4

"Dale, " Tinignan ko ang tumawag sakin, he is familiar of course the famous Lorence Cristobal is here infront of me. Agad na napakunot ang noo ko at inayos ang aking salamin. Why is he talking to me? Why is he infront of me? Am I in trouble? 

"Yes?" sagot ko rito. He smiled at me and I blushed. He looks charming yet he has this bad boy look that girls my age would die to date. He is famous in our school and every girls would kill just to be his date or even his girlfriend. 

"Uhm, Can I ask if you're free this Saturday?" he asked, shyly. Confused I nodded and look away obviously too shocked in his question. 

"Why?" I whispered. Fighting myself to gave in and just say yes to him. I gulped, not having eye contact with him, afraid that might read what I am thinking. 

"Ah, " sagot niya naman while he massaged his neck and nervously smiled. 

"Invite sana kita, " sabi niya naman at ngumiti pa lalo. Confused to his action because Lorence Cristobal is not like this. He was notorious for being a heartbreaker and a playboy, he doesn't ask girls around to have a date with him, it's the other way around.

"Uhm, Where to?" I asked as I blushed. I have a crush on him because of his looks and I don't deny it, most of the girls have what's the point of denying it right? He is the Captain of our school's basketball team and of course girls would watch his practices screaming and giggling like his every move is magical and when he smiles kulang nalang mahimatay ang mga babae na nanonood. Some would even bring him food and drinks.

"Party, sa bahay namin, " he said cooly. Napaisip ako, inayos ko ang salamin at kinuha ang camera ko at sinabit ito sa aking leeg. 

"Titignan ko, " I said and smiled politely, agad akong umalis at tinampal ang aking noo. Feeling ko ay mahihimatay ako, huminga ako ng malalim at naglakad ng mabilis. Trying not to look back and say yes or maybe do something even more stupid. 

The school is usual, assignments, projects, test, exams. Nasa banyo ako ng aming skwelahan habang abala sa paghugas ng aking kamay ay may pumasok na babae. She looks like an expensive doll, long curly hair pouty lips, and chinky eyes well-defined brows wearing her skirt shorter than our usual uniform and our long-sleeved white polo with our black coat. 

"Hey, " I glanced at her at the mirror, nakataas ang isang kilay niya. Agad naman akong kinabahan, sumandal ito sa pinto, she then smiled. 

", pretty I see" dugtong niya pa. Agad na napakunot ang noo ko. She chuckled and then left. 

Parang baliw. Umiling iling nalang ako at kumuha ng tissue at pinunasan ang kamay, tinapon ko na ang tissue at agad na lumabas, naglakad na ako papuntang parking lot. Bibit ang akin gamit na kailangan ko at ang mga sasagutan. 

Habang naglalakad palabas, busy akong tinitignan ang camera, I had the practiced of our basketball team covered para sa campaign ng school para sa juniors ng school namin. 

Narinig ko na nagring ang aking cellphone agad ko namang kinuha iyon sa aking bulsa at sinagot iyon. 

"Yes Ma, " sagot ko dito. "Anak Hija parating na dyan si Manong just wait okay? Inutusan ko pa kasi, " she said. 

"Okay ma, pakisabi nasa parking lot ako nasa benches left side, " sabi ko dito, she said her goodbye at agad na binaba ang tawag. Agad akong umupo at patuloy na tinignan ang mga kuha ko. 

"Dale!" Solace called, agad akong napalingon dito at kumaway. Papalapit na ito sakin at malaki ang ngiti. Agad itong umupo sa tabi ko at nilagay ang kanyang bag sa bench. 

"Ngayon lang kita nakita, masyado kang busy!" sabi naman nito, nahimigan ko ang pagtatampo. Agad akong napangiti sa sabi niya. Sumandal ito sa aking balikat at tumingin ulit sakin. 

"Sorry, may pinapagawa kasi ang Dean sakin eh, alam mo naman" sabi ko naman rito. Tumango naman siya, Solace is one of the school's scholar. She is and orphan and adopted by and couple who can't conceived a baby. They are not rich, so she decided to apply for scholarship she is smart so she got in immediately of course with the helped of my parents. 

"I remembered, part ka nga pala ng journalism club natin" sabi niya naman at tumango tango. Agad ko namang nakita na papalapit si Lorence dito, yumuko ako at narinig ko ang yabag ng mga paa na papalapit. 

"Hi Dale" bati nito, nagangat ako ng tingin at nagulat, I saw Lorence with the girl na pumunta kanina sa school's comfortroom. She smiled and glanced at Solace at tumaas ang kilay, tinignan ko ang kaibigan ko na ngayon ay mabilis na kinuha ang kanyang gamit at nagpaalam ito, weird. 

"Uhh, Hello?" sagot ko naman rito. Napakamot siya sa kanyang leeg na parang nahihiya. Lumapit lalo yung babae kanina sa bathroom at nilahad ang kanyang kamay. 

"Maria Jamie Cristobal" pakilala nito, nanlaki naman ang aking mga mata at napatitig sa kanyang kamay sa aking harapan, dahan dahan ko ding nilagay ang aking kamay sa palad niya at tinanggap ang kanyang pagpapakilala. 

"Ate, " bulong ni Lorence, I looked at him and back to her. She is now grinning and looks happy. 

"I see, Rence here is shy. The notorious playboy is shy huh?" sabi niya na puno ng pangiinis at tinignan ang kapatid. Agad niya naman akong niyakap at tinapik tapik ang aking likod, nagulat ako doon at para bang hindi nagpoproseso ang lahat. Nakarinig ako ng bosena ng sasakyan agad namang napabitaw ang 'Ate' ni Lorence sakin. 

"Uhm, I have to go" sabi ko at hilaw na ngumiti sa kanilang dalawa at kinuha na ang gamit ko at mabilis na naglakad papalayo sa kanila, I can hear them arguing over something. Agad agad naglakad papuntang sasakyan na ngayon ay nakapark na at naghihintay si manong sa labas at binuksan agad ang pinto para makapasok ako. 

Habang nasa byahe pauwi ay hindi ko maiwasang isipin. Why would he act like that? Shy or maybe he's just playing. Right, malabo namang magkagusto sakin ang isang 'Campus Crush' diba? I mean, he looks like he won't even ask for things girls would gladly do everything that he pleased, from food to gifts and to sexual things he can get it, easily. 

Hindi ko talaga maintindihan, his sister looks nice. Yeah, maybe he thinks his little brother is now serious, I bet it's just for show. 

In a span of thirty minutes drive I was busy convincing myself na lahat ay kalokohan lang, I have a crush on him but it really doesn't make sense. Everything doesn't make sense. 

I sighed and looked outside the window, still confused about everything even to my best friend acting that way.