Chapter 5 -Singular

How did that guy got into my phone?

I'm pretty sure it's him because of that phrase, hays.

Arghh my head.

Everytime na nakakaencounter nako ng mga gentong bagay madalas na sumaket ulo ko kaya nga ko nagfaint nung nakaraang araw eh tsk.

"Hey, you good?"

Napatingin naman ako kay dale na nasa gilid ko at halata nyang nagulat ako HAHAHA.

"Anyare? Baket ano nabasa mo? Si Ava ba?"

Nagnod nalang ako, I can't tell him about what really happened he won't even believe me, di ko nga den alam kong totoo ba sya eh HHAHAHA.

Diba Author?! Di naten alam kong totoo tong mundo ko?!?! HA HA HA.

This world may not be real but shit it's making me crazy tf.

"Nagaway kayo? Really is it kay Ava talaga? It feels like it isn't, ilang araw kanang genyan, What really happened pre? You can tell--"

"BAT ANDAMI MONG TANONG DALE?!"

I bursted out at nasigawan ko si Dale nyeta, I saw Ray, Joshua and all of the people in the bus looking at me at nagulat sila sa sigaw ko.

Agad namang kumalma sarili ko ng malaman kong napagbuntungan ko ng galet si Dale arghh, I shouldn't have acted like that.

"Sorry.. Ai-aize I was just... worrie--"

"No, i'm sorry.. it's just been rough for me these past few days"

Agad kong bawi sa nagawa ko hays, there's just a lot going on in my head atsaka it's so unusual kay Dale magalala, di naman kame ganon kaano, pero sabagay sa mga kinikilos ko HAHAHA.

Sumilip naman ako sa bintana ng bus at napansin kong malapit na kame at saka tumigil yung bus sa harap ng school.

"Ava University, baba na baba"

We got off the bus and immediately ran inside the school campus at late na kame shemay.

Pagdating namen sa court they were all there at mukhang kame nalang wala, napansin naman nameng wala pa si Coach kaya medyo nawala naman pangamba namen.

"Aish-- buti.. hays w-wala pa.. haaays haays, wala pa si coach"

hingal na sabe ni Joshua pagtapos nameng tumakbo.

"HAHAHA lagi naman yong late si coa--"

"10 mins tsk tsk, ran 10 laps around, MOVE!!"

Nagutla naman kame ng marinig sigaw ni coach sa likuran namen at kanina pa pala sya nandon, hays.

Agad naman kameng tumakbo paikot ng court kahet hinihingal pa kame phew- buti nalang talaga aircon tong gymnasium ket papano di mainit HAHAHA.

"Bey kababagal nyo atang maglakad at nalate pa kayo, RUUN FASTER! GODDAMNIT!"

"YES SIR! YES COACH!!"

Binilisan naman namen takbo namen at napansin ko sa peripheral kong natawa iba nameng team mates at tuwang tuwa naman ang unggoy na Lucas samen tsk that air headed moron.

"Bat may naririnig akong tumatawa dyan?! Do you wanna join them?!! HUH?! HUH?!?!?"

"NO SIR! NO COACH!"

Sabay sigaw nila HAHAHA, mga takot pala kayo eh nyeta.

I'm catching my breath at parang hihimatayin ata ako sa pagod nyeta, kakatakbo lang namen papasok tas pinatakbo nanaman kame ulet skkssks

After minutes of running natapos naman namen yung 10 laps at agad kameng bumagsak sa sahig sa sobrang pagod at hingal na hingal kameng apat na parang mga aso, hays.

"Bat nakahiga sa sahig gusto nyo ba dyan nalang kayo?! Ha?! STAND UP! STAND!!"

Ket nanghihina katawan namen ay agad agad naman kameng tumayo hays, mali ako sa filipino time sobrang strict talaga ni coach sa oras, sksksksks.

"Explain!"

"We ate on Aize Mom's resto that was a lil far awa--"

"Enough! I've heard enough!"

Agad interrupt ni Coach kay Dale na nagexplain sa kung baket kame late hays.

"Strike 1, do 3's and you'll all receive a more intense punishment, go prepare! move!"

Agad naman kameng tumakbo at kinuha mga bag namen saka nilagay sa mga benches, nagpalit na ng damit sila Ray, Joshua at Dale dahil magtratraining na sila and syempre tamang nood lang ako HAHAHA.

Nyeta ka author bat mo ba kase ako pinilay HAHAHA.

I watched them while Coach is telling them things para sa finals tsk, sadly I can't play kung kelang last na laro na eh kainis.

While they're on a circle at may ineexplain pa si coach bago sila maglaro, I noticed Dale is kinda off again.

He's not paying attention to coach at nakatitig lang sya sa malayo tf, did I hurt him?

