Chapter 28: Question

[Caden Lowell]

Hot...

It's too effin hot...

My body temperature is rising as fuck...

I look at my phone as it rings. Bakit tatawag si Airish? May kailangan ba siya? Bakit ngayon pa? Tangina, ngayon pang hindi maganda ang pakiramdam ko...

"Hey, may balak ka pa bang pumasok?" Her voice seems too sweet that I slightly covered my face with my pillow. She's actually calling me...

"You're 15 minutes late already. Do you have a problem?" If I'm sick... Will she come here?

"Mainit na diyan ayoko ng madagdagan. I'm too hot to attend." Pabiro ko nalang sambit.

"Are you sick? Just by saying your hot to attend means that you're sick." Alam ko under the weather ang idiom na ginagamit para sa may sakit.

"Masama lang ng kaunti ang pakiramdam ko." Sa totoo lang, kahapon pa ito. Pero dahil sumama ako sa kanila, nabinat ako. Can you blamed me? I'm not comfortable when Airish joins another circle of friendship...

"Tell Kaijin that the practice is cancelled for NOW." Tumahimik ng saglit sa telepono.

Wala ba siyang balak sumagot pabalik?

"I'm coming Dumbass." Biglang kumabog ang dibdib ko sa hindi malamang dahilan. What the fuck is this feeling?

"No. You should finish your paperworks. I don't want to be a burden—"

"Caden Lowell, I HATE BEING REJECTED." At... Binabaan niya ako ng telepono. Ang hirap talaga basahin ng babaeng 'to.

Pero sa isang banda, NAPANGITI nalang ako. I guess she's always like this when I'm sick... Pero ako, ni hindi ko man siyang magawang alagaan.

"Young Master, Are you ok?" Isang katok sa pintuan ang nakapagpabuntong hininga sakin.

"I'm not feeling well, just Go." Pero sa totoo lang ay gusto kong may kasama ako dito sa kwarto. Nakakatawa mang isipin pero iba ang nilalabas ng bibig ko sa gusto ko talagang sabihin.

"But—"

"No Buts, I need to rest." My mouth must be harsh but I really do care on a person, Like Pey Morales. She suddenly lost her consciousness while I'm walking. Buting nalang talaga at nasalo ko siya.

But It's too fucking funny when she wakes up. She keeps apologizing as if she commit the biggest sin on her life.

Alam kong karamihan sa mga tao ay nagagalit sa ugali ko. Sino nga ba naman ang gustong makatanggap ng malamig na pakikitungo?

They said that I'm fucking cold kaya pinanindigan ko na. But then, a fucking girl showed me the TRUE MEANING OF ICE AGE...

Flashback:

I used to hate bitches and assholes on my side. Alam ko namang pera lang ang habol nila sa kagaya ko.

Well, What can I do? Money makes people crazy anyway.

I thought being a cold person will keep bitches and Assholes away from me. Tutal puro 'Cold' ang bukambibig nila.

PERO SA HINDI INAASAHAN, DUMATING ANG PANAHON NA MAKAKAKAHARAP KO PALA ANG MAGIGING KATAPAT KO.

Because if I'm fucking cold... This girl is the Frost Bite Queen...

"Get out of my way." Malinaw naman ang pagkakasabi ko. Bakit ayaw parin tumabi ng babaeng ito?

Is she here to flirt with me?

"I said MOVE." But instead of giving my way, She steps forward as I step backwards. Ano bang ginagawa ng babaeng ito? At bakit ako ang umaatras?

"ADJUSTMENT is not on my vocabulary." Sabay tulak niya sakin. Gustuhin ko mang gumanti ay parang hindi ko nagawa dahil sa pagtawa ng mga estudyante.

"Looks like the Ice King meet his Ice Queen."

"She's hot tho."

I clenched my fist as I stand up. HUWAG NA HUWAG LANG IPAGKUKRUS ANG DAAN NAMING DALAWA.

Dahil kapag nakita ulit kita, IPAPAHIYA KITA.

And Fate? It seems like it's playing with me. Dahil sa araw-araw na pagpasok ko BUMUBUNGAD SAKIN ANG MUKHA NG BABAENG 'YON.

"Kapag nakikita kita kumukulo ang dugo ko." Ngumisi siya bago hinigit ang kwelyo ko.

"Then don't look." Naiinis man ay pinilit kong kumalma. Dahil kung hindi, baka makalimutan kong babae siya...

"Sa'n mo balak pumunta?!" Tila ba nagkumpulan ang mga tao sa aming dalawa.

Bumalik siya ng tingin sakin bago nagsalita. "Sa lugar kung sa'n di kita makikita." Nagtiimbagang ako nang marinig ko ang salitang 'yon. Isang pagpapahiya nanaman ang nangyari sakin. Ang babaeng ito...

"Hindi mo ba kilala kung sino ako?" Kaya ko siyang patalsikin dahil sa pamilya namin ito nakapangalan.

"You don't deserve to be known." Ngumisi ako bago ko siya nilapitan.

"You just hit my Power button."

