The Perfect Side of You (TAGALOG)

Chapter 6

Tap

Greige Morall:

I can't find you! I'm on my way to the police station!

Halos mabuwag ako sa kinahihigaan ko ng biglang mag-pop up ang message niya sa taas ng screen ko. Oh my god! Is he being serious? Reporting it to the police?!

I immediately called his number and in just a ring, he immediately answered it.

"Greige! Where are you?" I asked in panic as I stood up from my bed, pacing back and forth.

What the hell?

"Where are you?" he asked. Greige seemed in panic too.

"The hell! Stop the car!" I yelled and sat back on my bed as I held my forehead. I didn't expect him to do something like this seriously! God!

"Wait, what?! Really, where are you, Genieva?" ang tono ng pananalita niya ay parang natataranta at kinakabahan. I don't know if I should still be flatter even with our current situation right now or not.

"Ugh, Greige! I am just joking about the kidnap! I didn't expected you would take this seriously—"

My lips parted when he ended the call and still talking. I groaned and just threw my phone and me on the bed, feeling a bit guilty of what I have done right now. Should I apologize to him?—Of course, no! I will not apologize to him! Besides, he just left me in the taxi without any words for me! Can you blame me? Binawian ko lang siya! But much worst than he did to me! We're just quits!

Hindi ko na lamang iyon pinansin at nag-aral na lamang para bukas.

"Hey," I called him as I blocked his way with both of my arms. He stopped but he didn't even glance down on me. I pressed my lips and breathed in. "Okay. I'm sorry okay? Sorry."

Dadaan sana siya sa gilid ko pero agad muli akong humarang at napatigil muli siya.

"You're blocking my way. Get off," he said and shoved me with his hand before he continued walking, leaving me dumb-founded right here. What the hell?! I immediately followed him and harshly pulled his arm that made Greige face me. His serious and intimidating eyes bore into mine. I flipped my hair and crossed my arms. He was taller than me so I still need to raised my gaze at him just to looked at his eyes.

"You're a snob! I already apologize! Ang arte-arte mo!" I yelled at him and advance a step. He was just staring at me but he seemed not move with my bold words. "Eh who told you ba na hanapin mo 'ko kahapon? At ang stupid-stupid mo naman na naniwala kang na-kidnap ako ng taxi driver! Duh, may pepper spray kaya ako inside my bag and stuffs that can defend me from bad people 'no! What do you think of me? Stupid like you? Oh my god," I said right in front of his damn face and rolled my eyes at him.

Some students here are already giving us a glance but the hell I care! Nakakainis na itong lalaking 'to!

"Tapos ka na?"

I literally blink twice with his reply. That's all he will reply to me? As in, that's all?!

"What if I'm not yet done pa?" I yelled at him and widened my eyes at him. He just blink boredly.

"Napaka-bungangera mo naman masiyado. You're too nosy."

My lips parted as my brows furrowed.

"What?!"

"Oh, shut up," aniya bago ako tinalikuran. Pero bago pa man siya makapaglakad ay kinapitan ko na ang handle sa taas ng bag niya at hinila iyon para mabalik siya sa'kin. Muntik pa siyang bumagsak sa sahig sa lakas ng hatak ko. I heard him softly cursed.

"We're not even finish!" I told him.

"Genieva!" napalingon ako sa tumawag sa'kin bigla. I immediately frowned when I saw Marco walking towards our direction. I withdrew my hold from Greige's bag's handle and faced Marco.

"Hey, why?" I asked him when he already neared me. I felt a bit guilty yesterday that I just ditched our plan of having a milktea because Marco will joining us. I should at least act kindly to him this time since I liked him before naman.

"You already left yesterday. I'm sorry," he apologize and scratched the back of his head. I chuckled and shook my head.

"No. I'm being rude to you yesterday. I'm the one who needs to be sorry. I'm really sorry, Marco."

"It's okay. But.." he shrugged his shoulders and smiled genuinely at me. "I'll walk you to your room since.. same building lang naman tayo? If it was just okay with you," he seemed being careful when he say those words.

"Oh! Sure! It's okay," I gripped tightly on my bag as I smiled at him. Marco nodded and ran a hand through his hair that made it a bit messier but it does still looked good at him. After that, we already walked up to the stairs together to the second floor of the building.

