Pinasadahan ko siya ng tingin. Should I be mad at her?
She really look apologetic though. And even if I snap at her right now, it can't change the fact that I'll still be the one on the receiving end of Tita Emilia's disappointment.
Bumuntong-hininga ako. Of all of my three watches, why it happens to be the most expensive one?
"It's fine…" labas sa ilong kong saad.
I'm just hoping that it's also waterproof just like my other watches. Pero iniisip ko palang kung paano sasabihin kay Tita ang nangyari, sumasakit na ang ulo ko. Because as much as possible, I don't want to cause trouble to her.
"Masyado bang nabasa iyang relo mo?" aniya.
Tinignan ko kung gaano kalawak ang basa ng panyo ko. "Not that much, I think." I murmured after checking all the sides of the watch.
"Ang ganda ng relo mo…"
Napatingin ako sa kaniya. Ang mga mata niya'y nakatuon sa hawak kong relo.
"Yeah…" I murmured.
There's a glint of emotion in her eyes that I can't ignore.
"Pwedeng tignan?"
My brows raise in surprise.
"Titignan ko lang kung hanggang saan ang nabasa…" she reasoned out. "May kilala akong nag-aayos ng relo! Pwede kong ipakita! Tutal ako naman ang nakabasa…" she gulp nervously, her eyes restless.
I stared at her face, as if studying it. Then my eyes move to my watch. It's a blush leather strap rose-gold watch with celestial bodies as its design. Should I?
Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa kaniya.
"Ayos lang. It still has warranty…" pagtanggi ko.
It's not been that long since it was bought, so it should still have its warranty.
"Pero…" mababakas ang pag-alma sa mukha niya.
Hindi ko na napigilan ang pag-angat ng isang kilay ko. The more she opens her mouth, her intentions are becoming clearer. Pasimple kong tinignan ang I.D niya. I'll surely remember her name.
Nag-angat ako ng tingin at tipid siyang nginitian. "Una na ako."
"A-ah, sige…" at nag-iwas siya ng tingin.
Ibinulsa ko ang relo saka na siya iniwan. My eyes surveyed the area. Kanina pa natapos ang recess kaya naman wala nang masyadong estudyante sa paligid. As for me, I run an errand to the canteen manager who happened to be our T.L.E subject teacher.
Bahagyang bumagal ang lakad ko nang makita ang isang pamilyar na pigura na nakasandal sa isang puno ng mahogany, hindi kalayuan sa pinangyarihan ng insidente kanina.
I cleared my throat nervously. Narinig kaya niya?
Iginalaw ko na ang mga paa ko na sakto namang pagbaling niya ng ulo niya sa direksyon kung nasaan ako. He raised a brow upon our gaze meet. Sa reaksyong pinapakita niya, para bang wala siyang ideya sa kung anong nangyari sa paligid niya kani-kanina lang. It makes sense though. Because I noticed soon after that there's a black thing on his ears.
Ngumuso ako saka tuluyan nang iginalaw ang mga paa paalis doon.
Why does this past days, Mavin Jaranillo seems to be everywhere?
Pagkarating sa classroom ay agad ko nang sinabi sa klase ang pinapaabot na mensahe ng T.L.E teacher namin. My day goes on as if that thing didn't happened earlier. Nagpasya akong h'wag nalang sabihin sa mga kaibigan ang nangyari dahil baka palalakihin lang nila. Also, I'm afraid that they would voice out what's lingering on my mind about that girl. Because my impressions about people can easily be swayed. Mas mabuting sarilihin ko nalang.
Kinagabihan, habang kumakain ng hapunan, ay sinabi ko kay Tita Emilia ang nangyari sa relo ko. I thought she would be disappointed with me for not being cautious, but I didn't expect that she would be calm about it. Sinabi niya lang na ibigay ko sa kaniya ang relo upang maipakita niya sa store na pinagbilhan. Mukhang nag-alala lang ako sa wala.
For the next days, it's same as the always. Ang kaibahan lang siguro ay ang mas seryosong atmosphere sa classroom dahil sa nalalapit na exams. As the first section, they take our classroom's rank seriously. Kung hindi ko pag-iigihan, baka mapunta na naman ako sa top 15. Not that I mind, though. If only I'm not at the ninth place as of the moment.
I tap the upward arrow button. Nang makitang na-sent na ang ni-compose kong text message ay inilapag ko na ang cellphone ko sa ibabaw ng isa ko pang libro.
I trace back the part I stopped earlier. Nang nahanap ang huling salitang nabasa ay itinuloy ko nang basahin ang karugtong. As I read by my eyes, classical music are softly playing in the background.
It's not our library period. And the first section's class for today was suspended. Pero dahil kapwa miyembro ng dance troop at choir sina Tricia at Clarice, nagpasya akong dito nalang sa library maghintay sa kanilang dalawa. They are both busy because they are going to perform on the opening day of the festival.
Tricia already texted me earlier, informing me their rehearsal is nearly done. Si Clarice nalang…
Nawala ako sa focus nang biglang may kumalabit sa akin. I remove one earpods on my ears and turn my head towards it. Una kong nakita ang mahaba at payat na mga daliri. Umangat pa ang tingin ko. Naitulos ako sa kinauupuan ko nang makita ang mukha niya.
"Is that seat vacant?" he inquired in a rather bright disposition.
I cleared my throat silently and averted my gaze from his face, shifting it to the seat in front of me. Nakalagay doon ang bag ko. Tinanggal ko ang natitirang earpods sa tainga ko upang abutin ito.
