Fate 05

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Chapter 05

Hindi ko mabilang kung ilang beses kong tinanaw ang mansion mula sa bintana ng kwarto ko. The lights are still open over there and the place really looks elegant at night. Hindi ako mapakali kung anong gagawin dahil duon.

Is he still awake?

Nawalan na ako halos ng gana kumain kanina. It made me really upset when he walked away just like that. I'm really blaming myself for it. Kung bakit ba naman nawawala ang tama kong pag iisip tuwing nandyan siya. His presence affect me so much.

And I want to apologize to him or else I won't be getting any sleep tonight. I want to apologize for how rude I was. I was conceding those foreign feelings and I ended up treating him badly.

Yet like a coward I knew I was, I fell asleep with a thought of going to the mansion when in reality, I didn't.

"Anong oras ang tapos ng klase mo, Ady?"

"Po?" Agad akong napabalikwas sa pagkakayuko dahil hindi ko narinig ang sinabi ni Nanay.

"Mukhang puyat ka, masama iyon sa kalusugan, Adyleighn,"

"May tinapos lang po akong assignment," Pagsisinungaling ko dahil hindi ko naman kayang sabihin ang totoong dahilan kung bakit halos napikit pa ang mga mata ko ngayon.

"Anong oras ang tapos ng kalse mo?"

"Mga alas tres po. Bakit po?"

Kinuha ko na ang mga plato at nilagay sa lababo. Nilingon ko si Nanay na patuloy sa pagsusulat sa maliit niyang notebook.

"Samahan mo akong mamili ng mga tela mamaya at umalis ang Tatay mo,"

Tumango agad ako at wala naman akong gagawin pagkatapos ng klase. Siguro ay nag d-deliver ng manok si Tatay sa kabilang syudad.

"Sige po. I-text---" Naitikom ko agad ang bibig ko. Hindi ko pa nga pala nahahanap yung telepono ko. Saan ako itetext ni Nanay? Kahit anong hanap ko talaga duon ay hindi ko na nakita pa.

"Magkita na lang po tayo sa bayan," Pagpapatuloy ko sa sinasabi ko.

"Sige 'nak. Sa may tapat na ginagawang mall tayo magkita. Nanduon ang bagong tindahan nila Desa,"

Ginagawang mall?

I immediately thought of him. Would he be there? Pero malabo rin dahil hapon na iyon. Or maybe I would still be able to see him?

That was in my head the whole time I was going to school.

"Ms. Torreto,"

Napatigil ako sa paglalakad sa hallway nung tinawag ako ng isa kong prof. It was Mr. Acevedo, my Philippine History teacher. Sa pagkakaalam ko ay fresh graduate ito ng school namin na naging prof agad.

"Good morning, Sir," Magalang na bati ko bago lumapit dito. Nag alanganin pa nga akong lumapit dahil may mga estudyante na siya sa loob ng classroom niya.

He then handed me a set of papers and I can already conclude that it was our last activity with his subject. Nasa unahan ang papel ko na may markang A++.

"I'm quite impress with your essay," He said then paused. He gestured the group of reporters to continue. Nakita ko na medyo tumaas ang isang kilay nung isa sa kanila at pasimple akong inirapan.

What was that? May nagawa ba akong mali? I was just talking to the professor.

"Looks like you don't belong here,"

Agad kong naintindihan ang sinabi ng prof ko. I'll definitely take that as a compliment. Kaya napangiti ako.

"Why don't you transfer next year? I'll help you with your credentials,"

Magugustuhan mo rin ang

          

I actually didn't think of the idea. It didn't occurred to me how I can transfer to another school next year. Siguro ay ayoko rin ng complications. Like how I'll retake some subjects and be an irregular student for a whole semester.

Napakibit-balikat ako bago magsalita. "Hindi ko pa po alam," And that was the truth.

Napatango-tango ito sa sagot ko.

"Don't waste your intelligence and ability here, you'll end up like me." Napatawa ito sa huling sinabi. I awkwardly smile because I don't want to offend my teacher from reaction.

"See you in my class, Ady," Paalam nito at tinapik ang braso ko.

Okay... That was quite weird. Nakakausap ko na ito rati pero tungkol lang sa mga clarification ko sa lessons. Well, there's no harm on becoming a prof's friend. Siguro ay nakikita niya ang sarili sa akin. How well he knows that I don't belong here like him. Did I mentioned he was the Summa Cum Laude of his batch? Yeah, he is.

Nilingon ko ang babaeng umirap sa akin. Napailing na lang ako sa inasta nito kanina. Some people will tend to be piss at you for no logical reason.

"Don't forget your case study to be submitted next meeting."

Kasabay ng pagtayuan ng mga kaklase ko ay ang biglang pagpatakan ng ulan. Kanina ko pa napansin na madilim ang kalangitan simula nitong last class ko.

