Finally, class was over. I hurried home to the penthouse since I had a lot of studying to do with that nerd. Fortunately, Mommy hadn't made an appearance yet. She was probably busy with work as usual. When I arrived at the penthouse, I was surprised by what greeted me. I saw Rinoa, Ariena, and the nerd sitting comfortably on the floor. They seemed quite at home.
"Why are you all here?" I asked, furrowing my brows.
"Niona, you're finally here. We've been waiting for you," Ariena said.
I scoffed. They've been waiting for me at my house? Wow.
"Get changed and let's study," Rinoa said.
The nerd just looked at me.
I rolled my eyes at them and went upstairs to change.
As I reached the top of the stairs, I couldn't help but feel annoyed. Why were they waiting for me in my own home? I quickly changed into more comfortable clothes and made my way back downstairs.
When I returned to the living room, they were still there, waiting for me. I shot them a pointed look, silently questioning their presence.
"Let's get started," Rinoa said, her tone brisk.
I sighed, feeling a little exasperated. "Fine," I replied, reluctantly taking a seat across from the nerd.
We spent the next few hours going over my lessons. Just like before, the nerd was really helpful, and I found myself understanding the material better than I had in class. As much as I hated to admit it, having him around made studying a lot easier.
"Finally, it's over," Rinoa said with her eyes closed, leaning against the edge of the sofa. Ariena was rubbing her neck. We learned a lot today. I glanced at the nerd and saw him reading.
"Alright," Rinoa suddenly said, clapping her hands once. "Since we're all here, why don't we play a game?" she suggested, and the three of us exchanged glances.
"What kind of game?" Ariena asked.
"A game?" I repeated, intrigued by the idea. Despite my initial reluctance, the prospect of doing something fun was appealing.
"Yeah, we could play Truth or Dare," Rinoa suggested, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
Ariena grinned. "That sounds like fun! What do you think, Niona?" she asked, turning to me.
I hesitated for a moment, contemplating the idea. "Okay" I finally agreed, offering a faint smile.
Rinoa clapped her hands in excitement. "Great! Let's get started then," she exclaimed, her eyes darting between us. Tumayo siya at pumunta sa kusina. Pagbalik niya ay may hawak na siyang bottled water.
We settled down on the floor, forming a circle. Rinoa eagerly took the lead. Pinaikot niya ang bote at tumutok iyon sa akin.
"Okay, I'll start. Niona, truth or dare?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.
I smirked, feeling a surge of adrenaline. "Dare," I replied, ready to take on whatever challenge she had in mind.
Rinoa's mischievous grin widened as she formulated her dare. "I dare you to go to the lobby and ask the cutest guy there for his number," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
I felt a surge of panic at the thought. That was way out of my comfort zone. "Seriously?" I protested, feeling a bit uneasy.
"Come on, Niona, don't be a chicken," Ariena teased, nudging me playfully.
Feeling a mix of nervousness and determination, I took a deep breath and stood up. "Okay fine," I said, trying to sound confident.
As I made my way to the lobby, I could feel Rinoa and Ariena's eyes on me, watching intently. I spotted a group of guys near the entrance, and my heart raced as I approached them. Summoning all my courage, I walked up to the cutest guy in the group. Ngayon ko lang gagawin 'to.
"Hi," I said, medyo naiilang dahil lahat sila ay nakatingin sa akin. "Can I have your number?"
The guy looked surprised but gave me a warm smile. "Sure," he replied, scribbling his number on a piece of paper and handing it to me.
Relief washed over me as I returned to Rinoa and Ariena, their eyes wide with amazement. I couldn't believe I had actually done it. As I handed the piece of paper to Rinoa, she grinned triumphantly.
"Wow, I can't believe you did it!" she exclaimed, patting me on the back. Inirapan ko lang siya. Nang paikutin niya ang bote ay tumapat iyon kay Ariena.
"Your turn, Yena. Truth or dare?"
Ariena grinned. "Dare," she replied, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Okay, I dare you to prank call the first contact on your phone and confess your undying love for them," Rinoa said, her grin widening mischievously.
Ariena's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you serious?" she asked.