We made a few talks more before we already reached our room. I turned to Marco and smiled at him.

"Thanks for walking with.. me," I told him and chuckled. I glanced at the hallway and saw some students there whispering to each other while looking at me and Marco. I just simply rolled my eyes at them before turning to Marco.

"It's nothing. Would you mind grabbing a lunch with me later? It's fine with me if it's not okay with you or having your friends to join us," he said and beamed.

Tumango ako. "Sure. Okay lang sa'kin. But we don't have the same time for lunch, right?" I asked confusedly.

He chuckled. "I'll find my ways. Or maybe.. our teacher in that time will not attend the class. Don't worry.  I'll find ways," then Marco winked at me. May sasabihin pa sana ako pero nakita ko na ang teacher namin na papalapit na sa classroom namin. Napatikhim ako ng taasan niya ako ng kilay sabay sulyap kay Marco.

"Uh. Let's just continue this later, Marco. Andiyan na kasi si Miss," I told him. Napatingin siya kay Miss bago tumango sa akin.

"Okay. Hmm.. bye?"

"Hm," tumango ako at ngumiti. "Bye."

Pagkatapos noon ay kumaway na lang siya sa akin at naglakad na pababa ng building.

Malapit lang ang building ng senior highschool sa amin kaya madali lang puntahan. Pero I'm not saying naman na pupuntahan ko siya sa building nila 'no. I will never do that.

"Go inside the classroom now, Ms. Dela Vega," nagulat ako ng nasa harapan ko na ang next teacher namin. I greeted her first but she just ignored the hell out of me so I already turned and sat back to my chair.

We greeted her first before she told us our lesson for today and who got the highest score on our quiz yesterday. And all in all, it was just fifty items on our quiz.

"Amorsolo, 34... Prajeda, 48... Morall, fifty... and Dela Vega also got the highest score same as Morall, fifty."

My smile grew wider when I got a perfect score again but it faded when I remembered Greige Morall! I left him kanina noong dumating bigla si Marco! When we walked up stairs, I remembered na he's not right beside me anymore! Nilayasan niya ba ako?! Ugh!

I turned to him on the second row and just saw him staring at the board where our teacher is writing something. I frowned and was about to face the front when he looked back at me as he started to tap his ballpen on his desk. I don't know why me cheeks suddenly flustered because of that. Kaagad na lamang akong nag-iwas ng tingin dahil napaka-seryoso niya ako kung tingnan. So the result, lutang lang ako buong klase ng mathematics today. Ugh. We might have our quiz again tommorow and yet, I didn't focus on our lesson for today! Damn it! I'll just self-study later at home. I shouldn't pull down my grades or else, I might depress or something.

"Hey, kanina ka pa here?" I asked Marco when I neared the table he was not sitting at. Mas nauna pa siya sa amin dito kahit paniguradong may klase sila ngayon.

Lexie and Reine were just standing behind me, holding their trays with food too.

Marco stood up and looked at me. A smile flashed on his face. "Yes. My classmate announced that our teacher this time can't attend her class so.." nagkibit-balikat siya at tumawa.

I nodded and smiled. "Can we?" tanong ko at tumingin sa seat.

Napatingin din siya roon at hindi ko inasahang ipaghahatak niya ako ng bangko bago ako roon umupo.

"Thank you," I told him and he nodded before he sat back to his chair.

"Naks naman. Pahinging namang taga-hila ng bangko ko." ani Lexie at tumawa. Napalingon kami ng biglang may sumigaw.

"Ipaghahatak kita ng upuan, Lexie! Gusto mo?" natawa ako ng makita ang kakulitan niyang lalaki na si Denzel. Malawak ang mapang-asar nitong ngiti at itinataas-baba pa ang kanyang mga kilay.

"Tse! Ihuhulog mo lang ako sa sahig! Sapakin kita diyan eh!" si Lexie at pinaghatak na lamang ang sarili niya ng bangko at umupo. Hinila ko ang bangko naman ni Reine gamit ang paa ko sa ilalim ng mesa para maupo siya roon since katapat namin siya at katabi niya si Marco at kami naman ang magkatabi ni Lexie. She thanked me first before sitting on her chair but Reine seemed off today. Does she have any problem? Maybe she's not feeling well again like before. I'll ask her later.

