Fierce

Chapter 4

Asking

"Bakit ang aga ninyo po atang nakauwi?" I asked them.

It was a good thing that I was able to hide the sarcasm in my voice. I could almost hear myself laughing with my question.

"We have a formal dinner to attend tomorrow," daddy answered. "It was a very short notice but we've made it on time. So you better go straight home from school."

"Kasama po ako?"

"Of course, Blair." Mommy smiled and she combed my hair using her slender fingers. "I bought you many dresses. It's already in your room. Check them later and look for something to wear tomorrow night, okay?"

I nodded and slightly smiled. "Okay po..." sabi ko na lang dahil hindi ko naman sila puwedeng suwayin. "I'll go to my room now. I have a 7AM class tomorrow."

"Oh sure, anak. Goodnight." Mom kissed my cheek again and my dad kissed my forehead as he bid goodnight.

I was sure that whoever could see us at that moment would think that there was nothing wrong with our family. Like we had no issues. Like I had no issues. Pero wala akong karapatang magdemand. I'm just their daughter and they're my parents. At isa pa, alam ko naman na ang sasagot nila kapag humiling ako ng oras o atensyon. Sasabihin lang nila na busy sila sa trabaho at para ‘yon sa aking kinabukasan.

I could work on my own future. They didn't have to overwork themselves to the point that they didn’t have time to hang out with me. And besides, I was already a graduating student. They didn't need to fund me anymore.

"Good morning, dad!" I greeted my dad when I saw him drinking coffee while reading a newspaper in the living room. "Ang aga ninyo po atang nagising. Hindi po ba kayo pagod galing sa biyahe kagabi?"

"No, I'm not. I still have a lot paperworks to do kaya ako gumising ng maaga. I have three new cases to study,” he answered. “After I finish this coffee, I'll proceed to the office."

Tumango ako sa kanyang sinabi. Of course, he’s very busy Blair kaya gumising siya nang maaga para makapagsimula agad sa trabaho.

Between my parents, dad was more workaholic than my mom. Dad has an office here in our house. Ngunit dahil madalas siyang wala ay ginamit ko rin iyon bilang study room. Maganda rin kasi ang ambiance sa office ni daddy.

"You're going to school already?" bigla niyang tanong.

"Opo. I'll be home early," sabi ko at pinangunahan ko ng uuwi ako nang maaga para sa dinner dahil paniguradong papaalala niya sa akin ‘yon.

"Okay.” Daddy smiled before he took another sip in his coffee. “Take care."

Huminga ako nang malalim at sinukbit na ang bag kong nilapag ko sa center table upang makaalis na. It was suffocating. Kahit ano’ng gawin kong isip ng topic upang humaba ang usapan namin ni daddy kahit papaano ay wala akong maisip. There was nothing to talk about. Alanganamang ipangalandakan ko sa kanila ang pagiging trendy kong estudyante pagdating sa kalokohan.

"I can't believe that your parents were already home," Ida commented when we met after our first class.

"Nakakagulat nga. Hindi ko alam ang ire-react ko kagabi," sabi ko na lang. "And we have a formal dinner to attend to later. I'll be home early."

"Why don't you just text my brother? Ipaparating ko ba sa kanya 'yan?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm just informing you. I know that you're planning to bring me to your house today."

"I'm just following orders from my brother," simpleng sabi niya at nagkibit-balikat.

"Keep quiet, Ida." I hushed her. "Everyone knows that Isaiah's your brother. If anyone hears you, it will be a big problem."

Mabuti na lang at wala pang masyadong tao sa cafeteria dahil maaga pa naman para sa lunch. Madalas kapag vacant ng iba ay nag-gagala lang sa loob ng campus.

"Bakit? Hindi naman nila alam na isa lang ang kapatid ko. Malay ba nilang may isa pa akong kapatid na lalaki,” pagdadahilan niya.

"Your family tree is already known to the public because of your brother, Ida," sabi ko. "Alam na alam nilang dalawa lang kayong magkapatid."

"Nakakainis naman kasi si kuya pa-famous masyado," iritado niyang sabi.

"He's not pa-famous, Ida. He's really famous."

"Whatever," sabi niya at binalik ang tingin sa kanyang cellphone habang paunti-unting kinakain ang carbonara na kanyang inorder.

I was about to continue reading “The Beginning of Everything” when I heard guys' laughter echoing around the solemn cafeteria. Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa main entrance sa cafeteria. Nakita ko si Gael with his friends. They were laughing and joking around. Sinasapak-sapak pa nila si Gael sa braso nito.

It was my first time seeing him smiling like that—I mean, it was my first time seeing him smile.

Why wouldn't he just smile all the time? It fits him more than an expressionless face that I always see.

He looked at my side and his smile slowly vanished.

Napatigil din sa pagkukulitan ang kanyang mga kabarkada nang makitang sumeryoso si Gael at lahat sila ay napalingon sa aking gawi. When they all looked at me, only one smiled and I didn't know who he was.

The one who smiled looked at Gael and his friends before he walked towards me. He towered over me. Malaki ang kanyang katawan at hindi ko maipagkakailang matangkad siya lalo na't nakaupo lang ako.

"Blair Nicole..." he said my name, all smiles. Even his chinky eyes were greeting me with a smile.

My forehead creased. "Who are you?" 

Narinig kong nagtawanan ang mga kabarkada niya kaya muli akong napatingin sa kanila. They were all laughing except for Gael who was still seriously looking at me.

