Life of Nerdy

Chapter Two

Marahan ang bawat hakbang ko habang naglalakad sa corridor ng University namin, parang isang takas na preso na natatakot gumawa ng kahit na anong ingay dahil baka mahuli.

As much as possible I don’t want to get anyone’s attention. Life’s attention is enough.

“Nerdy!”

Mariin akong napapikit nang isigaw ni Alison ang pangalan ko. Pagkamulat ko ay napansin kong may iilang estudyante ang nakatingin sa akin.

Hindi naman sila tumatawa, wala naman ding nambu-bully sa akin, pero pakiramdam ko ay hinihusgahan nila ako kahit na hindi naman. Iyon ang lagi kong naiisip kaya ayokong nakikisalamuha sa iba.

Aside from Life, Alison is also a close friend since elementary. Actually, I started wondering why I had two best friends at the same time who are not even friends. Yes. Life and Alison de Mesa are not friends, they just know each other and I’m in between them.

“How are you?” masayang tanong niya nang makalapit na sa akin.

Sinabayan niya ako sa paglalakad at kumapit pa siya sa kanang braso ko. I just let her do so because I’m used to her. I just let out a small smile and nodded as a response to her question.

“Fine as usual, what about you?” tanong ko rin sa kanya, humagikgik lang siya at mas inilapit niya ang mukha niya sa akin para bumulong.

“Guess what? Luke and I made out last night! Damn, he’s just so hot!”

I rolled my eyes with what she just said. That’s not new to me. If I am the nerd one then Alison de Mesa is way different than me. She’s really not that popular but she has a lot of friends and I don’t even understand if why we became close friends, I mean, I’m way too nothing compared to her elite friends.

“Stop telling me these things, Ali. It’s giving me goosebumps. It’s gross.” Malakas siyang humalakhak sa sinabi ko at kinurot pa niya ako sa tagiliran.

“You are so cute and shy, Nerdy!” Natatawang saad pa niya kaya napailing na lang ako.

“Nerdy! I told you to wait for me!” Singhal ni Life sa akin nang lumapit siya sa amin ni Alison, natawa lang si Alison at napailing din dahil sa reaksiyon ni Life.

“The boyfriend is here. I’ll go ahead Nerdy and I’ll just see you around, okay?”Matamis akong ngumiti sa kanya at agad na tumango. “Hi, Life,” bati niya at agad na naglakad palayo, ni hindi man lang niya hinintay si Life na sumagot o tumango man lang sa kanya.

“Life, male-late na ako kung hihintayin pa kita. Bakit ba kasi ang kupad mo kumilos?” sagot ko, sinamaan lang niya ako ng tingin dahil sa sinabi ko.

“Masyado ka lang maaga! Ikaw ba ang magbubukas ng gate? Mas maaga ka pa sa mga guards at janitos dito.” Singhal naman niya sa akin.

“Okay, okay. I’ll wait for you tomorrow. Sa ngayon pumasok na tayo, okay? Baka mahuli pa tayo sa klase dahil sa tantrums mo,” sagot ko naman sa kanya.

“Dapat lang na hintayin mo ‘ko bukas! I told you not to commute, damn! What kind of bestfriend am I if I will just let you commute when I actually have a car?” hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya, at ako rin ay hindi makapaniwala sa reaksiyon niya.

“Wow, talking like a boyfriend, eh? Are you finally admitting that you’re in love?” tanong ko, sinusubukan siyang asarin kasi ayokong mapansin niya na nag-iinit na ang mukha ko.

He went on a serious face all of a sudden and stared at me meaningfully.

“I… I guess so,” sagot niya.

I turned crimson red with what he just said. I just shook my head and turned my back on him and started walking.

“Duh, I think you’re just hungry. I bet you didn’t have a breakfast because you woke up late. Tara na nga!” sagot ko at nauna na sa paglalakad.

While we’re walking, almost every student on the corridor were greeting and smiling at him. He’s just smiling and nodding in return, typical of him.

After that talk with Life, I don’t know why but I feel like I am the happiest person alive right now. Wait, is this the start of our fairytale-like love story that I had always wished for?

I maybe a hopeless romantic for always reading such novels like the heroine is a nerd and the hero’s famous and they’ll fall in love with each other, just another cliché love story, and then there are struggles that they are going to face together just to prove that they really love each other.

