Nagulat ako sa sinabi ni Papa, kaya pala wala siya dito sa bahay for two days. I stare at him worriedly, he doesn't usually drink alcohol on a daily basis but once he does, may malaki siya problema na maya-maya niya namang aaminin. He sighs and looks up at the ceiling where the huge white chandelier is located.
"Pahinga ko ang mommy mo, no wonder that since three years ago I've always been so restless." He croaked out.
I lean against my seat and look at the ceiling too, waiting for his next vulnerable speeches. "What would mom feel if she knew that? She would be mad at you more." I muttered.
He hums. "You're right, I fucked up."
"You always did." I shrug.
He tsked. "Shut up, Aelin. Go to sleep."
Inangat ko ang ulo ko sa kaniya at tinaasan siya ng kilay. "Oh? Sino maglilinis ng kalat mo dito?"
He laughs. "Hindi pa naman ako lasing."
"Yeah, just tipsy." I sarcastically mumbled.
He sighs and got up, I immediately smiled when I saw him walking straight. Kaagad ko naman siyang tinulungan at nilagay na sa kitchen counter ang mga bote. Pagkatapos ay bumalik kami sa sala at papunta sa taas. Medyo nahuli ako dahil kinuha ko pa ang bag kong nilagay ko sa sofa kanina.
After that, we both walk upstairs only stopping once we're in front of my room. He smiled at me and kisses me on my forehead.
"Good night, princess." He said. I smiled and nodded. "You too, dad."
Binuksan ko na kaagad ang kwarto ko at nagprepare na para bukas at nag-half bath. Then, I did my skin care, blow dry my long black hair, and wear my pajamas. Nanghihina akong pumunta sa kama at pagbagsak ko palang ay nakatulog na ako.
The next day, hindi ako nakapagfocus ng maayos sa klase dahil sa mga gumugulo sa isipan ko. I can't stop worrying about my father whose now frustrated because of whats happening to his company in this country. Dumadagdag pa ang mga sinabi ng mga kaibigan ko sa'kin tungkol kay Penelope at Clive. My temples starts to ache and I immediately massaged it while still being lost at my own thoughts.
Hindi dapat ako naniniwala sa mga salita lamang, pero bakit napakatotoo ng mga sinasabi ng dalawang kaibigan ko?
Kaninang umaga, hindi ko nakita si Penelope kahit anino niya man lang. Hindi ako sigurado, pero baka may kinalaman 'to sa paghihiwalay ng mga sarili naming magulang. She can't be that affected right?
Alam ko namang mabait si Penelope eh.
"Ms. Novenche!" Tawag ni Mrs. Dela Cruz, na nagpapisik sa akin at napabalik ako sa kasalukuyan na sitwasyon. I groaned at the ache that I suddenly feel in my temples that it got the man beside me worried.
"Ma'am, can I take her to the clinic? She's not feeling well." Pagpapaalam ni Clive.
Mrs. Dela Cruz sigh in irritation but eventually nodded. Clive said a small 'thanks' to her and help me stand up and guide me towards the clinic. My heart flutters at his attention, kaagad ko namang binalewala ang iniisip ko at naglakad nalang papuntang clinic ulit.
Pagkapasok namin, kaagad niya akong pinaupo at agad naman akong inasikaso ng nurse. The nurse looks at me worriedly.
"You should really go to the hospital." She suggested which I immediately declined.
"Normal lang 'to, thing's are going crazy lately." I muttered then she left me with an aspirin that I swallowed in a blink.
Clive sigh and looks at me, dead in the eyes. "What's happening, care to tell me?" He asks.
I shrug and ignore him, which made him sigh. "Okay, fine. Let's go back to class." Sabi niya na agad ko namang sinunod at nauna pa ako sa kaniya. Pagkapasok naming dalawa ay wala na si Mrs. Dela Cruz. My eybrows furrowed as we both walk towards our seats and sit down.
"Ang bilis naman ng klase ni Mrs. Dela Cruz." Sambit ko. Margz looks at me while raising her brow.
