Certainty In A Sleeping City

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3:

"Jus.tine" nagising ako sa pagtalon talon ni Eesi sa kama ko "Jus.tine wake. up" she didn't stop jumping

"what?!" bumalikwas ako ng bangon, irritated by her, kumakalog din pati utak ko sa pinag gagawa niya eh.

"anong oras ka na nakauwi kagabi ha?!" 

"10:30 Pm or so? bakit ba?" we have classes but it's still 6 in the morning.

"diba sabi ni mama na huwag umuwi pag gabi?" she's referring to my mom, mama na din tawag niya kay mama, eh pano since 6th grade tambay na siya sa bahay.

"I didn't expect we'd be late, akala ko nga by 5 or 6 tapos na kami"

"sinong naghatid sayo kagabi?"

"wala, nag commute lang ako, Mika went to a party after the shoot"ayaw kong sabihin si Aden cause for sure marami na naman siyang follow up questions like how did we end up together, I'm not in the mood to answer all of those.

"Class we have a new student joining our section today" bungad ng prof namin, we're at school na.

Pumasok ang isang magandang babae, she smiled at us before introducing herself.

"Hi everyone, pleasant morning. I'm Xanthe Michelle Samson, call me Xami for short, 19 years of age" I can tell from her looks that may lahi siya, her eyes are chestnut brown, long brown curly hair and she's tall.

"Okay Ms. Martinez sit next to Ms. Gartes" I don't think she saw the vacant chair next to me kaya nag palinga linga siya so I just raise and wave my hand at her signaling that I'm here.

"Hi Ms. Gartes" she smiled while placing her bag at the floor.

I smiled back "It's Justine but you can call me whatever you want" she seems sweet, I would like to be friends with her.

"Justine tara na sa canteen" recess time na pala.

"yeah okay, teka lang" kinuha ko muna phone at wallet ko sa bag.

" Hey Xami? Xami yun diba? you can join us if you want, I'm Cereese by the way" pag aaya ni Eesi.

" Oo nga, join us" dugtong ko naman

Xami seems shocked at first but later plastered a bright smile, her smile is really contagious.

Hinawakan ko ang braso ni Xami at simulang maglakad, Eesi also hold Xami's arms at the other side kaya napapagitnaan namin siya.

We ordered fries, a sandwich at spaghetti. Hindi naman siya heavy meal kasi kunti talaga serving nila which is okay naman. The two of them have canned coke, I don't drink soft drinks so I just bought water.

"Xami taga dito ka ba" tanong ni Eesi kay Xami

"Ah no, we just moved recently, like recent lang talaga that's why late na akong nakapasok" Ahh kaya pala.

"Okay lang yun di ka pa naman masyadong late, it's only been a week since the first day" sabi ko naman sa kanya.

"Thank you girls for inviting me over" she giggled "I was very anxious since yesterday, baka hindi ako maka pag adapt o fit in man lang" she said while looking down.

"No worries, we're all friends now" tumango tango lang din si Eesi sa sinabi ko 

After our class session, naisipan naming tumambay sa student's kiosk park, maraming kahoy dito kaya presko ang hangin kahit nasa city kami. Boy hunting nadin daw sabi ni Eesi

"HAHAHAHAH, sayang kasi eh, bat ba may jejemon parin dito?" Si Eesi yan, may nakita kaming pogi kaso jejemon pa, and we learned that he's a senior of us.

"Gwapo yun oh" sabay naman naming nilingon yung itinuro ni Xami, with just that, close na agad kami haha.

"That's Jette" seryosong tugon ni Eesi, hindi inaalis ang tingin sa kay Jette.

"You know him?" I asked curiously, how did she know him?

"Yeah, isa sa mga hearthrob daw dito" sagot naman niya

"He's handsome no? but I think he's a playboy" malumanay na mang sabi ni Xami, pansin ko kang Xami mahinhin siyang babae, nakakahiya naman at napasama pa siya sa aming mga kalog.

"Bye girls, see yah when I see you" sabi ni Xami when we part ways, nalaman din namin ni Eesi na mayaman siya. Her mom's an American, Filipino naman ang dad niya.

"Huy Jus san tayo?" 

"Ewan, ayaw ko pang umuwi" boring kasi sa bahay eh, wala din akong sideline na photoshoot ngayon.

"Ay Jus may pupuntahan pala ako" agad ko namang liningon si Eesi.

" San ka? sama ako pls" pagmamakaawa ko sa kanya, she just gave me a comforting smile. Nawala naman ang mga ngiti ko.

"Iiwanan mo talaga ako dito? sino ba kikitain mo?"

"Next time, if I'm sure of him. Ingat ka pauwi ha" mwuah she kissed my cheeks, I'm looking at her blankly "byee, see you at home love you".

"It's still noon time, what am I supposed to do now?" sabi ko nalang sa sarili ko.

Kalaunan I decided to go to the mall, bibili nalang ako ng mga art materials, magdedesign ako ng mga notes para naman ma inspired akong magstudy no.

Nakarating na ako sa may school and arts supply sa mall, I just rode a taxi papunta dito. And what do you know, I saw Aden with his Uniform on. Sa Romulos University pala siya nag-aaral? malayo yun dito ha.

Bigla akong nagtago sa mga shelf when he moved his head and looked at where I'm standing. He can't see me, I don't want to talk or do anything with him.

