MARICON
"Are you sure you're fine?"
I sighed for the umpteenth time before looking at Psyche who is beside me.
"Sadness only lasts overnight to me, Psyche. I already moved on. Don't worry, I am really fine," I assured her.
She sighed. "It's just too uncommon that yesterday, you were bawling your eyes out and now, you looked perfectly fine."
I chuckled and toyed the lock of my hair. "I just knew that nothing would change if I continue to cry. All I have to do is to move forward to change anything."
Her brows furrowed before her lips twitched. Kumunot naman ang noo ko habang nakatingin sa kaniya. "What's wrong?" I asked.
"You don't hold a grudge to our teacher or something?"
Impit naman akong natawa dahil sa tanong niya. I gave her a dismissive wave of hand before shrugging my shoulders. "I don't hold grudges to people," I answered.
"You're weird," pagsuko niya. Napailing na lamang ako samantalang humarap naman siya sa unahan.
I shrugged my shoulders before looking at Chase's empty seat. Nasaan na kaya iyon?
Mayamaya pa ay pumasok na ang Homeroom teacher namin kasama si Chase. My brows drew together while looking at them.
"Anong meron?" I whispered.
Agad namang tumahimik ang mga kaklase ko nang dumating ang teacher namin. Taka naman akong tumingin sa unahan.
Our teacher cleared her throat before speaking, "Just like the past few years, Avalon High conducts a welcome party for the new students. As usual, we have a talent portion or a production number each sections and I already decided that Chase would be our representative. However, Chase needs a partner. Who wants to volunteer?"
Agad namang nagtaasan ng kamay ang mga kaklase kong babae. I pouted. Gusto rin ba nila si Chase?
My brows furrowed when Psyche nudged my arm. Nagtataka naman akong lumingon sa kaniya.
"Ayaw mo bang mag-volunteer?"
I laughed shyly. "Bakit ako?"
She looked at me as if I said the dumbest thing ever. Ilang segundo siyang nakatingin sa akin ngunit taka ko lamang siyang tiningnan pabalik. Kalaunan, sinagot niya na lamang ako ng malakas na buntong hininga.
"Ma'am, Maricon likes singing!"
My eyes widened when Psyche suddenly spoke out of nowhere. "H-Hoy!" I stuttered.
She just shrugged her shoulders and smiled playfully. My lips parted before looking at Chase. Katulad nang dati, blangko pa rin ang ekspresyon ng mukha niya.
"I also heard from my co-teachers that you like singing, Miss Alferro. Would you like to sing with Chase?"
I tapped my heel on the ground while constantly biting my lips. A part of me wants to sing with Chase and show my talent to other people. But the other part of me doesn't want to.
Should I try or not?
"Miss Alferro?" Our teacher asked.
I looked at her awkwardly before scratching my head. Dumako naman ang mata ko kay Chase pero katulad nang kanina, wala pa ring ekspresyon ang mukha niya.
Bakit kasi ayaw niyang ipakita kung gusto niya akong maging partner o hindi? Kainis!
"Miss Alferro?" She called me once again.
I sighed before shaking my head. "I think Psyche would do better than me, Ma'am."
"M-Me?!" Psyche asked.
Tumango naman ako. "Chase and Psyche are friends. I think it would be better if they work together."
"Are you fine with it, Miss Bishop?" Our teacher asked Psyche.
Psyche looked at me but I just looked away.
"S-Sure, Ma'am," I heard Psyche answered.
I sighed before leaning on my seat once again. I pouted my lips and sighed continously.
"Why did you recommend me?" Psyche whispered.
I shrugged. "I just think you and Chase would be a better pair."
"But you like Chase, right?"
Natigilan naman ako.
"I do like him. Don't misinterpret what I did. I just did that for the betterment our section," I said.
Nagkibit balikat naman siya bago hunarap sa unahan. "Sabi mo, eh," pagsuko niya.
I just shook my head and propped my chin on my palm. I boredly looked outside through the window and silently prayed that I won't regret my decisions.
"That was the tenth rose for today, Maricon."
I chuckled before placing a rose on the table. Napangiwi naman ako sa ingay sa loob ng cafeteria. Hindi pa rin talaga ako sanay na makihalubilo sa iba. I grew up being the only maingay in the house.
"Hindi mo ba itatapon?" Psyche asked me.
I shook my head before looking at the bunch of roses at the table. "I'll just put it in a flower vase at my room."
"You're really popular, huh?" Chase remarked before he leaned on his seat nad crossed his arms over his chest.
I leaned closer to him and smiled foolishly. "It would be a thousand times better if you also gave me a rose," I answered and winked at him.
He stared at me blankly before shaking his head. I pouted and went back on my spot a while ago. Natawa naman si Psyche kaya't malakas akong bumuntong hininga.
"Are you sure you don't want to be Chase's partner?" tanong ni Psyche.
I sighed once again and pouted my lips. "Kinda," I answered unsurely.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Of course, I want to become Chase's partner. However..."
"However, what?"
I sighed. "I don't think I'll do well," pag-amin ko.
She shot a brow up and looked at me confusedly. "Huh? You said you like music, right?"
I nodded.
"I do. It's just that no one heard my voice except my Dad and some maids in our house. I don't even know if I sounds good," I answered.
Marahan siyang napatango dahil sa sinabi ko. "So you never sang infront of anyone except your Dad?"
Tumango ako. "Right," I answered.
"Why don't you try? I mean, there's no harm in trying. You can always try."
I let out a harsh breath. "I don't think I'm confident enough to do that."
"You looked pretty outgoing but you're actually shy, huh?" Mahina naman akong tumawa bago marahang tumango.
"I don't even have a friend except you two," I stated.
"But you're popular among the boys naman. That's fine!"
Napailing naman ako bago inilibot ang paningin ko sa buong cafeteria. Psyche's right. I caught some guys secretly staring at me. However, contrary to those loving stares from the guys, I received some judgemental and annoyed look from the girls.
I pouted. Did I do something wrong?
"Do I really look intimidating?" I asked Chase and Psyche.
Psyche nodded while Chase shook his head.
"I don't look intimidating?" tanong ko kay Chase.
"You're too naive," he retorted.
I blinked a few times and tilted my head a bit. Me? Naive? Is that a compliment or not?
Lumingon naman ako kay Psyche. "What did I do wrong?" I asked her.
She gave me a half shrug. "It's just that you're aura is pretty... Strong, I guess?"
"What do you mean?"
"Firstly, you have an arched eyebrows. Medyo nakakatakot tumingin sa'yo kasi parang mang-aaway ka everytime. Second, the way you dress is just too classy and elegant. Well, that's a good thing but sometimes, it's just too overwhelming. Plus your resting face looks so serious and tough," mahabang sabi niya.
I pouted and crossed my arms over my chest. "I looked serious and tough?"
She chuckled and moved her hands dismissively. "Not unless you pout or you speak."
"Wait a minute. I also noticed one thing," dagdag ko.
"What is it?" tanong ni Psyche.
"Bawal bang magkulay ng buhok dito? Parang itim lang lahat ng buhok, eh."
She chuckled. "They reinforced a new rule but nah, I think you're an excemption."
My brows arched an inch. "Huh? What do you mean?"
Chase cleared his throat that made me looked at him. Surprisingly, he is also looking at me seriously.
"Because you're an Alferro. You're surely an excemption from the rules. That's how powerful you are, Maria Corazon."
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