So, I Met A Bear

Chapter 3

Agh! It's Monday again. I have a love-hate relationship with this day. I hate Monday because it is the beginning of the school/workweek. I don't like to go to school right now because of “that creep". However, I know that I should be thankful because God gave me another day to live.

Yeah, there is a reason why we live in this world.

"Miss, may nakaupo ba rito?" tanong ng babaeng may matamis na ngiti.

I smiled back while shaking my head as an answer. I proceeded with making character designs. I promised myself that I’ll become productive today. The next thing that I heard is the sound of the chair scraping against the floor.

"Wow, we met again!"

Hindi ko na kailangang iangat ang aking ulo upang malaman kung sino ang nagsalita. My hand started trembling the moment I heard his voice. I knew it. I should've told my Uncle about Roger. Mukhang hindi siya titigil hangga't hindi ko ako nakakapag-report sa mga pulis. Arg! Nag-flashback tuloy ‘yung panenermon ni Ash kagabi.

"Clementine. I'm sorry. Please unblock me. Did you know that I missed you?"

Hindi pa siya nakakaupo ay iyan na agad ang bungad niya sa akin.Tsk! I thought he will apologize for being a creep.

He tried to put his hand on my waist. Fortunately, my reflexes quite fast so I slapped his hand. Has he gone nuts? Pasalamat siya nasa library kami dahil kung hindi, baka kanina ko pa siya nasigawan.

"Girl, samahan mo akong mag-CR," the girl who asked me about the empty seat earlier stated.

Lumingon ako sa paligid. Wala naman siyang iba kasama.

"Ako?" sabay turo ko sa aking sarili upang makumpirma kung ako ba talaga ang tinutukoy niya.

Tumayo ang babae. Kinuha niya bigla ang aking sketchbook, tinapik ako sa balikat, sabay sabing:

"You silly! Of course! Alam mo namang ikaw lang ang BFF ko. Come on! I'm starving!"

She even stomped her feet just like a whining kid.

I hurriedly picked my pencil and pen. Bakit napapadalas yata ang paghatak sa akin ng mga strangers ngayon? One more thing, bakit nagpapanggap sila na kaibigan ko?

Palabas na sana kami nang biglang bumalik ‘yung bago kong bff at may ibinulong siya kay Roger. Napansin ko kaagad ang biglaang pagpula ng mga pisngi niya. Para pinagsasampal ng ilang beses. Hindi ko mapigilang mapahagikgik. Kung ano man ang ibinulong sa kanya ni new bff, sigurado akong napahiya siya nang todo.

Nakalabas na kami ng library at nakaupo sa bleacher malapit sa indoor pool ng school namin ngunit hindi ko pa rin alam kung bakit niya ako hinatak. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung ano ang pangalan nito.

"I'm sorry if hinatak na lang kita bigla. I noticed that jerk assaulting you. If we're not in the library, I'll punch his face until all of his teeth falls out!" 

I didn't expect na ang babaeng mala-anghel ang mukha na parang isang babasaging baso ay isa palang brusko! Whoa! Sumusuntok pa siya at sumisipa sa hangin habang ipinapakita sa akin kung gaano siya kainis kay Roger. Totoo nga ang kasabihang "Don't judge a book by its cover".

"Sorry if natakot kita. I'm Erin. My full name is Tangerine. Sobrang haba no? I guess magka-department tayo judging by the color of your ID lace."

What are the odds that you'll meet someone whose name is based from a citrus fruit too? And about sa ID lace, dito sa school namin you'll immediately know someone's department/faculty based from the color of your ID lace. Mine is orange. I'm majoring in Animation.

"Yeah. I'm Minnie," maikli kong tugon.

"Wow! I want to try that but I'm not artistic. I'm majoring Game Development though."

Sa totoo lang, isa ang game development sa mga pinagpilian ko. I chose animation kasi naisip ko na mas mahihirapan ako sa programming. Game development is a tedious job. A game has many levels. You have to write programs for each level.

"Your name is Minnie right? But why does your ID card say 'Clementine'?

I gasped in surprise. Wait, paano niya nasulyapan iyon? May matanglawin ba siya?!

" Ah yes. That's my real name."

"Really?!"

This time, she held my hand again. Then her eyes glittered attractively in the light matched with a beam on her face. Ugh. She's so shining that I have to look away from her! I just nodded my head as an answer.

"You're the one!" She clapped her hands and started to hum which made me confused.

"Didn't you notice? We should be friends! You're the soul mate that I've been looking for! We're the citrus fruit gals!" she exclaimed.

Pagkatapos ng kaunting mala-self introduction at pagpilit sa akin na dapat ay maging magkaibigan kami ( umu-o na ako kasi parang nakakapagod na rin), muli niya akong tinanong kung ayos lang ba ako. Tumango lang ako ngunit parang hindi yata bumenta sa kanya yung mala-FAMAS kong acting. Then she started commenting why didn't I confront Roger. I was going to reply but I thought that my silence for a minute made her bored so she assumed that I was scared.

She told me to stop being a sissy. Talking about Roger made me emotionally drined so nagpa-alam na ako sa kanya dahil 30 minutes na lang ay magsisimula na ang klase ko. Nagpalitan kami ng numbers dahil 'friends' na raw kami at sasamahan pa raw niya akong mag-file ng complaint sa police station kahit na sinabi kong huwag nang mag-abala pa.

Kahit na may pagka-stubborn si Erin, nagpapasalamat pa rin ako sa kanya dahil she stood up for me. Even though she is intimidating, I’m quite happy na nakahanap ako ng bagong kakampi na hindi nagawa ni Cara para sa akin.

I decided to took the stairs because I didn't have to fall in line just to ride an elevator. When I reached the 3rd floor, I caught my breath and agonized that there are 3 more floors before I reach the multimedia laboratory. I was about to continue my journey to Mount Everest when a sparkling item lying on the staircase caught my eye.

It was just a classic infinity ring but the free-flowing curves are endlessly elegant. Pinulot ko ito at ibinulsa. Magpo-post na lang ako mamaya sa The Barnes Files, ang underground f*******: page ng school namin.

I wonder who left this ring here.