four

apat

Muse

My heart dropped. I've never been rejected by anyone. Never in my life had I felt so embarrassed as well. Someone like me? What did he mean by that? 'Di naman ako masamang tao 'di ba?

"Hekate, kain na oh." Suyo ni Maeve habang hinihigod ang likod ko.

Nang sabihan ako ni Vortigern na hindi siya pupunta at sinungitan pa 'ko, umalis na kami agad at pumunta na sa cafeteria since lunch time naman na. Nawalan ako ng gana magsalita at makipaghalubilo sa kahit sino apart from Helios and Maeve.

Nakatulala ako sa kawalan. My mind just couldn't stop thinking about what he meant and why he seemed to be so against me. Siguro, sadyang gano'n lang talaga siya. Masungit, pero gwapo. Ba't ganto? Sayang kaguwapuhan niya kung masungit siya. Pero 'di naman siya mukhang masungit nung tinabihan niya yung babae kahapon ah? Hindi ako umimik pa at kumagat nalang sa sandwich na bigay ni Maeve.

"What happened to her?" Ang pamilyar na boses ni Helios ang bumungad sa'kin. "Hate, are you alright? Do you want a hug?"

"Rejected." Bangit ni Maeve dito na bulong dapat ngunit narinig ko rin.

"Oh, you poor baby." Sinakop ako ng malaking braso ni Helios sa isang mainit na yakap. I leaned on him as he rubbed my head. "Who rejected you? Hmm? Tell me and I'll fight the bastard."

"May nagawa ba 'ko?" Humarap ako sa dalawa kong kaibigan. "Ba't parang ayaw niya sa'kin? Am I ugly?"

"Ha? Sino may sabi, walang pangit sa'tin 'no!" Angal ni Maeve

I pout, sinking into Helios more. "Sabi niya rin masyado akong madaldal. Is that true?" He rubbed my back in soothing circles. Umiling ito at inabot ang juice na hawak ni Maeve.

"You aren't madaldal, babe. You just like to speak your mind. Let him be. There's a lot of guys out there who're dying for your attention. Let Vortigern be, he's not worth it."

I usually am not affected with the words they say, what people say. But, it's different with him. Maybe it's because he found me annoying and I liked him. He's captured my interest. Not everyone does, mahirap akong magkagusto sa isang lalaki. I don't find everyone attractive. Madalas, umiiyak ang iba pag binibigyan ko ng tsansa, I end it when I feel like I can't feel anything. Tinigilan ko na ang pagbibigyan chance sa kanila dahil ayoko nang makasakit pa.

"Tara na Hate, may closing party pa." Ganto every year sa'min. Bago magsi-alisan ang mga students for sembreak nagpapaparty ang school admins, "Baka hinahanap na tayo nina Ma'am Florenza."

Helios helped me get up, I slumped as I walked. Nakaka-walang gana mag-saya pag 'di maganda mood. A little part of me still wished to go because I knew he would be there. Makulit din ako eh, alam kong may ayaw na sa'kin yung tao gusto ko parin makita. Nakakainis.

Nasa quadrangle kaming lahat, students from grades seven to twelve were here. A lot of them already took their spots on the ground, forming a small circle with their friends. I could hardly see as we swam our way through the sea of students. Helios was in front of me and Maeve held me from behind, both protecting me from the tall students. Mas matangkad sa'kin ang dalawa kaya pag may mga events laging ganto ang sitwasyon namin. Sa huli, nakapunta na rin kami sa harap kung nasa'n nakaupo ang grade twelve students. Dito kami dahil may mga mono block chair na nakahilera sa harap malapit sa stage, sa kaliwa ko ay si Helios at sa kanan ko naman si Maeve.

"Hi," bati sa'kin ng isang matangkad na lalaki nang umangat ang tingin ko sa kanya. "Hekate, right?"

Sasabihan ko na sana ito na 'wag akong tawaging Hekate pero hinayaan ko nalang at sumagot. "Yes, what do you want Yce?"

Si Yce ang kasama ni Vortigern kanina. May kasama rin itong mga lalaki na kasing guwapo niya at matatangkad rin. Ang isa sa kanila'y may hawak na drumsticks, 'yung isa naman merong what seemed like a bass guitar at 'yong isa ay yung lalaking naka-pout kanina. Narinig ko ang mga bulung-bulungan ng mga kaklase ko nang makita silang nandito.

They looked like the stereotypical popular bad boys you would see in various films. They held a charismatic aura around them. 'Yong mga lalaking laging napapaaway at natatawag sa guidance office pero guwapo. Panigurado ring pinagkakaguluhan ang mga ito.

"Yce, ano ba ginagawa natin dito? Baka hinahanap na tayo ni VK." angal nung lalaking may dimples.

"Shut up Zemex, we're here to talk to Hekate." ani Yce dito.

A cough surfaces, 'causing the banters of Zemex and Yce to hush. My eyes travel to the guy with drumsticks in hand. He reached out his hand before introducing himself.

"My name's Bhaltair Salamarino," seryoso nitong sabi before I shook his hand. "We need a muse up stage later, and we were wondering if you would do us the—"

"Do us the honor of being our muse!" singit ng lalaking may bass guitar. "Hi! I'm Trevion Alcàntar," he kissed the skin of my hand.

"Anyways, before I was rudely interupted." Yce glared at his friends. "Alam mo naman na, ako dapat magsasabi eh. Pero, do you accept?" The guys shift their eyes to me.

I nervously took a glance at my own friends. An anticipating look painted on their faces as they await for my response. Maeve's eyebrows wiggled, like she's urging me to say yes.

Should I? Eh, inis nga 'yong tao sa'kin. Baka 'di pa magperform 'to sa inis at sisihin pa 'ko ng fans nilang adik na adik sa kanila.

"Say yes, babe." bulong ni Helios sa'kin. Nakita ko ang matalim na tingin nina Yce dito. Mukha kasi siyang humahalik sa pisngi ko sa anggulo nila. Dagdag pa na nakaakbay ang braso niya sa likod ng upuan ko. "If you say yes you can get close to him and makukuha mo na."

Helios was always like this with Maeve and I, it's not uncomfortable or foreign. You know those people who have this naturally flirty attitude but it's not weird.

Huminga ako ng malalim bago sumagot, "Okay, fine. What do I have to do?"

They all punched the air as they yell out a victorious 'yes!'. Hinila ni Zemex ang kamay ko, napatayo ako at para kong kinaladkad habang naglalakad. Some of the students' eyes were on us as we make our way to backstage. The guys surrounded me like they were security assigned to protect me. Si Zemex nasa harap, si Yce at Trevion nama'y nasa magkabilaan ko, and Bhaltair's tailing behind us.

"All you have to do is look pretty and let Vortigern flirt with you," Bhaltair explained to me as we ascend the stairs. "Just a little heart fluttering moment for the fans," he winks.

"P-pero ba't ako? Madami namang maganda sa campus—"

"Ah, ah, ah, little dove." Yce waves his pointer finger in front of my face. "Don't say that, we chose you because you're beauty is beyond exceptional for our little Vortigern."

"Mapili kasi sa babae si VK, baka mapatay pa kami pag 'di abot sa standards niya ang makakasama niya sa stage." si Trevion.

"Plus, you seem like the type of girl who wouldn't cling to him after. 'Yon kasi hanap namin para 'di mahirapan si Vort." si Zemex.

"Well, we're here." Nasa harap na kami ngayon ng pinto papasok sa room ng mga performers. I assume Vortigern is already inside. The butterflies in my stomach riots at the thought of him flirting with me later on stage, only to die down as the thought of it only being for the sake of perfomance waves in.