CHAPTER 4: The Wrong Person to Ask
1331 Words
The next morning, I brought the umbrella back.
Not because I wanted to see him.
Because it was his.
Important distinction.
I arrived earlier than usual and placed it inside my bag.
Simple.
Return umbrella.
Say thanks.
Go to class.
End of story.
At least, that was the plan.
“Good morning, Miss Galit!”
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
I turned around.
He was standing a few steps away, holding a piece of bread in one hand and looking like he had just woken up.
“Morning.”
“Wow.”
“What?”
“You said good morning.”
“So?”
“Usually you just look at me.”
“Would you prefer that?”
“No.”
He grinned.
“Progress.”
I pulled the umbrella from my bag.
“Here.”
He stared at it.
“You brought it back.”
“Obviously.”
“You could've kept it.”
“Why would I?”
“So you'd have a reason to talk to me.”
I gave him a flat look.
“I don't need an umbrella for that. You talk enough for both of us.”
He laughed.
“Fair.”
I started walking.
He followed.
Again.
“Do you have somewhere to be?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Class.”
“Same.”
“Then go to your class.”
“It's in the same direction.”
I stopped.
He stopped too.
“You're really going to keep doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Following me.”
He looked genuinely confused.
“I'm walking.”
“Behind me.”
“Coincidence.”
“Every day?”
“Very lucky coincidence.”
I shook my head.
“Whatever.”
We continued walking.
For once, he was quiet.
Until we reached the hallway.
A group of students were standing near the bulletin board.
One of them looked at me.
Then whispered something to the person beside her.
They both looked at me.
I ignored them.
I was used to it.
People talked.
Sometimes you knew why.
Sometimes you didn't.
It wasn't worth your energy.
Until one of them called out.
“Uy, ikaw!”
I stopped.
The girl walked toward me.
“May kailangan ka?”
“May utang ka pa sa'kin.”
I frowned.
“Anong utang?”
“Yung pera.”
“I don't owe you anything.”
She scoffed.
“Talaga?”
“Yes.”
She looked at the guy beside me.
“Hindi ba ikaw yung laging nanghihiram sa kanya?”
I stared at her.
“What?”
She smiled.
“Ah. Hindi mo alam?”
I looked at him.
He wasn't smiling anymore.
“Anong sinasabi niya?”
He didn't answer.
“Hey.”
Still nothing.
The girl crossed her arms.
“Tanungin mo siya.”
Then she walked away.
I turned to him.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
“Clearly, it's not nothing.”
“She's just—”
“Just what?”
He sighed.
“Forget it.”
I hated that answer.
Especially because it sounded familiar.
Forget it.
The words people used when they didn't want you to know something.
“Okay.”
I walked away.
He followed.
“Wait.”
“No.”
“Listen.”
“I said okay.”
“Hindi ka naman nakikinig.”
“Because you don't want to explain.”
“It's complicated.”
“Then don't explain.”
He grabbed my wrist.
I immediately pulled away.
He froze.
“Sorry.”
I looked at him.
“Don't.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
For the first time since I met him, he looked serious.
And somehow, I didn't like seeing him that way.
---
The rest of the day, he didn't bother me.
No jokes.
No teasing.
No random questions.
Nothing.
I should've been relieved.
Instead, the silence felt strange.
Which was stupid.
He wasn't my friend.
He wasn't my responsibility.
I didn't owe him anything.
So why did I keep looking toward the door every time someone entered the room?
I hated that.
---
After class, I went to the cafeteria.
I was about to buy food when I heard voices behind me.
“You know he's not really like that, right?”
I turned.
The same girl from earlier.
She was with two others.
“Like what?”
She looked at me.
“You don't know him?”
“No.”
“Then be careful.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
She hesitated.
“Because he has a girlfriend.”
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it sounded ridiculous.
“Okay.”
“I'm serious.”
“So am I.”
I picked up my food.
“Then good for him.”
She stared at me.
“You're not going to ask who?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because it's none of my business.”
I walked away.
But before I could leave, I heard her say—
“It's me.”
I stopped.
Slowly, I turned around.
She was looking directly at me.
“My name is Lara.”
She smiled.
“And I've been his girlfriend for eight months.”
---
For a moment, everything around me went quiet.
I didn't know what to say.
So I said the only thing that came to mind.
“Okay.”
Lara looked surprised.
“That's it?”
“What do you want me to say?”
“You've been spending time with him.”
“He's the one who follows me.”
“You're always together.”
“No.”
She laughed.
“You seriously don't know?”
“Know what?”
She stepped closer.
“He doesn't do that to everyone.”
I didn't respond.
“Maybe you should ask him why.”
Then she left.
I stood there holding my food.
My appetite disappeared.
Not because I was jealous.
I wasn't.
At least, I didn't think I was.
It was something else.
Maybe embarrassment.
Maybe annoyance.
Maybe I simply hated being made to look stupid.
I walked outside.
And there he was.
Waiting.
The moment he saw me, he smiled.
“Hey.”
I didn't smile back.
“May girlfriend ka?”
His smile disappeared.
Silence.
That was enough.
I nodded slowly.
“Okay.”
“Wait.”
I turned around.
“It's not—”
“Don't.”
“Please let me explain.”
I looked at him.
“There's nothing to explain.”
“There is.”
“Then explain.”
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
I nodded.
“Exactly.”
I walked away.
“Wait!”
I kept walking.
“Please!”
I stopped.
Not because I wanted to.
Because something in his voice made me.
I turned around.
He was standing there, breathing heavily.
“She's lying.”
I stared at him.
“Then why didn't you say that immediately?”
He looked away.
“Because…”
“Because what?”
He swallowed.
“Because technically, she isn't my girlfriend.”
I blinked.
“Technically?”
He sighed.
“It's complicated.”
I almost laughed.
“Of course it is.”
“Listen—”
“No.”
I walked toward him.
“I'm not interested in whatever complicated situation you're in.”
“I know.”
“Then leave me out of it.”
“I was trying to.”
I stopped.
“What?”
He looked at me.
“I wasn't supposed to get you involved.”
There was something in his voice.
Something different.
Something that made me realize—
maybe the umbrella, the jokes, the constant appearances…
weren't as simple as I thought.
“Then why did you?”
He didn't answer.
And that silence told me more than any explanation could.
I shook my head.
“Goodbye.”
I walked away.
This time, he didn't follow.
And for some reason—
that bothered me more than it should have.
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