The Benefit of Us

Six

Monday came and I was busy with schoolworks again. Nakaharap kami pareho ni Carly sa laptop namin at patuloy lang ang pagresearch para sa isang subject namin.

"Aahh! Gutom na ako!" Sabi ni Carly habang nagdadabog. I cant blame her though. Ngayong umaga lang to binigay tapos ngayong araw din dapat isusubmit. Anong akala nila samin? Robot?

"Are you almost done V? Lunch muna tayo, 11:30 na eh." She asked.

Hindi ko namalayan lunch time na pala. I nodded. "Sige, I'm almost done, ikaw?" I asked as I was closing my laptop.

"More than half-way na. Gutom na talaga ako, baka maubusan pa tayo ng ulam sa canteen." Pag aalala niya.

I stood up and fix my things. I just carried my wallet and we went down the cafeteria. Ang aga-aga nang bibwiset agad yung prof namin, akala mo naman ang galing magturo. I guess Carly's tired too, she didn't speak till we arrived at the cafeteria.

I found us a place to sit while Carly ordered for the both of us. I was exercising my neck from all the crouching in front of my laptop when someone sat in front of me.

I looked at him, not wanting to initiate the comversation. He was just staring at me too. Bahala siya diyan, hindi ako mauunang magsasalita.

"Look, I'm sorry." Ivan finally said. He pushed a cup of iced coffee in front of me. " I should have told you na magiiba ako ng club, and I shouldn't have acted like a jerk the other days." He sincerly said.

I took the iced coffee and drank some of it. Ngayon na kausap ko na siya, parang nawala lahat nang pagtatampo at galit ko sa kanya. Nakakainis naman, am I really this whipped for this man?

"Okay. I forgive you."

"Thanks." He smiled. I smiled too. Gosh, I'm too soft when it comes to him. I can never be truly angry at him either. Mabuting nang patawarin ko na to, ako lang din naman ang magdudusa.

"Ooh, Hi! You're Ivan right? V's friend." Carly arrived and placed our food on the table.

"Yes, I am" Ivan said. "I'm sorry, I don't think I know your name?"

"I'm V's friend too, we're classmates. I'm Carly, nice to meet you!"

Ivan looked at me with his teasing smile. He was always pushing me to go out and talk to people more. "Nice to meet you Vera's friend. Buti naman napagtiisan mo to, ang sungit kaya nito."

I rolled my eyes at him. I know he's happy I'm hanging out with other people. I don't really open up easily but its not like i'm not open to having new friends either. I'm just careful of the people I let into my life.

"Nah, she's not mean. Tahimik lang siguro, but that's fine." Carly said.

"Hindi ka ba kakain?" I asked Ivan.

"Tapos na ako." He said. "Oo nga pala, nasan ka nung sabado?"

Should I tell him about saturday night? It feels weird telling him I was out with Lucas. I dont think he knows that we know each other. It's not like we did something wrong, and it hurts to admit this but a part of me knows he really wouldn't care that much.

"She was with me, we ate lunch at the mall and we strolled around too." Carly answered for me.

"Really? Thats nice. Sama ako sa susunod ah." He joked. "Didn't peg you as the type who listens to indie bands Carly. Kaya siguro kayo naging magkaibigan, pareho kayong weird ang music taste"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Carly looked confused.

I realized I had to step in to clear up the confusion.

"I was with Carly that afternoon. I was with my other friend that night." I said as I took a bite of my food. I tried to say it without arising more questions but I guess Ivan didn't take the hint.

"Same friend from the literary club?" He asked.

"Nope, my other friend." I casually said.

"Ang dami mo nang kaibigan ngayon ah, should I be jealous?" He laughed.

" Akala ko nga palagi lang talaga mag-isa si Vera eh." Carly chimed in. "But I saw you talking with that guy from ABM, yung matalino? Hindi ko lang maalala yung name eh. Basta you were laughing at something."

Carly was looking at me and was smiling innocently. I knew she wasn't talking about Cyrus, he is a HUMSS student, so I'm pretty sure she saw me with Lucas. I didn't know he was known to be smart. Wait is he famous or something?

"You mean Lucas? Ikaw yung babae sa igstory niya?" Ivan said.

"What igstory?" I am totally clueless now. What is he talking about?

