The Perfect Side of You (TAGALOG)

Chapter 5

Taxi

I don't know why but I am having a bad mood since I woke up earlier up to now. I am now eating my lunch with Lexie and Reine here in the cafeteria. I am just focused eating on my food. I can feel their stares at me but I just ignored it because I am really in a bad mood today.

"Genieva," I heard her called me and cleared her throat. I raised my gaze to her, brows still arched.

She licked her lower lip. "Uh.. are you okay, Genieva?"

I just nodded at her and sipped on my juice beside my plate. I then wiped the sides of my mouth with a table napkin after I ate my lunch.

"Sure ka ba? Kanina ka pa tahimik eh—" I cut her off with an irritated expression plastered in my face.

"I nodded, okay? Does it mean 'no' to you?" naiinis kong tanong dahil tumango naman ako sa tanong niya at hind umiling.

Mukhang nagulat siya roon at tumango na lamang.

Maya-maya lang ay biglang may lumapit sa table namin. Tinignan ko iyon at nakita lamang si Belle na ngayon ay nakangiti sa amin. I looked behind her pero mag-isa lamang siya. Umirap ako ng pa-simple.

Buti naman at wala ang Greige na 'yon. Nakaka-stress ang pagmumukha niya. Bawat anggulo basta makita ko lang siya ay naiinis at nasisira na ang araw ko.

"Hi! I just want to ask something!" Belle said and giggled.

"As far as I know, we are not even close. Why are you asking us? Meron naman atang tutulong sa'yo. Close kayo diba?" I absent-mindedly told her that left her in awe. She blinked twice before she akwardly chuckled.

"Ahh.. si Lexie kasi talaga ang tatanungin ko, Genieva.. uh, hindi ikaw," she said, seems nervous with what she replied. I gritted my teeth and looked away but I just met Reine's eyes looking at me as she was containing her laugh. Maybe because of embarassment I got.

I cleared my throat. "You should have told us first to whom will you ask something. Bakit kasi bigla-bigla ka na lang sumusulpot sa table namin?" sagot ko.

Belle bit her lip and was about to answer more when someone held her shoulder. "Why are you here?" napa-ismid ako ng makita na naman si Greige. He didn't even take a glance at me—glance at us. Tsk. I just drank my juice in one shot before I took out my phone to just scroll through my socials.

"Hindi.. itatanong ko lang sana kay Lexie kung sasagutan pa ba yung sa activity 4—" nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kanya bago humalukipkip.

"Bakit naman kasi sa amin ka pa nagtatanong? Ayan oh, palagi naman kayo magkasama ng kalapit mo. Bakit hindi ka sa kanya magtanong? Partner ba kayo ni Lexie?" naiinis kong sabi sa kanya at ibinalik na lang muli sa phone ang tingin, magka-salubong pa rin ang mga kilay.

"Kasi wala kanina si—"

"Bella, let's go. You're just wasting your time here. What will you ask? I'll just help you in the library. Let's go," anyaya ni Greige bago hinila na paalis si Bella sa table namin. I blew the strands of my hair that's blocking my eyes.

"Huy."

"Genieva," si Reine at bahagya akong sinipa sa ilalim.

"Ano?" naiinis kong tanong.

"You're so mean to Bella. You should apologize to her—" I quickly cut her off.

"Why would I do that? The hell, Reine. Tigilan mo nga ako. Kung gusto mo ng apologize, edi ikaw na lang. Try mo," I told her and finally stood up before I walked out of the canteen and walking back to our room.

Wala naman sila sa room diba? Narinig ko na nasa library sila.

"Genieva."

Agad akong napatigil sa paglalakad at nilingon an tumawag sa akin. I then  saw Marco there, smiling at me. Hinarap ko siyang tuluyan at napatingin sa likod niya dahil baka nasa likod niya lang ang pangit na si Mika. Fake girlfriend, huh?

"What?" I boredly asked him and crossed my arms over my chest. I told you, once I already crossed your name out of my crush list, wala na talaga akong pakielam sa'yo. Tapos na ako sa'yo.

He chuckled like we are close and scratched the back of his head. "Are you busy after school?" Marco suddenly asked me. My brow literally shot up. I am not stupid not to know where he's up to. And if I am right, I'll immediately turn him down.

"Of course, I'm always busy so don't bother me," I told him before I turned my back against him and was about to continue walking when Marco grabbed my wrist. I looked at him over my shoulder.

"What? I still have something to do."

"Uh.. I know somewhere we can.. you now, grabbed snacks or hangout? I really have no one to go out with.. come on, Genieva. I know you like me."