"Girl, sa sobrang lalim ng mga iniisip mo buong araw ka ng natutulala. Are you okay?" Ani ni Margz. Fate sighs and tilts her head towards me.
"You okay, girl?" Tanong ni Fate. I laugh nervously and nodded.
"I'm fine, just a little bit of a headache." Sagot ko.
Bago pa man sila makapagsalita ulit, pumasok na ang class adviser namin. Napakunot ang nuo ko dahil hindi naman homeroom ngayon. Bigla nalang tumahimil ang buong estudyante na nasa luob ng classroom at naghintay na magsalita ang guro. Mr. Raval looks at all of us and sighs.
"I know you're all confuse right now, so let me explain. Every class before the class will fully start we always separate them based on their course or departments." Simula nito at naghintay ng ilang segundo bago nagsalita ulit.
"Now, this wills separation will be permanent because it is needed. What I mean with permanent is you will have a permanent class on your departments and this section is not your true section, we did this because we need you to interact with other departments before you graduate." Dagdag nito. Kaagad namang umingay ang buon klase na ikinairita ng guro.
"Crescent!" Sigaw ni Mr. Raval na agad namang nagpatahimik sa amin. Clive suddenly holds my hand and kiss the back of it making my eyes go wide as I look at him with disbelief.
"What are you doing?" I seethed. He shrugs and put it down on the table and held it with his hands. Some students looks at us weirdly which made me uncomfortable. Nagmamadaling pinilit kong alisin ang kamay ko sa hawak niya ngunit hindi ko magawa kasi napakahigpit ng hawak nito sa'kin. I let out a breath in irritation, leting him be and look at the board.
Mr. Raval showed us a paper. "This will be given to you based on your chosen strand and course, so kindly distribute this Mr. Levinson." Malakas na sabi niya na agad namang napatigil sa paghahalik ang lalaking nasa tabi ko ng kamay ko at agad itong tumayo at ginawa ang pinapagawa sa kaniya ng guro.
Hindi pa siya nakakalayo ay bigla nalang siyang lumingon at kumindat sa'kin na nagpatibok ng puso ko. I immediately look away and turn towards Margz, while Clive is currently passing the paper that Mr. Raval is giving us.
"He's so weird." I muttered.
Rea leans in on my ear to whisper. "Alam mo ba na ngayon lang nangliligaw si Clive?"
I blink at her in disbelief which made her giggled and nudged me. Bumaling si Kali sa aming dalawa at tumingin sa'kin.
"Kung ako sa'yo girl sasagutin ko na kaagad 'yan." Sabi nito.
Kumunot ang nuo ko. "Nanliligaw pala siya? Hindi naman siya nagpaaalam sa'kin eh."
Rea groans while Kali tries to hide her laugh by covering it with her hands, not wanting to get the teacher's attention. I shake my head at them.
"Ang weird niyo ring dalawa." I mumbled.
"Hey, m'lady. Here's your paper." Clive said which made me flinch. Napatawa naman ang mukong pero binigay na sa'kin ang papel na kaagad ko rin namang tinanggap at binasa.
What is your chosen strand and course?
STEM | ✔ | - Aeronautical Engineering
After checking my chosen strand, I immediately wrote my name and pass it to Mr. Raval's desk. Tumingin sa akin nang mapanghusga ang lalaki pero wala naman itong sinabi. I inwardly scoff and sit down on my seat.
Rea instantly nudges me and looks at me. "Ano?"
"Anong course ang pinili mo?" Tanong nito, I answered by a shrug and smiled. "Aeronautical Engineering. Why?"
She suddenly squeals that grabs the attention of Mr. Raval who glares at her. Kaagad namang nagpeace sign ang huli at lumingon na sa'kin at bigla nalang akong niyakap. Kumawala rin ito kalaunan at hinawakan ako sa mga balikat ko.
"Magkasama tayo! Magpipiloto rin kasi ako, akala ko ako lang." Nakangiting ani nito at sumayaw na parang bulate. Napailing nalang ako sa kaniya, napakahyper niyang babae na masarap kasama. Hindi ko akalain na magiging kaibigan ko siya.
