Let's not fall in love

Kabanata 4

The classroom was buzzing with noise since our teacher hadn't arrived yet. It was our first subject, and everyone was busy chatting with each other while I stretched my arms and yawned. Yung dalawa naman sa tabi ko ay abala sa pagtali ng kanilang buhok.

Finally, Sir arrived, and everyone returned to their seats.

"Good morning class," he greeted.

"Good morning, Sir!" we answered in chorus.

We noticed a girl behind him, and when she entered, everyone went quiet, especially the boys. She looked breathtaking—her thick, wavy black hair fell neatly to her shoulders, framing her delicate face. Her lips were soft and pink, and her high cheekbones gave her an almost regal look.

"This is Elish. She's a transferee student here. Be nice to her class. Please introduce yourself."

"Hi, I'm Elish Jade Montreal. Nice to meet you all," she said with a gentle voice.

Once she spoke, everybody, especially the boys, listened with full attention.

"You may be seated."

She scanned the room and finally looked straight at me. Our classroom had two desks each, and the only available one was beside mine.

"Hi, can I sit here?" she asked.

Tipid akong ngumiti at tumango.

"Thanks," she said.

Mabilis na natapos ang tatlong subjects namin, kaya tumambay muna kami sa bench while eating our ice cream.

"Ang ganda ng bago nating kaklase, no?" ani ni Aia while devouring her ice cream.

"Sobra! Ang bait pa!" dagdag pa ni Emely.

"Buti pa sila—maganda na, mabait pa, tas matalino pa. Halos na sa kanila na lahat. Kamusta naman tayo?" pabirong dagdag nito.

All girls here were beautiful, kaya lang minsan hindi mo maaalis na ikumpara ang sarili mo sa iba. Emely Reich Velasco was skinny with shoulder-length hair and a pointed nose. Janaia Dale Rosales had long hair with and captivating hazel eyes, while I had short black hair with bangs.

We continued our chitchat until we noticed Clay and Elish laughing together.

"Clay and Elish? Kilala ba nila ang isa't-isa?" tanong ni Aisa sabay tingin sa akin.

Elish is a transferee, and she's not even in the same class as him, so it's strange how close they've gotten so quickly

"Or do you think sila na?" napatingin kami ni Aia kay Emely dahil sa advance nitong mag-isip.

"What? Doon din yun pupunta," depensa nito.

Sabay silang tumingin sa akin kaya napatingin ako sa kanila.

"Anong tingin yan?" napatingin ako sa malayo dahil sa mapanuring tingin nila.

"Kawawa naman si Rain, crush zone agad."

Napaamang ako sa sinabi ni Emely, at sabay pa talaga si Aia na yumakap sa akin at hinaplos-haplos ang buhok ko.

"Tigilan niyo nga ko!" sabi ko habang pumipiglas sa pagyakap nila.

Hindi nila ako tinantanan sa kakaasar hanggang pagpunta namin sa room. Hindi pa rin sila tumitigil. I'm not even affected, kagaya ng sinasabi nila. It was just an infatuation, kaya napapakamot na lang ako ng ulo sa pangungulit nila.

Mabilis na natapos ang klase. Masaya namang humawak ang dalawa sa magkabilang braso ko at hinila papalabas. Pumayag kasi ako na mag-mall kami since wala pa namang gagawin sa school. We just roamed around the mall, ate, went to an arcade, and played. We were having such a good time in the karaoke room that we didn't even realize it was already night.

Kumaway lang ako sa kanila at sabay-sabay na naghiwalay pauwi. Nakayuko ako habang naglalakad papuntang mansion. Malapit na ako nang makita ko ang isang bulto na nakasandal sa gate. I looked at it, and it was Nicholas.

Ano nanamang ginagawa niya diyan? Bakit ba nakasanayan niya ng mag-antay sa labas ng gate? Gwardya ba siya?

Napahinto ako sa harap niya kaya napatingin siya sa akin. He looked at me gently, worry evident in his eyes.

Blinking twice, I tried to make sure I was seeing correctly. But the moment he caught my reaction, his expression returned to that usual cold gaze, and he walked inside.

I shrugged and followed him, keeping my steps steady.

