Tales of Antagonist

Chapter 5

I only see you as my sister

Patuloy lang ako sa paglalakad kahit na alam kong nakabuntot pa din si Charles sa'kin. 

"Why are you acting like this? You should've thank me from saving you," he mockingly suggested at my back while I keep on half-running. 

Thank him? f**k him, rather. This is all his fault! Kung tinulungan niya ako ng maaga kanina hindi sana ako mapapahiya nang ganito ka-grabe. I lost my face after that. I run as fast as I can. Pero saan ako dinala? Sa daan papuntang subdivision namin. 

My parents will kill me if they knew I'm ditching class. Siguro naman maiintindihan ni Papa at Mommy kung malalaman nila ang rason, pero hindi ko sasabihin sa kanila dahil mas lalo lang masasaktan ang pride ko, masasaktan din ang pride nila pag nalaman nilang nakikipaglaban ako sa low class na mga iyun. 

"Hey, talk to me," Charles pleaded when he grab my arms. Nakita kong nagulat siya nang sa wakas makita niya ang mukha ko. I am f*****g crying, okay? You get it now? 

Pagkatapos ng kahihiyan na iyon, ayoko nang ikahiya pa ang sarili ko kapag nakita nila akong umiiyak. For sure pagtatawanan na naman nila ako. 

"Why are you crying?" Nagugulahan niyang tanong habang titig na titig sa mukha ko. Suminghot ako at binawi ang braso sa kanyang kamay, "Manhid ka ba? I was mocked by those low class people! Ginawa pa akong, anong tawag do'n... manok? Tas ako yung pula?" sabi ko at sarkastikong tumawa. 

I continued, "Tapos pinagpupustahan pa ako! Bente pesos ang halaga! Are you f*****g kidding me?" sigaw ko na sa kanya. 

He sighed and gave me an apologetic smile, "Sorry about that. Ganyan lang talaga sa publi-"

"I don't care kung ganyan kayo! Akala mo ginusto ko din to? Huh? Ang mapabilang sa inyo?" I cutted him off. 

Naguguluhan niya akong tinignan, "Then why did you enrolled here? Mayaman naman kayo, bakit sa public ka pinag-aral?"

"You think I have a choice? No! Ang tumapak sa eskwelahang iyan ay nakakasuka na! How much more interacting with you, people?!" 

Mababahid na ngayon ang inis sa kanyang mukha, "Masyado mo nang inaapakan ang mga estudyante dito, eh, isa ka din namang nag-aaral dito." 

"That's why I'm explaining it to you! Hindi ako kailanman mapapabilang sa inyo! You think that fight was fun? You think it was fun to mock other people? Hell no! Hindi niyo alam na nakakasira na pala iyun ng dignidad ng tao!" 

"Okay! Okay! I understand! I'm sorry on behalf of the students who mocked you. Alam kong nasaktan yung pride mo dahil do'n, okay na?" he said genuinely. 

Habol ang hininga ko siyang tinignan dahil sa ginawa kong pagsigaw kanina. Napaiwas ako ng tingin at napasapo na lang sa noo. God, why am I making my life a movie series? 

"Umalis ka na, wag mo akong sundan," bulong ko habang inaayos ang buhok. Hindi siya sumagot kaya tinignan ko siya na nakatingin sa'kin, "Ano? Are you deaf? I told you to stop stalking me!" sigaw ko ulit sa kanya. 

"Yeah, right, stalking..." sabi niya at biglang umupo sa may bench na nasa gilid ng daan. 

I saw him closing his eyes and feel the freshness of air while arms crossing on his chest. "Sit." 

Like a dog, hindi ko alam kung paano niya ako napasunod at umupo nga sa kanyang tabi. Damn, this day is frustrating. 

"Ano ng gagawin mo?" tanong niya bigla sa'kin. 

"Your question is too general. Make it more specified," I answered while closing my eyes and copy his position. 

He chuckled, "About the PressCon. You didn't even make it to top 5. Ano na lang sasabihin ng magulang mo?" 

Right, about that. Ugh! Bakit ba stress na stress ako ngayong araw? Nang dahil sa nangyari, nakalimutan ko na ang bagay na iyan. 

Napabuntung-hininga ako, "Ewan ko... sa totoo lang," ang tangi kong sagot sa kanya. It's true. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin ko, kung sasabihin ko ba sa parents ko or maghintay ako na i-brought up nila ang topic before I tell them I haven't made it to the top, hindi ko na alam. 

"My parents will probably kill me if they knew about it. Anong gagawin ko?" tanong ko at napatingin sa kanya. 

He shifted his gaze at me and smile, "Just tell them honestly. Sabihin mo na ginawa mo ang lahat ng makakaya mo. They will understand you if you're being honest." 

I gave him a sarcastic smile, "And you expect me to do that, Charles?" 

