Chapter 8

Jade's Point of View

Habang kumakain kami ni Leroi, i've been thinking a lot. Should i tell him the truth about last time? I don't want to break his heart, but i'll still feel bad if don't tell the truth behind that chocolates.

...fine, maybe i really should tell him.

I gathered all my courage to speak up. "L-Leroi." Bwisit, wag ka kabahan Jade!

He looked at me with the most cutest expression on his face. "Hmm?"

"I... I need to tell y-you something..." this probably might ruin my chance of having a relationship that i always dreamed of, but it's better this way. Ayoko sa lahat ang nagsisinungaling or nagsisikreto sa iba na pwedeng ikasama ko.

"What is it Jade?"

"The time that i gave you those chocolates, they were actually meant for your cousin. Para kay Caiden talaga yon kasi sa kanya ako may gusto." Then after he heard that, he had this blank face.

Napayuko na lang ako at inantay na umalis sya, but he suddenly talked too. "I already know that." EH!?

Napatingin ako sa kanya at napatanong. "T-Talaga!?"

"Well it's very obvious to be honest. I did said na madalas kitang makita and that i eventually liked you. Pero isa lang din sa napansin ko pag tuwing nakikita kita, palagi kang nakatingin kay Caiden. And that's when i had the idea that you really liked Caiden." Lumungkot si Leroi pero pinilit nyang ngumiti.

"But when Caiden left, i grabbed the chance. I tried to reach for you. Gusto kong makita mo 'ko. Gusto ko na ako ang magustuhan mo." As he was talking, i can literally see his sincerity through his eyes.

Nailang ako at napaiwas ng tingin. "P-Pero alam mo naman palang may gusto ako kay Caiden... would you still like someone who likes someone else?"

"Who you like doesn't matter to me--" nagulat ako ng hawakan nya kamay ko kaya napatingin ako sa kanya ulit. "--because i'll do everything that i can to make you fall for me." That was so smooth and so korni at the same time.

Binawi ko ang kamay ko. "So you're still going to pursue me?"

He nodded and took a bite on his burger. " If i say yes then would you try to like me then?"

I bit my lip. Should i? If Ruben were only here, he'll know what i should say... but it's not like i should depend on him all the time. Sighing, i gave him my answer. "...I'll try." I wish this all turns out well.

Ruben's Point of View

It's so hard to hide from those two. Di ko marinig ang pinag-uusapan nila dahil nasa malayo ako. Ayoko namang lumapit dahil baka mamukhaan ako ni Jade. But base on what i'm seeing right now, they're probably flirting with each other.

I easily crushed my damn cup when Leroi suddenly grabs her hand. Buti na lang ubos ko na yung soda. More importanly, who do he think he is to touch something that belongs to me.

Matapos nilang kumain, i continued to follow them. Saglit silang naglaro sa arcade, tas nagwindow shopping, and then nagawa pang bilan ni Leroi ng kwintas si Jade. Tumagal pa sila ng ilang oras dito sa mall bago nilang maisipang umuwi.

Hinatid na ni Leroi si Jade sa sakayan ng mga taxi, at matapos non ay tumambay muna sya sa isang tabi. That's when i decided to talk to him. Nang makalapit ako sa kanya ay napatingin sya sa akin na tila ineexpect ako.

"I knew you would show up eventually." He said.

"What?"

"Akala mo di kita napapansin? You're a terrible stalker, it doesn't suit you." So he's trying to insult me right now?

"What the hell are you trying to do with Jade?" Di na ko nagpaligoy-ligoy pa. Knowing this guy who dated tons of girls in school, he doesn't really take relationships seriously. Kaya alam kong lolokohin nya lang din si Jade.

"I'm trying to make her my girlfriend. You're her bestfriend right? I would appreciate it if you help me get closer to her." He said, obviously trying to annoy me further.

My eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not her bestfriend, she's my fiancè."

Nagulat sya saglit, but had this annoying smirk after. "Don't make me laugh mr. bestfriend. It's obvious enough that you're just a friend to her-- nothing special. So if you'll excuse me, i'm gonna go home now."

Pero bago sya makaalis, i tightly grabbed him on the shoulder. "Don't go just yet, i still got a question for you."

"Hmm? Ano naman 'yon?" He asked with a fake smile.

"What the hell are you planning with Zachary Lavaughn?" He's definitely the guy named August, the fucking guy who gave Jade a coded letter.

"What are you talking about? Bakit nadawit yung anak nung school administrator dito?" If i'm just too stupid, i might probably fell for his damn good acting. But the point here is that i'm not stupid.

I can literally guess what's happening right now.

"Stop trying to pretend, you're August aren't you?" He literally is good at acting as he gave me an oblivious look, like he don't literally know what i'm talking about.

"I thought you're just a guy who was friend zoned by the girl he like, but now you're just crazy." Binitawan ko sya. This is getting pointless, hindi talaga sya magsasalita because he's literally acting like he don't know what i'm saying.

Well, everyone's identity in the c.c. is a secret after all.

"Tch. Just get out of my sight already." I told him.

"M'kay, bye!" Nagawa nya pang kumaway sa'kin then just suddenly raises his middle finger at me.

That damn asshole sure got guts to talk to me like that. I'll make sure na pagsisisihan nya ang mga pinaggagawa nya. And as for Zachary, i don't know what he's trying to do but i guess gusto nya kong guluhin dahil umalis ako sa club.  

Jade's Point of View

Di matanggal sa isip ko yung date namin ni Leroi nitong Sabado. I'm excited and bothered at the same time, because i remembered that Ruben wanted to hang out with me this weekend.

