Chapter 10

October 2013

The sound of the bell resonated throughout the whole school, signalling the end of class and the start of lunch break.

I hastily put my things back in my backpack so I could leave immediately. Ever since last month, I never ate in our school anymore. I always went home although no one was really there. Mama's at work and Ate Stella was babysitting Toni at school. It was okay, though. I now preferred being alone with the silence than being crowded with fake company.

Before I could even take a step, one of my classmates shouted, "Lino!"

Upon hearing it, everybody else laughed and also shouted, "Lino!"

I fought back the tears that were started to flood my vision. It was just so tiring to cry everyday for a name.

It was just a name, a single word with four letters. There was no harm in it for it was just a name...but the one who has it happened to be one of my greatest nightmares.

I didn't even know that that was the man's name when my classmates started calling and teasing me with it. I never told anybody about the man except for one person. The person who was now in front of me doing gestures with her hands.

"Linooo", she uttered with that spooky voice adults would use to scare children. I wanted to leave already but I couldn't move, just like when the man rendered me immobile.

I looked at my distant cousin despite my blurry vision. When she noticed my tears, she stopped right off and walked away from me, leaving me wondering why she told everyone about the man and why everyone was using it against me when they knew I was traumatized with it.

~

My body jerked as I jortled awake from a nightmare. I tried to pace my breathing while staring wide-eyed in the darkness of my room. I balled my hands into fists to stop it from shaking.

It was the same nightmare I used to have after my encounter with the man. In it, the man has stopped me from running away.

My whole body quivered so I embraced myself as if protecting myself from that nightmare.

When it first showed itself in my sleep, I remembered how desperate I was to remove the picture in my head. I wouldn't sleep for days before just so I could avoid having that nightmare again. I endured it for the remainder of my elementary days until I entered high school where it eventually stopped showing itself in my state of unconsciousness.

Waking up from the same nightmare again after two years heightened my anxiety. Would it continue to show itself again?

A small yelp came out of my mouth as I closed my eyes and tried to reassure myself.

"It's okay. You're okay. He won't get to you. It's been years since you last saw him. He has vanished! He won't get to you. You're safe. It's okay", I whispered to myself.

I fluttered my eyes open and reached for my phone in my bedside table. I turned on the Wi-Fi and decided to pester Louise. She was probably asleep by now, but I didn't really care. I would just send some random messages to her until I had calmed down.

Before I could open our conversation, my eyes landed directly to James' name on top. He sent a message just now. He changed his profile picture? A crease then formed in my forehead when I realized something. "Does this man ever sleep?" I murmured.

I saw his message from outside our conversation saying, "Why are you awake?"

I pursed my lips, contemplating whether to reply or not. There was nothing wrong with it anyway. It was not like I was trying to imply something.

And before I could realize what I was doing, my hands were already typing, "None of your business."

I closed our conversation after sending it and anticipated his reply which was delivered right away. I waited for a few minutes before replying, just trying to make sure he wouldn't get mixed signals. "Then maybe you shouldn't reply anymore", my subconscious said.

I read his reply. "Are you okay?" which I answered saying, "Yes."

And before I could close our conversation, he already chatted, "Are you worrying about the play? It's gonna be fine."

"Yeah? Have you memorized your lines then?" I asked.

He replied, "I'm getting there."

I chuckled in amusement and typed, "See?" and hit the send icon.

"Then help me!" he immediately replied.

"I've already told you what to do."

"Then tell me again!"

"I'm busy."

"Then be busy with me."

My lips resulted to pouting as I tried to suppress a smile. Oh goodness.

And before I could reply, he had already sent a message. "Can I call you?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't like calls."

"Then what do you like?"

"A lot of things."

My reply has sparked a very long conversation that lasted until dawn, but I didn't really mind. I would always prefer it over what had happened prior.

•••

I was scrutinizing carefully my classmates' performance. They were rehearsing the play we would present this Friday. In their hands still were the script which was the reason they couldn't act properly. I sighed.

It was already the ending. "Align yourselves, for goodness' sake!" I shouted at them as they started to sing the song I composed for the play. I tried so hard to simmer down my boiling temper, but they just had to rekindle the fire. "Sing properly!" I thundered angrily. My temper has never been long nor cool.

When it ended, I sighed and looked at them. "I know you guys also have so much in your hands, but please do this properly on account of our grades. This is not just for Carol's grade, not just for Nick's, not even for mine. This is all for us so please let's all put equal efforts. Aren't you guys tired of me shouting at all of you? Cause I swear my vocal cords are giving up on me", I berated helplessly, albeit gently. I didn't want to offend anyone. We were all at our wit's end here. "You guys can have an early lunch now. Memorize your lines while you're at it."

I walked away as a ball of tear dropped from my eyes. Frustration was coursing through my entire being.I inhaled and exhaled loudly.

I should probably work on these tears and just my overall emotional state. My emotions were literally all over the place.

"Tati!" I heard someone called from behind. It was James.

I cleared my throat and composed myself as his steps grew louder and louder until he was already walking beside me. I could feel his hesitation with hid peering gaze. "Tati, I'm sor—"

"—It's okay", I cut him off.

"No, it isn't", he contradicted.

