Separated Love (Season 1)

Chapter 8

Separated Loveby larajeszz

Chapter 8

"Iyon na 'yon?!"

Halos gusto ko nang takpan ang bibig ni Cally nang isigaw niya 'yon sa room. I can't believe her! Wala talagang preno ang bibig niya. And the fact that this isn't even their classroom!

I gave an apologetic smile to some of our classmates na nagulat sa bigla niyang pagtataas ng boses.

"Ano pa ba'ng gusto mong marinig?"

"Wala man lamang kayong intimate moment?" She looks so disappointed right now.

Pagpasok na pagpasok ko pa lamang ng room ay kinulit na niya kaagad akong magkuwento ng nangyari kagabi kina Asher. Sinabi ko na naman ang lahat pero nagde-demand pa rin siya!

"Cal, ikaw lang naman ang nagpupumilit."

Umiling si Cally. "No, Sy! Ramdam ko talaga na sila ang para sa isa't isa!" Muli siyang bumaling sa akin. “Hindi ba siya nagpapakita ng motibo?”

Napahilamos na lamang ako ng mukha dahil sa sobrang kulit niya.

“Iba kaya siya tumingin sa ‘yo, Jaycee! Ewan ko, ha. May something kasi talaga!”

“Mortal enemies kasi sila. Kaya gano’n ‘yon tumingin kay Jaycee,” singit ni Ivy.

They're making something big from our incident on the first day of classes. No, we aren't enemies! He already apologized for it. Yes, it took him longer to apologize, but what's important is that he still did.

“It doesn’t seem like it!”

"Ang sabihin mo, gusto mong magkalapit si Jaycee at Asher para magkaro'n ka ng way sa kapatid ni Dela Cruz. Tama ako o tama ako?" sambit ni Aiden habang magka-krus ang mga braso.

"That's a very Cally-thing to do," Ivy agreed with a grin.

Napanganga si Cally at parang hindi makapaniwala sa narinig. "Kayo! W-Wala kayong ebidensiya!"

Napangisi rin ako sa inasta niya. I'd known her for years, and I could tell whether she was lying, or not. Her ears were turning red.

"I have Aizan's number," I stated.

Kitang-kita ko kung paanong pati ang mga pisngi niya ay namula na rin!

"Eh, a-ano naman ngayon, Buenaventura?! SML mo lang?"

Siniko ako ni Syrine na nasa kanan ko. "Share mo lang, mo lang."

Umakbay si Aiden kay Cally. "Pustahan tayo kukulitin nito si Jaycee mamaya na ibigay sa kaniya 'yong number ng crush niya."

Inilabas ko ang phone ko mula sa bulsa at iwinagayway 'yon. "Wala nang libre ngayon, Cal."

Napanguso siya dahil parang nagtitimpi na lang siya na hindi hablutin ang telepono ko.

Inis na inalis ni Cally ang braso ni Aiden sa kaniya. "Hindi naman ako desperada, 'no! Marami pang lalaki r'yan! T'saka marami akong kausap ngayon kaya hindi ko kailangan 'yang lalaki na 'yan!"

Syrine was busy reading a book when she said, "Talaga ba? Tingnan na lang natin kung hindi ka rurupok kapag gumaling na 'yong mga pasa sa mukha niya."

“Mukhang ang pogi pa naman.” Tumango pa si Aiden habang ini-imagine ang tunay na itsura ni Aizan.

I haven't seen him in his original appearance yet. There wasn't a single photo of them in their apartment. But I am certain that he looks like Asher but with softer features.

"Nakahanap na ako ng bago no'n bago pa gumaling 'yong mga pasa niya, no!"

"Defensive? Bakit galit na galit ka, girl?" Ivy couldn't hold back her laugh. "Tara na nga bago ka pa mag-eskandalo rito!"

Inakbayan ni Ivy si Cally papalabas ng room habang si Aiden ay kumakaway sa amin. We could still hear Cally's voice trying to convince them that it wouldn't be hard for her to find another guy.

