We just arrived at school. I searched my head around the school trying to find out if Nico was around. But I saw none. Walking inside the school, I was greeted by Colin. He waved his hands sheepishly. I just glared at him while walking towards him.
"Ano Colin, masaya kana dahil nalasing ako?" I started. Flicking his head onto mine, he laughed. "Ikaw talaga Colin!" I said while slighty hitting him on his arms.
Colin's waving goodbyes at me while I entered the classroom. The classroom was noisy as I heared them gossiping and talking about something and then my eyes met Nico's brown eyes. The three of them were still talking while I headed towards my seat.
Our Biology Teacher came in. Clipboard on her arms, fixing her messy hair buns with her left hand. And then she started the class.
I felt Nico's gaze while the teacher was discussing the lesson. Feeling the goosebumps on my skin, I crawled my hands over my waist and pinched it gently. Nakaka-ilang yung mga pagtingin niya sakin, it feels so weird. I can't take it anymore. I quickly flicked my head towards him, and signaled him to listen to the teacher.
He leaned into his table, hands on the side of his face while looking at me. He nodded slighty as he pouted.
"Oh! I forgot to mention, may group project pala kayo," saad ng Biology Teacher namin while scratching her head with her slender hands. The entire room got quickly filled with excited noises. Nico was still focusing on me.
"At ako ang pipili ng groupmates niyo," she added. The classroom was filled by a grunting sound as the teacher announced all the groups.
"Devin Dela Cruz is grouped with Stephen Marquez."
I froze when I heard my name is grouped with this bastard. It pinched my waist tightly as I thought about the things he could do to me.
Fuck! It was it, wala na akong magagawa. I hate this world! I heard footsteps coming towards me and felt a light touch on my shoulder. I flicked my head towards the source of those hands. I got shocked when I saw Stephen with his head low on me, grinning with his handsome face.
Ugh, what now?!
Today is the day. The day I feared the most.
The day na magkikita kami ni Stephen para sa putang-inang group project na 'yan.
"Fuck," I said to myself as I walked to the bus station. My head was down and both hands were on the pockets of my hoodie. As the wind blows against me, I shudder. Imagining the things that might happen later.
Yesterday, parang bigla nalang siya nagbago. That was the first time I've seen him smile at
me. He was suddenly so 'sweet' na para bang mag-kaclose kami sa isa't isa. The group project was the "reason" daw para mag exchange numbers kami. Well, pumayag naman ako dahil importante 'tong group project. And, to be honest, mas lalo s'yang pumogi nung nakita ko siyang mabait sakin. That made it even more appealing to me.
However, I will never be able to forget what they did to me. My suffering has been caused by their bullying. All of the wounds and bruises they gave me hurt. Nagagawa ko pa ngang na magsinungaling kay mama't papa para hindi nila malaman kung anong mga pinagagawa nila sakin. I've always despise their guts. I hate them.
When the bus's engine started, I sat on the chair next to the windows. I wandered around the structures the bus had driven by.
While the bus was still moving, I was pinching my waist till I heard some notification noises coming from my phone inside my pocket. As the phone continued to notify me, I reached inside the pocket. I felt the other person's stare on me right away, which made me feel uneasy as I continued to glance at my phone.
There was a text message with an address and an unknown number. I sighed as the bus that had just passed by became more and more familiar, thinking na malapit na ako. When the bus stopped as it got closer to my destination, I kept looking down at my phone. Well, since I have to ride a tricycle there, it's not exactly the destination. I could feel the looks of the people I had just passed as I made my way to the bus door. I left the bus and sighed as I gave the driver my money.
I was looking about for a tricycle, my hands on my phone as I waited for one. Later, I noticed a tricycle stop in front of me, and the tricycle's driver offered me a seat inside. Ipinakita ko kaagad sa tricycle driver ang address na naka lagay sa isang message sa cellphone ko. The tricycle driver simply nodded and started up the engine. The tricycle driver was driving when I heard some notification noises, indicating that I had received another text message. I took a look at my phone, swiping up and clicking on the text message I had received.
-Mama-
anak, magingat ka dyan ha?
uwi kaagad ha.
Sent 9:24 AM.
It was from my mom. "Si Mama talaga," I chuckled to myself as I peered around the buildings where the tricycle driver had gone by. When I felt the tricycle driver turn off the engine, I put down my phone.
"Sir, tama po ba yung address na sinend sayo?" He asked, scratching his head and looking around, his left hand on the motor's handle. When I peeked out the window of the tricycle, he was blinking at me. I was taken aback when I came across a large mansion. My eyes widened as I nodded slightly to the driver, my gaze remaining fixed on the large structure.
"I think ito na po," I answered, giving the payment to the driver while I was getting out of the tricycle.
I approached the mansion's large gate, my body trembling as I grasped for the doorbell, my hands shaking. I wasn't sure if this was the proper house for me. It was enormous. I pressed the doorbell anyway, attempting to overcome my fear.
I spotted the gate open and an elderly maid peering through the door. She was surprised to see me and her hands gestured and offered to take me inside, smiling. I simply bowed and smiled back. As I reached the huge gate's mansion, two maids greeted me, grinning and waving their hands at me.
"Hello, Sir! You must be Devin?" she asked, her face puzzled while looking at me. I nodded to her, and she raised a smile.
"Dito po sir, sunod po kayo," she said. As we entered the large structure, I followed the two maids with both hands in my pockets.
When I viewed the insides, I was amazed. It was lovely, yet it appears that everything here is pricey. The walls, the stairs, the furniture, and everything around me as I followed the maids into a large living room until I noticed a familiar figure seated on a large sofa that could fit seven people. As we approached him, the person became more recognizable to me by the second. As we approached the man, I felt a sense of unease return to me. Naka-pang bahay lang siya habang nanonood mula sa malaking TV that is attached on the wall. When the person turned his head toward us, I was taken aback.
It was Stephen.
***
He was standing there and grinning at me as I got closer to him. He headed over to me and combed his hair. He made a gentle grab for my forearms and extended a hand to sit on the sofa while I smiled back sheepishly. When I sat down on the sofa, I was astounded by how soft it was. I gently bounced on the cozy couch, placing both of my hands on my sides. My hands felt warm on the sofa, which is quite cozy.
"Maid, iwan nyo muna kami dito ni Devin," saad ni Stephen, requesting the maids to go. I felt Stephen's eyes on me as I watched them leave the living room by moving outside. I was startled by the strangeness of his gaze and had bone-chilling shivers. I sighed and turned my head to look at him with my eyes getting smaller. He continued to give me a smile.
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