7 Kabanata 5

Hindi ko napansin na naroon pa rin pala si Matthew at naghihintay sa akin. Nakasandal pa rin siya sa kotse niya at halatang inip na inip na.

Nilapitan ko naman siya at nakita kong umayos siya ng tayo.

"Anong ginawa mo?" bungad niyang tanong.

"It's none of your business Matthew..." I rolled my eyes after that. I texted our driver to fetch me so I won't need to deal with Matthew.

"Nagpapahula ka? You believe in witchcrafts?" he said then he barked a laughter.

Habang tumatagal mas lalo niyang pinapatunayan na hindi ko dapat siya iyakan. Now I'm convinced that there will be no comeback for us.

"I don't need your opinion. I don't care if you will think ill of me just because I believe in witchcrafts," tumunog ang cellphone ko, senyales na malapit na ang driver ko.

He laughed again with my statement. "Blair, what happened to you?"

Nakita kong huminto na sa harapan ko ang SUV namin. "I changed for the better Matthew. Changing myself made me decide that I will not come back to you," I winked and waved my hand as a sign of goodbye.

Halos malaglag ang panga niya sa sinabi ko pero huli na ang lahat dahil sinara ko na ang pinto ng SUV namin. I don't need a man like him. I'm so stupid for wasting my tears for that guy.

Binuksan ko ang cellphone ko pati ang Facebook account ko. I am very determined to see Josiah in this world. If I see him in this world, I'll stop doing astral projection.

I typed the name "Josiah" on the search engine and there are 20,000 results. Inisa-isa ko ang mga ito at tiningnan ko pati ang birthday nila. October 16 ang birthday ni Josiah but he didn't mention any year.

I checked my watch, it's already 9 AM and I have three hours before our subject for the afternoon.

Agad akong umuwi sa bahay at naglabas ng sketchpad. I am very determined to find him. Susubukan kong igunit ang mukha niya. I am gifted with this talent so I think I can draw him.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember every single detail of his face. His jet black hair, his pointed nose, a defined jaw and cheekbone and those deep set of mesmerizing almond eyes. But there's one thing that I noticed in his face, he has this mole on the right side of his red lips.

Tumunog ang cellphone ko at nakita ko ang message galing kay Dixie.

Dixie:

2PM na pala ang kasunod nating class. Wala raw si Mrs. Zamora eh.

Ako:

Good to know. Thank you.

Pinagpatuloy ko ang pagguhit at inabot ako ng 1 PM bago matapos ang drawing ko kay Josiah. Pinakatitigan ko ang drawing at kuhang-kuha ko ang bawat detalye ng mukha niya.

Tinawagan ko si Mommy at agad niya itong sinagot.

"Mommy? Can you help me contact Tito?"

"Bakit anak?"

Huminga ako nang malalim. "I need to find this person kasi Mom. Help me please?"

"Okay, I'll connect him to you. Wait."

Ilang minuto lamang ay narinig ko na ang paghinga nang malalim sa kabilang linya.

"Tito Elton..."

"Blair, you need help?"

"I'm finding this specific person po kasi and I know your company can help me. I only know his name and his birthday. Is it possible?"

"That's quite impossible hija. May picture ka ba niya?"

"I only have the sketch of his face."

"I think I can help. Dalhin mo dito ang sketch at ang mga detalye."

"Talaga po Tito? Maraming salamat po!"

"No problem hija."

Binitbit ko ang sketchpad at tinawag ang driver namin.

"Manong pakidala naman po ito kay Tito Elton sa opisina niya. Nasabihan ko na po siya and he's expecting it today."

Tumango naman ang driver namin at inihatid na ako sa school.

"Manong, salamat po."

"Walang anuman po Ms. Blair."

With a smile on my face, I walked proudly to the campus.

Sinalubong ako ni Alyana na nag-aabang na naman sa'kin.

"Alyana, you're waiting for me again?"

I saw her irritated face again. "Bakit ngayon ka lang Blair?" may diin ang bawat banggit niya ng salita.

"Why should I come early then?"

"Hindi mo raw binalikan si Matthew?"

I raised my eyebrow. "Yes, I don't need a man like him. So he's yours."

Tatalikod na sana ako ngunit hinawakan niya ang braso ko. "Siguraduhin mo lang Blair."

Humalakhak naman ako. "Wow Alyana what happened to you? You're being cheap because of Matthew. I bet you're also ready to kneel down just to have him..." I said with a mocking voice then I chuckled again. "Oh wait, stop this nonsense fight because it's degrading my class. I don't like cheap flights. I don't like you and I don't like Matthew. Go on Alyana. Choke him to death!"

That was my last blow before I finally went to our classroom. Ayoko sa sampalan at mas lalong ayoko sa sabunutan.

"Girl, palaban ka kanina kay Alyana. You should have seen her face!" Hailie said before barking a laughter.

"I really don't care about her. Kahit luhuran niya pa ako or kahit luhuran niya si Matthew!" dagdag ko pa. Tumawa naman ang mga kaibigan ko sa sinabi ko.

"Hoy anong luluhod siya kay Matthew?" tanong ni Casandra sabay tawa.

I rolled my eyes. "You know what I mean. She's too cheap and I know it's possible that she'll do that to have Matthew..." I said then we all laughed. Laughing with my friends while judging others is one of the best.

I spend my day listening to our lesson while my friends are busy chitchatting and there's Hailie, sleeping again.

"Girls, I need to go home na agad. May inutos kasi ako sa driver namin and it's an urgent one. Bukas na lang tayo pumunta sa spa."

Tumango na lamang sila at hinayaan akong umalis agad pagkatapos ng klase namin. Nakita ko ulit si Matthew na naghihintay sa akin habang nakasandal sa kotse niya. Hindi ko siya pinansin at tatalikod na sana ako pero hinawakan niya ako sa braso.

Bakit ba ang hilig nila akong hawakan sa braso? Can't I walk away freely?

"Ano na naman?"

"Come back with me please..."

"No, Matthew. It's over for the two of us."

"Why?"

"Ayoko na. Hindi ba katanggap-tanggap na sagot 'yon?"

Hindi siya sumagot kaya tumalikod na ako at sumakay na sa SUV namin. Pagkarating sa bahay ay agad akong dumiretso sa kuwarto ko. Tiningnan ko ang cellphone ko at nakita kong may message galing kay Tito Elton.

Tito Elton:

Hija, it's too hard for us to find this guy but we are trying our best.

Nagtipa naman ako ng reply.

Ako:

Maraming salamat po Tito!

Humiga na lamang ako sa kama sa sobrang pagod. Hindi ko namalayan na nakatulog na naman ako. Ganoon ulit ang nangyari, nakabalik ulit ako sa mundong ito.

Ngunit pagdating ko sa puno ay wala doon si Josiah. Where is he?

"Josiah?" I called out of nowhere.

Baka masyado lang akong maaga ngayon. Napapikit ako at umidlip dahil sa sariwang hangin na tumatama sa balat ko.

Pagkadilat ko ay naramdaman kong nakasandal ako sa balikat ng isang tao. Napabangon ako at nakita kong andito na si Josiah.

Nilingon ko siya at nakita kong maputla siya. "Are you okay?"

Tumango siya. "I'm fine. It's good to see you here..."

"You look sick."

"No I'm not. Let's just stay here for today okay? I need to relax."

I nodded. "Okay, we'll stay here."

Nagulat naman ako nang pinahinga niya ang ulo niya sa balikat ko. "I'll be more relaxed if I lay my head on your shoulder. Don't move."

My heart leaped a beat with what he said. Ito na yata ang pahinga sa nakakapagod na mundo.