The Perfect Side of You (TAGALOG)

Chapter 7

Cringe

I was still leaning my head on the desk and ranting silently when I heard tje door opened. I peeked under my arms and saw Greige, alone, entered the room. I rolled my eyes and continued ranting. But this time, just inside my head.

Rinig ko lamang ang bangko niyang gumalaw at paniguradong umupo siya doon, mag-aaral siguro. Katahimikan lamang ang bumalot sa amin. Hindi ko kayang tiisin iyon pero.. I don't want to initiate a conversation 'no. That's not a girl should ever do. Or sa 'pag sa akin lang? Never mind. Basta hindi ako ang magsisimula ng usapan. Besides, kami lang dalawa ang nandito sa room. Tanging tunog lang ng aircon ang bahagyang maingay at ang labas ng classroom.

Maya-maya lang ay bumukas ang pintuan. I sighed and raised a gaze to who was it but then there I saw Marco standing on the door, looking at me. Mukhang kagagaling niya lamang sa pagtakbo dahil hinihingal siya.

"Genieva.." he said before walking to me. I glanced at Greige out of nowhere and just saw him reading on his book he was holding. I looked back at Marco who was now sitting beside me. I cleared my throat and fixed my skirt first before I shifted my weight on my seat.

"I'm sorry for what Mika did—" I immediately cut him with a chuckle.

"It's.. okay. Don't worry. Where is she now? Iniwan mo siya mag-isa?" I asked him and tucked some strands of my hair behind my ear. 

Marco nodded and smiled at me. "What time is your next class?" he asked.

I glanced at my wrist watch. "Later at 1 o' clock after lunch time," I replied and looked at him again. Tumango siya at umisod pa ng kaunti sa side ko.

"I thought you're just alone here. Didn't know that you're with your classmate."

Napatingin tuloy ako kay Greige na magbabasa pa rin pero ngayon ay nakakunot na ang noo at seryoso na ang tingin sa libro.

"Uh.." I chuckled and shook my head. "It's fine. Huwag mo na lang siyang pansinin. Busy naman siya sa pagbabasa.." 

"Oh.. right. Are you busy later after school? We already didn't continue going out tommorow," aniya at bahagyang tumawa. Sinandal niya ang magkabilang siko sa desk habang nakatingin sa akin na may halong ngiti sa mga labi.

I glided my tongue on the inside of my cheek and bit my lip. "Uhm..—"

"Your friends can join us if you want, Genieva."

I c****d my head to the side and looked away. "Kailangan ko pa kasing mag-review mamaya.. sorry.."

"It will not take hours naman, Genieva. Come on.." kulit niya. Kung hindi lang ako naging rude sa kanyang kahapon, kanina ko pa siya tinarayan dahil ang kulit niya. Katatapos lang namin ni Mika and dadagdag pa itong si Marco. I hate letter M.

"I already said na busy ako mamaya. I don't want my grade to fall like yours. Maybe," I told him as I shrugged my shoulders and looked away.

Marco followed my gaze. "My grades aren't falling. Maybe you're the one who's falling," he said and a smirk crept on his lips. 

My brows furrowed. "Falling for what?" taka kong tanong at kinuha na ang notebook ko inside my mind.

"Falling for me.." natigilan ako at muntikan pang mahulog ang ballpen ko kakakuha ko lamang galing sa loob ng bag ko.

"Cringe."

Napasulyap ako ng mag-salita bigla si Greige sa likod. Maging si Marco rin ay narinig iyon at bahagyang nainis. Is he pertaining on what Marco told me or it was just because of what he was reading?

"Hey," seryosong sabi ni Marco at tumayo tsaka hinarap si Greige na nasa bandang likod. 

Nag-angat naman ng tingin si Greige at ibinaba ang librong hawak niya. 

"Why?"

"What do you mean, cringe?" 

"Marco, sit down," I told him. Huminga siyang malalim at tumango bago bumalik sa tabi ko. He ran a hand through his hair. 

"I'm sorry. Masiyado lang kasi siyang chismoso at pala-sali sa usapan," ani Marco at tumawa pero halata ang inis doon.

"What are you talking about? I'm just reading on my book. The scene is too cringe, man," biglang tugon ni Greige at umiling. Tumayo ito pero bago pa man makalabas ay may sinabi pa ako.