"Absolutely," Rinoa replied.
Ariena took a deep breath, clearly unsure about the dare, but after a moment's hesitation, she nodded. "Fine," she said, determined to face the challenge.
With shaky fingers, Ariena dialed the first contact on her phone. The room fell silent as she made the call, the anticipation palpable. After a few rings, the call was answered.
"Hello?" came a voice from the other end.
Ariena took another deep breath, summoning all her courage. "Hi," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I just wanted to tell you... I've had a crush on you for a while now, and I... I really like you."
There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line before Ariena quickly hung up, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Rinoa burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. Medyo natawa naman ako sa taong tinawagan ni Ariena.
"I can't believe you actually did it!" Rinoa exclaimed, wiping away tears of laughter.
Ariena joined in the laughter, feeling a mixture of relief and embarrassment. "Okay, my turn," she said. Pinaukot iyon ni Ariena at tumapat naman kay Rinoa.
"Rinoa, truth or dare?"
Rinoa grinned, ready for the challenge. "Dare," she replied confidently. Napailing ako.
"Okay, I dare you to steal a flower from the garden of the penthouse next door and give it to the first person you see on the street," Ariena challenged, her eyes dancing with mischief.
Rinoa's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Seriously?" she asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
"Absolutely," Ariena replied, her expression daring Rinoa to back down.
Rinoa glanced at me, then back at Ariena, her competitive spirit rising. "Challenge accepted," she declared, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
With determination in her eyes, Rinoa headed to the penthouse next door, returning a few minutes later with a stolen flower clutched in her hand. Sinundan lang namin siya.
"Okay, who's the lucky recipient?" I asked.
Rinoa pointed to a passerby walking down the street. "That guy," she said, her grin widening.
Ariena and I watched with bated breath as Rinoa approached the unsuspecting stranger, I know her heart pounding with excitement.
"Excuse me!" Rinoa called out, tapping the man on the shoulder.
The man turned around, looking puzzled. "Yes?"
Rinoa held out the stolen flower, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I, uh... I stole this from the garden next door, and, um... I wanted to give it to you," she stammered, her cheeks turning bright red.
The man stared at her for a moment, clearly taken aback. Then, to our surprise, a smile spread across his face. "Thank you," he said, accepting the flower graciously. "That's very kind of you."
Rinoa returned to us, her cheeks still flushed but a triumphant glint in her eyes. "Well, that was... interesting," she said, a hint of laughter in her voice.
Ariena and I burst into laughter, thoroughly entertained by the daring stunt. "That was embarrassing" Ariena exclaimed, shaking her head in amazement. Pagkatapos ay si nerdy naman.
"Alright, Nerdy, truth or dare?" Rinoa asked, her eyes glinting with mischief.
He shifted uncomfortably, not used to being included in such activities. "Um, dare," he replied tentatively, his voice barely above a whisper.
Rinoa's mischievous grin widened. "I dare you to go to the next room and do a dramatic reading of a random page from a romance novel," she said.
His eyes widened in disbelief. "Uhm, wala na bang iba?" he asked, a tinge of nervousness in his voice.
Umiling si Rinoa. "Wala na e, kaya bilisan mo," she replied, her tone daring him to back down.
He took a deep breath, mukha siyang ina-anxiety sa hitsura niya. "Sige, I'll do it," he said. Binigyan ko siya ng novel mula sa book shelf ko. Hindi naman ako nagbabasa ng mga ganiyan, binili ko lang para i-display. I'm not into any romantic things.
With shaky hands, he made his way to the next room, disappearing behind the door. Rinoa, Ariena, and I exchanged excited glances, waiting in anticipation.
After a few moments, the nerd emerged, a look of nervousness on his face. He cleared his throat and began to recite, his voice surprisingly clear and confident.
"'As their eyes met across the crowded room, he felt a surge of emotion wash over him...'"
Biglang bumukas ang pinto at bumungad ang isang babae. Nagulat ito nang makita kung ano ang ginagawa ng lalaki. Ariena and I exchanged amused glances, barely able to contain our laughter. Rinoa, on the other hand, was completely captivated by his dramatic reading.
