Unintentionally Yours

CHAPTER 4

Birthday gift ideas for boyfriend

I stopped myself to click the search button and rewrite my question.

Birthday gift ideas for a future boyfriend

I immediately typed in the word, ‘future’. I just woke up and I go straight to my laptop to search for birthday gifts. Haunth’s birthday will be next week. I know, it’s too early but I want to be ready for his birthday.

Birthday gifts for boyfriend

I clicked the first result and it shows products for boyfriends.

“It’s too early for this”

Nasabi ko nalang nang makita ang mga resulta na boxer shorts na puwedeng i-customize at lagyan ng pangalan ng girlfriend, scented candles, mugs, and many more weird products. Gosh, baka naman kapag niregaluhan ko si Haunth ng boxer, kung ano pa isipin n’on. Baka sabihin pa niyang uhaw na uhaw ako sa kanya.

“Sweetie?”

I glanced at the woman who called me behind my door. It’s my mother. Her head is peeking out of my door.

“Why are you still on your computer? Tara, mag almusal na tayo,” aya niya sa akin.

“Sunod nalang po ako”

She smiles at me and goes straight to the dining room. I glanced back at my monitor. I released a sigh as I know that the results that showed were for people who already have a good relationship with the ones they love and I am way behind that stage.

I turned off my laptop and look at myself in the mirror. I touched my long dark ash brown curly hair and tied it into a double-french braid. I am already wearing my uniform and grab my backpack and go straight to the dining room.

My mom is preparing our breakfast and my dad was busy on his radio playing sweet classical music.

This is us every morning. My mom wants to cook our breakfast every day since she doesn’t have the time to cook for us for lunch and dinner.

“Ang aga-aga mo naman mag-laptop, Tate,” sabi ni mommy habang inilalapag ang teapot sa ibabaw ng lamesa at isa-isang pinaglalagay ang mga niluto niya.

“Tate? Mommy naman sabi kong ‘wag niyo ko tawagin ng Tate eh!”

“Bakit? Ano bang problema mo sa Tate?” umaarteng nalulungkot na tanong ni mommy.

“Wala po,” sabi ko at kumuha ng scrambled eggs, quinoa at french toast.

“Here, have some tea,” sabi ni daddy habang sinasalinan ako ng tsaa sa teacup.

“Daddy, ayoko ng tsaa,” pagtanggi ko sa kaniya.

“No, you love it,” he said without looking at me and put the teacup behind my plate.

Napatingin naman ako kay mommy na nanghihingi ng tulong pero tahimik na tinawanan lang ako nito. Umarte naman ako na naiiyak pero inilingan lang ako ni mommy. Napatingin naman ako sa tsaa na nasa harap ko.

“Daddy?” pagpukaw ko sa atensyon ni daddy.

“Hmm?” sagot niya nang hindi tumitingin sa akin.

Ipinuwesto ko ang kaliwa kong kamay malapit sa teacup at iniurong ito palayo sa akin nang kaunti.

“What’s the best birthday gift na natanggap mo from mommy?”

Napatingin naman siya sa akin kaya agad kong nailayo ang kamay ko sa teacup.

“Ikaw” mommy answered with a laugh.

I bit my lip trying not to laugh and glared at my mom and so does my dad at her.

Itong si mommy ang aga-aga ang harot.

“Why do you ask? Next year pa naman ang birthday ko” sabi ni daddy at ibinalik na ang atensyon niya sa pagkain.

“I’m just curious lang sa inyong dalawa” I stopped when I realize what I said.

My dad slowly looked at me in shock.

“Oh, glad you ask my daughter—”

“I mean ano bang magandang regalo sa kaibigang lalaki?” I said nervously as I tried to cut off my mom from talking.

Whenever we will talk about their love story it always turns into a play because she tells their story with actions. Inaabot pa minsan ng ilang oras. Napaka-detailed kasi ni mommy magkwento. Kaya naman ganun nalang ang reaksyon ni daddy sa tanong ko. Baka ma-late kami sa mga pupuntahan namin kung magkukwento pa si mommy ngayon.

