Unromantic Romance

Chapter 17

"I hate field trips!" 

Ayii ranted habang papasok kami sa school bus. Umupo si Ayii sa ika-anim na upuan at pinili niya ang malapit sa bintana. 

"Bakit naman? Isa at kalahating-araw lang naman ito," Jay said habang nilalagay ang bag niya sa compartment sa itaas. Umupo siya sa tabi ni Ayii kaya pinili ko na lamang na maupo sa susunod na upuan. 

"Pupunta sana kami ni Nash sa Belzac ngayon eh. Overnight sana!" 

Naupo ako sa tabi ng bintana at nilagay ang backpack na dala sa tabi ko. 

"Wow, overnight!" I said amusingly. Tumayo ako at hinilig ang harap ko sa likod ng upuan nilang dalawa. "Ano namang gagawin niyo mamayang gabi kung natuloy nga?" Nang-uusisang tanong ko. 

Ayii looked at me disgustingly. "Iw! Ang dumi talaga ng isip mo, Le'!" Nandidiring saad niya at tinapunan ako ng stuff toy na hawak-hawak niya. 

Jay laughed at us habang pilit binabawi ni Ayii ang binato niyang stuff toy sa akin. "Ibalik mo si Grizzly, Le'!" Sigaw ni Ayii habang patuloy ko namang iniiwas ang stuff toy niya. 

Tumayo siya mula sa kanyang upuan at hinigit ang stuff toy niya mula sa pagkakahawak ko. She stucked her tongue out nang nabawi niya si Grizzly at bumalik na sa pagkakaupo. 

Hindi na rin ako nang-asar pa dahil tumunog ang cellphone ko. I fished it out of my pocket and checked the message I received. 

From: Jaron

Open your messenger, princess~

I can almost hear Jaron's teasing voice from his text. Kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa pagtataka at binuksan ang messenger ko. May message nga ang bulok na pinsan ko. 

He sent a picture of him and my other cousins enjoying the mansion's pool. Nakikita ko pa ang iilang kasambahay sa likod nila na nagse-serve ng wine. I felt jealous because I should have been there with them, enjoying myself with wine. 

Magtitipa na sana ako ng reply nang nag-ring ang cellphone ko at bumungad sa akin ang pangalan ni Jaron. I know he'll just tease me pero sinagot ko pa rin.

"With wine, huh?" I answered as soon as I answered the call. I heard my cousin's laugh on the other end. 

"Inggit ka?" Patuyang tanong niya. I rolled my eyes in the air.

"Isusumbong ko kayo kay Lolo pagdating niya. How could you touch his wine?" 

I heard him chuckle. "Come on! Madalas lang kami makauwi, a couple of wine won't hurt."

I scoffed. "Talaga lang, ah?" 

"Of course, hindi basta-bastang pumayag si Lolo na kumuha kami ng wine, we used a trick." 

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi ni Jaron. What trick did they use for Lolo to let them? I have a bad feeling about it. 

"What trick?" Nagdududang tanong ko. 

Narinig ko ang halakhak ng pinsan sa kabilang linya. 

"Hey Klo! Pauline is asking what trick did we use para mapapayag si Lolo na kumuha tayo ng wine!" Jaron shouted. I heard indistinct chattering on the other line which made my forehead creased more. 

"Hi, Pauline!" Kloe inserted. 

"You'll know when you come back here. By that time, wala na kami dito," natatawang saad ni Jaron.

"Tell me now. What is it?"

 I swear I am having a bad feeling. 

I heard Kloe's giggle on the other end. "Go on. Tell her, Jaiden!" 

"Fine," I heard Jaron's deep sigh and Kloe's never-ending giggle on the other end. "Ginamit namin ang pangalan mo. Lolo didn't let us in our first attempt but when we mentioned your name, pumayag siya kaagad!" Namamanghang sabi ni Jaron. 

"The f?" Bulong ko na nagpatawa sa kanilang dalawa ni Kloe. "How could you! Wala ako diyan, bakit nadawit ang pangalan ko-"

"Bakit nga ba? Hindi naman kataka-taka dahil ikaw ang paboritong apo." 

"I'm the least favorite, in fact." Pagtatama ko sa pinsan ko. 

"Hey, Klo! Aalis na si Elli, pigilan niyo naman!" I heard Micca shouted. 

"Pa'no ba iyan? Good luck na lang kapag babalik ka na," Jaron said. 

"Iiwasan ko si Lolo kung gano'n!" Naiinis na sagot ko sa kanya. I heard his deep laugh before the call ended. 