Nah di ganon kadrama yon besides di naman ganon kamadamdamin mga lalake lalo na si Dale atsaka he seems weird kanina pa naman even before what happened on the bus.

Kinuha ko naman phone ko tsaka binuksan ulet yung note.

'Told you don't feed it'

How did that guy got into my phone? Maybe nung naiwan ko to sa cr? But he was gone-- wait..

Baka kaya di ko sya mahanap nung lumabas ako eh dahil pumasok ulet sya ng restroom after I left saka tinype to? Wth.

Questions and questions bombarded me again at nakirot nanaman ulo ko kakaisip hays.

My mind's exhausted, I need to rest.

Nagexcuse naman ako kay coach at pinayagan naman nya kong umalis, I miss ava but I think I can't go to her rn tho may privelage syang lumabas masok, still kelangan nyang makasunod sa studies atsaka kasama ko naman sya mamayang uwian.

"Siomai po tas kanin, thanks"

Oo, kakaen ako pake nyo readers HAHAHA.

Eyes, text, room 9, notes..

Stranger.

Good thing I can recall things, weird things to be exact.

'Curiosity kills...literally'

'Told you don't feed it'

Is he warning me? Telling me to stop? or is there something he doesn't want me to know.

Just like the author..

Yeah, let's say you're real author HA HA HA.

"Tubeg po, thank you"

I heard a voice behind my back na nabili sa canteen, nilingon ko naman and I saw from a distance.. it's Ava.

Nilapitan ko sya saka tumigil sa likudan nya at napansin ko namang nakatulala lang sya don sa tubeg saka ko nilapit ko ulo ko sa tenga nya para bumulong.

"Celeste Ava Gale"

Agad naman syang nagulat at nahampas nya ko sa mukha nyeta, ambigat ng kamay HAHAHAHA.

"Lah, jusq Aiden, sorry sorry hahaha"

Sabay akto nyang paghawak sa pisngi ko jusq parang di sampal yun eh, suntok ata yon na pahambalos HAHAHA.

"Wag ka kaseng manggugulat love jusq"

"Bat ka kase nakatulala dyan sa tubeg nagseselos ako"

Sabay pout ko sa kanya, don't judge me! Love ko yan kaya ko pababy wag kayong epal HAHAHA.

Agad naman nyang tinakpan mukha ko at saka sya ngumite HAHAHA, she looks more beautiful when she smiles, I hope she wears it all the time, ay! Saken lang pala! Baka may iba pang magandahan sa kanya mahirap na.. skksksks

"Kamusta ka love?"

Napatahimik naman sya ng saglet saka iniwas nya tingin nya saken at nawala den yung ngiti sa labi nya, hays.

"What happene--"

"Here's your change"

Agad kuha ni Ava sa sukli saka nya ininom yung tubig na binili nya, uhaw na uhaw love ah? HAHAHA.

"Tara labas tayo ang init po dito Hahaha"

I nodded at her saka ko sya pinauna lumabas at sumunod naman ako, she's not alright.. I can tell.

"Wala kayong practice love? -hahha"

Tanong nya saken saka kame umupo sa isa sa mga benches dito sa may park.

May ganon tong school and usually dito natambay yung ibang mga students na gusto lang magrelax, magbasa ng libro or gusto lang talaga mapagisa, nasa gitna to ng campus just right beside the cafeteria.

"Nagexcuse ako kay coach, nanonood lang naman ako HAHAHA"

Sagot ko sa kanya saka kame nagtawanan then the atmosphere became silent, tanging hangin lang maririnig mo kasama ang mga kaluskos ng dahon at tilamsik ng tubeg sa may fountain..

Ang payapa

Tinitigan ko naman sya and I can tell her eyes are tired.

Nilagay ko naman kamay ko sa bewang nya saka ko sya hinila palapit saken at sumandal sya sa braso ko.

"Just tell me what happened, you know you can't lie to me"

Sabe ko sa kanya at agad naman syang napabuntong hininga saka nya inangat ulo nya at tumingin saken.

Then she smiled.

Arghh, how cute. AAAHHH HAHAHAHA.

"Pagod lang po love" saka sya sumandal ulet.

Pagod to sa studies nya plus yung expectations sa kanya that fuels up her insecurities, hays.

"Alam mo yon love?"

Sabay napatingin naman ako sa kanya sa sinabe nya.

"Ang ingay eh, hahaha--"

Hinawakan ko naman kamay nya ng medyo marinig kong magcrack boses nya.

"Ang ingay ng utak ko hahaha nakakapagod, lagi nalang oh kelangan gento dapat mataas, magbasa ka mag-aral ka hahaha, ang hirap--"

I brought out my handkerchief saka ko pinunasan luha ni Ava, it breaks me everytime na naiiyak sya tsk.