I just shook my head as I kept checking my phone dahil naghihintay ako sa message ni Anddie.

Anddie is also one of our classmates. Ngayon pa lamang siya papasok dahil kauuwi niya lang from New Zealand. Doon sila nag-stay ng family niya no'ng bakasyon. I may have a different circle, but Anddie and I have been best friends since the seventh grade.

I smiled when I received a message from her.

From: Anddie

paakyat na ako! dala ko yung bilin mo na mint chocolate!

To: Anddie

Hintayin kita sa may pinto. :))

Before she flew to New Zealand, she asked me what I wanted once she got back. And I just remembered that there was a limited edition of mint chocolate from my favorite brand. It's a good thing that it wasn't too expensive; I wouldn't feel guilty about receiving it.

Tumayo na ako sa upuan ko para maghintay sa kaniya sa may pintuan. My mouth grew open when I saw Asher in front of me when I stepped outside.

"What are you doing here?"

He smiled upon seeing the shock on my face. "I left my bag yesterday."

Tumango ako. Saka ko naalala na hindi na nga pala siya nakabalik sa room namin kahapon dahil iniuwi na niya ‘yong kapatid niya.

Akala ko ay papasok na siya sa loob pero nanatili pa rin siya sa harapan ko. “Are you going somewhere?”

I shook my head. “No. I’m just waiting for someone.”

Pinanliitan niya ako ng mata. “Your… boyfriend?”

I scoffed upon hearing that. He's too eager to know whether I have a male friend with me! “Wala nga akong boyfriend. T’saka hindi naman siguro ako guguluhin ni… Tyler. Kilala niya ang kapatid ko.”

I laughed when I thought of my brother's serious face. Him being scary somehow benefits me. I should thank him for that.

Pumasok na si Asher para kuhanin ang bag niya sa loob nang dumating si Anddie. Lumapit agad ako sa kaniya at niyakap siya ng mahigpit.

“Welcome back!”

Nang kumalas siya ay agad niyang tinanong, “Kumusta siya?”

He’s pertaining to her crush, Cedric. Isa rin siya sa mga kaklase namin. He was the reason why we got close to each other. We both had a crush on him in the seventh grade. None of my other friends knew about that, only Anddie. I didn't want them to tease me; it'd be awkward because we'd been classmates for so long!

Pero sa pagdaan ng panahon ay naka-move on na ako’t lahat ay si Anddie ay hindi pa rin.

“Talagang mas inuna mo pa siyang kumustahin kaysa sa akin, ha!” nagtatampong saad ko pero tinawanan niya lang. “Mukhang okay naman siya, and active rin sa klase!”

She blushed. I noticed slight differences in her appearance. Before we finished 11th grade, she was still wearing her thick glasses, but she's just using contact lenses now. And her skin got lighter; I guess she didn't go out that much during our vacation.

Natigil kami sa pag-uusap nang lumabas si Asher sa pintuan. Tumigil siya sa harapan namin at tumingin sa akin.

“I’ll go ahead,” he said.

Hindi ko inaasahan na magpapaalam siya sa akin! Tumango ako ng isang beses. “Ingat ka.”

When he turned his back on us, I felt Anddie's hands shaking my right arm, insisting I talk.

"Who is he?!" she shrieked.

"He's a transferee. But the has some errands to take care of."

She nodded and gazed back to where Asher went. “Crush ko na sana kaso mukhang ikaw ang crush niya.”

I rolled my eyes at what she said. She's just like Cally! I don't notice anything weird in Asher's way of treating me to insinuate that he likes me.

Pagpasok namin ay sa akin tumabi si Anddie. Nasa kaliwa ko siya habang si Syrine naman sa kanan.

“Hindi ka ba mahihirapan dito?” tanong ko. Malabo ang mga mata niya at nasa pinakalikod kami.

