Cassomo School Series: Class of Elites

CHAPTER 9: She’s Jealous

Pinagtatawanan pa rin si Shanfiel ni Arky dahil sa naging reaction niya nang ginulat siya nito.

“Wow, Arky, ha. Nakakatawa?” She rolled her eyes.

“Yeah! Kung nakita mo lang ‘yong itsura mo no’ng nagulat ka. Ang panget!” He kept laughing.

Tiningnan niya ito ng masama. “Ah, so panget ako? SI Gleci maganda gano’n?”

Unti-unting naglaho ang ngiti sa mga labi ni Arclight at napalitan iyon ng malalim na gatla sa noo. “You know Gleci? And what about her being beautiful?”

She gulped. Nahuhuli nga talaga ang isda sa sarili nitong bibig. “Bakit ka pa nagtatanong?” Tinalikuran niya ito at naupo.

Sumubo siya ng malaking slice ng blueberry cake.

Arky sat beside her at inilapit nito ang mukha sa mukha niya pero nag-iiwas siya rito ng tingin. “What about Gleci, Shany? Nakita mo kami kanina? Bakit hindi mo ko nilapitan?”

Nang malunok niya ang kinakain ay sumubo ulit siya ng mas malaking slice ng cake dahil nag-iiwas siyang sagutin ang tanong ni Arky.

Bigla siyang nabilaukan. Bumara ang kinakain niya sa lalamunan niya.

“Oh my God, Shany!” Nataranta si Arky kaya agad nitong ipinulupot ang mga braso sa lower chest niya at inilundag-lundag siya hanggang sa nailuwa niya ang pagkaing bumara sa lalamunan.

Her eyes widened when she realized her arms were on her chest.

She tapped his arms at noon lang siya nito pinakawalan. Napasapo sa noo si Arclight. “Patay gutom ka ba?” he yelled.

He was nervous as hell.

“Paano kung tuluyan kang hindi nakahinga?” He kept yelling at her.

Dinampot nito ang backpack at iniwan siya. Was he really that mad? Hindi ba dapat siya ang nagagalit dito ngayon dahil kinalimutan siya nito kanina? How did the tables turn just like that?

Bumaba ang tingin niya sa kanyang dibdib. How could he touch her? Well, he just did that to save her. Pero nakabenta yata ang kaibigan niya do’n ha?

ARKY was smiling while he was going upstairs. Nakalusot siya do’n.

“Buti na lang nabilaukan,” he mumbled to himself as he chuckled.

“Arky!”

His eyes widened. Lumingon siya at nakita si Shany na paakyat na ng hagdan.

Mabilis siyang tumakbo papunta sa kwarto niya at ni-lock ang pinto. He was too embarrassed to tell her that he had forgotten about her while he was preoccupied with the stories of another girl. He didn't want her to misinterpret him either, but he simply didn't know how to explain to a girl like Shany in a way that she would fully understand him.

Napakamot na lang siya sa ulo when Shany started to knock on his door. “Buksan mo, Arky!” The knocks on the door were getting forceful that he thought it would break any minute.

He tossed his backpack on his bed and started stripping his uniform. Hinayaan lang niyang kumatok ng kumatok si Shanfiel. He changed into a plain white shirt and blue shorts. Pagktapos ay nawala na ang ingay. Lumapit siya sa pinto at idinikit ang tenga roon. He couldn’t hear any noise. Ngumisi siya.

Binuksan niya ang pinto at nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang makita si Shany na tuwid pa rin nakatayo sa harap ng pinto. Agad niyang itinulak ang pinto pasara pero naharangan agad ito ni Shany at tuluyan na nga itong nakapasok.

Nagtaas ito ng kilay. “Akal amo, ha.”

“Ano bang peroblema mo? Para kang tanga.” He swallowed.

“May crush ka kay Gleci no?” She was communicating to him nonverbally by making eye contact with him, indicating that she would wring his neck.

He swallowed. “Are you jealous?”

Shany laughed. “Excuse me? I was just disappointed as a friend that you didn’t even inform me first that you planned to stay. Hindi na sana ako naghintay, Arky! But you completely forgotten about me!” Humalukipkip ito, magkasalubong pa rin ang mga kilay.

Ngumisi siya. Para sa kanya ay nagseselos nga ito. “Thus, you’re jealous.” Nanunuya siya sa iritasyon nito.

“Ano ba, Arky! I’m not being jealous here. Nalulungkot lang ako na kinalimutan mo ko.” She looked straight into his eyes.

He understood her now. He just didn’t want to admit he forgot about her. “Shany, paano ako magkaka-girlfriend nito kung nagagalit ka kapag may kausap akong ibang babae?” He was simply annoying her. Ayaw niyang magseryoso.

She took a deep breath. “Ang galing mo talagang mag-twist ng interpretations. Mag-girlfriend ka all you want!” Tinalikuran siya nito at tuloy-tuloy itong lumabas ng kwarto niya.

