Laughter
"Who was looking for you a while ago? Your boyfriend?" Sasha said while putting her blush on.
I had bad blood with T.H and then she reminded me. Is she numb or something?
"No," I said promptly.
All day I did nothing but listen to Wanwan and Melissa's chatter. I was not in the mood to listen to our lessons until the bell rang. I arrived but the classroom officers left because of the meeting. It's the birthday of our adviser in the organization so the President asked as if we were down for a meeting. It's for the adviser organization of my Major, Social Studies. I don't know how I became an officer. Maybe they had no choice.
I just laughed when my other classmate elected to muse instead of me. I didn't become the muse because I became the business manager. Too bad I'm beautiful and fit for the position of my classmate. Anyway, that's not a big deal to me.
After the meeting I went out first because I was the one instructed to canvas the item to be purchased. I had no choice. It was good and they gave me the fare. My classmates and some students watched Marcus busy sitting in the hut while playing with his cellphone.
"Marcus." He would not be bothered by what he was doing. I glanced at him. I don't know what kind of game it is as long as I know there are towers.
"I'll go home first", Melissa said. I would have liked him to accompany me to buy the gift but there was a visitor in their house and he needed to help his Mama.
"All right. Be careful, girl." I waved and so did she.
Before he could go any further, someone whispered it. " You should set up Marcus and I to have a date".
My eyes rolled. "Gosh! Are you crazy?" she laughed.
I stared at Marcus for over five minutes while sober. He finally finished as well. He adjusted his polo and bag.
"Come on", he said.
"Go home first. I'll canvass a gift for our adviser. But you can come with me if you don't have to do anything." He scratched his head as we walked. There were a few women waving at him. He smiled at them.
"I have a report tomorrow. I'll just send you to Latrelle" I quickly turned my face to him in conjunction with my hand shake.
"Don't. Then I'm not special"
I'm just a housemaid so they don't have to consider me special. Another if Latrelle will also come after me. I'd better go home alone.
"Because Latrelle told you to go home. You're supposed to cook dinner"
"Yes, I can't forget it. Anyway, where is Jez?" I looked around their classroom but could not see my friend's face.
What I saw were two of his classmates arranging chairs and erasing a letter on the blackboard.
"He's going straight to his photoshoot", he answered.
When we got out of the gate he tricycled. Latrelle might not be able to pick him up because she is busy. I rode as well but the route I rode was different.
"Hey! Wanwan. Why haven't you come home yet?"
"I'm just waiting for something. Are you sure you know where you're going?"
"I'm going to the town"
"Right! I'm going there too", he said happily.
We talked about various things. I can say he was one of my kind classmates. She's just not as talkative as Melissa. Sometimes she is talkative when she is in the mood but often, he can't break the dishes. She told me that she used to come from a private school before going to college here. Her family had a problem so he decided to go to a university with free tuition fees. She says she's an introvert and shy. I asked her why she only spoke once in class and even when the professor asked, she usually did not answer.
When we got to town he got in the jeep and said goodbye. I walked around until I saw adult sandals. This is one of the options given by my classmates that I can buy for Ma'am but it doesn't seem to be. I went straight across the row of pots and jars. I touched them. Beautiful! There is a design that inspires religion like their largest jar. There was an Angel in the design holding a bow.
There are also those that are inspired by Egyptian culture because of the design of its Gods and Goddesses of Egypt. They should take me there.
The design only has burnt hearts.
"Come in here, Neng!(In Tagalog means Young Lady). There's more inside!" said the old woman with a necklace around her neck and a bracelet on her arm.
"All right. Just looking at something", I replied.
I slowly touched them. Caressing how beautifully the designs are sculpted.
I brought my face close to a jar made of seemingly smooth cement. How can I see my reflection?
I was stunned by the obsession.
"Wow!" I said.
Seeing the reflection of a handsome man made me cringe. He has an I.D. and is in uniform.
My eyes blinked at who was in front of me. "T.H."
"What are you doing here?" I looked at his car around but there was no trace.
"Just passed by" he said while concentrating on looking at the pots and jars. Even he was amazed by the way he was looking at them.
"Are you just commuting?"
"No. I'm just fixing my car"
I never asked again. So, I decided to look at what to buy.
This jar looks expensive. Ma'am still likes the Egyptian style.
I'm looking for the price but I can't find it. I didn't realize I was carrying it.
"Maybe fall..." T.H's calm reminder but it's too late.
I was surprised even though he was. His eyes widened for a moment but his facial expression immediately returned to normal.
"What did you do to my jar!" the lady cried.
She cried as she picked up the broken pieces.
"You have to pay for it!"
"I don't have any money!"
I looked at T.H begging. His eyebrows met. But he dug into his own pocket. Maybe pity for me.
He slowly approached when I saw he was panicked.
"I left my wallet in the car", he whispered.
"Listen when I count to three you run." I just nodded.
"One"
"Where's your payment? Young lady?"
"Two."
"I'll call the police!" said the old woman
"Three!"
T.H pulled me before I could take a deep breath. He quickly held my hand until we passed several streets and alleys.
As we ran, I watched his face. Its hair bounced in slow motion as we ran fast.
It was as if someone had scattered glitters around along with butterflies in my stomach especially when the smile suddenly curved on his lips.
We stopped running to get to his car.
"He thought he could catch up with us", he laughed.
The laughter was like slow motion. I can't explain, but why is he getting worse?
He only laughed once but why did it feel like this to me.
I remembered his hand still holding mine so I blushed. I couldn't tell what was on my mind.
"Uhm. T.H's your hand".
He immediately let go of my hand. I secretly caressed what he was holding.
I think I was going crazy especially when his laughter seemed to echo in my ear.