MY PRETEND BOYFRIEND

Chapter 8

Dumating na ang unang araw ng club activities. Nasa gitna si Sophia Laurel ng dagsa ng mga estudyanteng pumuno sa hall. Kailangan nilang magparehistro sa isang academic club bago sila makapagtapos, pero hanggang ngayon ay wala pa siyang desisyon kung saan siya sasali. Ang masama pa, sunod nang sunod sa kanya si David Horan, parang linta na ayaw bumitaw.

Mas mabuti sana kung maiwasan niya ito, pero iniwan siya ng mga kaibigan niya. Habang sila ay masayang nagpunta sa Traditional Medicine Club para magpa-foot massage, naiwan siyang mag-isa, clueless kung anong club ang pipiliin. Habang naglalakad, napansin niya ang Ping Pong Club. May konting pag-asa siyang naramdaman.

“Hi…”

“Puno na!” agad na sagot ng isang miyembro bago pa man siya makapagtanong nang maayos.

Napakaswerte ko naman talaga.

Bumalik siya sa lugar kung saan pinakamarami ang tao. Napansin niyang may mga estudyanteng naka-engineering uniform na tumutugtog ng gitara sa isang maliit na stage. Music Club ito, napag-isip niya.

Tinapik niya ang balikat ng payat na babaeng nakapila sa harap niya. “Excuse me.”

“Ano ‘yon?” tanong ng babae, sabay lingon.

“Ilan ang tatanggapin nila sa club na ‘to?”

“Fifty daw. Pero dahil sobrang dami ng gusto sumali, pipiliin pa ulit ng mga seniors kung sino ang makakapasok.”

“Ganito ba talaga karami taon-taon?” tanong niya, halos para sa sarili.

Isang senior ang nakarinig at sumagot, “Hindi naman. Ngayong taon lang, kasi sumali si David Horan. Ayun, dumagsa na ‘tong mga babae.”

Figures. Kaya pala. Hindi dahil interesado ang karamihan sa musika, kundi kay David.

Wala na siyang magagawa. Hindi naman talaga siya marunong tumugtog. Pero kailangan niyang magkunwaring interesado—kahit paano. Nilagyan niya ng pangalan ang registration form at sinulat ang generic na dahilan.

Makalipas ang ilang minuto, lumabas ang isang senior para i-announce ang napili.

“Ang Music Club ngayong taon ay sobrang na-overwhelm sa dami ng aplikante. Pero dahil limitado ang resources, kailangan naming bawasan ang bilang ng mga miyembro.”

Naghintay si Sophia habang binabasa isa-isa ang mga pangalan.

“Number twenty-four, David Horan from the Faculty of Political Science.”

Biglang naghiyawan ang mga tao. Nagulat si Sophia nang makita ang mga babae sa paligid niya na halos tumalon sa tuwa.

Hanggang sa matapos ang listahan, hindi natawag ang pangalan niya. Napabuntong-hininga siya, naisip niyang sumuko na lang. Mas madali pa siguro harapin si Adrian kaysa dito.

Papalabas na sana siya nang biglang hinawakan ni David ang braso niya.

“Bakit ba, David?” inis niyang tanong.

“Bakit? Naiinis ka kasi hindi ka natanggap?” tanong nito, may ngiti pang nang-aasar.

“Irub mo pa nga! Hindi ko naman talaga gustong sumali sa club na ‘to. Mas interesting siguro ang Cooking Club,” sabi niya, kahit wala siyang alam sa pagluluto.

“Eh ‘di pumunta ka.”

“Aalis nga sana ako, eh. Pero bakit mo hawak ang braso ko?”

“Dahil hindi kita papakawalan,” sagot nito nang may ngiti sa labi.

Bago pa siya makatanggi, hinila siya ni David papunta sa backstage kung saan naroon ang mga senior at club president.

“Anong meron, David?” tanong ng isang senior, mukhang nagulat.

“Gusto ng kaibigan ko sumali sa club na ‘to,” sabi ni David na parang sigurado sa sinasabi.

“Pero puno na tayo,” sagot ng club president, nakakunot ang noo.

“Please reconsider,” sagot ni David, seryoso.

Tiningnan siya ng president. “Sophia Laurel, Law School, tama ba?”

Tumango si Sophia.

“Ano’ng instrument ang gusto mong tugtugin?”

“Guitar.”

“Marunong ka ba?”

“Hindi.”

“Napindot mo na ba kahit kailan ang string ng gitara?”

“Never.”

“Alam mo ba ang C major?”

“Hindi.”

“E minor?”

“Wala akong idea.”

Halatang naiinis na ang president. “Ano ba ang alam mo?”