"Nevermind, he posted this clip of him singing waving his hand tapos may kasama siyang babae. Hindi kita yung mukha though. He wasn't trying to film the girl from the looks of it." He explained.

I dont follow him on i********: thats why hindi ko alam ang tungkol sa Ig story na yun. I dont see any harm with the video, hindi naman kita yung mukha ko.

"Was it you?" He asked.

Carly was looking at the both of us, she looked confused and curious at the same time.

"Nagkita lang kami accidentally. We know each other kaya he invited me there. The band was his friends." I sipped my coffee and ate my food. This is making me feel weird. Does he care that I was out with another guy? Is he jealous? is it strange to hope that he is?

"Oh, okay." He said.

"Okay? Thats it?" I asked. I expected him to make a big fuss out of it and he just says okay?

"Yeah, you had fun right?"

"I did." I said. Wow, he really isn't bothered. I was hoping for a hint of jealousy. Kahit konti man lang. Kung si Elise yung kasama ni Lucas, would he also act this way? I bet he wont.

I continued eating while Ivan excused himself because he still got stuff to do. He promised na sabay kami uuwi today and I just nodded. I don't feel good right now. Its not that hindi ko inexpect yung reaction nya. I know he wont care, but it still hurt that he really didn't. Yung hopeful side ko na baka kahit konti man lang, there's this part of him that was bothered that I was out with someone.

---

My mood was foul for the rest of the day. Na halata siguro ni Carly kaya hindi muna nya ako kinulit. I finished my paperwork at pinasa ko narin sa email ng prof ko. We still have one subject left for the day and our teacher is currently discussing in front.

I got bored so I decided to check my i********:. No new notifications since wala naman akong recent posts doon. My i********: was pretty normal. I got decent amount of followers, most of them are from my previous school, but I only follow about a hundred people. Naalala ko yung sinabi ni Ivan tungkol sa igstory ni Lucas kaya I decided to check on his ig profile too. I tried searching his name and it came up pretty quickly considering he was followed by people I know too. He really is famous huh, His recent post was a photo of him and his friends a month ago and it got a lot of likes.

I was hesitant if I should follow him or not. Well he did add me in sss first, so I guess I should follow him here too? I shrugged my thoughts away. This should not be a big deal. I clicked on the follow button and hid my phone in my pocket. I tried listening to my teacher once more when I felt my phone vibrate.

I sneakily looked at the notification.

@LA.Rodriguez is now following you....

----

Tapos na ang klase namin and I was preparing my things dahil uwing uwi na ako. I checked myself in my small mirror and applied a little lipstick and powder cause I looked so pale.

" Vera! may nag aantay sayo sa labas. Bilisan mo raw" one of my classmates said. I just nodded at her and grabbed my bag.

Ivan was standing outside our classroom. Some of my classmates were blatantly staring at him but he didn't seem to notice. Ang manhid talaga nang isang to, walang ka pake pake sa paligid nya.

"Kwek-kwek?" he asked.

"Yes please." He laughed. Gosh, I've been craving for kwek-kwek.

We made our way to the backgate, nandun kase yung masarap na streetfoods. Ivan was telling me a bunch of stuff about school. ABM students are getting busy this month since malapit na ang ABM week. He was tasked with their food stand which surprised me kase hindi naman siya marunong magluto.

"So anong gagawin mo? Tatayo sa booth nyo? magpapacute?" I joked.

"Grabe naman! ako kaya yung designated cashier, promodizer din ako ng group namin noh. Asset ako V, Team player!" natawa nalang ako sa reaction nya. Ang defensive kase, alam ko namang may maiaambag siya. Kaya gustong gusto ko makagrupo to noon eh. Ang daming alam gawin, hindi pa nagrereklamo.

Ang daming tao ngayon sa backgate, expected narin kase uwian tas gutom lahat ng tao. Naghahanap kami nang mapupwestuan kaya nakisiksik kami sa mga studyanteng tumutusok ng kwek kwek. Nakahanap agad ng pwesto si Ivan kaya hinila nya ako sa tabi nya.