"Uhm... I'm James."

"James Reid!" sabay-sabay na sigaw ng kabarkada niya at nagtawanan.

Umiling naman si James at nahiya. He looked so pissed off because of his friends.

"I'm James Sy," pakilala niya at inilahad ang kanyang mestisong kamay sa akin.

"Blair Nicole Alcoberes," pakilala ko rin at tinanggap ang kanyang kamay ngunit agad ko rin itong binitiwan. "Can I r******w?"

Inimuwestra ko ang akin libro sa kanya. Naabala ang pagbabasa ko nang dahil sa pagdating nila rito sa cafeteria.

"Yeah! Sure," masaya niyang sabi at parang tangang hinihimas ang kanyang kamay habang pabalik sa mga kaibigan niya.

Ginulo ng mga kaibigan niya ang kanyang ulo at panay ang pabirong suntok sa kanyang braso. It looked like they were celebrating dahil pinansin ko ang kaibigan nila but of course, Gael's the only exception because he's still looking at me.

Nalaglag ang panga ko nang makita kong umiling siya sa akin bago nakisama sa pakikipagharutan sa kanyang mga kaibigan.

What did I do now? Seriously! That president's making me feel like I'm a bad person. Pakiramdam ko, lahat ng galaw ko'y mali kapag nandyan siya. It's like he can see all of my imperfections. Well, I'm not perfect to start with...

"Looks like rumor has it," biglang sabi ni Ida kaya naman napatingin ako sa kanya na seryoso sa pagkain.

My forehead creased. "What rumor?" 

"That Gael and her not so charming girlfriend, Darlene broke up," simpleng sabi niya.

Napaawang ang aking bibig sa kanyang sinabi.

Why did they broke up? I mean, why all of a sudden? Hindi ako matatahimik nito hanggang sa malaman ko ang mga kasagutan.

"They broke up? When? Bakit hindi ko alam?" sunod-sunod kong tanong.

"I don't know when..." She shrugged her shoulders. "I just heard my blockmates talking about it. I don't know if it's true but seeing Gael with his friends, and not with his girlfriend or ex-girlfriend, then I think it's true."

Umayos naman ako ng upo at nalaglag ang aking balikat. Hindi sapat ang mga sinasabi ni Ida. I needed more.

"Alam mo ba kung sino ang nakipagbreak?" I asked her, hoping that she knows.

Ngumuso naman siya at parang inisip pa ang sasabihin niya sa akin. "It's Darlene," she answered. "She broke up with Gael."

"Bakit parang inembento mo lang ‘yong sagot mo?"

"Kasi isipin mo, Blair..." Humarap siya sa akin ng maayos. "Kahit saang anggulo mo tingnan, Gael wouldn't broke up with Darlene. Alam naman ng lahat na mahal na mahal ni Gael si Darlene. Sa kanilang dalawa, si Darlene ang mas may kayang makipaghiwalay."

My classes for that day already ended but my curiosity didn't. Bumabagabag pa rin sa aking isipan ang nangyari kina Gael at Darlene.

I was on my way to the parking ground. I already texted Ida that I was already going home and that she should take care.

Nang makarating ako sa aking sasakyan ay mabilis akong nakarinig ng tunog bago ko pa mapindot sa akin. Sinubukan kong buksan ang pintuan ng sasakyan ko at nang makitang naka-lock parin ito ay nakahinga ako nang maluwag saka pinindot ang akin.

I was about to enter my car when I saw Gael walking towards the car beside mine. Napatigi dinl siya sa paglalakad ng makita niya akong pinapanood siya. Hindi ko alam kung ilang segundo nagtagal ang titigan naming dalawa. But it wasn’t enough to make him look away because we had been staring at each other for a long time.

"Break na pala kayo," I blurted out and he stopped opening his Ranger's door. “So, totoo ngang wala na kayo?”

Mataman niya akong tiningnan. Para bang may tinapakan ako na hindi ko dapat tapakan.

"Bakit kayo nagbreak?" I followed up a question.

"It's none of your business.”

"What if you broke up because of me?" I confidently asked. "I'm curious Gael. Pakiramdam ko ay may kinalaman ako. Si Darlene ba ang nakipagbreak?"

"Not everything's about you, Blair," he said. "She broke up with me and I don't know why. I don't wanna talk about it. So, can you please just shut up?"

Looking at his eyes turning red, it made my guards back down a little.

"What if I don't shut up?" I asked again. "I guess you know by now how stubborn I am."

He released a heavy, frustrated breath and looked away. Showing my stubbornness, I stepped forward towards him just to see him clearer.

"I wanna know, Gael," pilit ko sa kanya. "Let me know."

Ngumisi siya ngunit hindi rin nagtagal ay sumeryoso ang kanyang titig sa akin.

"Who are you?" he asked me in a cold tone which made me step back.

Napatigil ako sa kanyang tanong sa akin. I was lost for words. I was speechless. Sino nga ba ako? I barely knew him. Bakit ko nga ba siya pinapakialaman?

"I'm not obliged to answer your question. I'm not obliged to tell you about what happened to me and Darlene. We're not even close," he told me. "Don't bother asking me again."

Mabilis siyang sumakay sa kanyang Ranger at bahagya akong tumabi upang makaalis siya.

Why so stupid, Blair? Why did you even ask him?