"Let's bar hop before the intrams."
"Oo na, career na career mo talaga pagiging sporty mo."
"I included my self in the volleyball team."
"Cheerdance nalang kami nila Missy, dancerist lang kasi kami."
Nagtatawanan ang mga estudyanteng nadadaanan ko. They're talking about the incoming intrams. I can feel their enthusiasm about it. I can really understand them, studying is stressful enough to wish for a break.
I'll drown myself in reading a book that whole week. I have no talents in sports, might as well stay at home. Well, that's my dream, but Quuen's gonna need my support so I guess I would end up being here the whole week of intrams.
I stop from walking when my phone sounded for a message.
"The usual spot," I detour when I read her message. It's still early, and I was told that our prof for the first class is absent.
Malayo pa lang ay rinig ko na ang boses ng kaibigan ko. She's so noisy early in the morning. Nang tingnan ko ang pwesto namin ay may kasama siya roon.
"Hi, Pacey! Can I get your number?" A man is walking beside me. I heard a gasp coming from the other benches. His group of friends looked at us expectantly, as if they are watching an interesting short live show. I looked at the man briefly, he looks familiar—he's from another department and so were his friends.
"1," He stopped walking and looked at me, amused. He laughed when his friends booed at him. His friends are mostly boys and the area is dominated by their laughter.
Nakita kong nakatingin si Quuen sa banda ko at natatawa rin. Diretso ang lakad ko patungo sa inuupuan niya at nang kasama niya.
"Boys! May number ako ni Pacey, manghihingi kayo?" Sigaw niya sa mga magbarkadang nanghingi ng number ko. I just rolled my eyes at her when the group roared in excitement and ran into where she's seated.
"Pero bawal na! Taken na siya." Kinindatan niya ang mga ito na disappointed sa pagpapaasa niya. Tumawa lang siya habang walang gana ang mga itong bumalik sa pwesto nila.
Umiiling akong umupo sa tabi niya, tiningnan ko kung sinong kasama niya na ikinagulat ko ng kaunti.
"You're shocked for a moment there, P!" Quuen giggled while watching me teasingly. I was taken aback, shortly, but I didn't know that she was watching my reaction.
"He became more handsome, right?" As if on cue, Kein's eyes met mine. His hair is now clean-cut that I did not think it was him. It was styled suavely and highlighted his handsome face. I would not be surprised if girls would stop just to stare at him.
Sunday, I thought about it so well. Why were my reactions when it comes to him different from the boys I've known before? Kung noon hindi ako tinatablan ng mga ito—I don't even care about their feelings for me. What I always did was reject them in the nicest way possible. But, why is he able to get reactions from me even he's not showing some interest in me? Ang labo, malabong malabo.
Kein and Quuen are looking at me as if waiting for my thoughts to be said. Oh! Kein's nosy, I remembered. He's a great guy to be one of those gals. Right, great or not, people are so nosy.
"Now that I think about it, you two are great together," I uttered instead. Kein just looks at me blankly while my friend is complaining.
"You really know how to change the subject, huh!" I look at him simply and get the books from my bag.
"She's good at that," pailing-iling na sabi ni Quuen.
"Why? I just said that because it's true. You're both nosy." I look at the two of them, they are both pretty and handsome, not bad for a couple.
"I don't like what you're thinking, Dal." She rarely calls me by my second name, so I think she's serious and doesn't want me to go further. I ignored her and decided to look at Kein instead. He's watching the two of us. Now that I know that he's somehow a serious-type-nosy-person, I don't have to think about the reason for him being like this. I sighed at the thought, that's weird for a boy.
"What?" I decided to welcome his curiosity.
"Did you think about it?" He asked out of the blue.
"Think what?"
"My subject, Pacey Dallas Sangco." I looked at him blankly, he's really pushing that off and it's not funny.
"Stop messing with me, Dawn. I don't want a nosy person studying me." He stilled and stared at me. I started to read the first paragraph of the lesson we're going to tackle tomorrow but even if I already read it twice I couldn't still understand even the smallest thing. I sighed and looked at him who was a little bit taken aback.
"Cat got your tongue?" I teased and he chuckled.
"Isn't it better that I'm nosy? I can study you better." He's smiling again like he's looking at some kind of a joker. He's enjoying this nonsense, how weird.
"Why are you unusually talkative today?" He shrugged, smiling. "And..you're smiling too." His mood changed after I said that. It's the usual Kein again.
"You ruined his mood, P! Bruha ka din eh." Whatever! I continue my reading since he came back to his usual self. Now, I can focus at last.
"Ako nalang subject mo, Castillo! Di naman gusto ng baby mo." Hinintay kong magsalita si Kein but moment later I still didn't hear him talk. At anong baby na naman pinagsasabi ng kaibigan ko? Remind me to ask her later to enlighten me.
Natapos ang free time namin na kinukulit ni Quuen si Kein na magsalita ulit. Nagsalita lang daw kasi iyon nang dumating ako, snob naman ng sila lang dalawa sa bench.
Everyday, Kein's getting weirder..or it's just me who didn't see his real self? Either way, his strangeness is confusing me. I don't even know why I'm confused.
"So, that's what you two talked about that day?" Quuen whispered while the professor is talking in front. He's discussing his requirements for the finals.