Sophia hesitated, her gaze shifting to David. She shrugged helplessly.

“I only know David. And because of him, I want to play the guitar.”

The atmosphere in the first session of the music club was super noisy kasi first meeting ng new members and all the seniors. Since we were juniors, we were arranged to sit sa corner of the room para mag-focus.

Some people were ready na with their instruments, just like David, who brought his expensive guitar for the first meeting of the club. He obviously wanted to impress the girls.

"Freshies, first of all, I want everyone in this club to choose what instrument you want to play. Let's start with the guitar. Those who choose to play guitar, please sit on the left. Anyone who wants to play drums, please move to sit behind. Those who want to play bass, move to sit to the right..." The club president started directing everyone until we were divided into groups.

Honestly, Sophia was a bit annoyed by this. Hindi siya sure kung gusto niyang mag-aral ng guitar talaga or baka naman she’s just following David. But she insisted she wanted to learn—for herself.

"Now that you are divided by group, please follow the staff to another room." Ang sakit ng katawan kasi kakaupo lang niya pero ngayon kailangan ulit tumayo. She walked into a training room that was much bigger, something that could fit more people.

Habang naghihintay, people started talking and getting to know each other. Si Sophia naman, nakaupo lang beside a guy who was super popular with the girls sa school. So, she started talking to him.

"Nice hands," she started.

"We can't all have corn hands like yours," he said with a smirk.

"Nakakainis ka talaga, kino-compliment na nga kita, tapos ikaw pa ang nang-aasar."

"I'm just telling the truth. Do you want me to lie? Troublemaker."

"Stop calling me like that."

"Troublemaker."

"Nathaniel!"

"Troublemaker."

"f**k you."

"Troublemaker."

"Piece of s**t!!"

"Troublemaker."

"Hey! The two guys arguing at the back. Please come forward." Damn! Kasi kay Nathaniel, wala nang choice si Sophia kundi mag-step forward near the stage.

"I saw you two kept messing around. Come be the last ones for the icebreaker activity to make us closer. Do you guys see this piece of pepero?"

"Yes." Hala, ano kayang relation nito sa activity?

Sophia stared at the tall senior, who handed the pepero to a fellow freshman. Parang gusto niyang maglaho sa kahihiyan.

"Take off the wrapping."

"Done."

"Place it in your mouth." Parang na-feel na niya ang impending disaster.

"Ewww~" Ang mga girls sumigaw, and Sophia thought to herself, Please no, mga seniors, sana hindi niyo gamitin 'to as icebreaker sa club.

"Send the candy to the person next to you, with your mouth." Just the thought of it made her wanna vomit, but her feet stayed planted while she watched her friends pass the candy from mouth to mouth.

Nooooo. She realized she was one of the last.

"Accept it quickly, so we will all be close real fast," added the senior. Bigla, yung mga tough guys naging cowards. Naghanda silang magsuka, and it was almost her turn to suck the candy that was now as small as an ant's v****a.

But then, luck seemed to be on her side when the friend before her accidentally dropped the candy on the floor.

Yes! She survived!

She wanted to hug David, but the senior's deep voice stopped her.

"We lost the pepero, but there are still two people left."

"..."

"That's okay. We will start over. Sophia Laurel, Law School, open your mouth."

Shit. Sino bang may idea na gawin 'to? But, di mo kayang labanan ang power ng seniors' dictatorship. Pinilit siya na tatlong pieces of candy ang ipasa bago itulak siya to face David. He had a bored expression on his face.

"Ahhhh~" Ang mga girls sumigaw ng malakas. Tapos, Sophia was pushed into a tall body, making the screams even louder. Then a soft, deep voice spoke.

"Use your teeth to bite." Punyeta! Tatlong peperos 'yun sa mouth niya. Paano niya kakayanin 'yon?

"Huh?"

"Push it out. Can't you do it?"

"Mmmmmmmmmm," she shook her head, meaning hindi niya kaya.

"Don't swallow, or else the seniors are gonna do worse stuff to you." She really wanted to cry. Walang control sa sarili, so she just let his strong hands hold her face. He moved his nose close to hers, and she couldn’t help but hold her breath.

"Ahhhh~ David and Sophia!" Ang mga girls parang earthworms na nagsisigawan. Sophia had no idea what to do so she just closed her eyes and let David’s lips touch hers for a moment.

After she felt his lips, she was left with tears and uncontrollably fell to the floor.

Bang!

"Hey!"

Tatlong pieces of candy pa rin sa mouth niya. Well, may ika-apat na na ibinato si David. She wanted to ask him, Paano mo ba ako tinutulungan?

You’re always messing with me. f**k you. My heart...