THE ELUSIVE BADBOY

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7

"Believe that, Hy? He.. he transferred. s**t! Now I'm starting to conclude things up!" Tracey's still behaving and reacting in an extremely way.

"I know! You're always like that, aren't you?" I commented sarcastically.

In fact, I was just trying hard to act normal though my mind was spacing out and scruffy. Dumagdag pa ang walang prenong bibig ng matalik kong kaibigan kaya mas lalong nagugulo ang utak ko.

Does guiltiness made a person become lunatic? Is that possible?

Nakakabaliw naman ang pagiging guilty ko dahil lang sa pagreject ko sa bigay nya. Call me impractical but what can I do? May sarili lang akong ground rules at principles sa buhay ko at isa doon na kung may bagay akong gustong makuha'y dapat paghirapan ko muna. And accepting Zig's present was totally out of the image.

Out of my rule!

Bakit ba hindi nila maintindihan yon?

Or at least, maybe I'd have to clear myself to him para maintindihan nya at para hindi rin sya magalit.

Wait! Bakit naman sya magagalit? I didn't even wish to receive a gift from a stranger like him. He's still a stranger to me kahit pa ilang beses na kaming nagkasama at nakapag-usap.

"Did you think Zig's decision possibly gotta do with you?"

Natigil ako sa paglalakad dahil sa sinabi ni Tracey.

Hindi ko ugaling magtaray pero dahil sa mga nakakabobong ideya ni Tracey ay nagagawa ko na. "Do with me? Why.. me?" Paano namang na-involve ako sa desisyon na iyon ni Zig?

It's baseless!

She too stopped. "Baka gusto ka nyang sundan dito that's why he decided to transfer." Her eyes sparkled with humors.

Tuluyan na talagang nawindang ang mundo ko. At di ko na talaga kayang tumanggap pa ng isa sa mga nakakahindik na ideya ni Tracey kaya mabilis akong naglakad sa hallway patungo sa classroom namin.

Even Tracey, did the same speed as I, kaya naabutan nya ako agad.

"Affected much, huh? See, tama ako!" Pamumusit nito.

"May tama ka naman talaga!"

"Crude!" She chuckled.

Napapailing na lang ako sa kakulitan nitong kaibigan ko.

"Daldal mo, no? Bakit kanina nong nasa cafeteria tayo para mong nalunok ang dila mo? You even stuttered when Migz asked us!" Usisa ko dahil pansin kong tahimik kasi ito kanina kaya nakapagtataka.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw her pouted.. "Nandon kasi yong tarantadong si Redden. You pretty know that I abhor that jerk!"

"I didn't know!" I denied.

She smirked. "Now you did! But as a matter of factly, it was just a confidential top secret."

"May ganun?"

"Yep! Dahil tayong dalawa lang ang may alam na kinamumuhian ko sya. You know, I have to keep it from everyone, especially from him baka tanggalan pa 'ko ng scholarship kapag nalaman nya."

Tracey's left a mark on my brain, big time!

She have a point.

What if..

What if Zig will hate me for disregarding his offer? Paano kung tama si Tracey? He's an Ellison and he'd all the right to take away my scholarship here in their university anytime he want.

Oh! No!

Not my scholarship!

Sandali ulit akong natigil at tuluyang hinarap si Tracey. With my feared eyes, I know Tracey already read what exactly running on my mind now. I am right, cause her lips formed into an 'O' and she furrowed.

Her reactions added anxiety on me.

"Trace, is that.. really possible?" Nag-aalangang tanong ko.

Para akong binuhosan ng napakalamig na tubig nang tumango si Tracey. "Sorry to say this, but it is, Hy! I already warn you, Zig Lexus is the cruelest and barbaric among them. Bakit kasi hindi mo na lang kunin, e nasa sayo na naman! At kung gugustohin nya, well.."

"Oh Lord! No!" I said hysterically.

"Hey, hindi tayo sure dyan, no? Chill, okay?" She tried to cheers me up but it didn't worked.

God! Minsan pala nakakasama yong pagsunod sa sarili mong prinsipyo at ground rules.

"Trace, paano kung alisan nya ako ng scholarship dito? Paano nang kinabukasan ko? Paano ko na matutulongan sina Lola? Oh, Christ! Why I smelled like my efforts will turn out wasted!" Para akong nanlulumo sa masamang ideyang iyon.

I was aware that Zig got mad because of declining his gift at baka napahiya sya kanina sa harap ng mga pinsan nya. It is so possible that he would throw me away from their property. Out from here!

What's really with me now?

Dahil sa sobrang pag-iisip ko'y hindi ko na napansin ang mga matatalim na tingin sa amin ng mga estudyanteng nakakasalubong namin sa hallway. Specifically, from girls. They're also murmuring gossips about the scenery back in the cafeteria at hindi na ako magtataka kung alam na ng buong university na nakasama ng dalawang commoner ang mga sikat at mayayamang Ellison.

