CHAPTER 3
That Weird Guy
CAGNES TAYLOR
A CIRCLE of students welcomed me in the center of the university's field. I even walked quickly to witness what was there? Silence engulfed them yet there were sound of a cry.
"Pinatay ni'yo siya!" a sudden loud cry of a girl, snaking her arms to . . . what? A dead body of a boy. Bumungad ang nakalatag na patay na katawan ng isang lalaki.
My curiosity has driven me. Mas dumiin pa ako sa pagkakalapit nito upang mas malinawan at masaksihan ng klaro ang kaganapan.
Nagtutup ako ng bibig nang sumalubong nang malinawan sa mga mata ko ang naninigas at namumutlang katawan ng isang binata tila nakalasan na ng maraming dugo. It was damn unpleasant to see, ibang-iba ang hitsura nito kompara sa normal at buhay na tao.
I took a couple of deep breaths to steady myself. I am physically strong. I could battle whoever they are just to protect myself but my weakness is about being too emotional. Seeing a dead body would really drive me crazy. Marunong akong magalit ngunit mahina pa rin ang aking kalooban para labanan iyon.
"Ano ba ang nangyari? Who did this?" nadala ako sa aking kuryusidad at nakabitaw ng tanong sa kanila but no one attempted to answer me. I saw their faces, fear and doubt prevailed. Each one of them seemed has nothing to speak up.
Samu't-saring katanungan ang naglalaro sa aking isipan, clouded with curiosity and eagerness to discover the truth behind that brutal incident.
"I said who did this?" I questioned again but I received nothing in return.
I left them, pacing away while having a deep thought inside my head. I never bothered to ask them again. For what? Para hindi na naman nila akong sagutin?
At the edge of the field, I noticed someone standing; the guy in black uniform. The guy I met last night. No, I mean the guy who stalked me. The guy whom I accidentally met?
I stopped from pacing and examined every detail of his posture. He seemed so cool yet annoying. I don't even like his personality.
I marched towards him. "Hey!" tawag ko pa nang makalapit na sa kaniya. "W-what's y-your name again?" I stutteringly asked. His name was no longer fresh inside my brain. Nakatulog ako, eh . . . at saka hindi ko naman negosyo ang pangongolekta ng mga pangalan.
Sinuri niya muna ako sa pamamagitan ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa. When our eyes met, I vividly saw something uniqueness of his eyes. May pagkakulay berde ang kaniyang mga mata na kay gandang titigan.
"I don't make conversation with a stranger," walang gana nitong sabi habang nakatapon ang tingin sa ibang direksyon.
Bumuntonghininga ako at hinilot ang sentido. Napahiya tuloy ako, parang nakaganti lamang siya sa akin. Pero sino ba naman siya para mahiya ako? Yes, he's the current Supreme Student Council President as far as I know but why would I be ashamed of him? And we're not even that closed. Crazy, Cagnes! You're having a silly debate with yourself, again.
"I have some paper works to do, give me a way," wika niya habang nakatingin sa kaniyang relos.
Ang hina ko namang mag-isip ng paraan kung sa school I.D. palang ay nakasulat na ang kaniyang pangalan.
Khein Charl Evergreen
"Oh . . . Khein Charl Evergreen, the Supreme Student Council President of Mnemosync University." Itinuon na niya ang kaniyang atensyon sa akin. Gulat ka, huh? "Maaari po bang magtanong sa inyo?" magalang kong pagtatanong kahit hindi naman siya gaano kagalang-galang dahil sa nakakainsultong ugali nito. I crossed my arms, waiting for his response and that is if he really wanted to make a conversation with me.
He pulled me with a great force. Sa sobrang lakas ng kaniyang pagkahila ay nawala ako sa balanse na naging resulta sa pagkadampi ng mukha ko sa dibdib niya. Ang tigas . . . parang pader ang nabangga ko. Inangat ko ang aking mukha at tingin sa kaniya. Our faces were only inches apart. I could feel the warm of his breath. Tinitigan ako nang malalim nito. Nakakatigas, nakakamatay, nakaka-high blood.
Kagustuhan kong pumiglas sa pagkakakulong ko sa kaniyang braso pero parang iginapos ang aking katawan sa kaniya. I could not understand what really happened to me. It's just . . . I couldn't make a move apart.
