Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"May laro daw ang Nursing at Engineering mamaya," bulong ni Asul sa akin. Nasa loob kami ng classroom at last subject na namin ito ngayong umaga. Pagkatapos nito, may two hours break ako.

"Anong oras?" Tanong ko sa kanya. Blue Raine Mckeena is my seat mate for almost two years. Nag classmate kami last year and this year. Kaya naging kaibigan ko siya. She's pretty actually, one of the girls that catch guys attention. Pero hanggang ngayon wala pa din akung nababalitang may boyfriend si Blue, sabi niya member daw siya sa mga babaeng 'Study First' muna.

"After ng klase sa hapon. Manonood ka?" Tanong niya sa akin. Nasa ikatlong row kami at hindi masyadong kita ni Mrs. Lucado na nag-uusap kaming dalawa habang nagdidiscuss ito.

"Yep, I'm sure nandoon si Stan. He need my support," I said. She rolled her eyes at me. Alam ni Blue na isa akung solid na fan girl kay Stan kaya hindi na ito nagtataka pa.

"Hundreds of girls are already supporting Stan Prim, no need for you to join them. Masyado ng crowded," masungit na sabi nito sa akin ngunit nginitian ko lang siya. Blue is like a girl version of Stan. Masungit din, specially sa boys. Pero she's friendly towards me dahil hindi niya ako ni-reject noong nakipag-kaibigan ako sa kanya.

"Sama ka sa akin ah? Hanap kita ng lalaki para naman kumulay mundo mo," I chuckled ng umismid siya sa sinabi ko. I don't know why she hate boys. Minsan iisipin ko na lang na lesbian 'tong kaibigan ko eh. But then she admire boys sometimes. Bilang nga lang din, and mostly puro celebrity. Hindi normal people like schoolmate or common friend.

"Sasama ako sayo dahil nandoon ka. Hindi para magboy hunting. Wala din naman akung gagawin sa bahay," she shrugged her shoulders at nakinig na kay Mrs. Lucado.

Time passed by, at nagdismiss na ang prof namin. Sabay kaming umalis ni Blue sa classroom para sana maglunch break ng bumungad sa akin ang mukha ng kaibigan ko.

"Hey Max," kuha ng atensyon ko sa kanya dahil nakasandal siya sa dingding. Bumaling siya sa akin at agad ngumiti.

"What are you doing here?" Kunot noong tanong ko sa kanya. He get my books at siya na ang nagdala.

"Gusto lang kitang makasabay mag-lunch. Bawal ba?" Supladong sabi niya at naunang naglakad sa aming dalawa ni Blue. Nagkatinginan kami ni Blue, nagkibit balikat lang ang kabigan ko at kinaladkad na ako para sundan si Max patungo sa Cafeteria.

Max already find a table for us. Doon niya inilagay ang bag niya at libro ko. Umupo na din kami ni Blue at nilagay ang sariling bag.

Akmang tatayo na para mag-order when Max stop us.

"Ako na. Ano sayo Asul?" Tanong ni Max kay Blue. Asul ang tawag niya kay Blue and my friend doesn't mind. Blue give her order to Max and her payment. Bumaling naman sa akin si Max.

"Pasta and juice," sabi ko at akmang kukunin ang wallet ko pero umalis na si Max para mag-order.

"Sana all nililibre," kumento ni Blue habang tinignan ang bulto ni Max na papalayo. Napailing nalang ako at inayos ang bag sa aking tabi.

"His weird you know. I mean this past few weeks, hindi ko siya maintindihan." Mahinang sabi ko sa kaibigan na nakaupo sa aking harapan.

"Ngayon mo lang napapansin? His always like that Prim. Your just too blind, masyado kang nabulag kay Stan." Sabi niya at tinaasan ako ng kilay.

Masyadong nabulag kay Stan?

"What about Stan? Ba't nasali yun sa usapan?" Kunot noong tanong ko sa kaibigan.

"Well, I'm not going to spoil you, just find it for yourself." She grin like a cheshire cat that it feels like she knew something that I don't.

"Whatever Blue," I rolled my eyes at her annoyed for the fact that she keeps secrets from me.

Nilapag ni Max ang order namin at umupo sa tabi ko. He actually mix my pasta before giving it to me. His always like this, caring and all. Well, the girl his going to date someday will be very lucky to have my friend.

"May gagawin ka ba mamaya?" Tanong ni Max sa akin. Habang sinubo ang kanyang fries. Napanguso naman ako at tinitigan ang fries niya. Nahinto siya sa kanyang pagkain at tinitigan ang tinignan ko.

He chuckled then shake his head kaya tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. Kinuha niya ang fries niya at nilagay niya sa tabi ng pasta ko.

I bit my lips to stop grinning. Really, it flutter my heart a bit because of the simple ways he does pero binalewala ko iyon at sumubo sa kanyang fries.

"Wala naman bakit?" Tanong ko sa kanya. Blue is busy reading something and eating. Hindi niya kami pinapansin ni Max, she's busy with her cellphone and we don't mind.

"Magpapasama sana ako sayo mamaya sa mall," Hmm, mall. Matagal na din akung hindi nakapag-shopping ah.

"Sure, what time?"

"After your class? Hintayin nalang kita sa coffee shop," tumango ako sa kanyang sinabi. The coffee shop he mentioned was actually the first time we met. I was in freshmen in Junior High, I ordered a coffee and his next in line. Nagmamadali kasi ako that time dahil may pupuntahan pa kami ni Quine. After I got the coffee I mindlessly turn around to exit ng nabangga ko siya at nabuhos ang mainit na kape sa kanyang shirt.

"Oh shit!" I exclaimed at nilagay ang coffee sa malapit na table habang natatarantang kumuha ng tissue.

"Damn, ang init," he hissed habang nilalayo ang damit sa tiyan niya. Kitang kita ko ang bakat ng kape na bumasa sa T-shirt niya dahil kulay light blue ito.

"I'm really sorry, hindi ko sinasadya," naguguluhan ako kung anong uunahin ko. To apologize, to wipe his shirt or to glance at him. With my shaking hands I tried to wiped it with the tissue.

"I'm sorry, I should've been very careful." Paghihingi ko ng pasensya. I really am sorry for what happened to him but he didn't react. He just stilled while I shamelessly wiped his abdomen covered with just a thin of fabric.

He cleared his throat kaya napabaling ako sa kanya. Then I saw a pair of gray eyes staring at me, pointed nose, thick brows and a lips with a grim line. Of what I saw with his expression, I can tell that he was not pleased with what was happening.

"I'm really sorry. Pasensya ka na, nagmamadali kasi ako," mahinang sabi ko and taked a step back while putting my hands together at my back.

He stared at his T-shirt then glanced back at me. Hindi pa din nagsasalita, tila tinatantiya kung anong sasabihin sa akin.

"Should I pay for your shirt?" I asked. Dahil mismong ako naguguluhan kung ano ang sasabihin.

"What can I do to compensate?" I asked giving him a fake smile. Hindi alam kung anong gagawin, he stared at me for a seconds then sighed.

"No need to pay. Just be careful next time," sabi niya at iniwan ako sa tinatayuan ko. My first impression was his an arrogant in a gentleman way. Confusing? Well, I don't like the way he act actually. Na umalis lang after he told me to be careful. Maybe some people would say that I should have been grateful dahil yun lang ang sinabi niya. But then I think I'm indebted with him dahil hindi niya ako binigyan ng chance to make it up with him.

Two weeks after, we bump to each other. Well, he literally bump at me. I don't know if it was an accident or intentionally.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry!" He exclaimed. He seemed shock of what happened. Now I saw him doing the same thing what I did two weeks ago. He tried to wiped my arms covered with his Ice Americano with the tissue near the table and start to blab.

"I'm really sorry, nagmamadali kasi ako. Di ko sinadya." He apologize once again then glanced at me. I saw how he stunned and familiarity cross his eyes as he stared at me.

I smiled at him, "I guess its a quits?"

He grined, "Well, I think it is."

I smiled at inabot ang kamay sa kanya.

"I'm Priscela Marie Betram," Inabot niya ang kamay ko and give it a squeeze.

"Mark Xavier Scavien," and shake it. I pull back my hands after.

"Its nice to meet you Coffee guy," napatawa naman siya ng bahagya dahil sa aking sinabi.

"Its nice to meet you as well," Thats the start of our friendship. Dahil sa school na kami nagkakilala ulit. We attended the same school and click. We became friends until he matters to me so much and me to him.

That sometimes I will think, I can't live without this guy. Without Mark Xavier Scavien in my life.

"Okey then, see you after class." I said after eating the last piece of his fries then wink at him. He chuckled then shake his head at pinagpatuloy ang pagkain.