章 11: Chapter 10
Ruben's Point of View
"...you were great Ruben!" Cheer ni pres.
My eyes rolled as she handed me the water bottle for a drink. I'm just damn exhausted from all the practice for the first scene. Matapos kong uminom ay napatanong ako. "Can i really go home after this?" It's almost 4 p.m. at kanina pa nya binabanggit na last practice na 'to for the day but we end up doing it over and over.
"Yeah, last na talaga 'to promise! Kailangan kasi clean ang execution ng bawat scene. But i think mapeperfect na natin 'to dahil magagaling ang actors ng theatre club, lalo ka na Ruben! I never knew you were so incredible." Alam kong pinupuri nya lang ako para di ako mairita pero mas lalo lang ako naiinis sa pagmumukha nya.
She blackmailed me into this role so i hate her. Napalapit naman sa amin si miss clean freak to talk to pres. Nang magkatinginan kami ay inirapan nya lang ako. "Pres, umuwi na daw si Theo. May pupuntahan daw kasi sya." Aniya.
Nagulat naman si pres dahil may huling practice pa kami, at si Theo pa naman ang Benvolio sa play. I guess wala kaming choice kung'di tapusin ang practice ngayon. "Ba naman yan! Ba't hinayaan nyo tumakas yon?!"
"Baka may mas importanteng gagawin yung tao." Sabi ko.
"Importante din naman 'tong play na 'to ah!"
"Whatever." Minsan makitid din utak ng babaeng 'to kaya hinayaan ko na lang sya.
After nyang malaman na umalis na si Theo, dinismiss nya na kaming lahat. Naiwan naman kami ni miss clean freak kasama ang dalawa pang kasama sa club para maglinis dahil kami ang nakatoka ngayon.
Napabuntong hininga na lang ako ng kukunin ko na ang walis sa isang gilid. Pagkatingin ko sa sahig na puno ng kalat ay napasimangot ako. Ba't ba kasi ang kakalat nila? Also, can't those people who did this clean this themselves?
As i was sweeping the floor naramdaman ko na lang bigla na may bumangga sa akin mula sa gilid. I fell on the floor along with the idiot who did this shit-- damn it! "Aish." Ansakit sa likod!!
"A-Aray!" Nasambit ni miss clean freak.
Napansin kong nasa ibabaw ko na sya ( =___= ) putek ambigat.
"Tch, do you mind getting off of me?" Iritado kong tanong sa kanya.
She gasped. "O-Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!!" Nang marealize nya ang posisyon nya ay nagmadali syang tumayo, pero parang pinagti-tripan sya ng katangahan nya ngayon at muli nanaman syang nahulog sa'kin.
This time her face almost landed on mine, buti na lang nasalo kagad ng kamay ko ang mukha nya. "Why are you so damn..." pinigilan ko na lang magsalita dahil baka mapaaway nanaman ako sa babae na 'to.
"Tsk, i'm sorry okay!!" Mangiyak-ngiyak nyang sabi at nakaalis na din sa wakas.
"Tss, just shut up." I told her.
Napabulong naman sya. "Jerk."
"What a bitch." Ganti ko pero mas mahina ang bulong ko, so she probably didn't heard.
Then we just continued to clean this freaking huge clubroom. And whenever miss clean freak is near my sight ay napapaiwas na lang ako dahil ayoko nang maulit yung kanina. Nang makauwi na kami ay nagmadali na kong makalabas ng school.
Dumiretcho naman ako kina Jade para alamin kung ano ginagawa nya ngayon. I'm hoping that she's just at home doing her own things pero parang may kutob lang ako na inaabala sya ngayon ni Leroi.
Di ko lang talaga maintindihan kung anong gustong gawin ni Leroi kay Jade pero ayokong mangyari ang pinaplano nya, lalo na't pakiramdam kong may kinalaman din si Zachary dito. Pagkarating ko sa gate ng subdivision ni Jade, nakita ko sya at may kasama syang iba-- and it didn't surprised me to see Leroi.
Hindi ako kaagad lumapit sa kanila dahil mukhang nagpapaalam na sila sa isa't-isa. Matapos non ay umalis na si Leroi. Nagtama naman ang mata namin ni Leroi at sinamaan ko lang sya ng tingin. Napangisi naman si Leroi sa akin.
"Wow, what brings you here Ruben?" Tanong nya.
"That's none of your business." Then i left him and ran after Jade.
Bago pa sya makalapit sa kanilang bahay ay tinawag ko sya. "JADE!!
Napahinto sya at napatingin sa akin, then she looked as if she saw a ghost. "R-Ruben!? Ano ginagawa mo dito?"
Di ko mapaliwanag ang nararamdaman ko ng makita ko ang ayos nya. I can't deny the fact that she actually went out with that damn guy... but still... "Ba't ganyan ayos mo?"