"I don't talk to a stranger," he said with a baritone voice. Amoy na amoy ko na ang mabangong hininga nito. I am over describing him rather than hating every detail of his personality. Ano ba ang nangyayari sa sarili ko? Ganito ba ako ka-apekatado sa presensya niya?
I should've listened first to my inner voice to not to talk with this shameless rude guy. Other precious seconds in my beautiful life have wasted. I pushed him apart, our bodies disconnected. The move he made wouldn't satisfy me. That's the first thing why I hate guys who acted like they can easily get me.
Pero bakit ganito ang iniisip ko?
"How long have you been kissing each other?" panghihimasok ng isang babae na sumira sa katahimikan. I couldn't imagine I'd spent almost one minute making an eye to eye contact with this guy.
Bumaling ako at sumalubong ang isang hindi gaano kagandang nilalang. Magkasing-tangkad lang kami ngunit lamang siya sa kahabaan ng kaniyang buhok.
"And you are?" She pointed her eyes on me. I didn't even know her and I am not interested to get her name. Pero tinanong tayo, edi sumagot tayo.
"I am Cagnes Tay---"
"Well, my mind changed. I am not interested to you, anymore," she interrupted my self-introductory speech. What a rude lady of lollilop!
Tumikhim ako upang maipagpalagay ang sarili sa katinuan at para mabawasan ang inis na bumabalot sa akin bago ko pa makalbuhan 'tong Lollipop Girl na 'to.
"Hi, babe! Craving for my lollipop?" Iniluwal nito ang sinupsop na lollipop at ipinasok sa bibig ng walang modong binata sa harap ko.
Seriously? Yuck!
I couldn't imagine how dirty that act was. The saliva itself, grossed! Jusko! Nasira yata ang kagandahan ng pigura ng aking mukha dahil sa kabastuhan na 'yon. Kung siguro sinupsop pa ni Khein iyon, masusuka na siguro ako sa harapan nilang dalawa.
"Yuck . . ." I whispered. I couldn't bear myself while watching them. Pumihit ako at nagsimulang magmartsa papalayo sa senaryong iyon.
Pangatlong hakbang ko palang nang biglang bumagsak ang boses ni Khein. Naagaw nito ang pandinig ko. Walang pag-alinlangan ko silang binalingan at nasaksihan ko ang pagbasak ng lollipop sa lupa at inapakan ito ng sapatos niya.
"Stay away from me, that's an order!" his raging and authoritative order. Seemingly displeasured and uncontrollably irritated.
"But, bab---" Umawang ang bibig nito nang hindi pa nakatapos sa kaniyang pagsasalita dahil napapagalitan na naman siya sa walang modong Presidente.
"One order is enough!"
Naging sentro silang dalawa sa atensyon ng lahat ng mga estudyanteng nakatambay doon at sa mga dumadaan doon.
It was hard to tell but he looks so hot when he's sharply angry. I drifted down my sight and wait that lady to be gone.
"Fuck that order!" said the lady before leaving. Nagustuhan ko ang lakas ng kaniyang loob upang makapagbitaw ng gano'ng linya. Tama lang ang desisyon niya bago siya mabugahan ng apoy. Padabog itong nagmartsa patungong school canteen.
Silence engulfed . . .
Our eyes unfortunately met again.
"And you? What are you standing there?" suplado niyang tanong.
"Malamang, may paa ako eh," sarkastiko kong bulong habang nakatutok ang tingin sa baba.
"Did you just say something?" Seemed he noticed my murmurs.
"I don't talk to a stranger," bawi kong pamimilosopo na siyang ikinakunot pa ng noo nito. "Opps! Sorry, naubusan kasi ng brake fluid ang bunganga ko, eh." I gave him a sarcastic smile and rolled my eyes, then.
Pumihit akong muli at nagsimulang maglakad papalayo pero bigla niya nalang binagsak ang pangalan ko na ikinataginting ng tainga ko.
"Hey, Cagnes Taylor!" Humakbang ako ng isang hakbang nang muli niya itong sinundan. "Go back here!" I stopped for a while and took a slight breathing. "Learn to follow an order," kasunod niyang wika. Kumukuyom ang dalawa kong kamao, sarap basagin ang pagmumukha niya.
