Simon

Chapter One: Episode 6

Kliara

It was their dress rehearsal day at nasa likod kami ng classroom to do some fixations on their outfits. Tomorrow is the day of the contest so todo practice sila ngayon. Simon and Gwen are inside the classroom practicing their lines and their dance steps.

A few minutes later, Abi said the outfits are good to go kaya pinapatawag na nila sina Simon to try it on.

“I’ll go” I volunteered na ako na ang tumawag since ako naman ang medyo walang ginagawa.

“Yes please.. thanks bee.”

Nasa bandang pintuan na ako when I heard them talking.

“Simon, I am really sorry about last year. Please, can you at least be less cold towards me.”

“Ba’t ka nagsosorry jan, wala naman akong ginawa sayo ah.”

“Oh yeah? Hindi ka cold sakin? Hindi ka nakasimangot tuwing magkasama tayo?”

“Ano bang pinagsasabi mo?”

“I don’t know, you're just awkward. Are you still bitter about me dumping you?”

“Gago ka ba, ang tagal na no’n.”

“Loosen up a little then or else, this will never work. Tomorrow na yung event.”

“Hindi naman ganun kadali yun eh. Ilang buwan din tayong hindi nag usap, ano’ng ini-expect mo? Magkaibigan na agad tayo dahil dito?”

“Do you still like me then?”

The last question came from Gwen. But Simon went silent after that.

I decided to wait dahil baka mag confess na siya.

“May magbabago ba kung sinagot ko yang tanong mo?”

Napa-yes! ako silently sa naging sagot ni Simon. Damn he’s a charmer. I took a peek at them, at nakita kong hindi alam ni Gwen kung ano ang sasabihin niya.

I want to hear more of it, but then, baka mag taka pa sila Abi ba’t ang tagal nina Simon.

“Hi.” I decided to interrupt. I smiled. “tawag na kayo sa likod.”

A day later…

It was D-Day.

I am backstage with them. CJ was organizing the event kaya busy siya so he asked me if I could assist our representatives.

Since this is just a small school event, there's no make-up artists, or organizers whatsoever, so kami kami lang talaga. Hence, I am here applying makeup to Gwen.

She looks tense.

“You okay?” I decided to ask her. Kahit hindi kami close, she’s still my batchmate, and I support her in this. Gwen is really pretty by the way. She’s one of those girls you see and you’ll get attracted right away. That’s why it is pretty understandable that Simon liked or likes her. And they would really look good together.

“Kinakabahan ako Bee.” she answered.

“That’s normal. I’m sure it’s not just you. But just do your best. You look so good, kaya.” I tried my best to reassure her. Kahit naman siguro ako ang nasa posisyon niya ay kakabahan naman talaga ako. I know I won that pageant last year, but it took so many breakdowns for me to overcome that. And mas doble pa yata yung kaba ko nun.

“What if madapa ako, or makalimutan ko yung lines, or hindi ako makasagot.” she started panicking.

Simon is just sitting not too far from us. While Gwen is in panic, he is in deep thoughts naman. Ewan ko ba, parang sising-sisi na talaga siya na nandito siya. Natatawa ako because he looks cute. I always thought of him as this tough guy, always snob and all but he looks so different now.

“Relax, Gwen. Anjan naman si Simon eh.” I taked to Gwen. “Mag usap na nga lang kayo para mawala yung kaba ninyo. Matatapos din tong araw na to, alright? When you go up on that stage, just focus on each other. That’s easier, right?”

Hindi naman nakasagot si Gwen, but she was looking at Simon who was still looking bothered.

“What do you think of Simon?” Gwen suddenly asked. Nagtaka naman ako sa naging tanong niya.

“Huh?”

“Nako-confuse ako sa kanya.” Gwen diverted her attention to me. “Minsan ang bait niya sakin, during practice, mabait naman siya, mabiro, he teases me pero ewan ko kapag kaming dalawa na lang like, you know, kapag hinahatid niya ako sa amin, he suddenly becomes stiff.” she opened up.

I just nodded and nodded cause I really don’t know what to say and she sounds like she’s just ranting naman so I just let her.

“But he asked me one time kung magkaaway ba tayo.” she said at nagulat ako.

“Why did he ask?”

“I don’t know. I mean, are we? Magkaaway ba tayo?” she throwed. I just shook my head.

“Any way. That’s why I said he’s confusing. He’s giving me mixed signals. I even asked him yesterday if he likes me. Gosh! h’wag mong iki-kwento sa iba ha.” I just nodded. Again.

“What did he say?” I asked as if hindi ko narinig yung pag-uusap nila na yun.

“Well hindi natapos yung pag-uusap na ‘yon kasi tinawag mo na kami.” she answered.

“Oh.. I’m sorry. I did not know you were such in an important conversation.” I apologized.

“Do you think he likes me?” she asked me.

Hindi ako nakasagot. Should I say he does? What if magalit si Simon kasi inunahan ko siya? I know we had this plan pero it’s still his feelings.

Well,

“What if he does? Do you like him too?” I decided to just ask away. Nacu-curious na kasi ako kung ano ba talaga ang feelings ni Gwen for her to be bothered by him.

“I honestly don’t know, Kliara. I’m just happy when he’s around me and these days, I’ve been thinking about him a lot. So weird, ‘cause dati sinabihan ko pa siyang h’wag niya na akong lalapitan. He used to like me last year, you know. But he was so cheap back then. He’s better now.” She admitted while she was vainly looking at herself in the mirror.

I felt hurt by her last statement. I felt hurt that she called him cheap. Does it mean that she wouldn’t like him had he never changed?

“Bee.” Gwen’s voice suddenly echoed. I didn’t realize I was spacing out.

“yea?”

“I asked kung ano’ng masasabi mo?”