I don't have a choice but to run through the rain. Sasakay na lang agad siguro ako pagkalabas ng gate. Tanging kamay lang ang pinangpandong ko sa sarili. Bakit kasi ang tamad ko magdala ng payong eh. Yung payong nga na pinahiram sa akin ni Nanang Gina ay nasa bahay pa rin. I should remind myself to give it back once the weather is fine.

"Sa may tinatayong mall po," Pagkasabi ko nun ay tumango ang driver at pumasok na ako sa tricycle. Agad kong pinunasan ang sarili kahit naman wala na akong magagawa sa ulan.

I instantly felt goosebumps the moment I heard a series of thunder. I hate that sound. Para akong hindi makahinga dahil duon.

Hindi kagaya ng ulan nung mga nakaraan ay medyo malakas ito. Hindi ito yung tipo ng ulan nung nasa mansion ako. Maybe, it's the typhoon I've been hearing from the news.

Too bad, I have a slight anxiety when hearing thunders.

Napamura na lang ako nung maalala na wala nga pala akong telepono. Music will somehow calm me but I don't have any device where I can listen to. Ang tanging natira ay ang headset ko na nasa bag.

"Salamat po," Sabi ko at inabot ang bayad. Pagkababa ko sa tapat ng tinatayong mall ay lalo pang lumakas ang ulan. Pinagpasyahan kong tumawid na lang para makasilong sa tarpulin kung nasaan ang tinatayong mall.

I embraced myself when I felt the cold breeze of the rain. Napapikit nung muling kumulog ng malakas.

Nasaan na kaya si Nanay?

I quickly glance at my wrist watch. It's fifteen minutes before four. Natagalan pala ang biyahe ko papunta rito na hindi ko man lang napansin.

So I waited... and waited.

Nung nakita kong mag s-six na ay tsaka ko pa naisip na umuwi na. Sinipat ko ng tingin ang paligid. I suddenly felt scared on how there's no one on the road already. Wala na ring mga sasakyan. Sobrang dilim na rin at patuloy pa rin ang ulan.

Bakit ko kasi nawala ang telepono ko!?

Napaupo na lamang ako dahil nanlambot na ang mga tuhod ko. I can't think of anything. Sarado na rin ang mga malalapit na establishment gawa siguro ng bagyo. Kailangan ko rin subukan na maglakad lakad na kahit walang payong. I hugged my legs and lay my head on my knees. I don't know what to do.

A blinding light made it's way to my direction. Halos napapikit na ako sa sobrang liwanag nuon. Yet the moment I recognize the car, I felt like I was about to cry. I was really hopeless earlier.

Nakita ko ang anino niya na bumaba sa kotse at nagmamadaling tinakbo ang pagitan namin. I immediately stood up to jump into him.

Naramdaman ko na agad na pumulupot ang mga braso niya sa bewang ko. My hands unconsciously clutch his shirt as I clung to him more. His manly scent was enough to calm my nerves.

"Adyleighn... I was so damn worried,"

Silent tears flowed down to my face. Sinubsob ko na lamang ang mukha ko sa dibdib niya para hindi niya mapansin ang pag iyak ko.

I was crying due to the mix emotions I was feeling. How I felt great when he came. How I felt bad when I remembered our last encounter. How I was scared of the thunder. How I felt safe in his arms.

That's too much for me to comprehend.

"I'm s-sorry..." Sabi ko sa mahinang boses. He immediately hush me.

"Stop apologizing," I remember that I told him the same words when he saved me from getting hit by a car. Kaso gusto ko talaga humingi ng tawad sa kanya sa inasta ko kahapon.

"I'm s-sorry for y-yesterday," I stammered because I felt the cold wind touching my skin again. Napansin niya agad ito kaya naman mabilis niyang tinanggal ang suot niyang coat para ipatong sa balikat ko. When he made sure it was secure to my body, he held my right arm.

"Let's get you inside the car,"

Wala siyang sinayang na oras at marahan akong inalalayan papasok sa kotse niya. Pagkapasok ko ay agad akong nabalisa nung nawala siya. I know I was overreacting but it was really how I felt. I don't want to take off my eyes on him. Nung pumasok siya sa driver seat ay agad kong tinaas ang mga kamay upang humawak sa braso niya.

He was quite shock to my sudden action. Mabilis naman nawala ang pagkabigla niya. His eyes softened as he look at me more. Tinaas niya ng isang kamay papunta sa akin. He gently caress my head and softly shuffled my hair.

"I'm here, Ady. I came looking for you and found you," He let out a sigh of relief and continued.

"You scared the hell out of me when I heard you weren't home yet."

As I look at his warm eyes and listen to his gentle voice, I realized something.

How fascinating. How I keep on running away from him and how I belittle my feelings for him. Yet fate seems to keep on pushing me back to him, making my shallow feelings deeper than ever.

Defying FateTahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon