The Perfect Side of You (TAGALOG)

Chapter 9

Nahihiya

"I already told you. I can manage. Our driver was just one call away," I repeated when we reached on his car. He's now buckling his seatbelt but I am not. I said I don't want him to drive me home pero masiyado siyang mapilit.

"Buckle your seatbelt," he commanded and turned on the engine with his key.

I shook my head and looked outside the window. "No."

I heard him heavily sighed and I startled when he just leaned towards my side and reached for the seatbelt on my side before he buckled it himself.

I blinked twice. His scent really invaded my nose.

"I told you, ayaw ko nga!"

"If you want to die, ayaw kong sabit ako. I'll drive you to the high cliff if you want. Doon ka magpakamatay," he answered without even filtering his words.

"You're so harsh!"

"As much as you are."

I groaned and just crossed my arms over my chest. I can sue him! k********g!

"Where's your house?"

I rolled my eyes. "Why would I tell you? I don't know baka mamaya r****t ka or a thief."

"I'm rich and contented. Hindi ko kailangan ng katawan o pera niyo."

"Whatever."

"I maybe guess where you live then."

I chuckled sarcastically. "Goodluck, then."

"Are you my stalker? How did you know this is our house? Oh my god! Stalker!" I hit his arms with both of my hands but he's not even flinching.

"Stop it. I have sources, you know. I'm rich."

"Who ask if you're rich? As if I want to know that! Stalker!" I yelled at him before unbuckling my seatbelt and get off his car. I slammed the door and entered our gate without even saying my thank you to him. I don't care! I didn't ask him to do that anyway!

"Hey, hija," napatingin ako kay Mommy na kagagaling lamang sa kusina. I walked to her and kissed her cheeks.

"Hi, Mom. Why?" I asked her and gripped tightly on the paper bags I am holding. She looked down on it and I saw how her brow shot up. Why?

OH DAMN IT!

Agad kong itinago ang designer paper bags sa likod ko kahit alam kong nakita niya na ang mga hawak-hawak ko. I bit my lip. The hell. Ni-freeze nila ang account ko kaya ngayon, nagtataka si Mommy kung paano ko nabili ang mga mamahaling gamit na mga ito. Oh!

"It seems that you didn't use your own money for that," she said and looked directly at my eyes. I immediately looked away from her gaze and think of an alibi.

"I.. I borrowed some money on Lexie and.. and Reine," I lied. Eh dapat naman kasi talaga si Lexie ang unang magbabayad nito! But she lefr and I can't leave the bags because it's such a shame! That I don't have my own money to pay those bags! Tatawagan ko na naman kasi sana si Dad but naunahan ako ng Marco na iyon! Mas napahiya pa tuloy ako lalo!

"You did?" takang tanong ni Mommy dahil alam niyang never kong nagawang manghiram ng pera galing sa iba. I bit my lip and nodded my head. If she just know that it was Marco instead of my friends, I'm dead.

"It's okay. Ikaw naman ang napahiya at hindi kami ng Daddy mo. We already told you to change the colors—" I cut her off immediately. If this has nothing to do with Marco, I can just pay my friends until next week but it was. Kailangan kong mabayaran agad-agad si Marco dahil ayaw kong mapahiya talaga sa kanya at mapagkamalang walang pera.

"Change it now, Mom."

Tumaas lalo ang kilay niya at ipinagkrus ang mga braso. "What made you decide like that?" my mother mockingly asked. I glided my tongue on the insides of my cheeks and breathed in.

"I need to pay my friends tommorow," maikling sagot ko na nakapagpa-tango sa kanyang ulo.

"Okay, then. We will re-paint it right away. Use your other room upstairs."

I nodded my head before I bid my goodbye and walked upstairs to my other room. I have three rooms here kasi. One for where I usually stay everyday, second for a room but with a gaming area— which I don't usually use and last for a room where I usually stay in when my friends are here and that's the room where I'll gonna spend my night with.

I opened the door, switched on the lights—chandeliers on the sala and on my walk-in closet— then threw my bag on the couch before I changed my clothes into PJs.

Pagkatapos ay binuksan ko na ang television tsaka nahiga na sa kama. Kinuha ko ang telepono na nasa bed side table at tinawagan ang mga kasambahay na nasa baba, sa kusina. I want to eat foods right now. I'm hungry.

In a few ring, someone already picked up the call.

"Hello po?"

"I want to have a large okinawa milktea and cheese popcorns right now, please."

"Oh, Ma'am Genieva? Sige po, sige po!"

