11 PM

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Today is Friday, and tomorrow will be the concert. We are here at the student center waiting kila Mika because they will join daw us for the lunch, nasabihan ko na rin si Dale he will also go. Nauna kaming na-dismiss kaya kami ang naghintay ngayon.

We will also going to talk about the plan for tomorrow kaya nag-pasiya na rin kami na magkita-kita ngayon.

“Aga ata ng dismissal niyo ah?” the voice from the back scared us, it’s Viel.

“Hi Viel” he smiled at me saka siya tumabi sa gilid ko.

Some of the girls that are seated at the student center shifted their gaze at me. Wala nang upuan sa loob kaya nakatayo na lang kami nearly at the vending machine.

“Asan yung dalawa?” tanong naman agad ni Cathy

“Papunta na rin ‘yun”

“Hindi ba kayo magkaklase?” I thought they are classmates? Baka naiba ng section?

“Classmates, tinawag lang ni Governor si Miks tas nagpasama siya kay Dawn” he still busy browsing his phone, maybe his chatting with them “baka matagalan sila kaya pinauna na ako”

Busy naman nila, tagal pa foundation week mauuna pa Midterms week panigurado may binabalak CET na surprise event.

We saw Dale walking towards us, kakatapos lang ng class nila, because we are literally in front of their classroom.

“Akala ko pa naman ako na yung late” we make kwento habang hinihintay sila Mika.

Nagkaroon daw ng surprise quiz sila Dale kanina good thing that he studies yesterday before he sleeps.

Viel said naman na they did some activities outdoor lang daw today. Kami naman ni Cathy just pure discussion ang ginawa probably next week puro quiz.

“Mauuna na sana kaming kumain sa inyo” bungad ni Viel sa dalawa, lukot ang mukha nila nang dumating sila. Napansin ko naman na halos lahat ng students, mostly girls are on us they are literally watching us.

I forgot for a second that this trio are so popular in CET. I’m not wondering kung madaming rumor na ang nagkalat pagbalik namin sa school mamaya.

Mika waves his hand at me wearing his sweetest smile, kaya hindi na ako magtataka na ang daming patay na patay sa kanya. Ang gwapo.

“Let’s go?”

Naglakad na kami at halos lahat ng students na nakakasalubong namin ay napapaharap sa amin. Ganito ba feeling kapag sikat kasama mo? Ngayon lang ako na-concious sa mukha ko.

“Do you have class later?” nasa likuran kami ni Mika the four are in front of us, they talking about their activities bahala si Cathy na ma-out of place sa kanila.

“Oo, 7 to 5 ako ngayon,” I frown after saying that.

“Same pala tayo, but I’m excuse later sa afternoon may meeting sa SSC” saka siya ngumiti sa akin.

“Edi sana all” na lang ang nasagot ko sa kanya.

Mika’s phone rung kaya sinagot niya iyon

“Why?” probably she’s the one who’s calling.

“Will eat pa lang ng lunch” dumeretso na lang ako ng lakad, some of my classmates are waving at me when they saw us walking.

“Ahhh… with Viel” kaklase ko lang ata mga kakilala ko dito sa EB, we’re friendly naman to each other kaya hindi naman kami ganoon ka loner ni Cathy, Dale has a lot of friends.

“Okay, eat well enjoy!” saka niya binababa ang tawag.

While we’re walking nagtalo pa silang lima kung saan kakain, ang dalawa which is Dawn and Cathy wants to eat sa greenwhich on the other hand si Viel, Dale and Mika wants to eat sa karinderiya dahil nagka-crave daw ng kare-kare si Viel.

Pinabayaan ko na lang sila mag-decide in the end sa may Sonyas kami kumain, the most popular karinderiya here near at our university.

Sakto lang dating namin duon dahil hindi pa masyadong maraming students and may mga vacant seats. We fall in line and choose from the menu.

I also scan the place and saw Jae and his friends are there, pati na rin ang iba naming classmates kaya nang matapos ako nag-order lumapit ako sa kanila because they are waving at me para puntahan sila.