And I won't get surprise if we'll get bullied any time now.

I hate to say these, but I'm.. scared!

Sinalubong kami ng mapanghusgang tingin ng aming mga kaklase nang makarating kami sa loob ng aming classroom.

Most of them sending daggers. Hostile gossips starting to scattered around the corner.

"See? I told you, nasa loob ang kulo ng mga 'yan! They're just hiding their stenchful being behind their angelic and innocent faces!"

Ang usapan nang grupo nina Coleen ang nangunguna at nangingibabaw sa loob ng silid.

"Such a pretentious hoochies! Ellison pa talaga ang target nila! What a shame?"

"You know what's the perfect name for them? Gold digger!"

"A penny wench!"

Subukan ko mang baliwalain ang mga sinasabi nila ngunit nag-iiwan lamang iyon ng kirot sa puso ko. Alam ko namang walang katotohanan ang mga sinasabi nila pero parang inaapakan nito ang pagkatao ko. Mali talaga 'tong pinasok ko! Umpisa pa lang ata ito ng aking delubyo.

I looked at Tracey when we reached our designated seats and she looks annoyed. Mukhang nagtitimpi lang rin ito sa mga narinig namin. She have a low patience in her main but mind you, unlike me, Tracey's quite a great fighter.

She's clenching her jaw at pansin kung bumibigat na rin ang paghinga nito at alam kung gusto na nyang sumabog kaya hinawakan ko na ang nakakuyom nyang mga palad na nasa ibabaw ng armchair nito.

"Trace, do not attempt. Okay?" Awat ko sa mababang boses.

"How can you handle such.. Ugh! f**k them all!" She grunted furiously and took a glimpse into Coleen's cluster with an equal sharp and sternly gaze.

I frowned. "If I could just cuss, for sure they already got a thousands from me."

"Spit it out, then! Damn! Why were you always like that? Masama ang sobrang pagpapakabait, Hy! Learn to defend yourself sometimes and don't give those coccottes the satisfaction to step into your enormous ego!" Sobrang iritado na ito at may kalakasan ang boses nito kaya may iilang napalingon sa gawi namin.

"What? Problema nyo?" Utas ni Tracey sa mga nakiusyuso sa aming usapan. Agad namang nagbawi ng tingin ang iba.

I admire Tracey's fighting spirit. How can she scared those gossipmongers away? At hindi na rin ako magtataka kung papatulan nya ang grupo nina Coleen ng wala sa oras. Ngunit ayaw ko namang ipasok sa isang gulo si Tracey nang dahil lang sa akin.

Hanggang pasaring lang naman siguro sila dahil alam kong alam rin nila na hindi sila aatrasan ni Tracey kapag magtangka sila ng masama sa amin. But they're words were too much. Sana naman huwag na nilang bigyan ng kahulugan ang isang beses na nakasama namin sa iisang lamesa ang mga Ellison.

"Totoo ba talaga 'yong mga sinasabi nila?" Bulong sa akin ni Christine, seatmate ko. Maganda at mabait si Christine. Anak mayaman din ito tulad ng karamihan rito ngunit busilak ang kanyang kalooban at tinuturing nya kaming mga kaibigan. Hindi lang kami masyadong close dahil may sarili din itong lipon ng kaibigan.

Tipid akong ngumiti sa kanya at umiling. Pero bago pa ako makasagot ay naunahan na ako ni Tracey.

"Totoo! Pero kung sa bibig ni Coleen nanggaling ang paniniwalaan mo. Well, shame on you!"

Kahit nasa gitna ako nang dalawa ay nagkarinigan pa rin ito.

"Of course I wouldn't believe their falsehoods. I'll be always on your side, girls!" Masiglang saad nito.

Malaki ang pasasalamat ko na kahit papaano'y may kagaya ni Christine na pumapanig sa katulad namin, particularly on me. 'Yong kahit halos nasa kanila na ang lahat ay marunong pa ring makitungo sa mga kagaya kong nasa mababang antas ng lipunan.

"Thanks, Tine." I murmured.

Christine rewarded us her sweetest smile and I just smiled back at her.

"Ah, wait! Before I forgot, I want to give you something. Wait!" Ani Christine at nagsimulang magkalkal sa loob ng signature bag nya.

Nakaabang lang ako sa bawat galaw nya at ilang segundo lang ay may inilabas itong reddish-purple small envelope.

"It's my twentieth birthday this Saturday. I'm looking forward to see you in there, okay?"

Tag-iisa kami ng invitation ni Tracey. Para namang naging daan iyon sa pagkawala ng init ng ulo ni Tracey.

"I think, we should go, Hy! We shouldn't miss the boat." Tracey said excitedly.

