Beyond the crashing waves

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

I tightened my grip on my envelope as I watched the students run from the rain, protecting their belongings and trying their best to avoid getting wet.

Some have an umbrella, pero nagsisiksikan. Halos puno na ang kainan na sinisilungan namin, may mga basang-basa, ulo hanggang paa, pati na rin ang mga bag nila.

May kaunting tubig nadin na pumapasok sa kung saan kami naka pwesto.

But amidst all of that, they were smiling. They were happy and I knew that it was genuine.

“Yup, I'm at A.V.C. Aight, I'll wait for you”

From the beautiful chaos in front me, my gaze diverted to where that familiar voice came from.

The image of a man, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone in his ears. His brown hair is a little wet on the front while he's seriously looking somewhere.

When our eyes met, Tinaasan niyako ng kilay and I rolled my eyes at him before looking away.

It took only a minute for him to stand beside me, and when I looked up, he was already leaning towards me. Leaving only a few inches of space between the two of us.

My eyes widen and my face heated up with his sudden action, “ Gwapo ko ba, mendez?” he whispered in my ear.

In my freakin ear! Kapal!

“Assumero.”

His smirked turned into a smile. Tinulak ko siya papalayo sa akin nang makita kong pinag titinginan na kami ng mga tao.

But instead of staying away from me, eh mas lumapit pa siya. Pissing me off.

When he was about to speak, my phone rang. It was my father..

Tamad kong kinuha ang cellphone at sinagot ito.

[Our driver can't pick you up, I am also out for business. Mag commute ka muna] Salubong niya.

Heck..I don't even know how to commute..

Naiinis kong nilagay sa bulsa ang cellphone ko at tinititigan kung may kakilala ba ako. I might as well tag along. But I stopped at that thought, right, I don't have any close friends.

“Sabay kana samin, same subdivision lang naman tayo” He suggested.

Mataray ko siyang nilingon and answered him with a hard, “NO.”

He shrugged his shoulders and looked away, “Ikaw rin, abutin ka ng gabi dito.”

Hindi ko siya pinansin at pinanood nalang na tumulo ang ulan mula sa kalangitan.

Rain was my favorite. I just love it, it feels like whenever everything is just too much and my tears failed from falling, the rain will cry for me instead.

“Cal! here!” a familiar voice called for him, it was Clara, his cousin.

Hindi ko na siya nilingon, pero laking gulat ko ng hawakan niya ang bag ko at hinila ito sa kung saan ang kotse nila.

Binuksan niya ang pintuan at pilit akong pinapapasok, I was about to protest when I noticed that he was getting wet already.

I sighed in defeat at pumasok na, when I glanced at the front seat, Clara was looking at us with a smirk on her face. When she saw me looking at her ay bumalik ang atensyon niya sa cellphone.

Acting as if she didn't saw us.

“Kapitbahay lang natin to kuya.” he casually said, as if close kami for him to know my address.

Well, magkatapat lang naman talaga kasi ang bahay namin.. So it's not a strange thing, I guess?

Tumango lang ang driver sa kanya at kumuha siya ng tissue para punasan ang pinto ng sasakyan na natuluan ng ulan.

Habang ako? nakaupo sa tabi niya, walang kibo. Wondering how the hell did I get here when I barely know this man.

“Psst, ikaw totur ko sa Science diba?” he poked my shoulder, trying to get my attention.

I nodded and fixed my gaze at the window, watching the droplets race their way down to the bottom.

“Kailan tayo magsisimula?”

“It depends on my schedule. But every Saturday and Sunday is alright.”

It was only yesterday when Ma'am alavarez told us about the whole tutor thing, she also told us na hawak namin ang oras namin. We can do it at weekends also.

I didn't really expect that out of all people, bakit siya pa? the world itself is aware of the hatred I have for this man.

Hate.. Is a strong word. It's more like sama ng loob? if that's what they call it.

Hindi ko na pinansin ang taong katabi ko at pinanood nalang ang mga droplets sa bintana.

There's 1, 2, 3, and 4. Team 3 ako, obviously it will win. 3 is leading kaya sigurado ako na siya ang mananalo, till it stopped midway. By that time number 2 surpassed number 3 with a full speed kaya nanalo ito.

It made me pout in disappointment. I was rooting for it pa naman.