"tas alam mo yon hahaha pag bumagsak ka ket magkamali ka ultimo maliit na mali sa exams 2 or 3 lang, yun yung pagtutuunan nila ng pansin hahaha sasabihin bat di mo to inaral bat di gento, Gale ka Ava for petesake! Hays, Bat ka ba kase genyan Ava ang gara mo nama--"

I stopped her from talking kase nagcracrack na yung boses nya plus halata kong hirap na syang magsalita at sinisisi na nya sarili nya.

I just hugged her and let her cry on my shoulders.

"Just let it out"

Napansin ko namang may mga nakatingin samen lalo na kay Ava kaya tinakpan ko nalang ng panyo mukha nya.

"bat-- bat moko tinakpan"

"Umiyak ka lang dyan"

Agad naman syang umalis sa pagkakayakap ko at agad pinunasan nya mga mata nya.

"Hays, tama na po hahaha lagi nalang akong naiyak pag nakikita moko hehe" sabay ngiti nya saken.

Hinawakan ko naman kamay nya saka ko sya tinignan ng diretso sa mga mata.

"I don't care if you'll cry to me all the time, i'll always be here to liste--"

"Pero alam ko may pinagdadaanan ka den alam kong may gumugulo sa isip mo ayokong makadagdag"

Pagiinterrupt nya saken, Ava is really sweet but I know ayaw nya lang kase talagang makaabala tho she's not a bother to me akala nya lang oo, nyeta kase yung bumubulong sa kanya eh HAHAHA.

"Love, I may be handful but I'll always make room for you"

Sagot ko sa kanya at mukhang naiyak ulet si gaga HAHAHAHA.

I leaned forward and I kissed her forehead sabay tingin ko ulet sa mata nya.

"I love you so much Ava Gale and I hope you do too"

Agad naman syang nagtaka sa sinabe ko at natigil yung luha nya sa pagbagsak.

"Lah, love den naman kita--"

"I hope you do too.. love yourself"

Agad naman syang natulala saken at natahimik saka ko sya hinila ulet from her waist para sumandal ulet sya sa braso ko.

I'm also tired baby, let's rest together.

Saka ko sinandal den ulo ko sa kanya and I just treasured each second that goes by.

This world may be a fantasy, but I have my own that made me feel sort of things..

That makes this reality a little less shitty and a little bit more real.

"Pano ka pala nakalabas love? Wala kayong class ngayong time? Or lumabas kalang talaga?"

Tanong ko naman sa kanya dahil akala ko nga busy sya but then I saw her at the cafeteria ng hindi na lunch time nor break.

"Ahhh HAHAHA, galing ako sa office ni mama"

Oh, Tita nga is one of the founders of the university tho hindi sya principal she's the school director

You probably didn't hear about 'school directors' they are higher than the school's principal or the so called school's head.

So basically the hierarchy of the University is:

School director (Tita Celestine)

|

School manager or head.

|

Second master

|

Non teaching staffs, Discipline Master, Academic Master

|

Students

So ganyan yon may iba't ibang levels and authority and tita is the highest of them, cool right? Kaso dyan den yung kung baket may names names names psh.

"Tita checked all your quizes and exams, didn't she?" Sabay nod saken ni Ava.

Oh, that's why.. sobrang strict talaga ni tita bat kaya ganon no? Sobra tingin nila sa name nila sksksks like hey we're Gale's dat gento genyan.

Hindi sa I don't respect them it's just that di ba nila napapansing naapektuhan si Ava? She's becoming more robot than a human--

Or is she a human?

Oh damn it stop thinking for a moment.

"Alis nako love"

Agad namang inalis ni Ava pagkakasandal nya sa braso ko saka tumayo.

"Babalik ka na room nyo?"

Sabay tango nya saken at tumayo naden ako saka ko hinawakan kamay nya.

"Hatid na kita"

Sabe ko sa kanya saka kame umakyat ng building nila at naglakad kame sa hallway, agad naman akong nagtaka ng biglang tumigil si Ava at di kame dumirediretso papuntang room nila.

Napatingin naman ako sa kanya at napansin kong nagtataka den sya wth HAHAHAHAHA.

"Bat ka tumigil love?"

"Eto na po room ko love, Bat ka dumirediretso?"

Tanong nya saken at saka ko tinignan yung room no. nila and wtf.

Room 12 Section A

Agad naman akong napakamot sa ulo ko at wtf what is happening again pakening author

"Baket love? You alright?" Napansin naman ni Ava reaction ko sa nakita ko.

It's 9... it is 9 RIGHT?!

"Love anlameg ng kamay mo--"

Am I delusional or crazy wtf. I'm pretty sure it was 9, it is 9.

