CHAPTER 2: SCHREIDER
“Say what?! Seatmate mo si Schreider?!” Spencer shrieked.
“Makasigaw ka naman. Big deal?” medyo mataray kong tanong sa kanya habang kumakain kami sa canteen.
“Of course it is! He is THE Schreider Felix. Nasa kanya na ang lahat. Not just gwapo but super gwapong gwapo, dancer, sporty, mayaman, sweet, hot, mabait, loyal, and every positive word in the world. Tapos katabi mo lang?”
“Wow, kung maka-lang ka ha eh may itsura naman ako,” I kidded but she’s right about her definition of Schreider. Parang hindi makatotohanan kung iisipin, tila sa mga libro at palabas lang nangyayari pero posible ‘yon… kung ikaw si Schreider Felix. “Pero masungit siya,” I added.
“Mukhang masungit,” she corrected, stressing the word mukhang.
Umiling ako sa kanya. “Whatever. Baka nakakalimutan mong taken ‘yon,” paalala ko sa kanya dahil kung ibang tao ako, aakalain kong nagfafangirl siya over that guy.
“Hindi ko nakakalimutan ‘yon at saka hindi ko siya gusto,” sabi niya na parang nabasa ang nasa utak ko. “I’m just appreciating him as God’s masterpiece.”
“Speaking of…” sabi ko at ngumuso sa dalawang taong kapapasok lang sa canteen. Sinundan naman kaagad niya ng tingin ang tinuturo ko. Kahit mula sa malayo ay kitang kita ko kung paano pinoprotektahan ni Schreider si Aeiana mula sa kahit anong pwedeng bumunggo rito since it’s too crowded here lalo na sa entrance.
“I’ve always known how much they are perfect for each other but aren’t they just pure perfect?” Spencer said too dreamily.
Umirap ako rito dahil wala naman siyang ibang sinabi kung hindi iyan sa tuwing makikita niya ang couple na ‘yon.
Napabuntong hininga na lang ako. Hindi ko rin naman kasi siya masisisi. Kapag nakita mo kasi ang dalawang ‘yon, mapapasabi ka na lang talaga na para sila sa isa’t isa. They had that Match made in Heaven vibe na hindi pwedeng hindi maramdaman ng bawat nilalang na nakakasalubong nila. It’s like they were born to prove to everyone how much they’re for each other.
Binalik sa akin ni Spencer ang tingin niya. “Matanong ko lang, since you’re seatmates na, anong mga napag-uusapan niyo?”
Nilunok ko muna ang kinakain ko bago ko siya sinagot. “Hindi kami nagpapansinan.”
It’s her turn to roll her eyes at me. “Wala kang kwenta.” Tinawanan ko na lamang ito.
I spent the entire walk to my room just thinking of Schreider Felix. Him and Aeiana Sanchez had always been the epitome of perfection.
Pero kung si Schreider lang ang pag-uusapan at walang kadikit na Aeiana, who is he? Who is Schreider Felix without Aeiana Sanchez?
Well, he’s definitely classified as an A-lister. In other words, he’s without a doubt a cool kid. Popular, heartthrob, varsity, name it. He’s even active in co-curricular activities. He also had a bunch of popular names—names which excel in (at least) a field or got themselves well-known for a magnificent reason—as his friends.
But for me, he was just a typical popular guy who had being awesome and being the best boyfriend on top of his priorities.
Pero ano nga bang alam ko? Ever since I transferred here, kadikit niya na si Aeiana Sanchez. Nonetheless, there’s one thing I was sure of: with or without Aeiana, for most people, Schreider Felix screamed perfection.
“Hindi ka ba papasok?”
Natauhan ako sa narinig kong boses. Umangat ang tingin ko at nasa harapan na pala ako ng classroom. I looked at Schreider who’s eyeing me with great boredom and stolidity while holding the door for me.
I cleared my voice. “Papasok. Sorry.” Nakaupo na ako sa upuan ko nang narealize kong hindi pala ako nakapagpasalamat. Naramdaman ko rin ang pagdating ng presensya niya sa tabi ko.
So he’s a gentleman even without Aeiana Sanchez? Nope. Parte lang siguro iyon ng number one priority niya which was being awesome. Not to mention na masungit ang pagkakasabi niya nito.
So he thinks being a cold gentleman is awesome? I hissed at napanguso na lamang. He’s right. It’s awesome. Slight.
