Fall For You

=Mikaela= Logical. Sophisticated. Cold. Intimidating. Most of my schoolmates describe me with those words. But believe me, they're not completely true. I definitely don't want to snob nor intimidate the people around me. Sadyang mataray lang talaga ako tingnan. Isa pa, ako ang student council president dito sa Austin Academy and so I have to be strict sometimes, especially kung may nakikita akong katiwalian o pagpapasaway. Maraming naiinis sa akin dahil sinasaway ko sila. Pero wala akong pakialam. I am just doing my duty as the SC president. Kahit anong reklamo nila sa akin, as long as I know I'm right, hindi ko sila pinapakinggan. I don't waver. I'm cold as ice, as what some students say, kaya binansagan ako dito sa school bilang "The Ice President". "Uy, nandito si Ice Pres, pasok tayo sa room baka pagalitan pa tayo eh." "Oo nga. Dalian natin!" See? Tss. Naglalakad ako ngayon sa hallway patungong lockers and it's somewhat disappointing to see some students na tila ba takot sa akin. Well, may iba namang ngumingiti at gumigreet sa akin ng good morning pero yung nga kasali lang sa SC. Kadalasan talaga sa mga students dito, takot sa presensya ko. Dahil nga mataray at hindi ako approachable tingnan, which for me is not actually the case. Pero ayos na sa'kin yun kasi nasanay na ako na kinaiinisan o kinatatakutan ng mga students. If I won't be strict enough, hindi ako magiging effective leader kaya dapat lang maging strikto. Pero syempre dapat nasa lugar. Some students just couldn't understand and are so stubborn. And those students either fear or hate me because I'm prohibiting their filthy schemes. Cheat notes, liquor, inappropriate dress-up, bullying and fighting inside the campus are just some of the things na pinagbabawal ko dito sa school. It's a must and a natural thing to prohibit those. May iilan lang talagang pasaway at hindi nakikinig. Pero may iba rin namang nakakaintindi. I'm walking alone down the hallway. I barely make friends mainly because I find it hard trusting people so much. Simula noong sumama si Dad sa babae niya, I started to become distant from anyone who's trying to win my trust. Dahil doon, hindi ko napansin na nagiging cold at intimidating na ako in other people's point of view. Sinubsob ko ang sarili ko sa pag-aaral and I became the famous brain of the campus. Tama sila when they described me as someone logical. Well, I choose to be one. Because when you're being logical, you become invulnerable to emotional pain. Mas umiiral kasi ang utak kaysa sa damdamin. At kung mag-iisip ka logically and rationally, you could think of the best way to deal with any stress. That way, hindi ka lubos na masasaktan. It's actually my defense mechanism. Seven years old pa lang ako nang iniwan kami ng Dad ko at sumama siya sa kabit niya. I was once a daddy's girl and you could just imagine the stress I've been through nung umalis si Dad, considering that I was still simple-minded and sensitive back then. How could my dad choose that woman over me and Mom? Yun ang inisip ko noon. Wala akong makausap tungkol sa pinagdadaanan ko that time and so I bore with the pain by myself. Only child lang kasi ako and my mom was super busy with her job. Although she's trying to forget my dad, I still often see her crying in her room. I know she still loves him. Seeing her hurt, I realized that too much trust is not good. So I need to be strong, learn how to stand alone, and stop myself from being too inclined to anyone. "MIKAAA! Papunta kang SC office?" Tumango lang ako bilang sagot. Siya nga pala si Shanna Lim. Sa lahat ng nagtangkang makipagclose sa akin, siya lang ang nagtagumpay. Ang kulit niya kasi at napakapursigido. Ewan ko ba kung paano niya napagtitiisan ang pag-uugali ko. We're totally opposite. She's all-smiles while I'm the same expressionless me. I'm surprised that we could actually get along. Pero siguro napapansin niya rin na nagiging distant ako minsan. As I said, hindi ko hinahayaang maging masyado akong attached sa isang tao. But although siguro napapansin niya, she never said a word nor complained about it. "Mamaya nga pala, may practice game yung Blue Knights versus sa Esna High, gusto mo manood?" "Shanna, kelan pa ba ako naging interesado sa basketball games na yan?" "Pwede namang hindi sa game, pwede naman sa players, di ba? Kagaya ko, si Brixiebabes lang naman habol ko doon. Hahahaha." I gave her a bored look. "Okay fine, joke lang naman. Ikaw hindi ka mabiro. Alam ko namang man-hater ka eh." "I don't hate them, I'm just not interested," sabi ko tapos sinara ko na locker ko. "Hay, kawawang Kevin Chan." Narinig ko sinabi niya pero hindi ko pinansin. Nagsimula na akong maglakad papuntang SC