“Ngayon lang namin kayo nakita kumain dito ha?” sabi agad ni Jae sa akin

“We eated here na, kayalang dati pa ‘yon ngayon na lang ulit” they are eating chocolates tapos na ata sila kumain, lima silang lahat sa table ngayon and all of them are my classmates.

“Burgis kasi si Daniel” Asar pa sa'kin ni Jasmin

“Gaga ka hindi” defend ko namang sagot sa kanya. Si Cathy lang naman kasi ang laging ayaw, buti nga napapayag siya ngayon eh.

“Here” sabay lagay ni Jae ng chocolate sa plate ko. It’s Toblerone

“Para kay Cathy?” I raise my brows to tease him, and he chuckled pati na rin ang mga kasama.

“Sayo ‘yan” He saw me eyeing ata kanina sa mga chocolates na nasa table nila kaya binigyan niya ako.

“Thank you!” saka na’ko nagpaalam sa kanila dahil tapos na ang mga kasama ko sa pag-order.

We are three tables away from them kaya hindi rinig kung ano ba ang pinag-uusapan nila.

“Sana all may chocolate” ani agad ni Cathy when she saw the chocolate that Jae had given to me

“Hiningi ko” I lied and giggle at the same time.

I know Mika is staring at me pero hindi ko na pinansin at nagsimula nang kumain para hindi na mabago ang mood ng paligid.

Walang nagsasalita habang kumakain we are all busy eating.

“Tayo-tayo lang din ba tomorrow?” Cathy broke the silence “or may iba pa kayong kasama” napatingin din ako kila Mika na nasa harapin namin.

“Actually, meron pa,” si Viel na ang sumagot “but mauuna na daw sila sa venue and they will just wait for us” probably she. Tumango na lang kami as a response.

Napag-usapan namin na susunduin na lang nila kami bukas sa boarding house, and we’re lucky that wala kaming Saturday class bukas though it’s just minor subject.

Morning at 9 am ang alis namin bukas. We saw Jae and our classmates preparing to go it’s already 12:30 na pala ng tanghali, may pasok pa kami ng ala una. Nakapag usap naman kami kahit paano.

We part ways nang nasa EB na kami, I’m worried because Mika didn’t say a thing magsimula nang kumain na kami, kahit kaninang nag-uusap kami para bukas. Hindi ko na rin siya tinanong baka wala lang talaga sa mood. I’ll just chat him na lang mamaya.

I just wave at them, Mika just gave me a nod at isang matipid na ngiti. Viel and Dawn as bright as always gave us goodbye, and after that, we go to our respected room.

“Am I really the only one na walang kasama ha?” Dale's realization made us laugh as we go.

The discussion sa isang major subject resume at nakinig na lang kami.

I notice that Jae is always smiling at me and giving me some random signs na hindi ko naman ma-gets kung ano, does he really have feelings for Cathy?

Bakit hindi pa siya mag first move gusto pa ata niya akong gawing bridge? But my vote for now is on Dawn paano na kaya niyan?

Sumulyap naman ako kay Cathy and she is busy listening to discussion ako lang talaga itong distracted, kaya bago pa ulit ako mapahiya I pat my face to come back to my senses para makapag-focus.

The day was so fast to passed, dahil siguro we are all excited for tomorrow. We came home straight katapos nang klase kanina. Wala na rin naman nag-aya pa.

I also texted Mika if he’s fine but still no response. Dale is cooking right now. me and Cathy and busy packing our stuff for tomorrow.

“I think the one na makakasama natin bukas ay yung accountancy student” I’m thinking if I will bring another shirt for tomorrow maliit lang kasi ang bag ko.

“Probably yes” sagot ko naman masyado akong focus sa ginagawa ko to pay more attention to Cathy.

“Ready ka na ba makita si love rival mo?” biglang singit ni Dale sa pintuan as he holding the sandok.

“Love rival my ass, malisya talaga kayo” they both the one who make sermons at me about Mika tapos sila itong grabe mang-asar.

“Kung hindi ko kayo kilala pagkakamalan ko kayo magjowa ni Mika”

“Dawn and you are both same,” mas Malala pa nga sila sa amin. “so true bestie! they were so touchy to each other” gatong pa ni Dale kaya tinignan ko na si Cathy to smirk at her. Ako pa inasar mo huh?