Nagtataka ako noong may isa pang cool kid ang lumapit sa akin. I already thought of possible reasons why he’d talk to me before I completely realized that he wasn’t after me. Of course.
“Uy bro, sama ka ba mamaya?”
“Tatanong ko pa kay Aeiana. Sino-sino na ba mga kasama?”
I almost snorted. Syempre, ano bang mga lumalabas sa bibig ng isang Schreider Felix kung hindi sagot ng mabubuting boyfriend?
“KJ!” The guy teased. Tinaasan lang siya ng middle finger ni Schreider at nginisian na parang wala lang ito rito.
Umiwas ako ng tingin at kinalikot ang phone ko. Buong loob at walang halo ng takot niyang sinabi na magpapaalam siya kay Aeiana kahit matawag pa siyang killjoy. He did not even care if I’d hear him or if I’d realize how much of an under boyfriend he was.
Hindi ko mapigilan ang makaramdam ng inggit. My lips automatically formed a frown. Ni hindi ko napansin na nasa gallery na pala ako, staring at our old pictures since wala namang recent. Spade.
Pumikit ako at umiling. Stop it, Jillia. Magkaiba kayo ng sitwasyon and besides, what you have with Spade is already incomparable. I sighed.
Mabilis natapos ang isang linggo. Nagkatampuhan na naman kami ni Spade noong isang araw pero nagkabati rin naman kami kahapon. Aaminin kong madalas kaming nag-aaway ngunit hindi naman namin ito pinapatagal. Hindi rin naman namin kasi kaya.
Nakarinig ako ng malakas na halakhakan ng mga lalaki. Hindi na ako nagtaka pa dahil araw-araw naman silang ganyan. Bakit ba napunta ako sa isang klase na sandamakmak ang cool kids?
“Maya, Maya…” tawag ni Klay sa inosenteng si Maya.
Klay Russel Dy was the Most Valuable Player of the Swimming Team. He’s more known for his top troublemaking skills, though. Halata sa boses niya ang pagpipigil ng tawa habang kausap si Maya. Ganoon din sila Schreider na palihim na bumubungisngis.
“B-bakit?”
Kahit hindi ko sila lingunin ay alam kong nakayuko’t nahihiya si Maya. Palibutan ba naman siya ng apat na lalaking sikat sa campus, talagang manginginig siya.
“May kamukha ka,” umpisa ni Adam Narvasa, a famous player both on the basketball court and outside of it, among anything else. “Sino ‘yon pare? Si Jessica?”
“Jessica Jung?” Pakikisakay at pagkukunyari ni Schreider.
“Gago, Jessica Soho!” Banat ni Teejay, aka Tristan Jules Feliciano, a steadily rising E-Sports Pro Gamer.
Naghalakhakan na naman sila. Mga baliw talaga. Kinagat ko ang labi ko para pigilan ang pagngiti, or worse, pagtawa.
What? Hindi ko naman sinabing santa ako. Sometimes, I needed some good laugh too.
Sa loob ng isang linggo na katabi ng isang Schreider Felix, I learned something new. Without Aeiana, he’s quite a bully. But then again, baka under lang din ‘yon ng daily goal niyang maging “cool”.
Not that it’s really cool, though.
Stats namin ngayon at normal na sa kanila ang hindi makinig tuwing ito ang subject. May pagkabading kasi ang professor at sure na hindi ka nito kilala kapag wala kang junior down there.
At dahil mga dakila silang gwapo, easy grade na ‘to sa kanila. They could even easily find a way out of trouble sa tuwing napupuna sila ng prof sa kaingayan nila.
Kapag lalapitan sila nito para suwayin, lalambingan lang nila kaunti ang boses nila at ngingiti naman kaagad ang prof na ‘to. Kilig na kilig lang. Tapos kapag babae ang nagbuka ng bibig, palalabasin nito kaagad sa classroom. Ang daya. Minsan tuloy hindi ko maiwasang isipin na sinasamantala nila ‘to. They’re bad gu—
Napatingin ako sa bag ko nang may tumunog mula rito. Mahina akong napamura at mabilis na sumulyap sa harapan. That’s my ringtone! Hindi ko pala nai-silent ang phone ko! Terror pa naman itong prof na ‘to when it came to phones!
Napatingin ako sa kaliwa ko nang parang biglang nagka-virus sa classroom at sabay-sabay umubo ang apat na mokong.
