Playful Destiny

Chapter 5

I was disregarded for the entirety of the day.

Despite my lack of interest in his small talk, he continued to engage with me, seemingly attempting to uplift my spirits by saying things that Mat would never say. However, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, so I attempted to persuade him to cease.

"Thank you, but I am not the one who deserves comfort. I-i hurt Claire's feelings." The weight of what had transpired weighed heavily on me. I made a conscious effort to maintain clarity of mind for the remaining two subjects before our departure.

"Feeling ko hindi naman, alam mo ba, nung binanggit ko 'yung name mo sa kaniya, she tells me to stop." She hates me that much? Wala naman akong ginawa.

"I see, thank you again."

Wala pang teacher kaya naisipan ko nalang mag sketch.

"Ano 'yan?" Tinuro niya ang drawing na lalaki sa sketch pad ko, ngumiti ako at ipinakita ng buo sa kaniya.

"You met him yesterday." Medyo nagulat siya, nabawi naman ito ng mapang asar na ngiti.

"You still like him, don't you?"

I don't know what to say, there's a part of me...nevermind, I should stay neutral sa kaniya, 'di ko pa siya gaanong kilala.

I smiled back, "no, hindi pa siya humihingi ng sorry." tumingin akong muli sa sketch niya.

I felt sadness towards it, self portrait niya ito noong nagpapahangin siya sa bintana, noong time na magkaklase pa kami.

"Ang hangin Autumn."

Umupo siya malapit sa bintana, tumingin ako sa kaniya, nakangiti siya habang ninanamnam ang hanging malamig gawa ng hapon na 'to.

"You know? If may Autumn lang dito sa pinas, magiging favorite season ko 'yun." Nakikinig ako sa mga sinasabi niya.

"I once witness and feel the Autumn sa ibang bansa noong sinama ako ni Dad." While he's talking, kinuha ko ang lapis at sketch pad ko.

"He wants me to study Art there, 'di ako pumayag dahil...dahil dumating ka sa buhay ko." Napatigil ako sa pag sketch, his voice c***k ng may idagdag siya.

"He wants you and me that time na maghiwalay, because sa affair nila ng Dad mo."

"Wait are you sketching me?" He smiled genuinely. I denied it, inilayo ko ang papel sa kaniya, he's already expert sa pag drawing, It's a shame if pinatingin ko 'to sa kaniya.

"Serenity Autumn 'Martinez'" I stopped dodging his arms, did he just called my full name with his surname?

A bittersweet memory.

"Ikaw ba Fin, did you love someone already?" Ako naman ang nagtanong sa kaniya.

Tumawa siya bahagya, "oo, she's my first love and lover, actually I transferred here for her, pero wala pala siya sa school na 'to."

"What's her name?"

"Catherine Summer."

What?

Are you kidding me? Ang dami ng tumatakbo sa utak ko dadagdag pa 'to?

Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. So he is connected to Cath? Sobrang dami niyang tinatago, kay Claire, tsaka kay Fin? Or maybe wala lang akong pakielam sa mundo kaya hindi ko na alam ang mga nangyayari?

"It's a coincidence that you two have a second name of seasons." Hindi ako nakaimik sa sinabi niya, I tried to hide my shock.

"I don't know what happened earlier, so it doesn't matter if you two were really connected." tumigil siya sandali bago ituloy ang kaniyang sinasabi, "Would you mind telling me what happened, I look like an idiot comforting you with my words," he laughed, shaking his head.

"Since you've asked, I'll tell you, but only the highlights." Humarap ako sa kaniya 'sak kumuha ng papel at ballpen.

I drew myself and Mat and how Claire hurt Cath.

"Ahh, I remember now, nagsauli pala kayo ng Art Materials doon sa Sebastian."

"Yes, we heard Claire screaming at the top of her lungs on a girl," I didn't say who.

"She screamed so loudly, how can you still be asleep at that time?" I asked bluntly.

"Puyat ako ok, what happened next." The time was running out kaya binilisan ko na ang pag kuwento sa kaniya.

"The girl was Claire's ex-bf from Australia," I sketched her face, and he looked at it longer than he looked at me.

"She's beautiful no wonder why..." Malakas ko siyang hinampas.

"May nasaktan na ngang tao, bobo." I started sketching something again as he groaned in pain. It was the day my mom and dad took a picture with Cath, but...I wasn't there.

"Hmm? Sino 'yung dalawa?"

"Mom and Dad." My memory is clear, which is why I sketched it in detail.

I remember crying when my Dad showed it to me, they didn't include me because it was Cath's first anniversary of being adopted by us.