Agad na kumunot ang noo ko at kinalas ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa palapulsuhan ko.

"Noon 'yon at hindi na ngayon. You're just a nobody for me now. So please, excuse me," I said before I finally walked back to our room.

"Hoy, Genieva! Ano 'tong bali-balita na nag-usap daw kayo ni Marco kanina?!" si Lexie na kakapasok lamang ng classroom kasama si Reine.

I rolled my eyes and stared at the book I am reading. Malakas ang boses ni Lexie kaya't rinig ng lahat ang sinabi niya dito sa classroom.

"Don't mind that. I don't care about him anyway."

Lexie nudged my side. "Grabe ka naman! Crush mo 'yon ah?" asar niya at tumawa. Umupo siya sa tabi ko at si Reine naman ay inilipat ang bangkuan niya sa gilid namin.

"Let's not talk about him, please. I don't like him anymore, Lexie."

"Weh? Ang sabi pa nga raw ay may paghawak pa siya sa wrist mo! Hindi ka ba kinilig ng kahit slight lang? 'Yung tipong nanginig ka lang ng isang segundo?" tanong niya pa at tumawa. I heavily sighed and closed my book.

"You are too nosy. Shut up. Can't you see? I am reading here," I told her that made her shut up her nosy mouth. Napailing na lamang ako at binuksan muli ang libro para makapagbasa. Sila naman ay nagpatuloy sa chismisan. Ang ingay nila. I swear.

"Genieva!" I shut my eyes and gripped on the books I am holding. Bakit ba ang kulit-kulit niya? Nakakainis na siya!

"I said don't bother me, Marco. I am busy right now," I told him as soon as he popped up, walking with me now.

He just have that genuinely smile in his face. If I just like him until now, I may be flatter with it. But no, I really, really don't like him anymore. I swear.

I stopped on the waiting area outside our school, waiting for my driver. Hindi ako makakasabay kay Dad ngayon dahil hanggang mamaya pa siya dito. May meeting ng mga teachers kasama siya sa faculty room at ayaw ko ng hintayin siya dahil matagal iyon. I still need to review my notes and have an advance reading on each of our subjects for tommorow. Good thing that we don't have any homeworks or activities this time so.. advance reading at review notes lang talaga an gagawin ko ngayon.

Umupo ako sa bench at binuklat lamang ang libro na hawak ko, iniignora siya na naka-upo rin sa tabi ko. I can sense his stare and it was making me uncomfortable.

"Stop staring at me."

He shifted his weight on his seat and cleared his throat. "It's really true that you're really studying so hard. You're a genius."

Okay. He already thought of a topic for us now to converse. But duh, I just nodded at him to end the conversation he wanted to have with me. I mean, I won't deny that I am really studying so hard that I just nodded my head at him for a reply since I really don't want to have a conversation with him. What's wrong with that, right?

"Genieva!" napaangat kami ng tingin ng marinig si Lexie na kasama ngayon si Reine sa likod niya.

"Hey, why?" I asked them and closed my book to focus on them.

Lexie suspiciously looked at me and Marco. I just rolled my eyes and stood up.

"Let's us just get out of here, girls," napatingin din si Reine kay Marco bago ibinalik ang tingin sa akin at ngumiti.

"Tara, I'm craving for milktea right now!" aya ni Reine at lumapit sa akin. Napatingin kami sa kanya.

"Oo nga! Milktea tayo! Want to join with us, Marco?" bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi ni Lexie.

"Hindi pwede si Marco, Lexie. Tara na," hinila ko siya pero nagpatinag ang babae. I shut my eyes and massaged my forehead.

"Sure! I'll join with you, girls," si Marco at narinig kong tumawa.

Sa inis ay lumakad na lamang ako palayo roon at pinara ang taxi na papaalis na sa harap ng school.

"Genieva! Teka lang!" si Lexie at akmang hahabulin pa ako pero tuluyan ko ng nabuksan ang pinto pero nagulat lamang ako ng makita siya roon. BUT I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!

Napabuga ako ng hangin bago sumakay na rin sa loob ng taxi.

Sinabi ko sa kanya ang address ng bahay namin, hindi pinapakielaman kung marinig man ng katabi ko dahil paki ko sa kanya. Kung pupunta man siya sa bahay namin, I won't let him go inside anyway. We have guards inside and outside of the house. We also have lots of CCTV cameras around our house so.. he can't definitely go inside our house to see me easily.

"Okay po, Ma'am."

"Let's go, Kuya," I told the driver and he just nodded. I startled a bit ng biglang kumatok si Lexie sa bintana ko pero tuluyan na talagang nakaalis ang taxi namin, iniwan na sila roon. I looked at the back to see them. Lexie were talking with Marco.