I almost shook my head in disbelief. At talagang pati sa pag-ubo, pinanindigan nila ang pagiging squad goals?!
Kumunot ang noo ko nang pinandilatan ako ng mata ni Schreider habang parang ewan siyang ubo nang ubo. What? Was he expecting me to give him meds or something?
Lalo pang lumaki ang mata niya at sinipa ang bag ko. Napatingin ako roon at doon ko lang naalala ang phone kong tunog nang tunog. Oh my God!
Doon ko lamang nakuha ang nangyayari. Mas nilakasan nilang apat ang pag-ubo kahit pinagtitinginan na sila ng klase. They’re not after some pa-cool goals, they’re covering for me. Jesus.
Mabilis pa sa alaskwatrong nakalkal ko ang bag ko para patayin ang tawag at i-silent na rin ang phone ko. Nanghinayang pa ako nang nakita kong si Spade ang tumatawag.
“Anong nangyayari?” Saktong tanong ni Sir noong napatay ko na ang phone.
Ngumiti sa kanya si Klay. “Grabe virus dito, Sir!”
“Oo nga, Sir. Ingat ka ayaw ka pa naman naming napapahamak.” Kumindat pa si Adam and just like that, nagdiscuss na ulit ang professor like nothing happened.
“Grabeng bilis naman non,” mahinang pagpaparinig ni Schreider, referring sa pagpatay ko ng phone. I was not an idiot to not notice his sarcasm.
Although in all fairness, he was sarcastic but it’s obvious that he was kidding, like he’s just trying to start a conversation… which was new. Ang sungit niya kasi at sa nakikita ko, ngumingiti at umiingay lang naman ito kapag kasama ang tropa niya o si Aeiana. Not that I minded, though.
“Sorry, hindi ko na-gets eh akala ko nagka-TB na kayo dyan kakatawa,” I half-smirked.
Akala ko’y hindi na ulit siya magsasalita dahil busy siya sa pagno-notes. I also noticed that. Magulo siya sa klase but he’s unexpectedly diligent in taking down notes. “Slow,” he said nonchalantly. “Halos mabulunan na ‘ko eh.”
Ngumiti na lang ako because really, what’s there to say?
Thank you.
Oh, right. I should thank them. Magpapasalamat na sana ako sa kanila for saving my ass nang nagsimula na naman silang apat na mag-usap. Parang out of nowhere na tuloy kung ngayon ako magthe-thank you.
I bit my lip and looked at them. Fine. They were not bad guys, after all.
I immediately texted Spade the moment I stepped out of our classroom. Mabilis na nag-vibrate ang phone ko at nakita kong tumatawag siya. Kumunot ang noo ko but I couldn’t help smiling because of amusement. Anong meron at bakit parang excited na excited siyang makausap ako?
“Babe, guess what?” Pambungad niyang tanong.
Lalong lumaki ang ngiti ko sa pakulo niya. “What?”
“May gig kami sa Dasma tomorrow night.”
Nanlaki ang mata ko. “Dasma?! As in Dasmariñas, Cavite?!”
“Yep,” kahit hindi ko siya nakikita, alam kong malaki ang ngisi niya ngayon. Kilalang kilala ko na siya.
“Does that mean…” I tried guessing.
“Yes, babe. I’m gonna kiss you all night,” seryoso niyang sabi which made me shout his name in embarrassment. Kaagad niya naman akong tinawanan sa naging reaction ko.
Hindi ako taga Dasma at lalong hindi ako taga Cavite. I lived in a commercial town on a small mountain, like Alabang on a hill. It’s the newest Ayala project.
But ang malaman na pupunta siyang Cavite, that’s good news. Gitna kasi ito ng Manila at Greenwest Hills. Meaning, hindi ito malayo nor malapit sa kanya at sa akin, but it’s somehow great already for the both of us.
“Papayagan ka naman kaya ng parents mo?” he asked.
I scoffed. “When did I ever ask for their permission? I’ll see you whenever I want and whenever you wish to, Spade,” I reminded him. Besides, isang mahabang paliwanagan pa kung sakaling magpaalam ako. They didn’t even know Spade.
“You, naughty little girl,” he said slowly in his low, beautiful voice.
Tinawanan ko siya. “Your naughty little girl,” I corrected him.
“Yeah, you’re right.” I bet he’s smirking again, and that just made me a lot giddier and more excited for tomorrow. I was going to see him. Again.
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