"Walang nakaupo," ani ko habang sinusukbit na ang bag sa gilid ng inuupuan.
"I'll take it then…" deklara niya.
Sa gilid ng mata ko ay nakita ko ang pag-ikot niya papunta sa harapan ko. At bago umupo ay inilapag muna ang dalang libro saka naglabas ng papel at ballpen mula sa bag. He then also place his knapsack on the side of his seat just like how I did.
Lumibot ang tingin ko sa paligid. When I came here earlier, it wasn't this full. Library period ba ng section nila? Hindi ko kilala ang mga kaklase ni Mavin Jaranillo kaya hindi ko alam kung isa ba sila sa mga nandito. Mabuti nalang pinili ko ang table na 'to na malapit sa exit. Nakapalibot ang mga bookshelf kaya medyo tago.
"Romeo and Juliet?" tanong niya, dahilan upang muli akong mapatingin sa kaniya.
Sinundan ko ang tinitignan niya. He's looking at the book I turn upside down, revealing it's title.
"Yeah…" I whispered.
Hindi na siya nagsalita. So I pick the book and continue reading silently. Hindi ko na ulit binalik ang earpods ko sa tainga. In my peripheral vision, I can see Mavin Jaranillo seriously scribbling something on his paper while studying the book he brought. I tried to focus on reading the book. But I keep being distracted by his presence.
Now that I am seeing this side of him, I can't help not to feel intrigued. He look so laid-back… Pero kung tutuosin, wala naman talaga akong alam sa kaniya maliban sa pangalan, section, at ang kaalamang transferee siya. I even find it odd because he's sociable yet there are only limited information about him known in public. Maybe he's also trying to keep a low profile.
I flip the next page lazily. Shakespearean language is making my brain work harder. Nabasa ko na ang summary ng famous play ni Shakespeare pero dahil tingin ko'y hindi sapat itong basehan para sa gagawing book review ay nagdesisyon akong basahin nalang ang full at original version.
I feel like someone is watching me so I raise my head.
Napakurap ako nang makatagpo ang mata ni Mavin… Jaranillo. Mukhang kanina pa niya ako pinapanuod, ang ballpen na kanina'y hawak ay pinapaikot na niya ngayon sa kaniyang mga daliri. Kailan pa siya natapos sa ginagawa niya?
"Do you think they are really in love?" he ask all of a sudden.
I slightly angled my head, confused by his words.
"Romeo and Juliet…" he added when he notice my confusion.
Muli, napakurap na naman ako.
"I think so…" ani ko nang 'di pinag-iisipan ng maigi ang isinagot.
Tumaas ang mga kilay niya. And that gesture made me rethink the thing he asked. Hinalukay ko sa isipan ang nabasa. The play's scenes are fast paced. Wala pa atang isang linggo ang pag-iibigan nilang dalawa. And their age bothered me. Juliet was only thirteen when she meet the sixteen year-old Romeo. It's safe to say it was love at first sight... But is it really 'love at first sight'?
With Mavin Jaranillo's question, my doubt about Romeo and Juliet's love for each other become stronger.
"Maybe it is not love…?" I told him.
Umangat ang isang gilid ng labi niya. He stop playing with his ballpen, letting it drop on the table.
"What made you say so?" he said, looking rather amuse than curious.
I purse my lips. Inilapit ko ang sarili sa lamesa upang mas marinig niya ang sasabihin ko. It's the library after all, even a whisper can be noticed. Nang makuntento sa distansya ay ibinuka ko na ang bibig.
"Because of their age…" I got distracted by a little when he also lean his body closer. I clear my throat silently and continue what I'm saying. "I think their love for each other is still immature. And their actions are hasty… The play begins with Romeo claiming his love for Rosaline, but when he saw Juliet, the feelings he felt for the former suddenly vanished. Then Juliet… I think she's just motivated of defying her parents for once."
Nang matapos na akong magsalita ay saka ko palang napansin ang titig niya sa akin. With his left hand on his lips, elbow placed on the table, and the other slightly drumming on the table, he's watching me closely with interest.
"You mean, what they felt for each other might just be a mixture of convenience and lust…" he points out, his left hand now resting on the table.
Tumango ako, kontento na sa sinabi niya.
"But we don't know… Maybe they are really in love, albeit immature." he added while shifting on his seat.
My brows slightly creased. Now that I think about it, isn't surprising that Mavin Jaranillo seems to know Shakespeare's most famous work pretty well?
I get it, it's really famous, and it's a no surprise that he even know it. But with those things he said, it made me wondering how many times did he read it to have that kind of perspective on the play.
"Do you think it's love?" I repeated the thing he asked earlier, though not verbatim.
Bahagyang tumagilid ang ulo niya. "Do you think it's not?" he replied, slightly smirking.
Naningkit ang mga mata ko. I thought he thinks that the lead characters aren't really in love? And he seems to be having his fun. I wasn't informed that discoursing literary works about romance is his thing. How weird for a Mavin Jaranillo…
"How do you define love?" I rebut with challenging gaze.
He smirked, revealing his perfect set of white teeth. Now that I have seen him smile like this, it felt like he's suddenly a different person. Hindi ko alam kung mas gusto ko bang nakikita ang non-smiling face niya o ito. But there's no doubt that he look attractive in both.
He was about to speak but it was interrupted when my phone placed on top of my other book vibrated.
"Sorry…" I automatically blurted.
Kinuha ko ito at binasa ang natanggap na text message.