"Hoy, Kali! Anong pinili mo?" Tanong ko naman sa babaeng maldita at seryoso na straightforward na hindi mo alam kung buwan niya ba ngayon o hindi. She just smiled tightly at me and shrugs.
"STEM rin, pero Civil Engineering ako eh, sadly." She winced. Tinampal kaagad ito ni Rea.
"Ano kaba? Palagi naman tayong magkikita sa library and sa lunch eh." Sabi nito. I nod, agreeing towards what Margz had said.
"I guess." Kali sighs.
"Hey, Ae." Tawag ni Clive at umupo na sa tabi ko. Lumingon ako sa kaniya at tinaasan siya ng kilay. "Anong course ba ang pinili mo?"
"Aeronautical Engineering, bakit?" He shrugs. "I just want to know para mahatid sundo naman kita." He winks.
I scoff. "As if I would let you do that."
He hums and started doing what he is suposed to do in his paper which is check his chosen course. My eyes widen nang aksidente kong nabasa ang pinili nito.
"ABM? Business Management?" I inquired.
He chuckles. "Yeah."
"Okay." I muttered and brought out my laptop. After the whole class has finally finished answering their papers, Mr. Raval walked out and then the class continued which is still them letting us know the Rules and Regulations, Requirements and Special Events. What made me pay attention towards the teacher, which is Mr. Raval again ㅡ who came back ㅡ is about the La Lune's Week.
"La Lune's Week, for those who doesn't know - is like intrams on other schools - the school's day of sports and activities and gives you an opportunity to be friends with everyone. It's actually not a competition but a friendship game."
"The only players are each departments in this school. The said event will be in two months, the trainings of the new members starts and stops right before the exams and continues after it, so if you want to be a part of the players in your department then come to the office after class if you have time. Any questions?" Mr. Raval waited for a minute before clapping his hands and looks at all of us with that arrogant gaze of his.
"Class dismissed. Have a great day!" He smiled sarcastically. Kaagad naman kaming nag-ayos ng mga gamit namin at lumabas na. Hindi pa ako nakakalayo sa pagkalabas ng pintuan nang bigla nalang may humila sa akin papunta sa isang classroom na wala ng tao. Agad akong natakot sa pwedeng mangyari dahilan kung bakit pumikit ako ng mariin kaagad.
I waited and waited and only heard nothing, what I heard was a familiar chuckle whch made me let out a sigh in relief. I look up at him in irritation.
"You don't have to scare me like that!" Bulyaw ko sa kaniya. He just smirks and puts the both of his hands inside the pockets of his luxurious slacks. Napailing nalang ako sa kaniya at nagsimula ng maglakad na kalaunan ay nahila naman ulit.
"Stop, I just want to talk to you in private." He hissed. I rolled my eyes and turn towards him while slowly taking a step back while he take a step forward which ended up me being the one whose being trap by him.
"Fine. Speak," mariin kong saad at tumingla sa kaniya na nagpatigil kaagad sa'kin dahil ilang dangkal nalang ay pwede ko na siyang mahalikan. His breath touches the skin above my head. Tumambol ang puso ko ng napakalas na nakakatakot na para sa'kin kasi baka marinig niya ito dahil sa katahimikan na bumabalot sa amin.
He bites his bottom lip while staring at my own which made me squirm slightly. "I think you still have an owe towards me, m'lady."
Napatigil ako sa aking tinatayuan at hindi makapaniwalang tumingin sa kaniya. Akala ko ba nakalimutan niya na?
I let out a sigh to calm myself. "What about it?"
He smirks. "Alam ko na kung anong gagawin mo para mabayaran mo ang utang na luob mo sakin."
My face lit up. "Really? What is it?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" He grins widely.
I made a face at him. "Duh! Para matapos na'to." Sabi ko sa kaniya.
"Well then..." He clicks his tongue and smiles at me widely. "Let's date."