“Para kanino naman iyan?” pagsunod ni daddy sa tanong ko.

“Uhm, para sa boyfriend ni Ruth,” palusot ko. Baka hindi ako makapasok ng school kapag sinabi kong mayroon akong nililigawang lalaki.

“May boyfriend na si Ruth?!” napatayong singhal ni mommy.

“Yes, mommy. So, ano nga pong magandang regalo?”

“Edi tanungin mo si Ruth,” my dad nodded on my mom’s answer.

I sighed sharply at the answer I got. Yeah, I think it’s better to ask Ruth. I look at the clock and it says 6:30. I stand hurriedly and grab my backpack and kissed my parents goodbye.

“Oh, ang aga mo naman?” tanong ni daddy.

“May dadaanan lang po ako!” I said then waved goodbye to them and goes straight to the garage and jump in the car.

“Manong Eduardo, tara na po”

Tinignan lang ako nito at pinaandar na ang sasakyan papuntang school.

I ran quickly towards the school the moment we arrived. If I know, Ruth goes to our school every 7 o’clock in the morning to help the librarian in school as her part-time job. She’s probably there by now.

The library is obviously quiet the moment I arrived. There still no students and the librarian are not around.

Hmm. Asan na kaya si Ruth? Siguro nag aayos ng libro?

“I’ll pay you later. Just do it”

Huh? Sino ‘yon? May iba ng estudyante sa library ng ganitong oras? Babayaran? Anong babayaran? Don’t tell me may nagbebenta ng drugs dito?!

I slowly tiptoed to where the voice was coming from. It was near the last aisle of the history books. That part of the library was a bit dim because the lights were never turned on in that part.

“Don’t ask and just do it”

I stopped tiptoeing. It’s not my business. I should just call Ruth. I reach out for my phone in my backpack to contact Ruth.

Contacting…

Huh? Why isn’t she answering?

My gaze turned back to the history aisle. There’s no voice anymore. I walk towards the aisle and see no one. I was about to turn my flashlight when a hand touches my shoulder making me jump out of surprise.

“Anong ginagawa mo rito?” Nagtatakang tanong ni Ruth.

Si Ruth lang pala. Natakot ako roon ah.

“Ikaw ba nandito kanina?”

“Oo, inaayos ko mga libro. Bakit?” tanong nito

“Ruth, ano tinatambay mo riyan? Kumilos kana’t mag uumpisa na ang klase” sulpot ng libarian na si Ms. Sylvia.

Napairap naman si Ruth habang nakaharap sa akin na ikinatawa ko. Ang aga naman kasing magsungit ni Miss Sylvia.

Tinulungan ko na si Ruth sa pag-aayos ng mga libro para hindi kami ma-late sa klase. Agad din naman kaming dumiretso sa classroom nang matapos kami.

Throughout the whole discussion, my mind is filled with the voice I heard earlier at the library. I don’t know why but I just can’t stop thinking about it. I asked Ruth if she saw anyone other than me in the library at that time but she said she didn’t saw anyone aside from us. Am I just imagining things? It felt so real though…

“Teh, ang tahimik mo naman?”

Napapitlag ako nang mahinahon sa biglang pagkausap sa akin ni Ruth. Nandito parin kami sa room at wala na iyong mga kaklase namin. Break time na pala.

“Bakit? Miss mo ba boses ko?”

“Biro lang. ‘wag ka na ulit magsalita”

“May iniisip lang ako”

“Ano naman ‘yon?”

“Ano magandang regalo kay Haunth?” I asked as we walked out of the room and head to the cafeteria.

Ruth’s face that was enveloped by confusion turned into a deadpan.

“So, all along that’s what you were thinking?”

I don’t want to say what has been occupying my mind to Ruth since I am confused if it was real or it might just be my imagination messing up with me. And even if it is real, it is not my business.

“Yeah” I laughed hesitantly at her.

“’di ba next week pa naman ang birthday niya?”