May paakbay pa sila, kahapon lang naman sila nagkakilala.

“Isang tanong isang sagot, Jae or Dawn” natatawang asar ko pa sa kanya at siya naman paghampas niya sa braso ko.

“Isa-isa lang kasi bakla” Dale laughed while he walks towards the kitchen.

“So sino nga?” pareho na kaming nakahilata sa kama ko ngayon.

“Dawn final answer” I’m laughing out loud the moment she answered me.

“Maharot ka” sagot ko naman sa kanya.

“It is possible ba na pwedeng maging hot the same time soft ang isang tao?” naguguluhan pa rin niyang tanong sa akin “kasi si Dawn ganon siya Dan bakit ang unfair ang perfect niya sa paningin ko.”

“Alam mo we’re really bestie, marupok sa soft boy.” I knew it something is so fishy between them, sinabunutan naman niya ang sarili niya she really found her crush.

“Sana magkaroon ka nang usad sa kanya” tumayo na ako leaving her on our room para tulungan si Dale sa paghahanda ng hapunan.

We’re eating sinigang na hipon for our dinner, as expected sobrang sarap magluto ni Dale. I don’t know how many times we asked him na bakit hindi na lang siya nag culinary or something HRM, but he always response to us na masyado niyang mahal ang Engineering kaya ‘yon ang kinuha niya.

Cathy is the one who’s incharge pagkatapos ng kainan, I did my night routine at saka humilata na sa higaan, tomorrow will probably a long day. Tinignan ko ang phone ko and Mika has already as reply

Mika:

‘sorry, I just got home’

58 minutes ago, alas nuwebe na ang oras so mga bandang 8 siya nang gabi nakauwi.

Mika:

‘and yeah I’m fine’

to his second message.

Me:

‘you should rest na, para mahaba ang pahinga mo’

reply ko naman sa kanya. What will happen kaya tomorrow. The 5 years of waiting finally will happen na bukas.

Mika:

'you too’

ang bilis niya nag-reply I thought he’s doing something.

Me:

‘yep! Goodnight’

‘see you tomorrow’

‘dream of me hahaha’

Huling chat ko sa kanya at saka ko in-off ang wifi ng phone ko and decided to sleep. Ayaw kong maging bangang bukas kaya susulitin ko ang gabi sa pagtulog.

Nagising ako nang mag alarm ang phone ko, ala sais ng umaga. I thought ako na naman ang naunang nagising but to be surprised, si Cathy ay gising na rin preparing our breakfast with Dale.

“Good morning Daniel!” nagulat naman ako nang biglang magsalita si Dawn sa phone ni Cathy. They are on video call pala. Kaya tumapat ako sa camera to wave at them, I scan my face with my hands baka may muta pa ako.

“Hi! Good morning” I saw Mika in the background busy cooking, naka-apron pa siya ng pink. cute.

“Akala mo hindi magkikita mamaya,” habang nakangiti pa rin sa kanila pati ata sila magbbreakfast palang din “Sabi ko nga sa kanila, hindi na makapaghintay nako!” sabi naman ni Viel, binatukan naman siya niya Dawn at naghabulan sila.

Nagblack bigla ang camera natomba ata ang gulo kasi sila.

I’m still waiting to someone na magpakita and the person I’m waiting to see is the one who holds the phone right now.

“Ang gulo nila” sabi pa niya habang inaayos sa stand ang phone ni Dawn.

“Hello, good morning” the sweetest smile for this morning was this good?

“Hi! Nice cookerist ka rin pala ha?” biro ko naman sa kanya and he just laughed at me.

Habang kumakain we’re still on the video call with them, Catherine hindi makahintay mamaya kanina ko pa rin siya inaasar about this morning video call with Dawn.

Sana lang talaga ay may usad na siya dito.

Pinatay lang nila ang call nang tapos na pareho because we will prepare na for the concert and sabi nila hintayin nalang namin sila dito sa house dahil maaga silang pupunta.