***

Everybody talks nonstop about the new transferee. She always had this plastered smile on her face, and she seemed to get along well with everyone. It has been a week since she got here, at halos lahat ng klasmeyt ko ay kaibigan na siya. I must say, she was so nice.

Yesterday, may isa kaming instructor na sobrang strict at may pa-assignment na agad. Nagawa ko na ito, pero sa kasamaang palad, naiwan ko. I couldn't catch up while the instructor was teaching, but nagulat ako when she handed me her note and showed me her assignment. I refused at first, pero she insisted. Since only 10 minutes were left for the next subject, so I copied it.

"Salamat nga pala kanina. Nakalimutan ko kasing dalhin yung assignment ko kaya ginawa ko na lang siya kanina," nahihiya kong sabi.

"It's okay. It's just an assignment," malumay niyang sabi.

I genuinely smiled at her and thanked her again.

She was not just nice to me but to everyone. She willingly offered her assignment or anything she had, which minsan nga lang naaabuso na.

Hindi dumating ang third subject namin, kaya ang iba ay masayang nagkwe-kwentuhan at nagkakantahan na lang. Si Emely at Aia ay nasa kabilang table at nakikipagtsismisan, while I was laying on the desk with my right arm supporting my head, facing the window, tapping my fingers. Umayos ako ng upo at napatingin sa katabi ko na nag-aaral. Siya lang ang tunay na estudyante na narito.

Napahikab ako at napaunat nang hindi sinasadyang natamaan ko ang ulo niya. Napatayo ako ng tuwid at nanlaki ang mata sa pagtitig sa kanya.

"Omg, I'm sorry! Hindi ko sinasadya," napahawak ako sa ulo niya na natamaan ko at patuloy na nanghihingi ng sorry.

"No, it's okay. I'm fine," ngiti niya sa akin habang inaayos ang buhok at bumalik sa pagsusulat.

Napatampal ako ng mahina sa aking pisngi dahil sa nagawa ko.

"Sorry talaga ah," napakagat na lang ako sa labi ko at naiilang na ngumiti.

Isinarado niya ang librong binabasa at tumingin sa akin kaya biglang napaaupo ako ng tuwid.

"Can you come with me? I just need to give something to Sir Ryan, but I don't know where he is." She was fixing her things while waiting for my answer.

"Sure!" I replied immediately.

Walang nagsasalita sa amin, and every time our eyes met, she just smiled at me. Pinaglaruan ko lang ang mga daliri ko, not knowing what to say. I was about to speak but hesitated, which made her laugh softly.

Nahanap namin si Sir sa room nila Nicholas. She excused herself to Sir and went inside. Nag-antay na lang ako sa labas at sumandal sa corridor. I smirked when I saw all the boys follow Elish and get mesmerized.

Napatingin naman ako sa likuran at nakita ko ang pag-iwas ng tingin niya kay Elish. Inilibot ko ang tingin ko at napagawi sa kabilang room. I saw Clay speaking in front of their class, looking intelligent. I couldn't take my eyes off him but got interrupted by Elish.

"Let's go," she said, about to see what I was looking at, kaya hinawakan ko ang kamay niya.

"Tara," yaya ko rito. At my peripheral vision, I saw Nicholas looking at us.

The bell rang, and we immediately fixed our stuff. Paalis na kami nang makita namin si Clay na nag-aantay sa harap ng classroom namin. Napagawi ang mata niya sa akin at nilapitan ako.

"Hi, are you guys going home?" nagtanguan lang sila Aia at Emely at nanunuya ang mata na nakatingin sa akin.

"Hahaha, hindi ba obvious?" sarkastikong tawa ni Emely.

Bigla ko itong napalo sa balikat at nagpanggap na natawa sa sinabi niya.

"Haha, oo, uuwi na kami," pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata habang hinihimas ang balikat niya na napalo ko.

"Clay."

Nagawi ang mata namin kay Elish, nakakalabas lang at lumapit kay Clay.

"Let's go."

Ngumiti lang siya sa amin at umalis na.

"Sabi ko na may something sila," sabi ni Emely na sinang-ayunan naman ni Aia habang ang mga mata namin ay nakatingin sa papaalis na bulto nila.

Sabay na lumingon ang mga ito sa akin kaya mabilis akong umiling dahil alam ko na agad ang balak nila.

"Sundan natin,"