I sighed. "James—"

"—Where are you gonna eat?" he also cut me off. I turned to and glowered at him. "Can you be more original than that?"

He just laughed at me. "But seriously, where are you gonna eat? Can I come?"

I frowned and gave him a resounding, "No."

He just shrugged and said nonchalantly, "Livvy said yes." His words took a few seconds before it went straight into my head.

"Of course, Livvy would say yes", I replied wryly, "Why would you even want to eat with us? Your friends abandoned you?"

"You've already asked that question before", he pointed out, "And they are just supportive to me."

I rolled my eyes when I realized what he meant. "Yeah, right."

"So, I can come?" he asked again.

I shrugged and replied, "Suit yourself." He suddenly walked past me and turned around, now walking backwards while facing me.

He beamed at me like a child. His joyous mood was palpable that I couldn't help but smile too.

•••

"Why is he with us?" Louise muttered beside me, looking at James who was bantering with Daniella and Livvy.

"To eat, obviously", I answered.

She scowled at me, "I don't appreciate the sarcasm, Tati."

I glanced at her and she was glaring back at me. "Livvy's the one who invited him, not me!" I explained that made her shook her head. "What does that mean?"

She just shrugged and left me with a frown. She walked towards James and said something to him. I couldn't hear it but it made James stop while the other three continued walking.

James was now waiting for me. "What did Louise tell you?" I asked when I reached him.

He continued to walk now with me as he replied, "Asked me whom I was really courting. You or Daniella and Livvy."

I gaped at him, "What?!"

He smirked. "I was quite surprised too. I thought she didn't like me but", he trailed off cockily. I ignored him and stared at Louise' form from afar. I couldn't help but wonder what has gotten into her.

"What are we gonna eat, by the way?" James inquired, stopping me from wondering.

I smiled inwardly, thinking that he probably wouldn't like our lunch, "Fried chicken."

"And?"

I turned to him with a wide grin and chirped, "Fried chicken!"

He frowned. "Just fried chicken?"

I nodded vigorously before looking straight ahead again. He then asked incredulously, "That's just what you guys eat for lunch? Everyday?"

"You can say that", I replied nonchalantly.

"That isn't lunch!"

I halted my steps and he did the same. I glared at his puzzled expression and snarled, "If you're gonna criticize what we eat then go be on your way now. We don't need your judgment."

He just gaped at my sudden outburst which made me impatient. "Well?"

"Why are you so moody today?" he asked quite perplexed.

I frowned at him and immediately said, "I'm always like this." I then looked away just as his face lit upon a realization. My mouth dried.

"Are you on your period today?" he mused. I gave him his second resounding, "No!"

He fought off his laugh as I peeped at him. "James, I am not!"

"Okay, okay", he said, not looking at me as he tried so hard not to laugh, "I didn't say anything."

"James!" I half-whined half-glowered. He tried to glance seriously at me but failed upon seeing my vexed expression. A loud laughter erupted from his throat as he reveled in my look.

I swatted him with my hands repeatedly while saying, "I am not!"

He was still laughing and I decided to abandon him when I noticed some curious eyes glancing at us. "Wait, Tati!"

He wasn't able to catch up on me as his laughter was getting the best of him. I honestly had no idea why he found it so funny.

I scoffed and shook my head. Men. They didn't even know how much of a torture it was for us, women, whenever it was that time of the month.

I looked around, searching for the three. I frowned when I couldn't find them.

Did we stall that long that they already got so far away?

I scoffed. If only James wasn't such an asshole. "Tati! Wait!"

I walked faster but, of course, he was a guy with long strides so he still caught up on me. He stopped me from walking further by grabbing my wrist.

"What?!" I snapped as I turned to him.

He must've recovered his composure as he only looked gently at me and said, "Hey, I'm sorry."

I just glared at him and looked away forcefully, causing my hair to fly with my head. He then tried to peek through the curtain that my hair has made. "Tati, I'm sorry. Hey."

I insisted on looking away which made him chuckle. "You'll have a stiff neck if you continue that."

I scowled at him. "What do you know?! You only know how to laugh at a girl who was probably having period cramps!"

That made him frown and asked with worry, "You're having cramps?"

I rolled my eyes instead of answering. His upper teeth flirted with his lower lip as he thought hardly.

Short-tempered as ever, I impatiently said, "James, if you don't plan to eat, please let me. I am hungry!"

His face lit up with what I said and he suddenly smiled at me. He started to walk away to the other direction, hauling me with him since he was still holding my wrist. "Where are we going?" I asked, confused. "To eat."

He looked over his broad shoulder and winked at me. He then added before I could interject, "You said you wanted ice creams and burgers last night, right? So let's get some."

I couldn't reply anymore as he looked ahead again. I pursed my lips. I had been craving those foods since dawn and I told him that but I didn't thought he would remember them. I pursed my lips harder.

I then felt his hand sliding down from my wrist to my hand smoothly. He squeezed it gently before he used it to tug me towards his side. I looked up at him and saw him smiling down at me. I chuckled and he said, "You know, you look more beautiful when you smile."

My heartbeat intensified with his words but I didn't let him hear it as I retorted, "What? Can't handle my other sides?"

His brows went up. "I can", he replied nonchalantly then he looked me straight in my eyes seriously as he added, "if you'll just let me."