How come she diverted her mood immediately?

I think it's a bad idea. Tracey and Christine know that I wasn't fond of partying. Lalo pa't sigurado kong mga kasing yaman ng pamilyang kinabibilangan ni Christine ang magiging panauhin sa kaarawan nya.

"Hyleigh I won't take 'No' for an answer! Not this time!"

I heaved deeply before nodding.

"Great!" Sabay na bulalas ng dalawa.

Kaagad na tumahimik ang buong classroom at nagsiupuan na ang lahat ng pumasok ang Instructor namin for our last period.

Nagtagal nang isa't kalahating oras ang aming huling klase at nag-aya si Tracey na dumaan muna kami sa pinakamalapit na mall bago umuwi.

"May bibilhin ka ba?" Tanong ko habang tinatahak namin ang daan patungo sa mall. Walking distance lang naman ito, so no need to ride a cab.

"Maghahanap tayo ng isusuot sa party ni Christine."

"Ha? Wala pa akong pera, Trace. Atsaka ang dami mong dress sa apartment, hindi ba?" Reklamo ko.

"We need a new one, Hy and don't mind the funds, okay? I have enough here."

Napangiwi ako sa sinabi nya.

"Trace, huwag mo na akong bilhan, pwede ba? Buy one for yourself, don't mind me! I'm fine with my used stuff."

Kahit wala akong hilig sa mga dress ay mayron naman akong iilan na pupwede kong isuot sa kaarawan ni Christine. Maghahanap na lang siguro ako mamaya.

"Sos, Hy-"

Hindi natuloy ni Tracey ang sasabihin nang may marinig kaming bosena mula sa aming likuran.

We suppressed our steps and looked at our back.

Isang puting kotse ang nakita namin sa aming likuran. The car glass window slowly rolled down. I take aback when Liz' glorious face shown off.

"My instincts didn't disappoint me. Sabi ko na nga bang ikaw yan!" Malugod na pahayag nito.

I beamed at her genuinely. "Hi." Tipid kong bati.

Ginawaran naman nya ako ng napakatamis na ngiti. Parang hawig sila ni Sean kapag ganun ang ngiti nya.

"Ah, Liz these is Tracey, my bestfriend." Pakilala ko sa kasama ko.

Bumaba na sa kanyang sasakyan si Liz at tuluyan nang lumapit sa amin.

Hindi pa rin mabura ang ngiti sa labi nito. Naglahad si Liz ng kamay sa harap ni Tracey at masaya naman iyong tinanggap ng kaibigan ko.

"It's Ellize Sofie Ellison. Nice to meet you, Trace." Bahagya pang natigilan si Tracey ng banggitin ni Liz ang kanyang buong pangalan. Pero naikwento ko naman na sa kanya ang mga Ellison. 'Di ko nga lang sure kung nabanggit ko ba si Ellize!

"Anyway, saan kayo ngayon?"

"Dyan lang sa mall. May bibilhin kasi si Tracey." Sagot ko.

Liz seems liked my response.

"Perfect! I was planning to go there too. Good news, I'm not going to be alone and shop idiotically. Sabay na lang tayo, ha? Please!" She requested cheerfully.

"Sure! No problem." Tracey answered.

After Liz parked her car, we straightly reached the mall and headed to the third floor where boutiques and clothing department are.

Pareho pala nang pakay dito ang dalawa kaya panay lang ang sunod ko sa kanila. Alam na rin ni Liz kung para saan ang bibilhin na damit ni Tracey.

Masaya naman ako dahil agad na nagkasundo si Tracey at Liz. Pansin ko ring may similarities ang dalawa. Maybe the way they talk. Something like that. Like Tracey, Liz too was a fond of, you know.. swears and curses. Nakakatuwa silang dalawa.

After twenty minutes ay nakapili na rin ang dalawa. Dalawang piraso ata ang kinuha ni Tracey at tatlo naman kay Liz. Pero parang kulang pa rin ata. Hihirit pa ata ang mga ito dahil panay pa rin ang pagtingin-tingin nila sa mga naka-hanger sa rack.

"Hey, Trace. Look at these one!" Sabi ni Liz sabay wagayway ng isang dark blue casual dress na kinuha nya sa isang rack.

Napaisip naman si Tracey at lumipat papunta sa akin ang kanyang tingin at bahagya pang tumaas ang sulok ng labi. Liz did the same also like they were having the same ideas.

"You're right!" Liz grinned. "Leigh, you should fit these one. I guess, nakalaan 'to para sayo."

"Sige na, Hy. I'll take care of it."

My eyes grew a bit wider in surprise. "Ha? No! I'm mean, may.. may isusuot na naman ako. I'll be fine, don't worry." I rest assured.

Her grin turned into a pout. "Aist! My brother Redden was indeed right! You're really different, Leigh.. but in such a clever way."