"Okay, thanks," I said before I ended the call and put it back to where it as before.

I sighed and just search for a new movie on Netflix. I'm so bored and I just want to rest myself first before I continued studying later.

"Genieva!" napalingon ako sa tumawag sa akin at nagulat ako ng makita si Marco. It was monday again today and I just entered the school. He  neared me. Hingal na hingal siya, siguro ay sa paghabol sa akin.

Medyo kinabahan ako dahil naalala ko ang ginawa niya noong sabado. I took a small step backwards. He seemed to notice what I did but he just let out a small nervous smile at it.

"Uh.. I'm sorry about what happened and what I did on Saturday," he apologized and bit his lower lip a bit.

Tumango ako. "It's.. okay. I understand. And oh, I'll pay you now. Should I just transfer your money to your account?" I asked him.

Umiling siya sa akin. "Hindi na talaga kailangan.. just consider that as my gift for you.. even though it's still not your birthday on that day. Hayaan mo na.. or just consider that as my apology gift for you," he said. I shook my hands in front of him.

"No.. I don't want to have a debt on someone. Really.. I'll pay you now. As in right now."

"Hindi na talaga. I just want to apologize to you. So.. I still have a class. Bye!" he then ran away.

"Marco!" I called him but he already faded on my sight.

I just let out a heavy sigh and stared at where he faded when someone strangled me with an arm.

"What the?!"

"Ikaw ha! Bakit na naman kayo nag-uusap ni Marco? Kayo na ba?!" narinig kong tanong sa akin ni Lexie sabay gulo sa buhok ko. I pinched her side that made her get off me.

My brows furrowed in annoyance as I fixed my hair because she definitely ruined it!

Kasama niya pala si Reine. She was just looking at the senior high building. Looking at the large painting there on the wall.

"Damn you, Lexie. I brushed this hair for about half an hour!" I ranted and took out my brush from my bag because my fingers can't straighten my hair back again.

Lexie just laugh and waited for me to finish. After that, she pulled us up to our classroom. Malamig na agad sa loob. My eyes suddenly glances at Greige who glanced at me too then looked away immediately. As usual, he was sitting beside Bella. I poked Lexie's shoulder when we are already seated.

"What?" she asked and turned to me. "Anong chimis?" I rolled my eyes and chuckled at what she said. Ang chismosa niya talaga.

"I forgot to tell you to cross out Greige name now," agad na kumunot ang noo niya sa sinabi ko.

Napaayos siya na upo at mariing tumingin sa akin. "Are you serious? Hindi mo pa nga nasusubukan. Inaaway mo lang."

I sighed. "Nasubukan ko na but it failed. Cross it out now. I'm done with that list. It's very non-sense," ani ko at nilabas na lamang ang libro sa bag ko para makapag-advance reading for next subject since nakatulog na ako kagabi kaka-Netflix.

"Oo nga pala.. ito 'yung hanky na nakita ni Greige noong nakaraan pa. Ngayon ko lang naalala. Mag-thank you ka sa kanya. Nakalimutan ko noon eh," sabay bigay niya sa akin ng panyo ko na nakalimutan ko na ring kuhanin sa kanya.

"Bakit hindi ka pa nakapag- thank you sa kanya? Ayaw ko ngang mag-thank you eh," I told her. She widened her eyes at me.

"Thank you lang naman! Ikakamatay mo ba 'yon?" tanong niya at nagbasa na sa notebook niya.

"Ikaw na kasi! Sabihin mo nakalimutan mo lang.."

"Bahala ka diyan. Try mo kay Reine baka gusto niya."

Agad kong nilingon si Reine pero wala siya roon. I blinked twice. Nasaan siya?

"Reine left."

"Huh? Baka nasa comfort room lang.."

"Oh okay. Hintayin ko na lang.."

"Ikaw na kasi!" pilit ni Lexie at biglang lumingon. "GREIGE! MAGTE-THANK YOU DAW SI GENIEVA! OH GENIEVA! NAHIHIYA-HIYA KA PA EH!"

Literal na nanlaki ang mga mata ko at agad na hinila ang buhok niya. She groaned. I glanced at Greige na ngayo'y nakakunot na ang noo habang nakatingin sa amin. I awkwardly smiled and raised my hanky.

"T—Thank you nga pala for giving this back.. uhm, noong nakaraan. Thanks," I said at hindi na hinintay pa ang sasabihin or reaksiyon niya at agad na humarap sa unahan.

NAKAKAHIYA! OH MY GOD!