office at sumunod naman si Shanna sa akin. "Okay, Ms. Ice President, let's just say hindi ka interesado sa lovelife chuchu, pero can't you just consider this oh-so-gorgeous Kevin Chan as an exemption?" "Ano bang pinagsasabi mo?" "Haler? Halos lahat ng girls dito sa school nagkakandarapa sa kaniya! Except me, of course, kasi kay Brixiebabes lang ako. Anyways, alam mo ba kung bakit ang daming naiinis at nagtataray sa'yong mga girls dito sa school? It's not because you're too smart and strict. It's because the famous campus crush Kevin Chan favors you so much. He's into you, Mika. Ikaw lang ata hindi nakakahalata nun, eh." "And I couldn't care less about that," I said to her. Dumating kami sa office at wala pa rin siyang tigil sa pagrereto sa akin kay Kevin Chan. "Hay naku, you're really as cold as ice. Wala ka ba talagang something kay Kevin, even yung slightest chance lang na magkagusto ka sa kaniya?" "Bakit ba ang kulit mo? Wala nga. I'm not interested with anyone, okay?" I clearly stated. At ibinaling ko na lang ang atensyon ko sa mga papel sa desk ko na kailangan pirmahan. "Sure? Even kay Kevin Chan?" "Even with that Kevin Chan." Biglang natahimik si Shanna. Ano kayang nang— "How can you be so sure, Prez?" I looked at the guy na nakajersey shorts and white tshirt who's apparently leaning on our office's doorway. Kailan pa siya nandiyan? "Uhm, ahem! I almost forgot, may kelangan pa pala akong asikasuhin. Alam mo na, class rep duties. Haha." And then, lumabas si Shanna ng room, leaving me and this Kevin Chan inside the office. "Anong ginagawa mo dito, Mr. Chan?" I asked habang patuloy sa pagpipirma sa mga papers. From my peripheral view, nakita kong lumapit siya sa desk ko. "I thought of inviting you to watch our game pero alam kong hindi ka pupunta. So, pumunta na lang ako dito," he pulled a chair and sat in front of my desk, "to watch you, instead," he said and rested his arms on the opposite side of my desk while looking at me. "Tss. Whatever." Nagconcentrate na lang ako sa trabaho ko. Kailangan na kasi itong ipasa by next week. Habang siya nandoon pa rin sa pwesto niya at busy kakatingin sa akin. Hindi na ako nag-abalang sitahin siya kasi hindi rin naman siya nakikinig sa akin. "This is new, Prez. Hindi mo na ako ipinagtatabuyan. Perhaps, you already like being stared at by me?" "Think what you like to think. But the truth is, masyado lang talaga akong busy para buksan ang bibig ko at paalisin ka. Isa pa, hindi ka rin naman nakikinig sa akin." "Oops, you got that wrong. Ikaw ang hindi nakikinig sa akin," he said, emphasizing 'ikaw' while accusingly pointing at me. Nagtama ang tingin namin. I examined him, trying to figure out what he is trying to say. Nagulat na lang ako when he blocked my sight by his hand. "Huwag mo akong titigan ng ganyan," sabi niya. "Nakakailang." Inalis ko agad ang kamay niya na nakatabon sa paningin ko. "Tss. Naiilang ka? You were staring at me tapos tiningnan lang kita saglit, ikaw pa tong nailang?" "Yup, proving that this is just one-sided," he said as his expression instantly turned to a serious one. Binitawan ko ballpen ko and looked back at him with a serious face. "Let me get straight with you, Mr. Chan. Hindi ko alam kung talagang may gusto ka sa akin, but if that's the case, can't you just stop?" I noticed that he was slightly taken aback by what I said. "Can't you just stop liking me?" pag-uulit ko. But then, I was confused when he chuckled and stood up. "Sorry. Can't do that, Prez," sagot niya. Yumuko siya towards me as he placed his hands on my desk and gave me a stare na hindi ko maintindihan. "It's too late to stop." After a few seconds of thinking kung ano ang pinakalogical na sabihin, I smirked at him. "See? You really don't listen to me," I said. "Nope. You're the one who's always not listening," he answered as he stood back straight. "Bakit mo ba binabaliktad ang mga sinasabi ko?" "Kasi opposite attracts.......Pfffft. Ganda ng banat ko di ba?" Seriously. Hindi ko maintindihan tong lalaking to. Ano ba talaga trip nya? Bigla biglang susulpot, acting playful and all. Tapos biglang magiging seryoso, and now he's joking out of the blue? But I must say, ang bilis niyang maka-rebutt. Ang bilis ata tumakbo ng mga salita sa ulo niya. "Whatever. Ang g**o mo din. Ang pinakaayaw ko sa lahat, yung magulo kausap," I said at nagpatuloy na naman ako sa trabaho ko. For a sec, he actually shut up. "Okay then, let me get straight with you too," sabi niya, making me look at him. "I like you, Mikaela Garcia. And I definitely won't stop liking you. And I'll make you fall for me." I couldn't take my eyes away from him. He said those words with such expression na once again ay hindi ko