Hindi nalang ako bumili ng arts supply tamad naman akong gumawa ng notes eh. Sa starbucks nalang ako pupunta. 

"Justine" I stood up when my name is called, pag baling ko naman sa likod ay nakita ko siyang papalapit sa akin. He looked at me with a questioning look again, kinuquestion niya ba pagkatao ko nakakainis ha.

"Why are you here? are you stalking me?" tanong ko, kung saan ako nandun di siya, stalker siguro to.

"Aden" sabi nung cashier, shet. So nag order din siya dito? bat ganito ang life ko? puro kahihiyan nalang. Tatakbo ba ako o ano?

Nastatwa lang ako sa kinatatayuan ko, hanggang sa nauna na siyang lumabas . But before he could even exit the door, he took one more glance at me with a teasing smirk on his face.

Sinigurado ko munang malayo layo na siya tsaka ako lumabas narin.

I am just window shopping, marami na naman akong damit, I don't need a new one.

"Justine?" I stopped walking when I heard someone call my name in a questioning tone so I looked back and saw Chester, one of my block mates. "Justine ikaw nga" he added, para naman tung sira, akala mo di kami nag kita kanina.

"Ches hi, anong ganap?" 

"ano kasi, I was having a slight problem. Yung model ko sana this saturday umatras kasi may personal problem daw na kailangan niyang asikasuhin" Saturday? huwebes na ngayon ah, "I'm going to enter a film contest, or should I say clip contest? haha" I remembered na aspiring film or cinema director pala tung si Ches.

"tapos? you want to take me as your model nalang?" hindi naman ako bobo para di ko magets kung ano ang pinopoint niya, baka kasi nahihirapan lang siyang sabihin sa akin so ayan lol.

"Oo! I mean kung free ka" wala naman din akong gagawin so 

"Sure!" I gladly said, lumiwanag naman ang mukha niya sa sagot ko. Nagulat ako ng bigla niya akong niyakap but he is known for being sweet in our campus so it's fine, nature niya na yon. Plus may long time gf na daw, he's only 19 tho, bata pa siguro to nag jowa na.

After ng usapan namin ni Chester umupo muna ako sa isa sa mga bench dito sa mall, 4 PM pa I can take another hour before going home.

Nakayuko lamang ako, scrolling my phone up and down,minding my own business and enjoying my own company nang may tumabi sa akin at may binigay na black checkered handkerchief, it looks familiar. 

Inangat ko ang tingin ko sa taong tumabi sa akin and found out na it's Aden!

"You left this and your jacket sa backseat" I totally forgot about that, umupo nga pala ako sa backseat niya first.

"ahh thanks" I said sabay kuha sa panyo ko.

"your jacket's at home, sorry nakalimutan ko. I'll bring it to you if I have a chance to" 

"ahh, okay" 

"thanks? okay? ahh? Is that all you gotta say?" 

"Ano ba gusto mo sabihin ko? thank you so much Aden, this is my fav handkerchief, I don't know what I'll do if I ever lost it" with puppy eyes, pang oscar talaga acting skills ko "tapos sasabihan mo na naman akong ang daldal ko!?"

He smiled really wide, I can almost see his teeth

"I'm sorry I wasn't trying to offend you or something. I just like peace while driving, you know the city lights plus you" I looked at him with my brows raised "or someone, ahh anyone" he then added and sipped on his coffee.

I smiled a little, he must be a sweet boyfriend no? Like you can make him happy with the smallest thing and I think that's pretty cute. I like this side of him, yung hindi niya ko binabara.

his phone rang and he immediately answered the call.

"Avery?" his face look so bright when Avery called, he must be in love. "Of course I didn't forget, yeah ikaw pa" di ko alam anong pinag uusapan nila, nakikinig lamang ako sa mga sagot niya "bye baby" lumaki ang mata ko when he said that. Hello, I'm here, naririnig ko. He could just whisper or something para di ko marinig. I sipped on my coffee, baby pa nga.

Umiwas ako ng tingin nung nilingon niya ako, didn't know I was looking at him.

"pauwi ka na ba?" he asked.

"Oo, bakit?" uuwi nalang siguro ako, baka nandun na din si Eesi.

"let's go?" tumayo naman siya "I'll drive you home".

"Wag na, di pa naman late" ayaw ko nang sumabay sa kanya, baka ma attached ako no may jowa yung tao.

"No, I'll take you home madadaan-"

I didn't let him finished "Oo nga kaso may mas easier route sa kabila, dun ka nalang" Dalawa ang route patungo sa village nila, sa kabila mas madali siyang makakaabot at preferable pa ang daan kasi malaki.

He looked at me with a blank face and just walked away patungong elevator. Nung nasa tapat niya na ang door he looked back at me again and said "tara na, dami mo pang sinasabi"

Hindi parin ako gumalaw, I keep on thinking about the fact na may girlfriend siya. What would Avery feel if she finds out that her boyfriend's with another girl? Baka mag away pa sila dahil sa kabaitan nitong si Aden eh.

Bumalik lang ako sa huwisyo ng tinawag niya ako ulit.

"Justine the door's about to close, hurry up" nasa loob na pala siya ng elevator, and he looked pissed, kaya tinnakbo ko nalang ang distansiya namin.