I was taken a back by his hand but I immediately acted like I felt nothing. Haynako, delikado na talaga ako. Konting hawak lang nya parang lalabas na yung puso ko sa dibdib ko. Kinalma ko ang sarili ko at kumain nalang. Naka apat na kwek-kwek na ako habang siya naka sampu na. Ang takaw talaga. Umalis siya saglit para bumili ng softdrinks namin. Patuloy parin akong kumakain nang makita ko si Lucas, not only that kasama niya si Elise.

I looked back at Ivan and I think he saw them too. He waved at them and motioned towards the food stall. I think Lucas saw me cause he smiled towards my direction. I don't know what to do but its to late to think kaya I just smiled and waved too.

Ivan handed me my softdrinks. " V, you know Lucas already, and this is Elise. We're from the same club. This is Vera, my friend. " pinakilala ako ni Ivan sa kanya as if hindi ko pa siya kilala.

"Hi, nice to meet you." I said to her politely. I may not like her but that doesn't mean I should be rude to her as well. "Hi! I'm Elyse, you're from STEM right? " she asked. wow I hate to admit this but she looks so pretty up close. No wonder these two guys like her so much.

"Ah oo. and you're from ABM like them?" I asked even though I knew already. Lucas gave me this look like he was about to laugh. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at him. Hindi naman yata nya ako ibubuking dito. Subukan lang nya at baka magka emergency confession siya dito.

"Yes. but hindi kami pareho ng section." she said. Duh, I know. Nastalk ko na lahat ng babaeng classmate ni Ivan first day palang ng school.

"Kakain din ba kayo? Patapos na kami eh." I said, wanting to leave already.

"Huh? kakain pa ako V, gutom pa ako. Dito muna tayo." I looked at him weirdly. 15 na kwekkwek ang naubos niya at gutom pa siya? alam ko namang patay gutom to pero sobra na ata. " Oh Diba gusto mo yung ube ice cream? bili ka muna doon oh." tinuro nya yung tindahan na nagbebenta ng desert. Makabili na nga lang.

Bumili ako ng ube ice cream yung nasa cone.

" You do know he just made that excuse to hang out with Elise right?"

Nagulat ako sa biglang pagsulpot ni Lucas. Oo na, alam ko naman yun. Anong gagawin ko? Iiwan ko siya dito? Ang halata naman nun.

"Mind your own love life okay?" Inirapan ko nalang siya.

"Bad mood ah, ako nga lang kakampi mo ngayon. Bakit? gusto mo ba maki kulitan sa kanila?" I looked at them eating, laughing about a joke Ivan made. Medyo malayo kami sa kanila kaya hindi kami nila napapansin. Minsan talaga naiisip ko background character lang ako sa buhay nila eh. Ayaw ko namang maging antagonist, pero at least yung antagonist may mas malaking role sa buhay ng bida kesa sa filler role lang diba?

" Masokista ka ba? Wag mo na silang tingnan kung malulungkot ka rin naman." Sabi ni Lucas.

"Pareho naman tayong nakatingin sa kanila eh. Masokista ka rin." sabi ko.

Hinila na niya ako pabalik sa pwesto nina Ivan. Nagpatuloy lang silang kumain at around 6pm ay naisipan narin namin umuwi.

Sabay kaming pumunta sa sakayan ng jeep, sa other side ng highway ang sakayan ni Ellise kaya dun narin kami naghiwalay.

Paalis na kami ni Ivan ng tawagin ako ni Lucas.

"Vera! muntik ko na makalimutan." he put something in my hair and I took it out to see what it is, hairpin ko lang pala. Paano napunta sa kanya to? "Naiwan mo nung saturday." I wore it again and said thanks. He waved us goodbye and we said our goodbyes as well.

"V." tawag ni Ivan sa akin.

"hmm?" Patuloy ang pagtutok ko sa paparating na jeep. Uwing uwi na ako at ang dami pang taong nag aabang makasakay.

"Do you like--"

Hinila ko na si Ivan kase may jeep na huminto at tatlong tao nalang yung makakasakay. Nung nakaupo na kami naalala kong maysinabi pala si Ivan, hindi ko narinig nang maayos dahil ang ingay kanina, hassle talaga magcommute.

"Ano nga pala yung sinabi mo kanina?" tanong ko.

"Nah, nothing important" he said.

I just shrugged it off. Today was a tiring day. I cant wait to go home.