Napaiwas sya ng tingin sa akin. "P-Pumunta lang ako sa mall." I know you're fucking lying.
"Really? Sino naman kasama mo?" I kept asking.
Then she looked more terrified. "W-Wala... wala akong kasama... ano ba Ruben, hayaan mo muna ako makapasok sa bahay para makapagpalit--
"Kasama mo si Leroi noh?" ... why do i feel like i can blow up any moment?
"W-What? Anong pinagsasabi mo Ruben!? Ba't mo naman nabanggit si Leroi dito?" ...bakit nya tinatago sa'kin 'to? Bakit pinpilit nyang magsinungaling? She's damn bad at lying...
"Stop the damn act Jade, alam kong nakasama mo si Leroi dahil nakita ko sya kanina!" Then she looked as if she gives up. Napabuntong hininga sya at lumapit sa akin.
"Oo na! Nakasama ko si Leroi, nagdate kami." Pagka-amin nya, mas lalo akong nanggigil. I grabbed her wrists and told her this. "Bakit hindi mo man lang sinabi sa akin!? Why are you keeping secrets from me Jade!? Aren't we bestfriends like you always say!?"
She seemed shocked from how i acted, but her expression suddenly changes. Sumama ang tingin nya sa akin at binawi nya ang kamay nya. "Anlakas mong makapagsalita ng ganyan! Akala mo ba di ko alam na nagsisikreto ka din sa akin!? Hindi ba pwedeng hayaan mo na lang ako sa gusto ko!?"
"What the fuck are you trying to talk about Jade!?" She broke into tears and pushed me away.
"You suddenly became busy, then halos di na tayo nagkakasama! Natatakot nga ako na baka mawalan ka na ng oras sa'kin, na di na kita makakasama dahil sobrang busy ka sa ibang mga bagay! Pero alam kong di habang buhay magkasama tayo." I tried to listen but every word just kept getting ridiculous.
"Then i tried to let other people in my life, dahil ayokong masyadong masaktan pag kinalimutan mo na ko! So can't you just let me do what-- naputol ko sya when i snapped. "STOP TRYING TO MAKE EXCUSES! GUSTO MO LANG SUBUKAN MAKIPAGRELASYON KAY LEROI AND YOU CAN'T CHANGE THAT FACT!"
After saying all that, lalo syang umiyak at bigla nya pa 'kong sinampal. "S-So what if i just wanted to be in a relationship with Leroi!! Ano naman sayo!? You're just my bestfriend right!? So why can't you just support me!?" Di na ko makapagsalita dahil baka kung ano pa masabi ko.
Naiinis lang ako habang tinitignan syang umiiyak. "If you don't like Leroi for me then get out of my sight! I don't want to see you ever again!" ...is she fucking serious!? Is she really picking a stranger over me!?
Then i've decided on impulse. I've glared at her before saying what i had in mind. "Fine, if that's how you want it. I give up on you Jade, don't ever expect me to be with you ever again as well."
At umalis na 'ko. That was the most ridiculous and a fucking waste of precious time on someone who's garbage.
But as i was already out of the subdivision, the rain started pour. Sumilong ako kagad sa pinakamalapit na silungan. But it was strange that the rain kept getting on my face even though i'm already at some dry place.
Napapunas na lang ako sa mukha ko at huli na ng marealize kong umiiyak na pala ako. I've got to admit, this isn't the first time she made me cry... but damn, sobrang labag sa loob ko ang iyakan sya! "Damn it Jade, bakit hindi ako ang pinili mo?"
Jade's Point of View
Three weeks later
"...let's have lunch at the rooftop later, 'kay?" Leroi said.
I gave him a faint smile and a nod, then he gave me a kiss on the forehead bago sya umalis para pumunta sa classroom nya. Pagkapasok ko naman sa classroom ko ay tumabi na ako kay Bella at inilabas na ang libro ko for the first subject.
"I still can't really believe that you're going out with Leroi. All this time ineexpect kong si Ruben ang makakatuluyan mo." Aniya.
I sighed, "Sinabi ko na sayo na friends lang kami dati ni Ruben okay? We were just friends." Napatingin naman ako kay Ruben na naka-upo sa bandang harapan. He was studying and had a lot people around him.
Simula nong hindi na kami nagpansinan, nagulat na lang ako ng biglang sumikat sya ng gan'to. "It's such ashame that you two have to stop being friends because of Leroi. Di ko din inakala na possessive type of friend si Ruben."
Napanguso naman ako, my mind began to ask a bunch questions that can't be answered. What if i gave up on Leroi? What if i chose Ruben instead? Would he still be here with me? "Just forget him Bella, it doesn't really matter anymore. Anyways nagawa mo na ba assignment sa math?" I changed the subject.