I was waiting for another droplets when I felt my eyelids closing, humikab ako at niyakap ang sarili dahil sa lamig na nadarama.

Till one moment, I didn't notice that I already fell in a deep somber.

When I woke up, I was already wearing a neck pillow may kumit nadin na nakatakip sa katawan ko. Nasa tapat na kami ng bahay and Castiel only looked at me.

“ Why didn't you wake me up?”

“ Kakadating lang natin.” He couldn't look at me in the eyes and his fingers were constantly tapping somewhere.

I nodded and bought his words, I smiled and said thank you to kuya driver before going out ng hindi lumilingon kay Castiel.

Tumila na pala ang ulan.

Pumasok ako ng bahay, no one was around. Even Mama Siena, our maid, was nowhere to be seen.

I put my bag on the sofa and went to kitchen to drink some water. I went back to the sofa and called for Mama.

“Mang? Where are you po?” I shouted, but got no response. My heart ache for a possibility.

I went to her room, it wasn't locked so I just went in. Everything was well except for a piece of paper on her table. So I sighed in relief.

River, anak, umuwi muna ako pansamantala dahil ang aking kapatid ay pumanaw na. Wag kang magtatampo at alagaan ang iyong sarili ha? mahal kita ♡

Si mamang talaga, she could've just text me. Well, I think she's aware of how much I love it when she does this.

The little heart in the letter made me smile. I guess I had to do things by myself without Mama for the time being.

Instead of going to my room, I layed down in her bed instead. Her bed feels more comfortable than my own, kaya doon ko pinagpatuloy ang tulog.

Nang magising, A message was sent to me through messenger. Other notifications filled my lock screen too.

Castiel Claveria sent you a message

CasClvr followed you in i********:

Castiel sent you a request

Castiel Claveria sent you a message

Castiel

: Bro, Saturday bukas. Start naba?

I replied to him after 10 minutes.

Me

: Yes, which place? yours or mine?

Castiel

: S4m1n nAln6 ssob, str1ct pAr3nts k eh 😔😎🙈🤭

San niya ba napulot ang ganyang typings?

Hindi na ako nag reply at natulog na lang ulit, but before sleeping, I set my alarm to 10:00 pm muna. I need to make some reviewers and pre-test to know kung saang part siya ng English mahina.

In my whole life, aside from my father, no one had ever told me that I'm not capable of anything nor I am wrong for doing something.

Each of them, respects my opinion and capabilities. Even a stranger would commend me for something, it has always been a thing for me. To be praised and be known.

Most of all, I have never lost to anyone. Till a bastard ruined my beautiful streak in a debate competition.

Though it was only a school based competition, It was the only thing I was proud of.

It may sound petty, but yes, I still am bitter about it. Dadalhin ko ata tong sama ng loob ko sa kanya hanggang hukay.

And that very same man is in front me, staring at me intently with a smirk on his lips. His actions made me roll my eyes at him.

I didn't mind him, instead, isa-isa kong nilabas ang libro at notes na kakailanganin.

Padabog kong inabot sa kanya ang pre-test na ginawa ko kagabi. Pahampas ko itong ibinigay sa kanya kaya ay remehistro ang gulat sa mukha niya.

Pa iling-iling pa siya bago ito tanggapin at sinalubong ang mga mata ko. “ Bitter ka pa din sa debate last year, Mendez?”

I glared at him and was about to answer but no words are capable of coming out. Tinaasan niya pa ako ng kilay, hoping to get an answer. But instead, I tapped the paper he's answering three times, para doon mag focus ang attention niya.

After that, I unconsciously bit my lower lips hardly ng hindi siya tinataponan ng tingin. Minutes later, I tasted a metallic like in my mouth.

I bit my lips much harder this time. Gosh.. I didn't even notice.

“Wh-” I was about to ask him where's their restroom when he went to my direction and handed me a tissue. A worried look registered on his face.

I took it and put it at the wound in my lips. I flinched, nang makaramdam ako ng hapdi. Ramdam ko naman ang paggalaw ni Castiel, natataranta.

“ I'm sorry” he apologized, it made me look at him out of confusion.

“What are you saying sorry for?”

“ I just feel like I had to apologize.” He then gave me a little smile.

I nodded at him and went back to what I was doing earlier.

What does the word ‘sorry’ even mean?