Taas-noo akong bumaling. Akala ko'y hindi ako matitinag sa posturang aking iginawad sa kaniya ngunit ako'y nabigo lamang nang makita ng mga mata ko ang nag-iisang bagay na hawak sa nakaangat na kaliwang kamay nito.
Kanina ko pa iyon hinahanap nasa kaniya lang pala.
"Bawas-bawasan ang pagiging malamya," his authoritative voice. He handed me that thing. One of the most important things that a student must wear inside the school premises. "That's an order." He walked out and left me overfilled with guilt.
Paano 'yon nangyari?
Napamulsa itong lumayo sa field at tuluyang naglaho sa aking paningin.
"My I.D . . ." I groaned
*****
Being honest to my friends is like climbing a rocky mountain barefoot. Friends would never hide secret/s from their friends but it has some limitations to consider to. Keeping secrets concealed would be a hard task for yourself. In my case, I would rather wait the time to disclose the secret which I have been hiding from them. May mga bagay talagang mas mabuting ilihim nalang muna dahil may iniisip kang kapakanan ng iba.
Paano kung kamumuhian nila ako? What if they would be going to dislike me and disregard everything about me? I am afraid. I don't want to be lost . . . again.
"Your treat?" Prince broke the silence. Bumalik ako sa aking diwa. 'Di nagtagal ay kumalas sa pagkakatikom ang aking bibig at nakapagreklamo.
"Have mercy on my pocket. Ako na naman? That's an act of extortion, bakla," I contradicted his suggestion.
"Let me clarify what you have mentioned. Extortion is a practice of obtaining something through force," he confidently explained.
"Or threats," sumingit si Zheff na ikinangiti ni Pearl.
"Parang gano'n na rin 'yon. Pangingikil na rin 'yang panga-abuso mo sa pera ko," I opposed kahit alam ko naman na mali ang pahayag ko.
"You're hard to defeat," nakangiwi niyang sumbat.
"Correction . . . as always." I winked.
He let out a sigh and raised his hand.
"I guess . . . it's my turn," he volunteered. He had no other choices. I could afford their foods but it sounded so abusive kung ako nalang ang sasagot palagi sa grupo.
"Kaawaan ka ng Diyos," Zheffrey said. Ngumisi naman lahat maliban sa akin. May kakaiba kasing nagpakita sa akin. Ibig kong sabihin ay may nakita akong kakaibang tao at hindi multo.
I had time to concentrate my sight on the person at the other table. He's literally a weird guy. Kanina pa siyang patingin-tingin sa akin habang pinaglalaruan ang ballpen sa kaniyang mga daliri. I always caught him looking at me, sometimes he smiled widely and sometimes he stared at me evilly. Sino bang hindi magtataka sa mga kinikilos ng kaniyang mukha. He's hard to predict.
My eyes finally stopped when Zheffrey waved his hands in front of me. Such a disgusting nerdy guy! I tried to peek through the space between Pearl and Sapphire but I didn't make it. That weird guy who sent me bad feeling has totally gone. Pinasadahan ko pa ng tingin ang buong canteen at bigong hindi nakita na iyon.
Weird.
"You're always in a bad timing, huh?" I rolled my eyes to him.
"Heh?" sarkastikong tugon niya na may kasamang mahilaw na ngiti.
Biglaan kong nabagsak ang aking atensyon nang makita ko ang aking kuwaderno. I was too late, basang-basa na ito. "Ano'ng nangyari?!" pasigaw kong tanong na umamo ng atensyon sa lahat ng mga estudyante na naroroon.
"Kanina pa 'yan basa," sagot ni Zheffrey na nakahalukipkip at naniningkit ang mga mata.
"Why you didn't tell me?" nakakunot-noo kong usal. Umiiling ako habang pinagmasdan ang kalamyaan ko. Wala ka talagang takas kung kampon ni kamalasan na mismo ang dadalaw sa 'yo.
'Bawas-bawasan ang pagiging malamya, that's an order,' alingawngaw sa utak ko.
"Wow? Ngalay na ngalay na nga 'tong braso ko sa kakakaway sa 'yo!" Naka-angat ang kilay nito. May nalalaman palang pagtataray itong nerd na 'to.
Damn! My assignment notebook!