"Then turn it off." Sa inis ko ay kinuwelyuhan ko na talaga ang babaeng hambog na 'to na ikinasinghap ng mga tao. Kung ano man itong eskandalong gagawin ko, sisiguraduhin kong matututo na siya kung saan siya dapat lumugar.

"Don't talk back on me." Kasabay nito ang pagbagsak niya sa lupa. Hindi ako nakapagtimpi. "Wag mokong subukang kalabanin dahil hindi mo magugustuhan ang gagawin ko." Aalis na sana ako ng magsalita siya.

"Then feel free. AND IN EXHANGE, I'LL BREAK YOUR COMPANY." Napatigil ako sa paglalakad. Talagang gusto niya bang masaktan?

"Who do you think you are?" Ngisi ko sa kanya. "A person who'll make you suffer." Bigla naman akong natawa. She's already late, I'm done at suffering.

"A girl like you should keep her mouth shut if she didn't want to experience her own words." Nawala ang tawa sa labi ko ng kinuha niya ang cellphone niya.

This Brat... Sinong tinatawagan niya?

"I'm done with the LOWELL FAMILY. REJECT THEIR PROPOSAL AT ONCE. THIS IS AN ORDER." She smirks as she goes towards me.

"Who are you?" A said with a fiery tone.

"I told you, The one who'll make you suffer MORE."

"Don't fool around..." Ramdam ko ang pagbagsak ko sa sahig na ikinagulat ko.

"A guy like you should keep his mouth shut if he didn't want to experience PAIN AND AGONY." She returned my words in an instant. "Airish!" My eyes widened as Althea came and holds that bitch hands.

"Are you ok?" Tinuro naman ako ni Airish. "You should ask him that question."

"Caden?" Napatayo ako. This is too fucking EMBARASSING....

"I don't want to see that GIRL. From now on, She's expelled."

"You can't do that!" Napakunot ang noo ko sa sigaw ni Althea. "Why can't I?"

"Because this girl..."

"She's a Laxamana." My system stops for a second...

And then I realized...

I'm fucking doomed.

"You don't have to say my surname Althea. After all,"

"He don't deserve to know me." Imbes na matakot ay naramdaman ko ang pagkainis at pagkairita. "Arrogant Brat." She looks at me with a smirking and devil face.

"You wished for it."  Fucking Bitch!

-

That time, I want to kill her. Ni minsan ayokong makita ang pagmumukha ni Airish dati. I want her to leave. Pero kahit anong pagpapahirap ko sa kanya... AKO PA RIN ANG NAPAPAHIYA SA HULI.

I thought bullying her was the best thing to make her transfer... Akala ko magiging masaya ako sa magiging resulta... But it's the opposite. Sa pagtransfer niya... Gusto ko naman siyang pabalikin. I was so desperate to bring her back. Well, It's another story. May mga bagay na masarap balikan at may mga bagay na mahirap makalimutan.

"Caden," Tatlong katok ang nakapagpabalik sakin sa katinuan. That voice is it?

"Come in." Marahan akong humiga at tumingin sa kanang direksyon.

"I brought you some berries." I looked at her as she smiles. It makes me wonder... Everytime she smiles... Is it the truth?

"You seemed into a good mood. Bakit hindi mo kasama si Kaijin?" Ibinaba niya ang hawak niyang prutas tsaka nagsalita.

"He seemed to be on a bad mood."

"What happened?" As she sits on my bed... My heart flustered. Ano nanamang kalokohan itong nangyayari sakin?

"He's with someone." Sa boses pa lang niya hindi mo mahahalata ang kahit katiting na pagseselos.

"You're not jealous?" Bakit ko ba tinanong?

"Why would I?" As expected, he's not interested in guys—

"I mean, come on, ang babaw nang rason para magselos ako. After all, it's just his secretary."

"Is there a chance that you'll fall for him?"

"There is, but I prefer NOT TO." Kumunot ang noo ko. Bakit naman hindi?

"You're into girls right?" She shuts my mouth by making me eat a grapes.

"A guy like you should keep his mouth shut if he didn't want to experience—"

"Pain and Agony?" She shakes her head as she chuckles.

"Yeah." If there's one thing in this world that makes me confused is that...

Is there a chance for her to fall for a guy?

"You should rest. Ipagluluto kita ng rice porridge." Natawa ako ng bahagya.

"Now you're acting as my wife."

"What're you saying? I'm just caring for you~" bakit iba yata ang ngisi sa mukha niya?

"Mas gusto mo bang umalis nalang ako?" I don't want it either.

I fakely cough as I look at her. "Didn't you care for me just now?" She slightly laugh as she pats my head.

"Be a good boy and take a rest. I'll cook for you." Ito nanaman 'tong pusong ito...

"Go on..." Tumaas na ata ang init sa magkabilang pisnge ko. Pagkaalis niya ay kinuha ko ang cellphone ko.

Napalunok ako ng makita ko ang isang litrato. Ang babaeng ex ni Airish ay nakikipaghalikan ngayon sa ibang lalaki.

From Venice:

Caiden, this is an issue should I confront her?

I typed back as I sigh.

To: Venice

Let her be. Airish is not interested at all.

Sabay patay ko ng cellphone.

I send that without even thinking... Pero... Posible kayang masaktan si Airish sa litratong ito?