maintindihan. "Oh, may magulo pa ba dun sa sinabi ko?" he continued. "Wala ka bang nakakalimutan?" tanong ko, ignoring what he just said. As if on cue, tumunog ang phone niya. "Yes coach?" he answered his phone. Inilayo niya ang phone sa tenga niya. Malamang napagalitan to ng coach nila kasi malamang tumakas na naman 'to sa practice nila. "Sorry coach. Nagbreak lang ako sandali," he said then he looked at me. "Kaso I was distracted." Tss. I just keep ignoring his sweet talks and such kasi alam ko naman na he's just playing around. I really don't think na tama si Shanna, na this Kevin Chan is interested in me. Bakit ko naman seseryosohin yun when, in fact, this guy is said to be a heartbreaker. Marami ngang nagkakandarapa sa kaniya, maraming mga babaeng head-over-heels sa kaniya, pero lahat ng nakukuha niyang confessions, nirereject niya. Kahit yung mga famous faces of our campus, however pretty they are, nirereject niya. So why would this guy settle for a girl like me who has nothing to be proud of except for this intellect? Maybe he just finds it fun to make fun of me. I'm not being insecure. And I'm also not bragging. Nagsasabi lang ako ng totoo. Yung utak ko lang ang puhunan ko. Ang pagkapanalo ko bilang president, my so-called popularity here, and my mere existence in this prestigious school are just because of my intellectual capabilities. I'm not friendly, I'm not sociable, and I'm definitely not particular nor conscious about how I look. As long as I'm comfortable with what I wear, okay na. If not for my brains, I'd definitely become a wallflower in this campus because when it comes to looks, I don't actually stand out. Natigil ako sa pag-iisip nang may nilagay si Kevin Chan na piece of paper sa desk ko. "In case you wanna see how cool I get when I'm inside the court," sabi niya then he winked at me. Pagkatapos, lumabas na siya ng office with a huge grin painted on his face. Tiningnan ko ang paper. It's a basketball game pass para sa upcoming inter-high basketball competition next month. Most probably, busy ako sa mga panahong yun so I can't make time para manood ng game. It's the campus sportsfest kasi at nagkakaroon ng interschool competition sa lahat ng sports. And since it is sportsfest at ako ang SC president, I tend to be busy that time. So, nilagay ko na lang ito sa drawer ng desk ko. Baka kasi hindi pa nakakabili si Shanna ng game pass. Ibibigay ko na lang 'to sa kaniya. For sure, matutuwa yun. =THE NEXT DAY= "Hm? Game pass? Meron na ako, ako pa," sabi ni Shanna nang ibinigay ko sa kaniya yung pass. "Wait, did Kevin Chan personally give you that? Oh my gosh, Mika, ikaw na talaga." Umiling na lang ako. Don't start, Shan. Bigla na lang naging maingay ang canteen. Well, pumasok lang naman ang Blue Knights, the basketball team of our campus. And of course, si Shanna, hinanap agad si Brix Asuncion, yung ultimate crush niya. Yep, yung Brixiebabes niya. Tss. Suddenly, the ace of the team sat next to me. Sino pa ba? Si Kevin Chan, obviously. While next to Shanna, si Brix naman ang umupo. And you could just imagine how red and funny Shanna's face turned into. "Hi, Prez," the ace said. "Hi, Prez," sabi naman ni Brix with his signature bright smile. "Hi...Shanna." "H-Hi," sagot naman ni Shanna. "Hoy, anong Prez? Ako lang tumatawag sa kaniya ng ganun. Don't you dare flirt with my Prez or else," pagbabanta ni Kevin Chan kay Brix. "Tss. As if I ever did with anyone," Brix replied. Well, Brix is said to be a pure gentleman. He's a good guy. He's the point guard of the Blue Kights and the guy with the killer smile in the team. No wonder Shanna, a very bright person, was allured by that smile. And speaking of Shanna, si Brix lang pala nakakapagshut up sa kaniya. She's very well-behaved now. Ni hindi umiimik. "Uhm, Mika, di ba may dapat ka pang asikasuhin sa office? Tara na. May kelangan din kasi akong kunin dun." "Huh? Anong pinagsasa-" "Tara na. Baka magbell na." Tumayo na si Shanna at hinigit ako. What's wrong with her? =Kevin= "You're too slow bro," I said to Brix. "Bro, kakarating palang natin. Alangan namang ibigay ko agad sa kaniya. Masyado akong magiging obvious," sagot naman niya. "Bakit ba takot kang malaman niya?" "I'm not like you, Kev. Konting sway mo lang sa babaeng gusto mo, malamang she'd fall for you right away." "Tss. If that's true, I wouldn't be having a hard time now," sabi ko habang nakatingin sa game pass na nasa mesa. Ito yung pass na binigay ko kay Prez. If I could really make the person I like fall for me so easily, then wala dapat 'tong game pass na ito dito. Dapat nasa kaniya 'to, well-kept. Probably ibibigay niya sana ito kay Shanna. This basically means that what I feel is still unrequited.