Maybe that’s one of the hundred thousands of reasons why I am hoping that Life can fall in love with me. Is it wrong to hope? I think… it’s fine as long as we know our limitations.

The day just went well.

This is not to brag but I feel like I already know all the lessons our teachers were teaching us. I have read them on the books.

“Ang panot na prof na iyon sobrang hirap ng mga tinuturo. Nerdy, help me review our lessons before our exam, okay?” saad ni Life habang binabalik sa backpack ang mga gamit niya, pagak naman akong natawa at napailing sa sinabi niya.

“As usual, Life. I was always helping you, remember? There’s not a single quarter back in highschool that I didn’t help you review. Atsaka huwag mo ngang laitin si Mr. Martinez, ang bait nung tao tapos ganyan ka!” sagot at pangangaral ko sa kanya.

“Here you go again, you keep on complaining. Atsaka hayaan mo nga ang panot na iyon. I’m starting to feel like you no longer love me,” biro niya habang ang mga mata ay nasa backpack pa rin.

“If you only knew,” pabulong na sagot ko.

“I’m sorry, but what was that?” kunot noong tanong niya.

Agad naman akong namula nang ma-realize kung ano ang isinagot ko sa kanya. Damn! What was I thinking? Why did I say that? Well, it’s a good thing that he didn’t hear me.

“Wala, sabi ko bilisan mo na. Gutom na ako, tiyak gagawan tayo ng mirienda ni Tita,” sagot ko naman.

“Heto na nga binibilisan na,” sagot naman niya.

When he’s finally done, we walked our way out of the classroom and went to the university’s parking lot. He clicked something on his key to unlock his Vios’s door which is I am not familiar of since I don’t know how to drive. He opened the door for me while smiling. I just shook my head and decided not to mind him.

“Nerdy!” Agad akong napalingon kay Alison nang tawagin niya ang pangalan ko, patakbo siya habang palapit sa amin. “Pwedeng makisabay hanggang sa Motorway?” natatawang tanong at bulong niya sa akin. Marahan din akong natawa at agad na tumango sa kanya.

“Oo naman, ikaw pa ba? Sumakay ka na,” sagot ko at agad na nilingon si Life. “Isabay na natin si Alison, sa Motorway lang naman siya.” Tumango lang si Life sa sinabi ko.

“Oh, God! Thank you, Nerdy! You’re the best!” saad niya at agad na sumakay sa backseat.

Nang nasa sasakyan na kaming tatlo ay agad namang binuhay ni Life ang makina para makaalis na kami. Hindi naman malayo ang Motorway sa University kaya agad din kaming nakarating, siguro ay nasa limang minutong biyahe lang.

“Thank you so much! Thank you Nerdy and Life!” saad niya nang bumaba na sa sasakyan.

“Not a probem, Ali. Take good care of yourself, okay?” saad ko at binigyan siya ng isang matamis na ngiti. Tumango lang siya at excited na pumasok sa building, napansin ko na si Luke ang nilapitan niya kaya napangiti ako.

“I can’t understand why that Alison became your friend I mean, can’t you see how she dressed? It was like she’s trying to show everyone everything, including her soul,” saad ni Life nang umalis na kami.

“She’s nice. She’s sometimes bully but not with me,” I replied.

“I know. I’m just wondering.” Nagkibit na lang ako ng balikat at nagpasyang huwag nang sumagot.

Kung tutuusin ay hindi ko rin alam kung paano kami naging magkaibigan ni Alison. Basta ang alam ko lang ay bitchesa siya noong elementary pero ako lang ang gusto niya laging kasama.

The whole ride, I just remained in silent. Most of the tines I don’t want falling in silent because it reminds me of my Mom. If you are going to ask me if I’m mad at her, I am going to say no. I’m still actually holding unto her promise that she’ll get me from my Dad. Mom’s name is Kate Santiago, while my father is Ruben delos Santos. If I am not mistaken, Mom left us with the annulment papers on the bedside table.

I am not sure if Dad already signed it, and if you are going to ask me, I guess it would be better if Dad will just sign those papers. Nakakapanlumo ang ideyang iyon pero sa tingin ko ay mas mapapabuti ang lahat kung tuluyan na silang maghihiwalay.

Sanay naman na ako. Hindi na rin ako umaasa na magiging buo at kumpleto ulit kami. Ayos na ako sa buhay ko ngayon.

And when Mom came back, I’ll still go with her without any hesitations. Without any questions asked or explanation. I missed her, that’s the truth.