Nagtaka ako dahil biglang nawala ang ngisi sa kanyang labi nang banggitin ko ang pangalan niya. "Wait, you are... " bulong ko at naningkit ang mata dahil sa nakita. I inched my face to his and look at him in the eyes, trying to solve my suspicions. "...blushing, aren't you?  Are you attracted to me?" confident kong tanong sa kanya. 

"Right, you are blushing." I answered and sighed. Napangiwi ako dahil sa kanyang reaksyon. Fine, I admit he's not that bad-looking just like any guys in school. He's rich-ass because his family owns that big house in our village. But I'm not attracted to guys who were attracted to me. 

Walang challenge. 

"You can stop laughing now." I said flatly because he barked a laughter after I told him that he's attracted to me. Anong nakakatawa sa sinabi ko? Teka nga, sa ganda kong 'to hindi man lang siya natu-turn on? 

O baka naman he's just hiding his true feelings that's why he laugh at me? 

"Nice... " bulong niya sa sarili pero narinig ko. Tinignan ko siya, "Anong nice?" asik ko. 

"Nice joke," he answered and laugh again. Hinampas ko siya sa balikat pero mukhang napalakas ko yata dahil sa malakas na tunog. 

"Aray! Ang sakit no'n, ah!" daing niya at hinihimas iyong part na hinampas ko. 

"Ikaw kasi... you think I'm joking?" mataray kong sabi at nginisihan siya. "No man could resist my beauty. Don't tell me you're not one of them?" 

He sighed, "Ikaw," the jerk pointed his finger on my forehead. He continued, "ang bata bata mo pa para sa mga ganyan... Mostly girls would say 'study first' if a guy tried to get her heart while you are so straight-forward about their feelings. Don't do it," seryoso niyang paliwanag sa'kin. 

Hindi ko maiwasang tarayan siya, "Why? Why can't I do it?" 

"It's because they-"

"How old are you? Kung makapagsalita ka sa'kin mukha akong bata sa paningin mo," I cutted him off. 

"I'm already-"

"Oh, whatever. I'm not interested and you look gurang naman, eh."

"Then if I look gurang, you should be respectful to your words."

"Whatever. It's not like we're close to each other."

"Then how about this... close?" Surprisingly, he went closer at my seat and inched his face. "Do you think this is close enough to get your respect?" bulong niya sa'kin ramdam na ramdam ko na ang kanyang hininga. 

Napangiwi ako sa kanyang sinabi, "If you don't like me. Kiss me," sabi ko at mababakas ang confidence sa boses ko. I'm confident he will kiss me because no man could resists my beauty. But I was shocked of what he said.

"I don't like you. I only see you as my little sister. And that doesn't mean I like you just because I didn't kiss you. A man should respect a woman, so mind your actions next time." 

Napanganga ako at hindi makapagsalita. Did he just revoked me? 

Napabuga ako ng hangin at tumahimik na lang sa gilid. I lost my face twice this day. That's enough. Nakakahiya ka, Irene! I've never been ashamed all my life! 

"Ehem, so ano... may suggestions... ka ba anong sasabihin ko kay Mommy at Papa?" umpisa ko matapos ang ilang minutong katahimikan. 

"I told you to be honest." 

"That's a super dumb suggestion! Do you know how badly I want to be a writer? My mother is my role-model. Ano na lang sasabihin niya sa'kin na itong school level PressCon hindi ko nai-panalo? She will be dissapointed and I assumed my father and her would not approve my dream career! They will see this as my weak spot and if that happens, hinding-hindi na nila ako ipapasok sa writing industry. 

He sighed, "You're just exaggerating things."

"No! I'm not! I am just being realistic here."

"It's too far from reality tho. I may not know your family but I think they will understand. Baka i-cheer up ka pa nga nila, eh."

Hindi ako makapaniwala sa kanyang sinabi. Cheer up? That word is not in our vocabulary from a wealthy family. Naningkit ang mata ko, "Where do you live?" 

"Huh? Uhm, Pacific Grand Village just like you?" 

"Really?" I eyed him suspiciously. "Then, let's go to your house." 

"Sure," natural niya lang sagot.

"Ngayon na... " pagpatuloy ko sa sinabi kanina. Total nag-ditch naman na kami ng klase, let's just make use of it. Isa pa, malapit lang naman siguro yung bahay namin sa kanila so walang problema kapag ginabi kami. 

Nanlaki ang kanyang mata na napatingin sa'kin, "Huh? Ngayon?" tanong niya. 

"Oo, ngayon na. Tara, ituro mo ang daan." Tumayo ako sa pagkaka-upo galing sa bench at nag-umpisang maglakad. Nang naramdaman kong hindi siya nakasunod sa'kin ay lumingon ako sa likod, "Sorry... hindi pwede ngayon." 

Tumaas ang kilay ko, "Why? Am I not welcome?" O baka naman hindi ka talaga nakatira do'n. 

"It's not that... I just think it's inappropriate for us to go there lalo na't may klase pa." Really? O baka naman palusot lang 'yan para hindi ako makapunta?