"'She was like no one he had ever met before...'"
He continued to recite, his voice growing more passionate with each word. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, there was something strangely captivating about his performance.
"'And in that moment, he knew that he would never be the same again...'"
As he finished the dramatic reading, he looked up, a hint of embarrassment on his face. Rinoa, Ariena, and I burst into applause, thoroughly impressed by his unexpected talent.
"That was amazing!" Rinoa exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.
The nerd's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but there was a hint of pride in his eyes. "Thanks," he said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Ariena and I exchanged knowing glances, thoroughly entertained by his unexpected performance. Nagpatuloy ang laro at ang kalokohan ni Rinoa.
By the time we finished, it was already late in the evening. Rinoa and Ariena bid their farewells, leaving the two of us alone in the penthouse. I felt a strange sense of relief as I watched them leave, but I quickly shook it off.
Tumingin ako kay nerdy at nakita kong nakatingin din siya sa akin. "Naglalaro ka ng chess?"
"Sinong nagsabi?"
"Si Rinoa" hinatid ko siya hanggang sa labas ng pinto.
"Yeah, tinuruan niya ako" sagot ko.
Pareho kaming natahimik at nagpakiramdaman. "Uhm, ipahatid na kita kay kuya Joberth?" Basag ko sa katahimikan namin.
"Ah...huwag na. Magco-commute na lang ako" nahihiyang sagot niya. Natahimik na naman kami.
"Ah, sige na, umuwi ka na."
Tumango siya, "Sige, una na ako" sabi niya at tumalikod ngunit humarap din kapagkuwan.
"Hmm?"
"Let's...play chess next time?" Nag-aalinlangan niyang tanong.
Ngumiwi ako, "I'm not good at it, pero sige" sabi ko para umuwi na siya.
Maliit siyang ngumiti, "Sige" sabi niya at tuluyan nang umalis.
After closing the door, I leaned against it and took a deep breath. It felt as if I had forgotten to breathe a moment ago. Placing my hand over my chest, it felt as though it had been trampled by a stampede of horses with the rapidity of its beating.
What's happening?
I shook my head and made my way to the living room to tidy up the pillows scattered on the floor and the mess. They had already cleaned it up, but I still swept and mopped. I wanted to be the one cleaning to make sure there was no trace of clutter left.
As I wiped the table, a piece of paper caught my eye from the edge. I picked it up and saw that it was the reviewer that Nerdy had left behind. All of it was handwritten by him. Suddenly, I remembered how he writes, his posture, and the way he holds his pen.
I remembered his precise posture as he sits, the way he leans forward slightly, focused, his hand moving across the paper with confidence. His fingers gently grasp the pen, his movements flowing smoothly as if he's dancing across the page, leaving his mark with every stroke. The pen, firmly held between his fingers, glides effortlessly, leaving a trail of ink that reveals his intelligence and dedication.
Unconsciously, I found myself smiling as I reminisced. But as soon as I realized it, my smile was replaced by a furrowed brow. What the heck was I thinking? I stopped myself from overthinking and continued cleaning. Once finished, I went upstairs and entered my room. I headed straight to the bathroom to freshen up because I had perspired during our game earlier. We had to go outside just to witness each other's embarrassment.
I turned on the faucet, letting the cold water run down my face, washing away the lingering discomfort. The cool water helped to clear my mind, and I took a moment to compose myself. After a few minutes, I dried my face with a towel and glanced at my reflection in the mirror.
Gone was the girl who was smiling at the mere thought of Nerdy. Instead, I was greeted by the determined Nionahlie, ready to face whatever came her way. I let out a sigh, trying to shake off the unexplainable feeling that had overcome me earlier.
I quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes and brushed my hair bago pumunta sa kama at humiga.
What a day.
Nakatitig lang ako sa kisame dahil hindi ako makatulog. I think I should drink a milk. Tumayo ako at bumaba papunta sa kusina. Nagtimpla ako ng gatas at agad iyong ininom. Kailangan ko nang matulog dahil anong oras na.
