Midterms Exam is coming kaya todo review kami sa mga lessons na t-in-ackle ng mga professors. Nandito kami sa kwarto ni Sawyer ngayon nag-aaral. Wala kaming pasok ngayong hapon because the professors were busy with some stuff kaya hindi na namin iyon pinalampas at agad pumunta rito sa bahay nila. Hindi naman ito kalayuan kaya walang problema.
"Why didn't you tell Gregory that you're coming with me? Diba higpit na binilin ng Papa mo na dapat kasama mo siya palagi?" Sawyer asked out of the blue.
I smiled. "Having a bodyguard—or whatever you call them—all the time... is sometimes draining, you know?"
Bawat galaw ko ay monitored nina Mama at Papa, and that is through Gregory. I can only go out when I'm with him or when I'm with his father, Manong Ramon, so that they'd know what I was do
I can't believe that brute! He really had the audacity to put his lips over mine without my permission! My lips is now ruined because of him!"Ano ba kasing nangyari, Miss? Bakit ang pula ng pisngi ni Kairos? Tila may sumampal sa kaniya."Well...Nagkibit-balikat nalang ako at pumasok sa kwarto ko. Hindi na ako pumunta sa office ni Mama at Papa roon. Today is their 20th wedding anniversary kaya alam kong namamasyal sila ngayon and enjoying each other's company.Bumagsak ako sa kama at tinakpan ng unan ang mukha ko at doon sumigaw nang sumigaw. I'm so angry right now, shouting my lungs out isn't enough.Kinabukasan, I woke up early even though it's the weekend. I have one class today
"Ms. Vera—""Just Lilianna, please," pagputol ko kay Ms. Coming.She smiled. "Lilianna, Mr. Ferrolino will be your dance partner in the upcoming dance contest in your school."If this brute really is my partner, that means he's also a business student. Ayon kay Ethan, he's in his third year."I'm gonna come here from time to time to monitor your progress. Dance to you hearts' content, guys," wika ni Ms. Coming at umalis na ng studio. Naiwan kaming dalawa ni Kairos dito.I looked at Kairos who walked to the laptop and searched something. Bigla namang dumapo ang mga mata ko sa labi niya. Uminit naman ang pisngi ko nang naalala ko na naman iyong ginawa niyang eskandalo sa mall. Na
Chapter 9Nagising ako sa ingay ng alarm clock ko. Bumangon naman ako para patayin iyon. I looked outside and the sun was about to rise. I could also hear the birds chirping and singing. Bumuntonghininga ako at umalis na sa kama para maligo.I was not supposed to wake up this early but I heard that Mama took a day off today and would stay inside the house all day. Ang rason kung bakit bumangon ako nang maaga ay ayaw kong makita si Mama. I couldn't face her... no, I don't want to face her.It's just that, I'm still upset about our last conversation. Of course, I understand where she's coming from. She wanted the best for me. But does wanting the best for her own child means controlling her every move and every decision? Hindi ko na alam.
Umiyak ako nang umiyak nong gabing iyon. Hindi ako makapaniwalang magagawa iyon ni Mama. Ano na ang gagawin ko ngayon? Paano ako makakapunta sa contest bukas? Ayokong biguin ang department ko.I might get a low grade because of this! Lagot na naman ako. I cannot afford to get a low grade. I have to do something... but how?Kinabukasan, maaga akong nagising but I was not moving. Nakasandal lang ako sa headboard ng kama at nakatunganga sa damit na nakasabit sa pintuan ng kwarto ko. It was a white dress shirt na binili ni Kairos para sa akin kahapon. Binigay niya iyon sa akin habang pauwi kami sa galing Naga.Bumaling ako sa alarm clock ko and it says that it's already 9 in the morning. The contest will start at exactly 2PM pero dapat nasa school na ako ngayon dahil magre-rehearse pa dapa
I can't believe we made it through...I can't believe I made it through!Hindi ko nakayanan at tumalon ako kay Kairos sabay yakap sa kaniya sa leeg. I was so happy I feel the need to hug someone. It overwhelmed me to the bone! Hindi talaga ako makapaniwalang nagawa namin 'yon, nagawa ko 'yon!"Thank you, brute!"Kairos seemed shocked as he held me by my waist. Doon ko lang din narealize na nakatingin pala lahat ng tao sa loob ng break room, including Sawyer na pinipigilan ant sarili na tumili at si Ate Jane na kakapasok lang ng break room!But that's not the problem, because behind Ate Jane was my mother in flesh! Akala ko ba'y si Ate Jane lang ang pupunta rito? Perhaps, she did see
Next week came and everything went back to normal. Kasama ko na ulit si Gregory papuntang school which I somehow missed for the past few days. On the way to school, he talked about how he enjoyed the experience of staying in Palawan. He said that he was thankful because it was his first trip outside Cebu, kahit na ang rason kung bakit siya nandoon ay para bantayan si Papa kapag naglalasing."Sayang kasi hindi nasama si Papa. 'Di bale, isasama ko siya kapag nakaipon na ako."This was one of the things I admire about Greg. He loves his father a lot more than anyone else and always thinks about him a lot."He's a lucky father," komento ko.Umiling naman siya at ngumisi. "I'm the lucky son who is blessed with a father that hardworking."
Agad akong kumawala nang natanto ko ang ginawa. My insides were shaking as I stared back at Kairos who was confused as I was. Dahan-dahan akong umatras and the next thing I knew, I was running towards the exit of this condominium.Ginulo ko ang buhok ko nang napansin kong halos walang dumadaan sa kalsada na mga public transportations. Dagdag pang medyo mahiyain pa rin ako sa pagko-commute.I jolted when an arm grabbed mine and turned me around. It was Kairos and he was panting."Bitiwan mo 'ko," matigas kong wika. "Kairos, bitiw."Umiling naman siya. "Let me drive you back to school.""I can go back by mysel—"He cut me off. "
Akala ko ay nagbibiro si Kairos sa sinabi niya noong isang araw but I realize that he was really serious. Nagkikita naman kami sa campus but he would only look at me for a few seconds and then walk away, as if he's constantly reminding me of what he vowed days ago.Nakatitig lang ako sa tanawin sa labas ng bintana habang hindi pa rin tumitigil sa pagputak ng bibig niya ang History class instructor namin kahit na lagpas na siya sa kaniyang schedule, buti nalang at last class na 'to para sa araw na 'to. Kahit hindi sila nagrereklamo ay alam kong gustong-gusto na nilang umuwi at gawin ang mga gusto nilang gawin aside sa mga school tasks and activities na walang prenong binibigay ng mga instructors.After a couple of minutes, the instructor finally dismissed the class. She apologized because she got carried away in talking about Philippine