter?" She laughed softly. "Sarcasm ba 'yan?"

"No." He shook his head and furrowed his brows. "Haven't you heard? He completed sixth grade as the top of our class. And 'yong model ng Pesse Canoe na naka-display sa office ng principal, that was Linel's project in our art class when we were in eight grade."

Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata. "A—Ano?!"

"Shh!" sita ng librarian.

Nag-peace sign kaagad si Ae sa librarian bago niya ibinalik ang tingin kay Linus. "He made that? For real?"

Linus nodded. "Sometimes I wish I have his mind, you know? Linel can sleep like a baby the night before the test while I gotta stay up all night studying yet he can still get higher scores." Bumagsak ang mga balikat nito. "My brother is truly gifted, yet he's wasting it all now. I still don't know why, though."

"Bakit hindi mo siya tanungin? Wala naman bang problema sa family ninyo?"

Nakita niyang may gumuhit na pangamba sa mga mata ni Linus. Agad itong umiwas ng tingin saka tumikhim. "W—Wala naman. Maybe . . . Maybe because for the first time, he found a girl who's not going to beg on her knees for his attention. Baka ayaw niyang umalis ng Pilipinas kaya niya ibinabagsak ang mga klase niya. You know? So he can take up senior high school again and stay longer here."

Her forehead creased. "Why? May . . . balak ba kayong umalis ng bansa pagka-graduate ninyo?"

"Linel said our parents are considering it. We just don't know where they'll take us next kaya ihinahanda ko na rin si Micah."

"Is that why you weren't seen together for a few days?"

He nodded. "Nagtatampo. Iniisip niyang gusto ko ring umalis kaya hindi ko na ginagawaan ng paraan. My point is, I can be faithful kahit saan ako dalhin. She just gotta wait until I get my degree at babalikan ko naman." He smiled. "Si Linel ba hindi mo tatanungin kung anong gustong kunin pagka-graduate?"

Hindi siya interesado ngunit kung sa ganoong paraan magiging komportableng makipagkwentuhan si Linus ay sige na nga. "Bakit? Hindi ba kayo pareho ng gusto?"

Umiling ito . "He's uhm . . . planning to join a special program. Like a next-level military program, but with his current grades?" He sighed. "Looks like he's gonna kiss his dream job goodbye."

Napalunok si Ae habang ang mga balikat niya ay bumagsak.

Hindi kakayanin ng kunsensya niya kung sakali ngang hindi makuha ni Linel ang dream job nito dahil sa kanya.

She lowered her head and sighed. Looks like she has to convince Linel to take his studies seriously