"Well, the scene here is too cringe like what you told her," nanlaki ang mga mata ko at agad na hinawakan ang braso ni Marco ng akmang tatayo at susugurin si Greige na ngayon ay nakalabas na ng classroom dala-dala pa rin ang libro niya.

"Sige na. Sasama na lang ako mamaya. Wala ka pa bang klase? Baka late ka na. Hahatid na kita sa labas," sabi ko dahil ako lang ang namu-murwisyo sa kanya. At least I ask him to go away but not in a rude way. Hindi masiyadong halata na pinapalayas ko na siya diba?

He glanced at his wrist watch and nodded his head. "Oh, right."

Tumayo na kaming pareho at lumakad na kami palabas ng room. I gasped a bit when the sun heat hugged my skin as soon as we got out of the room. Ang init dito sa labas. My god. I really want to be inside the class because it's much colder than being here outside. Wala rin naman akong gagawin dito sa labas since wala na naman akong crush and useless na ang manatili sa labas ng room tuwing break time.

And oh, I forgot to tell Lexie to cross out Greige name on my crush list. Masunurin naman ako kaya gagawin ko ang gustong mangyari ni Greige. I'll cross out his name. Pakielam ko kung mawala siya sa crush list ko. Hindi naman siya malaking kawalan.

"Sige na. Bye!" I said and waved my hand a bit at him.

"Hm. Bye. See you later, Genieva," he also waved his hand at me before walking away. Nang mawala na siya sa paningin ko ay para akong nakahinga ng maluwag at pumasok na sa room. Pero halos mapatalon ako sa gulat ng makitang muli si Greige na papaupo na naman pabalik sa upuan niya, abala pa rin sa pagbabasa. 

"I'm sorry for Marco. He just maybe misunderstood what you said.." I told him and closed the door again before I sat back to my seat. 

"Hm," tanging tugon niya at napabuga na lamang ako ng hininga. Hindi na siya pinansin at kinausap pa. At least I didn't ignore him and didn't even apologize to him for what Marco acted towards him.

When our class has ended, I quickly slid all my stuffs inside my bag because I really didn't want to go out with Marco and I'm sure that if I'll take down his invitation, he'll just ask me to come with him over and over again and I will just lash out at him which I don't want to act right in front of him.

"What's with the quick moves?" tanong ni Reine at nagsi-silid na rin ng mga gamit sa loob ng bag niya pero mabagal lamang kumpara sa akin na talaga mabilis.

"Uh. Emergency at home. I someone ask for me, tell them I can't right now. Emergency and will be busy at home, okay?" I told them.

"Sure."

"Hatid ka na namin in front of the gate?" Lexie offered and I shook my head. 

"No, I can manage. Thanks. Goodbye! See you on monday!" I told them before rushing out of the room and ran down the stairs of the building. 

When I'm already outside the school, I just rode in a cab because waiting for our driver will just take time. Baka maabutan pa ako ni Marco at lumabas pa kami ngayon. 

I'm already inside the cab and left the school when my phone suddenly beeped.

I checked on it and saw Lexie texted. 

Lexie:

Marco asked me a few minutes ago after you left. May date daw pala kayo?

Napataas ang kilay ko ng mabasa ang salitang DATE. Who told them na date 'yon? Si Marco ba? Ugh. That guy. Napaka-assuming naman niya. We will just go out and that's it. He didn't inform me na it will be a date pala. Good thing that I didn't go out with Marco this time. And I won't really next time.

Me:

It's not even a date. He just asked me to go out with him after school but there's an emergency at home so I can't come. 

Lexie:

Okay. I already told him. Kaalis lang niya. And oo nga pala. You left here you hanky. Buti na lang nakita ni Greige and ibinigay sa amin.

I read the new sent message again and immediately checked my skirt's pocket. My hanky's really not in here! Ugh. Damn it. 

Me:

Okay, tell him thanks.

seen

Siya na lang ang mag-thank you since hindi naman kami close, friends or even acquaintance. For him, actually.

When I reached the house, I just took a quick shower and changed my clothes into pajamas before sitting on my study table to review my notes most especially on mathematics since I didn't listen earlier because of Greige really distracted me that made me out of focus during our class.

I was about to start reading when someone suddenly knocked on my door. I glanced at it.

"Come in."