“Yes”

“Oh, saka mo muna isipin iyon. Matagal pa naman”

“Isa pa, pinanghihinaan ka naman na ata ng loob sa kaniya?” pahabol pa niya. Napahinto ako sa paglalakad sa sinabi ni Ruth as my eyebrows knitted into a frown.

“What? Sinong nagsabing pinanghihinaan ako? I mean, yeah, nasasaktan ako but hindi parin ako susuko”

“So, kailan ka susuko? Seriously, if ako ikaw, unang araw palang na ‘di ako pansinin ng crush ko, sumuko na ako”

“Well, my name is Shannel, not Ruth. I am adamant in pursuing him, okay?”

“As long as he’s not saying that he doesn’t like me, I won’t stop” pahabol ko pa.

“Sinasayang mo ganda mo kay Haunth”

“Excuse you, hindi sayang ganda ko kay Haunth. Bagay na bagay kaya iyong kagandahan ko sa kagandahang lalaki niya”

“Seriously, try to look for other guys. Ay wait, punta muna tayong Chi Building, may kukunin lang ako” she said as we change our path and goes directly to the exit.

Bago kami makapunta sa Chi building, we have to go through the field first and then the clinic and the second cafeteria.

“Ano na bang nangyari kay Ophtimius?”

“Wala. Binusted ko”

“Bakit? Kaya pala wala nang sunod nang sunod sayo”

“Si Haunth lang, sapat na sakin”

“You know what, para rin palang Shannel pangalan ni Ophtimius, ano?”

“Ang layo ng Shannel sa Ophtimius, Ruth” I said as I look at the junior students playing in the field.

“Parehong habol nang habol”

I glared at her making her laugh. Ruth looked back at me with her one eyebrow raised. “Hmm. Let’s see. If you’ll end up as Ruth or Shannel”

“ATE!”

We both looked at the person who shouted but the moment I turn my gaze, it was a soccer ball heading towards my face swiftly knocking me out…

“Shh, ano ba baka marinig ka ng mga bata…”

I heard a faint giggle as I slowly open my eyes. I instinctively touch my temples as I felt my head beaten as if it was smashed by something hard.

Oh right, I was hit by a soccer ball earlier.

I looked around as I saw I was in the clinic. The nurse is talking to her phone as she plays with her hair laughing flirty. The clinic has a lot of clinic beds in a row and curtains on each side of it. All of the curtains were shut open while mine and the other curtain beside me were shut closed.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“I don’t think so,” I said sarcastically to the nurse as I sit up and massage my temple.

“Dito ka muna, hija. Kukuha lang ako ng gamot”

“What? ‘di ba—”

I didn’t get to finish my sentence as she runs hurriedly out of the clinic. How can this be a clinic if there is no medicine in here?

I look at the small table behind me and above it, my backpack was already there and a note was taped on it.

Excused ka na sa klase, Shannel. Magpahinga ka riyan at buhay ka sanang makalabas  ;)

-Ruth

Bakit? Wala naman sigurong papatay sa akin dito? Natamaan na nga ako ng bola tapos ‘di pako makakauwi nang buhay? And bakit may wink?

I once again felt a slight twinge on my head. I gently lay on the bed while my eyes were closed shut. I heard footsteps coming into the room. It must be the nurse. That nurse is flirting while on the job, it kind of irritates me though. I heard a faint rumbling on the cabinets, she must be looking for medicines. I just pull in my blanket on my body up to my shoulders and shut my eyes even heavier as I feel tingles in my head.

I felt a light cold hand lightly pressed on my forehead as the hand gently move my bangs aside. Why is she suddenly quiet?

I can feel the brightness of the light coming from the fluorescent lights of the clinic. So, I slowly open my eyes for me not to hurt myself from its brightness.

Expecting the bright light seeping into my eye as I open it, my eyes met a sharp coal-black eye a few inches farther from my face, making me floored. A surprise look slowly appears on his face as he quickly leans back to stand and cleared his throat. It was Haunth.