Nakasandal ako sa lababo habang umiinom ng gatas. Nakatitig ako sa lamesa at bigla ko na lang naalala ang mukha ng nerd na 'yon. Ang mukha niyang nakangiti. I don't know pero parang sa tuwing nakikita ko ang ngiti niya ay biglang nagbabago ang mood ko. Bigla akong kumakalma nang wala sa oras.
"What are you doing to me, nerdy?" Tanong ko sa sarili at saka inubos ang gatas sa baso.
Hindi ko dapat siya iniisip. He's lucky enough to be my tutor. Ang kapal naman ng mukha niya para pumasok sa isip ko. Muli akong umakyat papuntang kwarto at humiga. Para mabilis makatulog ay kumuha ako ng unan at pinatong ko sa akin saka iyon niyakap. I'm comfortable with this position.
Kinabukasan ay late ako. Nakalimutan kong mag-set ng alarm kagabi. Pero kahit na late ay hindi ko binilisan ang paglalakad. Normal na lakad ko lang ang ginawa ko. Baka bigla akong matapilok though sanay naman ako sa mataas kong heels, pero may time pa rin na nao-out balance ako at natatapilok.
"You're going home without changing clothes?" Rinoa asked as soon as I stepped into the music room. Katatapos lang ng klase namin kaya dito ako dumiretso.
I glanced around. There were only a few people left. My gaze stopped on a guy who was also looking at me. I looked back at Rinoa and shook my head.
"No, I'll change at home because I also want to shower," I said as I walked towards her. As usual, she was seated, focused on her piano.
"Look who's here," I turned to the newcomer. "Hey, Niona, what's up?" Kent greeted as he sat down on the floor.
"What are you doing here?" Kenzie asked, picking up a guitar. I didn't answer them and instead looked back at Rinoa.
"Dito rin sila?" I asked, frowning. She just nodded without enthusiasm and continued playing the piano.
Bumukas ang pinto at panibagong tao na naman ang dumating. It was Ariena. She roamed her eyes. Medyo kumunot pa ang noo niya nang makita ang dalawa ngunit agad din siyang tumingin kay Rinoa. Napahinto siya sa paglalakad nang makita ako.
"You're here," aniya at umupo sa tabi ko.
"Sino namang kinalaban mo?" Tanong ko nang mapansing pawisan siya at hindi pa nagpapalit ng damit kagaya ko.
"Just someone" maikling sagot niya.
"Pre, ipalo mo" sabi ni Kenzie.
Maya-maya ang biglang kumanta si Kent habang kinakalabit ni Kenzie ang gitara at sinasabayan ng drums ng lalaking hindi ko kilala.
Saw you this morning with that look in your eyes
I hate to see you lookin' like you're lost and lonely
It isn't easy when you're all by yourself
Don't you worry, I hear you 'cause I know what it's like
Lahat ng taong natitira sa music room ay sumasabay sa tugtog maliban sa amin ni Ariena na nakikinig lang. Rinoa joined in using her piano. In the chorus, Kent sang while Kenzie, along with a few guys, provided the second voice. They sang and played beautifully, as if they had practiced it thoroughly.
And if you look, you'll find
I got you on my mind, 'cause baby
(I'll be there for you) when you need somebody
(I'll be there for you) when you want someone who cares
(When you're down and feelin' blue) I'll be there
(I'll be there for you) when you call me, I'll be there
Their voices harmonized perfectly, creating a mesmerizing melody that filled the room. The soft strumming of the guitar accompanied the lively tune of the piano, blending together in an enchanting rhythm. As they sang, their voices resonated with emotion, capturing the essence of the song. The combination of the piano and the guitar created a rich, melodious sound, making the music come alive. It was as though each note was carefully crafted to blend seamlessly with the next, resulting in a captivating performance.
Napatingin ako sa lalaking nasa gilid at nakikisabay rin. Gamit niya ang isang klase ng gitara habang nakikisabay sa kanta. Humahalo ang boses niya sa boses nina Kent kaya hindi ko masyadong marinig ang boses niya. Hindi ko alam kung alin sa mga naririnig ko ang boses niya. Pero isa lang ang alam ko, their voices are perfect.