Natigilan siya nang ma-realize ‘yon. “Oo nga! Magpapalipat na lang ako kay sir…”

And speaking of Sir Albert, pumasok na siya sa room at may kasunod pang isang babae na hindi pamilyar sa akin.

“Good morning, class,” he said, and we answered in chorus. “It’s nice to see you again, Anddie.” My friend smiled at his greeting. Muling ibinaling ni Sir Albert ang tingin niya sa buong klase. “May bago ulit kayong transferee. She’s from Australia… Ah! Like Dela Cruz. Mukhang going international na ang section natin, ah?” biro niya na siyang ikinatawa ng klase.

Sir Albert asked the girl to introduce herself. She looks so shy standing in front; her head is down, but she still tried to focus her eyes on us.

“G’day… I’m Savanna Ramirez. 18 years old, and as Mr. Albert said I from Australia, but I can understand Tagalog very well.”

After ng introduction ni Savanna ay nagtaas ng kamay si Anddie para magpalipat ng puwesto. Pinigilan ko ang sarili na tumawa nang kay Cedric siya itabi ni Sir Albert, si Savanna naman ang pumalit sa kaniya sa tabi ko.

“Hi,” nakangiting bati ko sa kaniya.

She smiled and greeted back, “Hi.” Lumagpas din naman agad ang tingin niya sa akin. “Who owns that empty seat?”

Nilingon ko ang tinutukoy niya at upuan iyon ni Asher.

“Asher. He won’t make it to class today.” Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa kaniya. “Do you know him? He’s also from Australia.”

Savanna slowly nodded, and I couldn't hide my amazement. They knew each other!

“Alam mo ba kung bakit siya absent?”

“Sinamahan niya ang kapatid niya na magpa-checkup.”

Nagulat siya sa narinig. “What happened?”

Lumapit ako at bumulong. “Nabugbog siya kahapon dito.” Mas lalo siyang nagulat sa huli kong sinabi. “But don't worry! That guy’s suspended for a month.”

“Malala ba ang lagay ni Aizan?” nag-aalalang tanong niya. So, she also knew Asher’s brother. It makes me wonder if she also knew their mom.

“It looks bad, but I think it's tolerable. He was still jolly.”

She studied me for a few seconds. “You know them?”

Tumango ako. “Oo. Gumawa kami ng homework kahapon sa kanila.”

Hindi ko alam kung tama lamang ba na sinabi ko pa ‘yon dahil baka magkaro’n siya ng ibang idea sa sinabi ko. Hindi ko na nagawa pang ipaliwanag ‘yon sa kaniya dahil nagsimula na ang discussion.

Maybe Savanna was just not friendly because she was quiet for the rest of the day. I tried to tag her along with us during health breaks, but she refused. She was all alone, and I felt sorry for her.

Sabay-sabay kami ng mga kaibigan ko sa pag-uwi. Ipinulupot kaagad ni Cally ang braso niya sa akin.

“Baka magalit si Aizan kapag ipinamigay ko ang number niya.”

Napairap siya. “Hindi ko naman hinihingi!” Tumingin siya sa mga kasama namin dahil mukhang may sasabihin siya na importante. Bumulong siya sa tainga ko, “Wala ba talagang something sa inyo ni Asher?”

Lumayo ako sa kaniya at ngumuso. “Bakit mo ba iniisip ‘yan?”

Kinalas niya ang braso sa akin at nagpatuloy na lang sa paglalakad ng normal. “Ang weird kasi. Nakasunod siya sa atin no’ng nagpa-checkup ka ng ulo mo. Akala ko namamalik-mata lang ako noon, pero no’ng lumabas tayo ay nando’n pa rin siya.”

My mind was haywire when I heard that. He waited?! Nabanggit niya na nakita niya kami pero hindi ko alam na nagtagal siya ro’n!

Why would he do that? Aside from guilt, I can't think of much of a reason for him to wait for two hours!

I shook my head. It couldn't be the one Cally has been insisting on, right? It can't be…

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-larajeszz