Chapter 34:

"Here, you can wear this" Brix offered me the same shirt they were wearing.

"Okay," I said as I accepted it.

Tinanong ko kung saan ako pwedeng magpalit at iginiya niya ako sa isang maliit na silid. I quickly changed my top. Buti nalang ay naka itim na trouser ako kaya babagay sa t-shirt.

Nang matapos ay lumabas agad ako at bumalik na kaming dalawa kung saan nagaganap. I roamed my eyes around, looking at every detail of this comfortable orphanage.

There were also important people here, and I saw Brix's mother talking in the front—asking how were the kids and the kids answer in synch that they were okay.

That afternoon was pretty fun and heartwarming. I almost shed a tear seeing those kids enjoying the activities that they had organized.

Nakihalubilo ako sa iilang bata at ginawan pa nila ako ng drawing. May isa pa ngang bata na siguro ay dalawang taon palang na ayaw umalis sa tabi ko.

Interacting with them made me realized that I was fortunate to have a parent. I could not fathom how some people can abandon such lovely kids.

"Oh, by the way, this is Chadler. My younger brother," Brix said.

Break na namin at hindi ko maalis ang tingin sa lalaking katabi niya. They don't look alike, actually. This tall guy in front of me seemed gentle and has a nice smile, unlike Brix, who had a playboy demeanor.

"Hi, nice to meet you" Chadler said with a smile while offering his hand.

My lips parted with my eyes still fixated on him. He smiled more while his hand was still in the air. Medyo natataranta kong tinanggap ang kamay niya.

When our hands made contact, I felt my cheeks heated profusely as my heart started to beat rapidly. "H-hi, I'm Azalea. It's nice to meet you too,"

He was tall, probably 6'0. Has a bronze skin tone and hair was neatly brushed back, looking like he was those models doing a photoshoot in a rock formation on the beach.

He is totally my type!

After that fateful day, all I could think about is him and our little interaction. The way his face brighten up every time he smiled at me made me giggle.

Does he already have a girlfriend? Sana naman wala!

"Are you sure you're okay?" Yus asked, genuinely concerned while looking at me with parted lips.

Nag angat naman agad ako ng tingin sa kaniya. We were now walking in the hallway, going to our next subject, which was located on the 3rd floor.

Magka blockmates na kami ngayon. Well, dapat last school year din kaso naubusan siya ng slot. He always registered at the last minute but this time, I made sure that he will registered right after the registration was opened.

"Huh?" I asked, slightly confused.

"You're acting weird. Bakit ka tumatawa mag isa?" with now brows furrowed.

"Nothing. I was just thinking of...someone," I whispered the last word.

"Huh?" he slightly raised his voice, unable to hear my words properly.

"Wala, wala" I dismissed him and walked a bit faster.

Hanggang sa ako ang pumindot ng down button ng elevator dahil nauuna ako at tinignan ko siya habang nakahalukipkip, hinihintay siya makalapit.

Until weeks had already passed since we became a junior student. At nakapag adjust na rin kaming lahat sa isa't isa.

"Azalea, saan tayo mag lu-lunch after this?" Mina asked, and her eyes were almost twinkling.

I shrugged my shoulder before I glanced at Yus, who was still busy typing his notes on his laptop. "Siguro dito nalang or we can...I really don't know," then ended my sentence with a chuckle.

Hindi ako makapag desisyon dahil hindi pa naman ako gutom kaya hindi ko rin alam kung anong gusto kong kainin.

Then Mina turned to Yus. "Ikaw, Prius? Saan tayo kakain after netong class?"

Nag angat ng tingin si Yus sa kaniya. "What do you have in mind?" bago binalik ang atensyon sa ginagawa.

Mina's eyes widened. "Huh? Ako talaga?" then chuckled before touching her chin using her right thumb and forefinger while looking at the white wall. "Pero...hmm...I'm craving for chicken wings kasi e. Doon nalang ba?"

Pagka vacant ay lumabas kami at papunta na sa kung saan ang lugar na tinutukoy ni Mina. The weather was too sunny, and it was too dazzling for my eyes.

Binilisan ko ang lakad bago tumabi kay Mina na naka payong habang si Yus ay nasa likod lang namin. He was too busy with his phone and was unbothered by our questions.

Habang naglalakad ay ginagala ko ang mata sa paligid. Ever since Chadler came into my life, I could not help but to look for him in every place—hoping that we'd run to each other again.

Pagka uwian ay nagka ayayaan na pumunta raw sa isang bar para mag unwind. Nagbiro pa nga si Yus na hindi pa raw naman hell week pero kung makapag aya ay akala mo problemadong problemado na.

And we all laughed because of that. Akala mo naman ay hindi siya sasama.

"Hey, do you have a girlfriend?" One of our blockmates, Keila, asked Yus.

Nasa bar na kami at nandito na sa pina reserve nilang table. I was just looking at everyone in here when I heard that question, making me glanced at them.

"Yes, her name is Rhiannon" He said before sipping on his mocktail.

"Oh! Sayang!" Maris suddenly said, expressing her disappointment.

"Huh? Anong sayang?" Yus asked, sounding confused. At parang isang maling sagot pa ay maiirita na siya.

Maris laughed loudly. Her laugh was much louder than the music. "Wala! Keila has a crush on you—"

"Maris!" Keila gasped.

"Hala, weh? Are you girls serious?" Mina asked, completely shocked.

"E, ikaw, Azalea? Do you have a boyfriend?" Maris asked.

When I heard my name, I turned my attention to them and the girls were all looking at me—waiting for my answer.

Umiling ako at napaawang ang labi nilang tatlo. "What?! Seriously?"

"You're bluffing!"

"No way!"