"Si Elli ba iyon?!" Ayii excitedly asked na lumuhod pa sa kanyang upuan paharap sa akin. 

"It was Jaron, pestering me as always." Nanlumo naman kaagad si Ayii sa sagot ko. 

"Ay? Akala ko pa naman si Elli," sabi ng kaibigan ko at umupo na ng maayos. I got my earphones and plugged it into my phone. I was scrolling at my playlist, searching for something good to listen to. 

I opened the window beside me at pinagmasdan ang nasa labas. May iba pang kulang kaya hindi pa kami tumutulak. My whole attention is outside while I Love You So Bad by LANY is currently playing. 

I was so immersed by the feeling that this song brings that I didn't feel someone's presence standing beside the next seat from where I am sitting. 

I looked up at Regis with his backpack hanging lazily on his other arm. 

He said something which I didn't hear. I looked at his lips moving, mumbling about something. Nang nagsalubong ang mga mata namin ay nakataas na ang isang kilay niya habang nakatingin sa akin. Kinuha ko ang earphones sa aking tenga at umiwas ng tingin, a bit panicky. 

"Can you move your bag?" I heard him asked. I looked back at him with my lips parted. 

"Why? Why... why should I move my bag?" 

He looked around kaya napatingin rin ako sa paligid. 

"There's no empty seat. Ano? Papaupuin mo ba ako o hindi?" 

Kagad kong kinuha ang bag ko at tumayo para ilagay sa compartment sa itaas. Damn, why is this so heavy for me? Hindi naman ito gano'n kabigat kanina ah? Why now?

Napaatras ako nang muntik na mahulog ang backpack ko dahil hindi ko naayos sa pagkakalagay dahilan ng pagkakaipit ang isang paa ko sa ilalim ng upuan. I am looking forward to my fall kaya pumikit ako, handa na maramdaman ang sakit. Pero nang wala akong naramdamang kahit ano ay dumilat ako ng dahan-dahan.

I am now comfortably leaning on Regis habang ang isang kamay niya ay nakaharang sa backpack ko para hindi tuluyang mahulog at ang isang kamay naman niya ay nakahawak sa isang braso ko bilang suporta sa bigat ko.

I blinked twice, processing what just happened. After a serene minute, I immediately stood up properly and automatically turn to him while stepping backward. Before I reach the window from my back, he held my waist and he swiftly took a step forward, closer to me. He put his other hand at the top of my head and his body shielded me from my bag who's about to fall kaya sa kanya bumagsak ang backpack ko.

His lips pursed but the sound of pain still escaped his tightly shut lips. That must have hurt! Oh gosh.

Everything was so fast that I cannot possibly follow it with my eyes and figure out why we are now in this awkward position. We are so close to each other given the distance of each seat on the bus. 

He is looking at me with his usual hooded eyes. From his stare, he makes me feel hot which makes me sweat bullets even if the bus' aircon is on. I looked away and found out that we stole most of our classmate's attention. I closed my eyes abruptly, feeling the embarrassment along with the awkwardness. 

I moved bit by bit hanggang sa magkalayo na kami. "Y-you can... uh... sit there," nauutal na sabi ko kay Regis habang iniiwasan na makasalubong ang mga mata niya. 

Umupo ako sa katabing upuan habang iniiwasan ang mga tingin ng mga kaklase ko. In my peripheral vision, I saw him picking up my backpack on the floor and placed it back in the compartment along with his. Nang natapos ay kalmado siyang umupo sa upuan na inuupuan ko kanina, parang hindi nararamdaman ang malisyosong mga tingin ng kaklase namin. 

Tumikhim ako at ibinalik na ang earphones sa aking tenga at nagpatuloy na sa pakikinig. 

The music was drowned by my heart's abnormal beating. It is pounding fast that it feels like I just ran a marathon. Paul Klein's voice became muffled because of an unknown reason and is tuning with my heartbeat.

It seems like this song was made to go along with this unusual pacing of my heart. 

I was busy calming my nerves and taming my wild heart when Regis spoke to me. 

"You're sweating. Here," he noticed me sweating at inabutan ako ng panyo. Dahan-dahan akong bumaling sa kanya at kaagad na kinuha ang panyo sa palad niya nang hindi siya tinatapunan ng tingin.

I wiped the trickling sweats on my forehead in a slow manner. I am also feeling my heart slowly coming back to its normal pace. 

"You're still pretty even with all that sweat," Regis commented and chuckled deeply. 

Just when it pounded still... it started to run wild again.

This is insane. I don't know how to calm my heart down again. How could this guy move my heart for the second time just by saying something affectionate?

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