He skipped over making any clarifications. He simply didn't want to concede that he had forgotten her for a moment he was with another girl he just met.

Pero hindi rin siya mapalagay na hahayaan lang niya itong mag-isip at malungkot. He shook his head and ran down the stairs. Dumiritso siya sa open basketball court nila para magpapawis at mag-ipon ng lakas ng loob para magseryoso kay Shanfiel.

ALELI composed herself first before he entered the restaurant kung saan nagpa-book ang mga kaibigan na i-mi-meet niya. She was donning a silver 3-inch heeled sandal and a short, tight dress with a seductive back in black.

Lahat ng nadadaanan niya ay napapalingon sa kanya at sanay na siya.

When she spotted the couple ay huminga muna siya ng malalim before she proceeded to their table.

“Aleli! Wow, you look so gorgeous!” Bumeso sa kanya ang kaibigang si Lorna Rodriguez, sunod naman ay bumeso rin sa kanya ang aswa nitong si Carlito Rodriguez.

Naupo na sla. She sat beside Lorna.

She smiled at her friend. “It’s nice to meet you again, Lorna. I miss you!”

“I miss you too, my friend!” Lorda squeezed her hand. “How’s my inaanak? You should’ve brought him.”

“Yeah, I should have but he has a test tomorrow. Nag-aaral siya. Sayang. Some other time maybe.” She smiled.

“Where’s your husband?” tanong ni Carlito.

She cleared her throat. Hindi siya agad nakasagot kahit na nakapag-practice na siya ng ilang beses para sa tanong na iyon.

“Don’t ask, Carl, we know he’s busy with women.” Lorna shook her head.

“Lorna, mind your laungage.” Carlito interfered.

Para siyang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig sa sobrang pagkapahiya sa sinabi ni Lorna but what offended was it was still her husband she was mocking and she didn’t like it.

She faced Lorna. “Uhm, Lorn, do you have any idea why I left in our group chat?”

Lorna nodded. “Yes, as our friends frequently bring up your husband there. Send images of your husband having s****l relations with other women. I can see why you left because you couldn't handle it.” How could Lorna say it to her without considering her feelings? She’s trying to reconsider if she’s really her friend.

Her fingers curled into fists.

“Really? So you’re invading other’s privacy and call yourself professionals?”

Her eyes widened when she heard her husband’s voice behind him.

Napaangat siya rito ng tingin when he sat on the vacant chair beside her in that round table.

Frusto smiled at her and kissed her on the forehead. Abot-abot ang tahip ng puso niya. At that moment, she thought her husband was the coolest.

“My Love, I thought your colleagues were successful businesswomen. Why have they become paparazzi now and a professional marites?” He smirked as he crossed his legs and brushed his hair back.

Her heart beat very fast. He came. He actually came. She was unable to express how thrilled she felt. For the first time in their years of marriage, that happened.

“Excuse me?” Lorna glared at her husband.

Frusto shrugged. “I’m just saying.”

She swallowed. She was at a loss for words, but she knew that in the end, she would support his husband.

“Is it bad if we are just concerned with our friend’s situation?” Lorna frowned.

“That’s enough, Lor. I’ll just talk to him.” She calmly smiled at her friend.

Frusto smirked. “Mrs. Rodriguez, being concerned is different from being nosy.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Diaz, stop insulting my wife.” Mr. Rodriguez meddled.

Frusto stood. Hinawakan nito ang kamay niya at tiningnan ng seryoso. Nakuha niya agad ang ipinapahiwatig nito na kailangan na nilang umalis, Tumayo na rin siya.

“It’s not nice meeting you. Lalo ka na, Mrs. Rodriguez.” Frusto frowned at Lorna.

“Stop it,” saway niya sa asawa.

“You’re really rude and arrogant!” Lorna gave Frusto a stern look.

“How dare you call my husband rude and arrogant? Have you lived with him for years?” She scowled.

Lorna stood and smirked. She saw in her peripheral vision na napatayo na rin si Mr. Rodriguez.

“Oh come on, Aleli. Hindi mo na kailangang magpanggap. Alam naming lahat na isa kang martyr na asawa. Yet again, I would advise that you divorce your husband.

She was really getting angry. She hated Lorna’s face. They were not that close anyway. The truth was, wala naman talaga siyang mga totoong kaibigan. Lahat may inggit at galit sa kanya but she was trying hard to belong.

“I’m not going to argue with you anymore, Mrs. Rodriguez. I respect Mr. Rodriguez. However, I no longer permit my wife to ever see you and the rest of your colleagues.” Mas humigpit pa ang hawak nito sa kamay niya at iginiya na sila paalis doon.

She was satisfied with Lorna’s bitter face and how her husband handled her. She was sorry to Mr. Rodriguez, he was a nice man.

Frusto was still holding her hand tightly as they walked away from that place. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa magkahawak nilang kamay at napangiti siya. She didn’t expect her husband would really come to rescue her. He was always cold to her. He was always with other women, he had no time for her. She's not used to it, but she enjoyed the unusual sensation.