Natawa ako. "I'm serious. I don't have one,"

"Mas maganda ka pa kesa dito kay Maris pero siya may boyfriend so obviously we would't take you seriously," Keila teased.

Maris just sarcastically laughed.

"Pero are you looking naman?" Mina asked, who sound sincerely curious.

"b***h, why would she look for one? Boys have to look for her...not the other way around," Keila scoffed.

Chadler's face suddenly popped into my mind and I felt my cheeks heated as I pressed my lips together, stifling my giggles.

Weeks passed again, and we were now becoming busy with the workload that our professors were giving to us. Minsan nga ay humahantong kami sa punto na magsasarado na ang study hub at hindi pa rin kami tapos sa ginagawa.

"Sana matapos na agad natin 'to. There's an event next week Wednesday e,"

"I really hope so, I have things to do rin outside the school e"

"Event? You mean 'yung sa beauty pageant sa department natin?"

"Yes, ayon nga"

Inaayos ko ang mga gamit ko habang ganon din sila at may pinag uusapan na kung ano. When I was done, I bid goodbye to them first before stepping outside that place.

Madilim na at paglabas ko palang ay bungad na ang kalsada. It was already rush hour and it would be a hassle for me to wait just for the driver to pick me up.

Naglakad lakad ako at tumawid sa kalsadang walang masyadong nadaang sasakyan bago ko tinawagan ang driver na sunduin na ako sa kung saan ako ngayon. It was almost half an hour when he arrived at the pickup point and it took us to get home at almost an hour because of the traffic jam.

When I got home, I got upstairs with my body feeling drained from all the energy that I had exterted throughout the day.

Kahit gusto ko nang matulog ay nilabanan ko ang antok para pilitin ang sarili na maligo bago matulog. I was not that hungry and I just really wanted to sleep right away, so I don't have to get downstairs to eat dinner.

My stomach was still full with all the matcha latte and pastries that I consumed while doing our assigned works.

Hindi ko kasama si Yus sa group work at narinig ko na bukas pa sila mag uumpisa kaya paniguradong parehas na kaming gagabihin ang uwi.

Kinaumagahan ay ako ang nauna saaming dalawa ni Yus sa silid. And while waiting for him, I was scrolling through our department's group page when I stumbled upon a post and they were looking for Ms. Business Administration.

It was stated that each section needs a representative.

Nagtanong ako sa iilang nandito palang tungkol doon at sinabi nila na wala pa sigurong nag re-register sa klase namin. And somebody even said that our class president will talk about that concern 2 days from now.

Hindi pa naman kasi kami minamadali at nag post lang daw para mapag usapan naming mga magkakaklase kung sino ang isasabak nila.

I was panting and was really sweaty when we entered the university again. Kakatapos lang namin kumain at halos takbuhin ko na ang pagitan dahil sa sobrang init.

None of us bring an umbrella to protect us from the scorching heat coming from the sun. Isama mo pa ang mga sasakyan na dumadaan na nagpapadagdag init.

Nauna akong nakapasok at nagmadaling pumunta ng ladies' room para ayusin ang sarili. I washed my hands first before washing my face with cold water, which immediately cooled down my hot skin.

After patting my face dry, I re-applied my sunscreen and retouched my face with powder and lip tint.

Buti nalang ay naisipan kong dalhin ang tote bag ko kung saan nandito lahat ang mga gamit ko.

While walking towards the elevator, I was patting my neck with a tissue. Nang makapasok sa elevator, ang lahat ng pawis sa ibang parte ng katawan ko ay nawala dahil sa lamig.

Nag angat ako ng tingin sa katabi ko na biglang umubo. I unconsciouly turned to my right side a bit with pressed lips together—thinking that the bacteria that he coughed would not enter my nose.

Pagpasok ko sa silid ay nandito na sila. Tinanong pa nila ako kung saan pa ako nagpunta at sinabi ko lang na nasa ladies room ako para mag ayos saglit ng sarili.

On the next morning, I didn't go to school because of continuous sneezing and my entire body was hot and covering myself with multiple layers of blanket were not enough to lessen the coldness that I was feeling.

Kahit na pinaka mahina na ang aircon ay nilalamig pa rin ako.

The househelpers already knew that I was ill. Dahil kinatok nila ako kanina dito at paniguradong nagtataka kung bakit hindi pa ako bumababa kahit anong oras na.

So they brought me my breakfast—rice gruel, a warm ginger lemon tea and a banana slice cake. Pagkatapos kong kumain ay uminom agad ako ng gamot.

After eating, I just sit up and read a book that was in the drawer until I fell asleep again. Until hours passed and it was noon already.

Vacant na nila ngayon. Ano na kaya ang ginagawa nila? I hope I wouldn't miss a lot of topics since it would be a hassle.

Tumayo ako at malamyang naglakad papunta sa bathroom para mabilisang maligo. I felt groggy with all that hour of rotting in bed doing nothing but reading a romantic book.

Thank God that we had a heater installed in the shower, so it wouldn't be a pure torture for me to get wet by the water.

Kakalabas ko lang ng walk-in closet at nakita kong nilapag ng isang kasambahay ang tray na may lamang pagkain sa center table. I smiled at her and said 'thank you' when our eyes met.

A low grumbling sound can be heard before I touched my stomach. It was a cue for me to eat my lunch!

Naupo ako sa sofa at tinignan ang pagkain. She brought a small bowl of chicken tinola, 1 cup of brown rice, 1 tall glass of water and mixed fruits bowl.

In the evening, Yus went here to check up on me and to deliver his notes. Sinabi pa niya na napagdesisyunan na ng lahat na si Mina ang isasabak sa Ms. Business Administration na gaganapin sa susunod na linggo.