Iniluwa niyon si Mommy. She's wearing a fancy dress even if she's just at home. That's her usual clothes everyday with or without any events will happen. She was just too classy. Buti na lang at hindi ko iyon namana maging ang kahiligan niya sa mga expensive jewelries.

"Mommy, why?" I asked her as I started to review. She sat on the bed and looked around my room.

"You should change the color of your room in a combination of white and gold. You chose an old color instead of a fancy one. White and gold really suit your room and you, yourself," pauna niyang sabi na nakapagpa-buntong hininga sa akin.

"Mommy, I already told you that I like this colors. Gray and white."

I heard her scoffed. "This looked like a room of a guy. You better really change it, Genieva. Do what I say."

Umiling ako. "I can just change the furnitures or my stuffs here but not the color of it, Mommy. Please."

I really don't like white and gold. I swear. I'm sick of that kind colors.

"Change it or freeze your bank account?" she threatened that made me turned to her in shock.

"Mommy!"

"What? It was just easy, Genieva! I'll call the painters right away!" pilit niya na sadyang nagpa-init ng ulo ko. Pero hindi ko naman kayang masagot si Mommy. I still respect her even with this. I took out my phone and dialed Dad's number.

"I'll call Daddy. I'll tell him about this!" bigkas ko. She crossed her arms.

"You Dad already agreed to this. He also doesn't like the colorsz, Genieva." 

My brows arched but I shook my head. Still having my hope because I know that Daddy can't resist me. I'll beg on him if I should.

"Then try him. Call him while I'm here," I was patiently tapping my fingers on my desk and in a few ring, Dad finally answered the phone.

"Hello, Genieva. What's wrong?" he seriously asked me. 

I cleared my throat first and glanced at Mom who's now roaming around my room but I know she's really listening on the call.

"Uh, Dad. Did you really agreed for changing the colors of my room? Please say no. Please," I told him and crossed my fingers under the table.

He went silently for a moment until he let out a heavy sigh. "Yes. Your rooms looked awful with those colors. I don't have a guy child."

I groaned and harshly shifted my weight on my seat. I saw how a smirk crept on my Mom's lips. I simply rolled my eyes.

"No. Daddy. You can't resist when it comes to me, right? Please, Daddy. I really hate white and gold. Better change you approval!" I pleaded more and almost crying with it.

"Genieva, trust your Mom. The colors will really suit you and in your room. Don't you like it? It will just looked so fancy in a single look," pangungumbinsi pa sa akin ni Daddy pero hindi ko talaga gusto.

"Just freeze my bank account, Dad. I won't really do that."

"Hm. Are you sure? You don't have any money with you at all, Genieva. Don't be stubborn. It's just a colors!" Inis ng sabi ni Daddy. But I already decided. Just freeze my account instead of what they want to do with my room.

"No. Dad. I earned—I think enough money for my daily allowance. It's really okay," I said but the insides of me are acting the opposite of my fina decision. The half of me are being problematic. Paano na ang pambili ko ng Starbucks everyday? My lunch! My snacks! Oh my god. As far as I know, mga thirty-thousand lang ang naipon ko! Is it enough for a week? Baka pang-three days ko lang iyon since I'm planning to buy bags for me tommorow! But.. I think I can't do it anymore because of the situation I'm having right now. Damn it! It's just a limited edition! Goodness!

"Are you really sure, Genieva? We will not give you even a single cent for your allowance."

"Y—Yes, Dad."

"Okay. I'll call my secretary to freeze your account now. Bye. I still need to do something. Tell your Mom I'll be home later at exactly six in the evening."

Tumango ako. "Sure, Dad. Bye. Love you."

"Hm. Love you too."

And the call ended.

Dang it. I'll really turn to be poor starting tommorow. Oh god. Help me, Dear Lord.

But my bags.. I really need to buy them. Ugh! I'll find ways tommorow!! Maybe I can ask for a money on my friends tommorow? That's such a shame for me but I really need to buy that limited edition designer bags! 

Me:

Let's meet tommorow, Lexie. Bring your card. Tell Reine about this too and bring her card.

Lexie:

Sure! Where? I'm in.

Me:

In the mall near the school. 

Lexie:

G! I'll tell Reine after this! Owemji. I love to hang out with you, guys :)

Me:

 Just bring both of your cards.

'Lexie liked your message'