"Later," I tap her hand that was near to mine. Umismid siya ng sinabi ko yun, parang di na makapaghintay na masagot ang tanong niya. Ba't nga ba ako nagkaroon ng grabe ka kuryosadong kaibigan?
"The intrams is next week. Finals will be after the intrams so I hope you'll participate but also focus on reviewing for the finals. Class dismissed." Umangal halos lahat ng mga kaklase ko sa sinabi ng statistics teacher namin. Ito pa naman ang halos kalaban ng lahat sa klase. Lumabas na si Sir ng room kahit na nagrereklamo pa ang mga kaklase ko. Nagliligpit kami ng gamit ni Quuen.
"No way! How can I enjoy the intrams?"
"Ang hassle naman nun! Magsasaya next week tapos malulugmok sa susunod na week."
"Oo nga, wala man lang break muna!"
Pagkatapos mag-ayos ay tumayo na ako—nagsalita si Quuen bigla. "Sasali pa ba ako?" Biglang tanong niya habang nag-aayos ng gamit niya. She's in archery club and she always competes whenever there's a chance—and we all know how it works. It needs more focus than we imagined so basically it needs her all attention—to practice to win the game.
I nodded to encourage her. "We could advance study so you can focus practicing..kaya mo naman diba?" Napaisip siya sa sinabi ko. Even when we were freshmen, I knew already that Quuen's intelligent and sporty. That's why I believe that she could do both things successfully.
"As long as you'll be there, why not!"
"Sure, I'd sacrifice my hobby just for this one." I scoffed that made her roll her eyes at me.
"You better! You did not tell me yet about your date!" She exaggeratedly said. I shrugged it off and just walk to get out of the room. It wasn't a date after all, it was purely coincidence. When we reach the door, we saw Kein outside looking at his phone.
"Kein, sama ka?" Quuen asked him but he only looked at her like he was not interested. His eyes are extra chilly this time. What's his deal? I know that he's really cold but it's different from usual. I don't know what's gotten into me, I just know that I am annoyed just by looking at him now. I drag Quuen out of his sight and walked wherever my feet are leading me. Walang nagawa si Quuen kundi sumunod sa kung saan ako dadalhin ng paa ko. I don't know why I'm annoyed all of the sudden. It was just his eyes, not should be a big deal!
"Tomorrow's weekend, where should we review?"
It's been 2 days since the day I was annoyed by Kein. I don't still understand why but all I know is he didn't approach us again since that day. But, seeing him that time—I could really smell something was wrong. I couldn't just pinpoint it since I don't know his story.
"Sa inyo naman tayo." Sagot ko sa tanong niya. Papunta kaming NBS to buy a new set of books for me and albums for her. Doesn't artist only release albums thrice (max) in a year? But what do I know? Quuen is Quuen and maybe she will going to buy other merchs today.
Di pa kami nakakaabot sa NBS ay nakita naming naglalakad si Femme papunta sa amin—she's one of Jizzy's friend..or not? Just like her name, she's also beautiful and sexy. She would caught every boys' attention.
"Are you with Kein?" Arteng tanong niya nang makaharap sa amin. My brows furrowed and Quuen also looked at me. The way she said his name, I can say that they are acquainted before, friends? Classmates? What a curious cat am I.
"What gives?" I muttered. She rolled her eyes at me and just stared at me for a second.
"Okay, I'm sorry. I just..I heard he would be here."
"Why did you think we would be together?" Quuen interfered.
Femme looked at me again. Her eyes filled with emotions but I couldn't figure out what is it. She's an open book yet unreadable—that feels.
"Just..possibilities," she shrugged and signaled us that she will go now. Sinundan namin siya ng tingin hanggang lumiko siya sa sinehan. We're still confused—unable to think accordingly.
"Why had she thought that idea? It wasn't a possibility either." Quuen mumbled beside me. I shrugged and just thought of it silently while we continue walking. Hindi niya kami pinapansin ng dalawang araw kaya malabo talagang magkasama kami ngayon. What happened in the past was just a coincidence. It will never happen again.
"He didn't even looked at me when I called him. Sinundan ko pa siya ah! Natapilok pa ako pero di man lang huminto para tulungan ako! Bwesit talagang Castillo yun! I'm being friendly here but he just wouldn't reciprocate it." Kwento ni Quuen nang maalala niya ang nangyari nung isang araw. Sometimes I could say that being me is a big advantage after all. I don't force my self on someone who's obviously not interested to be with me—that's a less burden I'm carrying.
I chuckled unconsciously, amused to what happened to her that day. Namaga pa yung ankle niya sa araw na yun, luckily it went well when she took med for it. Inis na inis siya nung araw na yun kaya I consoled her kahit natatawa ako sa nangyari sa kanya.
"I think I just experienced de javu right now." She suddenly said when we got out of the NBS.
"Why?"
"Kein is there," tinuro niya ang banda kung saan nakatayo si Kein noon. Nakatalikod ito sa amin kaya hindi niya nakita ang paglabas namin.
"Probably with a date," Femme's right, he would be here. But she's wrong at one thing too—he's not here with me but with an unfamiliar chick. A girl standing beside him—clinging to his arm. What a nice pose for a sweet couple, anyone would agree.
"Minty," Quuen mumbled as I drag her towards the exit of the mall.