And unexpectedly, Ruben noticed something about me. "Saan mo nakuha yan?" Tanong nya habang titig na titig sa kwintas na suot ko. Bigay to sa'kin ni Leroi kahapon, nagpumilit sya na bilhan ako ng kwintas. I tried to decline but he just kept on insisting kaya in the end napapayag nya din ako.

"A-Ah eto? Nagpadala si mama para sa'kin, regalo nya lang." I lied.

I know that i said i hate lying but i'm a bit scared of Ruben finding out that i'm going out with Leroi.

"Bakit naman? Did something good happened?"

"Wala naman."

"Eh? So bakit sya magpapadala ng regalo ng walang dahilan? Di mo pa naman birthday ah." Bwisit talaga 'to! Can't he just mind his own business?

"Eh sa gusto ako regaluhan ni mama, wala ka na don." Sagot ko.

"Tss, you're really hiding a lot of things from me." Bulong nya pero parang sinadya nyang iparinig sa akin. Kinabahan naman ako sa nasabi nya.

Do he know something?

Lintek naman kasi! Antagal dumating ng teacher namin sa first period. The pressure i feel from Ruben just keeps on getting heavier by the second. He suddenly changed the topic. "Anyways, i've decided na ililibre kita sa Sabado. Gusto ko lang bumawi just 'cause i feel bad for upsetting you."

Napalunok ako. Ito na nga ba sinasabi ko eh. Ano nang gagawin ko!?

"Uhm, Ruben... about that..." di ba pwedeng sa susunod na lang?

"Hmm?" Looking at him right now, he's pretty intimidating. Like he suspects me of something. I guess his doubting me right now, pero tungkol saan naman?

Napaiwas na lang ako ng tingin. "Pwede bang next time na lang? Medyo busy ako."

We had this long silence between us, then he replied. "Wow, you probably have something more important to do than to hang out with me. Saan ka naman busy?" I didn't like the tone of his voice, parang nasa interrogation lang kami.

"I-I uhh.. i..." what should i say!?

Then a miracle happened, biglang dumating yung babae galing sa club ni Ruben-- yung secret girlfriend nya! "Excuse me! Andito po ba si Ruben Chevalier?! For theatre club emergency meeting po!"

Kaagad kong tinaas kamay ni Ruben. "Eto sya! Eto!" Hinila ko si Ruben patayo sa kanyang upuan at itinulak na palabas ng classroom kasama yung secret girlfriend nya.

"Ako na lang magpapaalam sa mga teacher na nasa club ka! Bye!" Then sinarahan ko na sila ng pinto.

Pagkabalik ko sa upuan ko, nakahinga na din ako ng maluwag. Buti na lang at kasama si Ruben sa club na 'yon!

"So san ka busy Jade?" Biglang tanong ni Bella sa likod ko.

"W-What!?" I can't believe this girl, sometimes she just talks to me out of nowhere. Di na ko magtataka kung alam nya mga pinag-uusapan namin ni Ruben. "Please stop eavesdropping on us." Paki-usap ko sa kanya.

Nangiti na lang sya sa akin. "Oh nevermind na lang hehe."

Geez.

Ruben's Point of View

Damn it. Kung kelan kausap ko si Jade tsaka may eepal. Tinanong ko si miss clean freak na mas nauunang maglakad. "Ba't may emergency sa club? Ano ba nangyari?" Baka pwedeng di na ko sumama sa meeting na yan, extra lang naman ako eh.

Inirapan naman ako ng babae na 'to. Tss, nagtanong naman ako ng maayos ah?

"Di ko din alam." Napabuntong hininga na lang ako.

Pagkarating namin sa club, everyone looked so serious discussing this mysterious matter. Nang makita kami ni Pres ay pinasama kami sa mga club members na nakaupo sa sahig at nakapalibot sa kaniya. Pagkaupo namin, nagsalita na si pres.

"I have bad news everyone." Pasuspense pa dating ng pagkakasabi ni pres samin.

"Neil Sanchez had an accident so he won't be playing as Romeo anymore. It's sad to hear that news, especially when Neil was so excited to play as Romeo. All we can do for him right now is pray for his quick recovery." Damn. I didn't expect to hear that.

And as pres just mentioned Neil, tsaka ko lang napansin na wala sya sa club. Then people started to ask the most critical problem that happened in the theatre club right now--

"Who's gonna play Romeo then!?"

Pres sighed out of stress, pero it's amazing to see her still calm right now. "Tigilan nyo na ko sa tanong na yan. Everyone shouldn't worry because i already have someone in mind that can make this play successful."

"But this play's success just feel impossible! It took Neil a month to prepare and memorize his lines for that role. We only have four weeks left bago maayos natin ang play na 'to, pero sino naman ang may kaya gumawa ng imposible?!" Ani ng isang club member na di ko alam pangalan.

Then pres still remained calm, na parang confident sya sa solution nya sa problema na 'to. "There's nothing impossible for someone who has a good memory and natural talent." Nanlaki mata ko ng biglang tignan ako ni pres.

Pati yung iba pa napatingin din sa akin dahil kay pres. "That's what i noticed from you Ruben, i only saw you reading the script about two or three times! Then memorize mo na lahat ng linya ni Tybalt!"

That's because he only have a few lines!!

"I refu--

"And you don't have any rights to refuse this, if you don't do this wala kang grades sa art subject mo. Tsaka ikaw lang kasi ang makakagawa nito Ruben, and i know you can do this without a problem." Well fuck... that means i have to be miss clean freak's Romeo. And if i have to add this, mahihirapan akong alamin ang binabalak ni Leroi kay Jade!

But if i don't do this, my grades in art might get affected.

"Damn it, fine!" Sagot ko, wala naman akong ibang choice.

Napangiti si Pres sa pangba-blackmail nya. "Very well then! Our club member Alois Ruben Chevalier will play Romeo!"

to be continued