"Kamusta naman kayo ni Mika, Marco? Kayo pa rin?" napatingin ako kay Lexie ng mag-salita ito sa tabi ko. Marco looks surprised with her question that made him shifted his weight on his seat. He know that we did know why did they do that. I mean, being a fake couple just to make me uncrush him? I won't forget about that.

"Uh," Marco nervously chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. "You know.. I'm sorry, guys. Most especially Genieva. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It was just Mika who told me to do that. I didn't know you had a.. uh, crush on me—" I quickly cut him off.

"Before."

Tumango siya at nag-iwas ng tingin sa akin bago tumikhim. "Before, right."

"Pero bagay naman kayo ni Mika. Diba Genieva?" pangungulit ni Lexie at gumawa ng hugis puso gamit ang kanyang mga kamay. Napa-iling na lamang ako at natawa ng bahagya bago sinimulang kumain. Pero bago pa man iyon ay napansin ko na si Reine na hindi ginagalaw ang kanyang pagkain.

I kicked his feet a bit under the table that made her looked at me.

"Are you okay?" I worriedly mouthed at her and she just smiled and nodded her head at me. "Are you sure? I can bring you to the clinic," I told her but she just shook her head and chuckled a bit pero halatang pilit lamang iyon. Gusto ko pa siyang kulitin pero baka makulitan lamang siya sa akin at magalit kaya hinayaan ko na lamang siya at nagsimulang kumain ng lunch.

"Marco!" napalingon kami sa sumigaw. I shut my eyes when I saw Mika walking towards our direction. I breathed in and told my mind and self to try to calm down if she ever want to fight with me. Napatingin din sa akin sina Lexie at Marco pero nagpatuloy lamang ako sa pag-kain at hindi na pinansin pa ang paparating na impakta.

"Hey, Mika. What are you doing here? You have a class, right?" tanong ni Marco.

Wow. He did know about her schedules? Senior high na din kasi si Mika but as far as I know, magkaiba sila ng sections and schedule.

"Why? You don't want me here?— Oh! Hi Lexie and Reine! What's up?" ani Mika at bahagyang tumawa. Hindi ko alam kung maiinis ako dahil hindi niya ako binati kahit alam at nakikita niyang nandito ako or matutuwa kasi buti naman at hindi niya ako pinansin?

"We're good, Mika. Ikaw? Ayos ka pa ba?" tanong ni Lexie pero parang may laman iyon na sadyang nakapag-patawa sa akin ng bahagya. I sipped on my water, trying to hide my laugh.

"Ayos naman ako, Lexie. Eh 'yang kaibigan mo? Ayos pa rin bang lumandi ng senior?"

At doon na napawi bigla ang tawa na pinipigilan ko kanina lang. I breathed in to stay calm myself. I licked my lower lip and put down the glass of water on the table, staring at it now just to distract myself from the conversation that was now heating up.

"Mika, enough of that. Go back to your class," saway ni Marco at tumayo.

"Why?" natatawang tanong ni Mika at nilapitan pa ako. "Natatakot ba siyang umamin? Eh totoo namang mahilig talaga siya sa mas matanda sa kanya."

I gritted my teeth and can't control myself anymore. I quickly stood uo and faced her. A smirked flashed on his stupid-ugly face like she went succeeded on something.

"Wow. Look who's saying here. Buti nga ako isang taon lang. Eh ikaw? Pumapatol pa nga sa may asawa na! Edi mas malandi kang animal ka!" I lashed out and clenched my fist in anger. Akala niya hindi ko alam 'yon? Mas makati pa siya sa akin!

Her eyes widened in shocked and all students here started to whisper om each other. I chuckled at his priceless reaction. Napatingin siya sa buong cafeteria at kitang-kita sa pagmumukha niya ang pagkapahiya.

"Ano? Bago ka kasi tumuro ng kung sino ang mas malandi, tingnan mo muna ang sarili mo sa salamin kahit hindi kanais-nais ang mukha na makikita mo!" I added before I stormed out of the cafeteria and walked straight to our classroom.

"Goddamn it!" I screamed and just leaned my head on the desk. That girl really triggered the hell out of me! Goodness.