“Uhmm, I think that.. You look good together.” I said, but it felt like my words were poison all of a sudden. I don’t know why I suddenly felt this way.

“Well, I hope he asks me out again soon.” she said and I just smiled pretentiously.

After I finished Gwen’s makeup. I asked her to go somewhere not crowded so she could get some fresh air. Now it’s time for me to put a bit of makeup on Simon. But I realized, I shouldn’t have told Gwen to leave because it suddenly felt awkward being alone with Simon, more so about touching his face.

I took a deep inner breath before I did it.

It was silent for God knows how long.. All I could hear was his breathing.

So .. so awkward

When I finished doing his brows and putting on powder on him. I decided to take a step back before I applied a lip balm on him.

I know I have to break the ice.

“So I gotta be honest..” I finally said something. “-- I actually heard you and Gwen yesterday talking.”

“You were dying to say that to me. Didn’t you?” he answered and I was so relieved. And ashamed at the same time that he knew I was eavesdropping yesterday.

“I know.. I know. I’m sorry. Pero in fairness kinilig talaga ako sa sinabi mo sa kanya.” I said. Apologizing that I was there and had to interrupt.

“Pa’no kung sinabi ko lang yun kasi alam kong nandun ka?” he told me back. Pinalo ko naman siya.

“Nooo. I am super sure you mean it.” I said while finally successfully putting a balm on his lips.

“Just be yourself, Simon.. Don’t think too much about it.” I told him. “If you really like her then I am sure she will see through you if you just give out all your sincerity towards her.” I motioned him to stand up, So I could see his overall look.

“All good.” I smiled.

I was about to leave to call Gwen but he suddenly stopped me. I felt his hand on my wrists. It was sweating but not in a gross way. I understand he was just nervous.

“Kinakabahan ako Klara.” He admitted.

I faced him right back and smiled, I had to hold his hand.

“Here, let me tell you a secret.. Just focus on one person. Choose one person in the crowd and look at them the entire time when you feel anxious. Okay? You can do this. I believe in you.” I said before I left because the show is about to start.

Simon

Sa wakas ay natapos din ang contest na sinalihan namin ni Gwen.

Noong nagp-practice pa lang kami, alam kong hindi ako masyadong naging mabait sa kanya at palagi ko siyang nasusungitan. Pero ang bait niya pa din naman sa’kin at kanina noong muntik ko ng makalimutan ang sasabihin ko sa stage ay tinulungan niya ako kaya nagpapasalamat ako sa kanya.

Hindi kami yung nanalong Lakan o Lakandiwa pero nanalo naman yung costume namin kaya masaya pa din kami.

Noong makaalis na halos lahat, hindi ko alam pero bigla kong hinanap si Klara pero hindi ko siya nakita. Ang sabi niya kanina, kapag kinabahan daw ako ay maghanap lang ako ng isang tao sa harapan at isiping siya lang ang nag iisang tao doon. Hinanap ko ang kaibigan kong si Daniel pero hindi naman yun nanonood sa mga ganito, noong nasa harap na kami, naghanap ako pero kahit nandon naman yung mga dati kong kaklase at mga kaklase ko ngayon, ewan ko ba, hindi pa rin ako napanatag. Pero bigla kong nakita si Kliara kahit nasa bandang likuran siya. Kaya wala akong choice, siya na yung tinitigan ko hanggang matapos yung event. Nag focus lang ako sa kanya.

“Simon, let’s go?” hindi ko namalayan na nasa tapat ko na pala si Gwen. Pinakiusapan niya kasi ako na hintayin siya sa labas ng cr dahil magbibihis siya sa loob.

“Tara.” tipid na sagot ko.

“Thank you for doing this with me. Masaya ako na ikaw yung ka-partner ko na gawin to.” Sinabi niya sakin.

“Wala yun. Hindi ko din naman to gagawin kung…” napatigil ako sa sasabihin ko dahil muntik ko nang masabi sa kanya kung ano talaga ang dahilan.

“Kung ano?”

“Wala.. wag mo ng isipin. Thank you din sa pagtulong mo sa’kin kanina,” sinabi ko nalang.

Sa gitna na kami ng gym naglalakad papunta sa kanya-kanyang classroom namin ng tumigil siya.

“Simon,”

Tumigil na rin ako para lumingon sa kanya.

“Yung sinabi mo kahapon, ano’ng ibig sabihin dun?” tanong niya.

Flashback:

“Do you still like me then?”

“May magbabago ba kung sinagot ko yang tanong mo?”

Ang totoo niyan ay sinabi ko lang talaga yun dahil hindi ko din alam kung ano ang isasagot ko sa tanong niya.

Hindi pa rin naman nagbabago yung respeto ko kay Gwen sa kabila ng lahat ng nalaman at nakita ko tungkol sa kanya. At may parte sa utak ko na nagsasabing wag siyang husgahan dahil hindi ko din naman alam ang totoo kung sila ba talaga ni Sir Mike or baka biktima lang siya nito. May parte din sakin na nagtatanong, kung bakit hindi na lang iba, kaysa pumatol siya sa ganoong setup. Marami namang may gusto sa kanya. Kaya napatanong ako sa kanya kung may magbabago ba kung may magkagusto sa kanyang iba, hindi si Sir Mike.

“Simon.. Talk to me.”

“Gwen, pagod ako. tsaka na lang tayo mag-usap tungkol don.” sagot ko sa kanya.

“No.” .

“Ano ba’ng gusto mong sabihin ko?.”

“Anything. Just tell me. I’ve been thinking a lot and honestly, hindi ko alam pero hindi kita maalis sa isip ko lately.”

“Gwen..” wala akong ibang masabi. Alam kong ito yung kailangan kong mangyari pero bigla na lang naging awkward lahat.

“Do you still like me?”