"Uy lovee, ansaket yung kamay mo--"

It is happening again like before, it is.

"Lovee, tsk yung kamay mo ansake--"

It was 9, it is 9, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN 9!!

"LOVEEEEEE!" sabay sampal saken ni Ava at napabitaw ako sa kapit sa kamay nya.

Agad naman akong nagising at napatingin sa kanya, I was gripping her hands too hard, i didn't realize.

Hinawakan ko naman pisngi ko sa saket nyeta, pangalawa na kanina pa sa canteen love HAHAHA.

"Sorry, but what is happening to you?"

Sabi saken ni Ava at ramdam kong natatakot sya sa mga kinilos ko sabay masahe nya sa kamay nyang naipit ko sa pagkakahawak ko.

"I'-i'm sorry love"

Sabay aktong hawak ko ulet sa kamay nya pero iniwas nya saka sya umatras ng konti saken.

"Eversince nagkapilay ka love, ano ng nangyayare sayo?!"

Sigaw nya saken at nakita ko namang tumulo mga luha nya at nagcracrack ulet boses nya.

"t-the text you've been telling... telling me! the room, the notes! For petesake!.. s-stop it, you're being delusional!"

Agad naman akong natigilan sa sinabe nya and it kind hurts me tho hahaha..  sksksksksks.

"i.. i wanna help you love... get out of there! get out from your little imagination shits"

I'm attacked and kinda hurt sa mga nasabe nya, you can really tell Ava when she's angry, unfamilliar words that don't usually comes out from her mouth starts to spill hahaha.

"Stop it, Aiden.. stop it"

She said in a weak voice saka punas nya sa mga mata nya, lumapit naman ako saka inabot ang bewang nya and I hugged her.

I hugged her tight, even tho naiipit yung pilay ko.

Hays.. is it really tho?

Am i crazy? Delusional?

Then why does these weird things happen to me? How? And why does it seem so real?

This world is fictional, weird things happen and it's normal.

Cliche shit.

Bumitaw naman sa pagkakayakap ko si Ava atsaka sya nagayos at binuksan na nya pintuan sa room nila at saka na sya pumasok.

Bumaba ako ng building and I looked at the sky, mataas ang araw and sobrang init ng panahon.

Pumunta naman ako sa may lilim ng puno at saka humiga at pinahinga ko utak ko, napabuntong hininga ako at pinagmasdan nalang ang paligid.

Green grasses at the field swaying with the wind, blue endless skies with it's shapeless shaped clouds, casual school buildings inside the whole campus.

Finally.. peace again.

Nakapagpahinga ko den utak ko hays, it's been rough for my mind these days because of those things--

What things?

I was shocked at napatayo naman ako sa pagkakahiga ko and I stared at the void.

Tsk, tsk, tsk Damn it.

What is it shet!

What did you do again Author.

Arghhh, tsk.

What is it, what was it? Did I forget something again, kala ko ba mahigpit na hawak ko di ko na malilimutan?! How do you manage to do it Pakening author!

Oh.. room.. Ava's room.

It's the room, psh.

I was relieved when I remembered what I just forgot HAHAHA.

You can't fool me author, I won't let go of this memory HAHAHA.

Sabay higa ko ulet.

I think I need to investigate how her room became 12, it was always been 9.

But what to investigate? How? There's no clues to look for inside their rooms HAHAHA.

Suddenly became a detective book author? Gusto ko tong flow mo ah HAHAHA.

Hmmmmm, these things happened to me before but atleast ket etong iisang memory ko lang about sa room ni Ava naalala ko HA HA HA.

I outsmarted you author, you pakening shemay.

I just smiled at pinikit ko mata ko, saka pinahinga ko muna sarili ko.

The breeze, the peace and the silence it's so relaxing, nakakakalma ang payapa lang sa pakiramdam.

But I feel like something is missing..

I feel like there's something, a memory that I don't recall besides that room--

"Mr. Evans!"

Agad naman akong nagulat sa boses na narinig ko sa likod ko, shet.

It's Mrs. Realyn, i'm doomed.

"Why aren't you in your basketball practice? I taught you are go-ing to spec-tate"

Said Mrs. Realyn stressing each syllable skssksks, shet how to excuse.

"Ahhhmm.. i'm just taking a break and they just played by persé?"

Kabado kong sabi sa kanya and fvdge, I can tell she's not convinced.

"On my office Mr. Evans" sabay ngiti nya saken ng arrghh.

Agad naman syang naglakad at dinaanan ako hays, I can't do nothing kaya sinundan ko nalang sya sa office nya.

Damn it, HAHAHAHA.

But oh, I still don't forget about the room author HAHAHAHA I won't let go if this single memory bijj HAHAHAHA.

I will unfold this mystery of room 9..err- 12

...