PROJECT BLAKE: Chapter 1 [The Day]

 CHAPTER 1

Alexander Dior Chua

I always see myself as a cat. I don't know why but I am always curious about life, people, and... love. But I don't want to experience that yet, especially the heartbreak part. Because if there is someone in this room who has seen a lot of painful heartbreaks in real life, that's me. From my mother to my friends, I've seen it all.

Even on myself.

"I HATE HIM SO MUCH! Binigay ko naman lahat ng gusto niya ah. Tapos lolokohin niya lang ako? Animal siya! Mukhang pera! Buseeet!" This is Bea, one of my friends whose heart has been broken fifteen times. Yup, I'm counting.

"Alam mo ang over mo, gurl. Pang ilang boylet mo na 'to, hindi kapa sanay? Feeling first time, ganon?" Pangbabara naman ni Jess, one of my classmates. Palibhasa kaliwa't kanan jowa ng babaeng 'to.

"Bigay ka kasi nang bigay!"

"Sabi na sayo eh!"

They keep chatting here sa ground floor dahil vacant time namin ngayon and you're probably asking me why the hell am I here listening to their chats. It is because of this girl, Cindy.

Ang babae ng buhay ko. YIEEEEEE

"Huy! Tulala ka na naman. Anong iniisip mo? Gutom ka na ba?" She asked me nang makita niyang natahimik ako. Napaka-ganda niya talaga 'pag nakangiti. Konti nalang talaga sasabog na ako. Konti nalang.

"Huh? Hindi ah! Kakatapos lang kaya nating kumain kanina."

"Sigurado ka?" Isa! Cindy anuba parang tanga 'to. Hahaha

Ngumiti ako't tumango bilang sagot at hindi ko namalayang nakatingin na ang lahat sa amin.

"Kunting respeto naman dyan! May umiiyak dito dahil sa break up, tapos maglalambingan kayo? Nananadya?" Saad ni Jess.

"Sana all nalang talaga. Hahahaha." Kantyaw pa ng iba sa amin.

"Huy ano ba kayo! Mag-bestfriend lang kami nitong si Alex! Hahaha."

Ouch. Bestfriendzoned 

Totoo naman eh. Bestfriend lang kami. Since elementary pa. Matagal na nga eh. Oo, matagal ko nang tinatago 'tong feelings ko. Hindi ko kasi masabi-sabi sa kanyang inlababo ako sa mga ngiti niya. Hindi ko nga rin alam kung kalian. Napakabait kasi niyang babae, mahinhin, matalino, tapos ang bango pa.

***

After that, pumunta na kami sa mga klase namin. It's the month of October, so marami-raming performance tasks na naman ang pinapagawa sa amin at yung iba magkasunod pa yung mga deadline. Grabe, weekends na lang nga pahinga ko tapos kukunin pa ng mga group tasks. Buti nalang may Cindy talaga akong ginagawang inspirasyon, kundi ibabagsak ko to lahat. Ay joke lang, papatayin ako ng nanay ko pagnagkataon.

"Cafeteria tayo. My treat." Cindy said while smiling brightly at me. Putcha, ito naman siya sa pangiti-ngiti niya. Hindi niya ba alam na hulog na hulog na ako sa kaniya?

"Ah sige. Sabi mo eh."

Nang makapasok kami sa cafeteria ay pumila agad kami. Actually nag-insist si Cindy na siya na raw yung pipila tapos maghahanap nalang ako nang uupuan namin. Pero HELL NO! Baka chansingan pa siya ng mga frat boys ditto, wag nalang. Babakuran ko 'to kahit walang kami!

"Anong gusto mo?" She turned her head at me, at peksman muntikan na kaming magkiss! Hindi pa ako ready mga pre, kakakain ko lang ng manga na may bagoong kanina.

"Ikaw."

"Huh? Ano bat tal—"

"—ang bahala."

We were silenced for a second pero thanks to the guy who serves food, the awkward silence faded. Nang makahanap kami nang upuan ay doon ko nalang napansin ang mga tingin niya sakin.

"What?" I asked.

"Ang tahimik mo ngayon, Alexander. This is sooo not you." Napatawa pa siya sa huli.

"Wala talaga ako sa mood ngayon. Tsaka malapit nalang kaya magsembreak. Do you have any plans?" Please say no.

"Well, pupunta lang naman kaming Batangas dahil birthday ng lola ko. Ikaw?" She stopped eating and looked at me.

"Wala, tambay lang sa apartment." Which is totoo naman.

"Really!?" Napataas pa ang boses niya nang sabihin ko yun.

"Yeah, why is that?"

"Uhm... Wala kasing magbabantay kay Cookie dahil ayaw nila papa na dalhin ko siya dahil allergic si lola sa mga aso baka ano pang mangyari daw sa kaniya. Bestfrienddd, please take good care of him while I'm away. PLEASEEE." Trust me when I say she looked cute right now. How could I say no to that?

"Fine." I have no choice.

