A Love Like Hell

Too Unfortunate

Jade's Point of View

Di matanggal sa isip ko yung date namin ni Leroi nitong Sabado. I'm excited and bothered at the same time, because i remembered that Ruben wanted to hang out with me this weekend.

And unexpectedly, Ruben noticed something about me. "Saan mo nakuha yan?" Tanong nya habang titig na titig sa kwintas na suot ko. Bigay to sa'kin ni Leroi kahapon, nagpumilit sya na bilhan ako ng kwintas. I tried to decline but he just kept on insisting kaya in the end napapayag nya din ako.

"A-Ah eto? Nagpadala si mama para sa'kin, regalo nya lang." I lied.

I know that i said i hate lying but i'm a bit scared of Ruben finding out that i'm going out with Leroi.

"Bakit naman? Did something good happened?"

"Wala naman."

"Eh? So bakit sya magpapadala ng regalo ng walang dahilan? Di mo pa naman birthday ah." Bwisit talaga 'to! Can't he just mind his own business?

"Eh sa gusto ako regaluhan ni mama, wala ka na don." Sagot ko.

"Tss, you're really hiding a lot of things from me." Bulong nya pero parang sinadya nyang iparinig sa akin. Kinabahan naman ako sa nasabi nya.

Do he know something?

Lintek naman kasi! Antagal dumating ng teacher namin sa first period. The pressure i feel from Ruben just keeps on getting heavier by the second. He suddenly changed the topic. "Anyways, i've decided na ililibre kita sa Sabado. Gusto ko lang bumawi just 'cause i feel bad for upsetting you."

Napalunok ako. Ito na nga ba sinasabi ko eh. Ano nang gagawin ko!?

"Uhm, Ruben... about that..." di ba pwedeng sa susunod na lang?

"Hmm?" Looking at him right now, he's pretty intimidating. Like he suspects me of something. I guess his doubting me right now, pero tungkol saan naman?

Napaiwas na lang ako ng tingin. "Pwede bang next time na lang? Medyo busy ako."

We had this long silence between us, then he replied. "Wow, you probably have something more important to do than to hang out with me. Saan ka naman busy?" I didn't like the tone of his voice, parang nasa interrogation lang kami.

"I-I uhh.. i..." what should i say!?

Then a miracle happened, biglang dumating yung babae galing sa club ni Ruben-- yung secret girlfriend nya! "Excuse me! Andito po ba si Ruben Chevalier?! For theatre club emergency meeting po!"

Kaagad kong tinaas kamay ni Ruben. "Eto sya! Eto!" Hinila ko si Ruben patayo sa kanyang upuan at itinulak na palabas ng classroom kasama yung secret girlfriend nya.

"Ako na lang magpapaalam sa mga teacher na nasa club ka! Bye!" Then sinarahan ko na sila ng pinto.

Pagkabalik ko sa upuan ko, nakahinga na din ako ng maluwag. Buti na lang at kasama si Ruben sa club na 'yon!

"So san ka busy Jade?" Biglang tanong ni Bella sa likod ko.

"W-What!?" I can't believe this girl, sometimes she just talks to me out of nowhere. Di na ko magtataka kung alam nya mga pinag-uusapan namin ni Ruben. "Please stop eavesdropping on us." Paki-usap ko sa kanya.

Nangiti na lang sya sa akin. "Oh nevermind na lang hehe."

Geez.

Ruben's Point of View

Damn it. Kung kelan kausap ko si Jade tsaka may eepal. Tinanong ko si miss clean freak na mas nauunang maglakad. "Ba't may emergency sa club? Ano ba nangyari?" Baka pwedeng di na ko sumama sa meeting na yan, extra lang naman ako eh.

Inirapan naman ako ng babae na 'to. Tss, nagtanong naman ako ng maayos ah?

"Di ko din alam." Napabuntong hininga na lang ako.

Pagkarating namin sa club, everyone looked so serious discussing this mysterious matter. Nang makita kami ni Pres ay pinasama kami sa mga club members na nakaupo sa sahig at nakapalibot sa kaniya. Pagkaupo namin, nagsalita na si pres.

"I have bad news everyone." Pasuspense pa dating ng pagkakasabi ni pres samin.

"Neil Sanchez had an accident so he won't be playing as Romeo anymore. It's sad to hear that news, especially when Neil was so excited to play as Romeo. All we can do for him right now is pray for his quick recovery." Damn. I didn't expect to hear that.

And as pres just mentioned Neil, tsaka ko lang napansin na wala sya sa club. Then people started to ask the most critical problem that happened in the theatre club right now--

"Who's gonna play Romeo then!?"

Pres sighed out of stress, pero it's amazing to see her still calm right now. "Tigilan nyo na ko sa tanong na yan. Everyone shouldn't worry because i already have someone in mind that can make this play successful."

"But this play's success just feel impossible! It took Neil a month to prepare and memorize his lines for that role. We only have four weeks left bago maayos natin ang play na 'to, pero sino naman ang may kaya gumawa ng imposible?!" Ani ng isang club member na di ko alam pangalan.

Then pres still remained calm, na parang confident sya sa solution nya sa problema na 'to. "There's nothing impossible for someone who has a good memory and natural talent." Nanlaki mata ko ng biglang tignan ako ni pres.

Pati yung iba pa napatingin din sa akin dahil kay pres. "That's what i noticed from you Ruben, i only saw you reading the script about two or three times! Then memorize mo na lahat ng linya ni Tybalt!"

That's because he only have a few lines!!

"I refu--

"And you don't have any rights to refuse this, if you don't do this wala kang grades sa art subject mo. Tsaka ikaw lang kasi ang makakagawa nito Ruben, and i know you can do this without a problem." Well fuck... that means i have to be miss clean freak's Romeo. And if i have to add this, mahihirapan akong alamin ang binabalak ni Leroi kay Jade!

But if i don't do this, my grades in art might get affected.

"Damn it, fine!" Sagot ko, wala naman akong ibang choice.

Napangiti si Pres sa pangba-blackmail nya. "Very well then! Our club member Alois Ruben Chevalier will play Romeo!"

to be continued