I sighed and just looked outside my window. But then I realized who's sitting right beside me right now. Agad ko siyang nilingon at nagulat pa rin ako na siya ngang talaga ang nasa tabi ko ngayon at kasama sa taxi. Bakit siya nagta-taxi? He was rich, right? Baka naghi-hirap na sila ngayon?

I smirked inside my mind. Poor boy, naghi-hirap na ata ang mga magulang.

He was with his earphones on both of his ears while he's focused scrolling through his phone. Greige looked so serious. Or just serious when I am around him? Tsk. Nevermind.

Umiwas agad ako ng tingin ng nilingon niya ako. "Don't stare at me—" I immediately cut his ass off.

"Who told you that I am? You're day dreaming. Poor boy, asyumero masiyado."

I thought he will still reply to me but he's not. I want to see what he was doing right now but I just decided na lang to took out my phone and scroll through my phone. I opened the camera and captured a photo of the outside of the window.

I then posted it on my story on insta and typed 'day dreaming, poor boy'. I just placed it on the corner of the photo and pinched out the text that made it smaller.

Just now

Agad na may mga nag-react sa story kong iyon. Ang iba ay tinatanong pa ako kung sino si poor boy at kung may boyfriend na raw ba ako. I rolled my eyes. I turned off my phone because I am still lazy to entertain friends and aquaintances on i********:. Katamad mag-type. They are just to many.

"Why did you put me on your story?" I was surprised when Greige suddenly talked to me. I looked around the taxi because he might be not talking to me. "I am talking to you."

Napatingin na ako sa kanya at napataas ng kilay. How did he know about that? We didn't even follow each other on i********:. Besides, my stories were private if someone's not following me.

"Are you sure that I am pertaining to you on my story? Ha!" inirapan ko siya at humalukipkip. Kita ko ang pag-sulyap ng driver sa amin sa rear-view mirror sa harap. "And why did you know that I have a story? You're stalking me with you dummy account and followed me?" I concluded and chuckled sarcastically.

But instead of denying what I said, the side of his lips just rose up and shook his head at me like he was amused with me.

"What?!" inis kong tanong sa kanya at sumiksik pa sa side ko. I didn't want our skin to touch up. Kadiri. Baka hinawakan pa siya ni Bella at mahawa ako sa kalandian niya. Umirap ako sa isip ko.

"Crazy."

Sasagot pa sana ako ng mag-salita ang driver. "Dito po ba sa puting bahay, Sir?" tanong niya at napatingin kaming pareho sa bahay niya. Napataas ang kilay ko ng makitang maganda at malaki ang bahay nila. I'm surprised na hindi sa subdivision ang bahay nila. Because usually, students in our school lives in subdivisions. Well, now, except for me and Greige.

"Opo, Kuya. Here's the fare po," Greige said when he looked at the taxi meter on the front. He gave a thousand bill on the driver. Two hundred lang ang nasa taxi meter but he gave a thousand bill? Tsk. Akala mo naman ikina-yaman niya iyon. Eh mukha parin naman siyang poor boy.

"Salamat po," Greige said and the driver thanked him too before he got out of the taxi and closed the door. Napairap ako ng basta-basta na lang siyang umalis ng taxi at wala sabi-sabi man lang. Like duh.

But what should I expect, right? We are not even friends or acquaintance after all. Besides, I hate him and I know that he also hate me.

Malapit na kami sa bahay ng mag-beep ang phone ko. I checked it and my brow shot up when I saw the message.

Greige:

U home?

I smirked at the thought that he's worried about me? But then i said, I hate him so I'm planning to pull out a prank.

Me:

Grei! Help me! The taxi is not heading right to our house! The way changed!

Halos matawa ako ng makita kong agad siyang nag-tipa ng reply para sa akin.

Greige Morall:

Damn it. Where are you now?

I think of a street near here but not heading to our house.

Me:

In Paganan! Help me please! The driver are also creeping me out!

Me:

He keeps looking at me through the rear-view mirror!

Greige Morall:

I'm on my way. Calm down.

"Nandito na po tayo, Ma'am," halos matawa ako ng makita ang driver na walang kamuwang-muwang na nakatingin sa akin sa salamin sa harap. I gave him the exact fare as what's in the taxi meter before I thanked him and stepped out of the taxi. I sighed as I smiled when I saw his message at me again.

Greige Morall:

Where are you?

Greige Morall:

Hey, reply to me

Greige Morall:

Damn it! Wait for me

Napailing na lamang ako at pumasok sa bahay.