"Yay! Thank you talaga ng marami best friend!"

I was shocked when she kissed me on my cheeks. It's not the first time that she have done that to me pero it always feels the same. I like it. She's my weakness.

"I'll just bring you pasalubong when I come back, okay ba yun?" She smiled again.

"Let's go?" I asked kasi uwian na. Tumambay lang kami buong maghapon kakahintay sa prof naming. Wala man lang nagsabing matatagalan yung meeting nila kaya ang ending half day lang kmi.

"Wait, yung sukli ko!" Dali dali siyang umalis sa harapan ko upang kunin yung order niya sa counter.

I was just sitting there, watching her nang mabangga niya ang isang lalaki on the way to our spot. Tumayo ako at dali daling pumunta upang tulongan siyang makatayo.

"Okay ka lang?" I asked her. Of course I'm worried. Papakasalan ko pa to.

"Uh- Yeah. Okay lang ako. Don't worry." She reassured me with a smile.

With full rage in my eyes, I shouted to his back, "Hey you! Say sorry to her!" I grab the guy on his arms, only to find out it was the governor's son.

Suddenly the confidence I had a while ago died in an instant. Yup, I'm dead.

"What did you say?" He looked at me with his cold green eyes. It was so fascinating, I could not move an inch. He had me stuck in my place with his eyes.

"I'm sorry Blake, please excuse us." Cindy apologized to him while grabbing my shirt to back out. I stopped midway and looked at her, "Why did you say sorry to him? Kahit ikaw pa yung nakabungo sa kanya, he should have helped you!" I yelled.

Hindi ko alam but nagalit ako nung time na yon. Is it because of Cindy? Or maybe that guy? I don't know. Basta I was really mad.

"Listen, Lex. It's my fault kaya I should be the one saying sorry."

I did not say anything at hinayaan nalang siyang umalis. It hurts me more dahil napahiya siya, I could even hear the crowds mumbling. Some even said bad words to her dahil lang nabangga yung idol nilang labanos! I looked at Blake's and what I saw made me angrier.

He's smiling as if he found something amusing.

"F*ck you." I mouthed and that made his smile into a laugh, making his full set of white teeth flash on me. Kakasilaw yung kahambogan niya sa totoo lang. Hindi naman siya ganun kagwapo pero ang yabang.

***

I spent that night comforting Cindy, dahil first time niyang ma-encounter ang ganong pangyayari. My poor little Cindy. She does not deserve this, yung mapahiya, dahil napakabait nitong bebe ko. Bebe ko?

Shet ang baduy.

"Hey, stop crying na cheesecake. Papangit ka niyan." Sabi kong ganyan, at oo 'chesecake' tawag ko sa kaniya 'pag kaming dalawa lang. Sana kayo rin may ka-cheesecake.

"You know what?" She stopped crying and looked at me.

"What?"

"Crush ko si Blake."

And for a moment, tumigil ang mundo ko. Para akong nabingi nang ilang seconds  dahil sa mga sinabi niya. Para bang dumating na yung time na kinakatakotan ko.

"Huh?" I said because I know I had to make sure if I had heard it right.

"I said crush ko si Blake Santillan. Or maybe I'm in love with him."

Maybe. May 'maybe' pa naman.

Napa-nganga ako sa mga sinabi niya that night. I swallowed a lump on my throat ang said, "Are you insane?!".

"No, pero since elementary pa 'tong feelings ko para sa kanya. I think... I already love him."

I was speechless. Ngayon ko lang nalaman 'to syempre kaya ang sakit. I thought I had a chance.

"Since when? Elementary? Bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi?" I was sad that time, to the point na hindi ko na alam kung anong sasabihin ko. Sumakit yung lalamunan ko kaya pumiyok ako noon tapos para akong naiiyak na ewan.

"I'm sorry, bestfriend." was all she said.

Ah oo nga pala. Bestfriend lang pala ako. Pasensya lang, minsan kasi nakakalimutan ko dahil sa mga araw na magkasama kami. Mga ngiting pinagsaluhan namin at mga kulitang nagpapalimot sakin kung ano talaga ang papel ko sa buhay niya.

"Okay lang. Wala naman akong magagawa." Which is true, dahil bestfriend lang ako. Taga-advice, taga-tago ng sekreto, at taga-bantay ng aso niya.

"Actually meron." she wiped her tears and smiled at me.

"Your father and the governor were friends diba?"

"Yeah. And?" I was clueless.

"Tapos every fiesta ini-invite kayo sa mansion nila para sa el festí at tanging mga associates lang ng governor ang naruon." She pouted after saying that kaya nagets ko agad kung ano ang gusto niyang sabihin.

"You want to come." Its more of a statement rather than a question nang sabihin ko yun sa kaniya.

"Yes! Please bff! Please. Please. Pleeeeeeesae!"

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako at tumango.

"Yay! The best ka talaga, Lex! Thank you."

I hate this day. No, I hate him.

I hate you Blake Liam Santillan!