Talking about Ruben won't do anything good anyway. He's just someone from the past now. Pagkadating ng lunch, sinundo naman ako ni Leroi. When i went with him, he just kept talking about how he struggled through his quizes. Natatawa na lang ako sa mga kinukwento nya dahil ang cute pati ng expressions nya.
But there's this one thing that keeps on bothering me while we were walking together. Di ko alam kung naririnig 'yun ni Leroi but it's really bothersome.
"Yun daw yung girlfriend ni Leroi?"
"What's so good about her? She's just plain boring."
"Mas bagay pa sila nung ex nya dati."
"Gosh, bumaba ata standards ni Leroi."
Gustong-gusto ko na silang sitahin sa mga pinaparinig nila. Ano naman kung hindi kami bagay ni Leroi!? Pake ba nila?! I just dealt it by not putting so much attention to those ridiculous comments.
Pagkarating namin sa rooftop ay nakain na kami at patuloy lang na nagkwento sa akin si Leroi. "...then my friend said that he's gonna take a break from drumming lessons!"
"Ah really?" I said while munching on my food.
Leroi suddenly stopped talking and looked at me. Napakunot ang noo ko sa ginagawa nya. "Is there something wrong?"
Bigla syang napanguso. "You know, i feel a bit sad... it's like you're not really interested listening to me." Nagulat naman ako sa nasabi nya.
It's kinda true though, i'm kind of bored listening to him. Medyo na guilty ako ng mabisto nya 'ko. "I-I'm sorry Leroi, it's just that... i don't feel like myself lately." It's like i feel so empty... parang ang hirap maging masaya.
"Jade, are you... are you missing him?" Bigla nyang tanong.
"W-What? Who are you talking about--"
"I know that you know who i am talking about. Do you actually miss Ruben?" Bakas sa mukha nya ang lungkot at selos. Agad ko naman syang pinagsabihan. "No! I don't miss that jerk okay? I really don't!"
He pouted. "Can't you just forget about him and just look at me?"
I felt really bad for Leroi so i came closer to give him a hug. "I'm sorry... i promise i won't do that ever again." I whispered and just closed my eyes as i rested my head on his shoulder.
"It's fine." Then i just felt his hand on my head messing with my hair. "I'm just happy that you're here with me." Napangiti na lang ako sa nasabi nya. I guess i'm lucky to have a boyfriend like him.
Ruben's Point of View
I stared at the board where they posted the quarterly results. It didn't really surprised me to see that i made it in the top 5. Malamang nito pagdating ng susunod na quarter ay nasa top 1 na 'ko. A lot of my classmate got amazed on how outstanding i was.
Then they all suddenly became so chummy, thinking that i'll treat them as my friends. Hinahayaan ko naman silang makipagkwentuhan sa'kin even though i'm not really interested.
Now while i'm at class, the new usual for me was to sit at my own seat and let my classmates come over to keep the praises coming. Although this is what i've been aiming for, i'm not so happy at all. "Hey Ruben, isn't she your girlfriend?" Tanong ng isa kong kaklase sabay turo sa babaeng nasa may pintuan.
It was actually Jade talking to Leroi. Napangisi na lang ako. "Nope, she was just a friend."
"Oh!? So that means wala kang girlfriend Ruben?" Sometimes these idiots don't use common sense.
"Obviously." I didn't want to be rude so i just stayed silent and let them talk all they want. What a headache.
"Omg! May chance pala ako hahaha!"
"Wag ka na umasa, mukhang study first type na lalaki 'tong si Ruben."
"Ay oo nga 'no? Well you never know if he'll like someone."
Then after classes ay dumiretcho na 'ko sa theatre club. There's only a week left bago mangyari ang play, kaya sobrang seryoso na ng lahat ng member sa mga practice for the final week.
"Ah! Na-eexcite na 'kong makita kayo ni Eliza on stage!" Natutuwang sambit ni pres.
"Ugh please no." I still don't like that girl though.
"Ehh? Hanggang ngayon ba naman ayaw mo pa din sa kanya? Ang ganda kaya ni Eliza. Tsaka dami kayang usap-usapan na may gusto sayo yun hehe." Napasimangot naman ako sa nabanggit nya. Yong babae na yon may gusto sa'kin? Imposible mangyari yon!! Pag nakikita nga ako non irap ng irap 'yon sa'kin.
"Wag mo nang pilitin, nakakasuka pakinggan." Like seriously, we both hate each other. Pres must really have a lose screw in the head for shipping us together.
Mayamaya ay nag-umpisa na kaming magpractice. Everything went like the usual, though everyday feels kinda empty. It's quite sad but i'll get used to it anyway.
to be continued
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