Selena's POV

Umalis ako sa school na wala sa sarili. Exchange student? Kaya ba siya parang problemado at ewan these past few days? It only means, malalayo siya sakin. Hindi ba talaga kami yung para sa isa’t-isa at pati mundo parang tutol na tutol samin?

Nakarating agad ako sa apartment. Pumasok lang ako at nakita ko ang isang babae na kausap ni Clyde. Naka-upo lang sila sa couch at nagtatawanan. Take note: DIKIT NA DIKIT SILA HA. Tss. Malanding pervert talaga ‘to.

“Hey, baby.” Sabi ni Clyde sabay lapit sakin.

“Who is she?”

“Oh. She’s JM. Thesis partner ko. JM, this is Selena.” Inoffer lang sakin nung JM yung kamay niya pero tinitigan ko lang. Unang tingin ko pa lang sa babae na yan, alam ko na agad. She’s a sexual predator. Flirt. At hindi man lang ako pinakilala bilang GIRLFRIEND NIYA. Duh. I know wala kaming label as boyfriend-girlfriend but hell, UNDERSTOOD NA KASI NA AKIN LANG SIYA. Letche.

“Nice to meet you, Selena.” TAKE NOTE AGAIN: Sinabi niya yan with matching lip bite pa at tingin kay Clyde na walang kaalam-alam na malandi yang thesis partner niya.

“NOT so nice to meet you. Dun lang ako sa kwarto.” Sabi ko at dumiretso na sa kwarto ko. Jealousy was one of my virulent flaws. Exchange student pala siya pero hindi niya sinasabi sakin tapos may gana pa siyang lumandi? Tss. Rinig na rinig ko lang silang nagtatawanan. So, he doesn’t have any plan na sundan ako at paalisin yung babae na yon? Dang!

Ilang minuto pa ng pumasok si Clyde sa kwarto ko at umupo sa tabi ko.

“Selena…”

“What? Don’t use that tone at me. Wala akong ginagawang masama.”

“You’re being rude, Selena. She’s just my friend.”

“Really? I’m your friend too. We don’t have any label, Clyde. Wala.”

“Selena, iba ka, Iba si JM. Wala man tayong relasyon, pero alam kong mahal mo ko at ganun din ako. Akin ka Selena. Selfish man pakinggan pero akin ka.” He said. Akmang aalis na siya pero hinila ko lang yung damit niya.

“What?”

“Sorry.”

“Tss. Pasalamat ka talaga at mahal kita. Wala lang naman kasi yun. Okay? Kaibigan lang ang turing ko sa kanya. Kababata ko din kasi yun.”

“Eh ang panget kasi ng aura nung babae na yun! She wants you! Malandi siya! Maypa- lip bite lip bite pa siya sa harap mo tapos sasabihin mong wala lang yun? Eh halos patulan mo na nga yung flirting skills nung bruha na yun eh! Tapos wala lang? Are you kidding me?” He just looks at me, pissed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this pissed off at a woman. You come back here and when you saw us you’re being rude at her and now you’re here with your half-assed accusations and self-righteous bullshit—“

“I am righteous!”

“Fine. Have it your way. Ayan ka nanaman sa pagiging stubborn mo, Selena. Are you doubting me?”

“I don’t know..”

“I’ve given you no reason to doubt me.”

“You’re giving me one now, Clyde.” I exhaled in a rush, deflating. Cursing under his breath, he cupped my face with his hands.

“You don’t need to be jealous, Selena. When you do get possessive, I like it. I want you to care that much. But possessiveness without trust is hell. If you don’t trust me, we’ve got nothing.”

“Trust goes both ways, Clyde.” Sobra-sobra na yung tiwala ko sa kanya pero siya ba? May tiwala sakin? I don’t think so. Agad kong tinanggal yung kamay niya sa mukha ko at lumabas ng apartment namin.

[Oh?]

“Kriella, san ka?”

[Hell. Wanna join me—]

“Tigilan mo ko. San ka?”

“Tss. Bahay. Why--]

“I’m coming.” I said then hung up. Sumakay lang ako sa taxi at sinabi sa driver kung san yung subdivision nila Kriella. Eto nanaman kami sa petty fights ni Clyde. It seems like he’s tolerating the flirtiness of that, bitch. Nakaka-asar. Ilang minuto lang at nakarating na rin ako. Nag doorbell lang ako at pinagbuksan agad ako ng katulong nila. Dire-diretso naman akong pumasok dun at nakita si Kuya Xander. Kriella’s brother.

 “Kuya X!”

“Selena!” He said at pinaikot-ikot ako na parang bata. Close kasi kami.

“I didn’t know that you’re back. How are you holding up with Kriella’s shenanigans?”

“She’s worst. Go and talk to her. By the way, I missed you.”

“I missed you, too, kuya.” Niyakap ko lang siya at dumiretso na sa kwarto ni Kriella.

“Oh? Problem?” Agad nyang bungad sakin. Naka-upo lang siya sa room couch niya habang nagbabasa ng magazine.

“Kailangan ko ng kausap. Pasalamat ka nga at ikaw naisip ko eh.”

“Hindi ako cheap para mag thank you sayo. Ano bang problema? Go, spill.”

“Nag-away kami ni Clyde.”

“Lemme guess, dahil ba dun sa JM? Hah. I knew it she’s a flirt. Nah. Sexual predator.”

“You know her?”

“Duh. Sa school KO yun nag-aaral. Isa pa, nung wala ka, madalas ko silang makita ni Clyde na mag kasama. Idagdag mo pa yung Trixie na sobrang clingy din!”

“That figures. Kababata daw niya. How lame. Is that a reason enough, para makipag flirt siya dun? Nakaka-inis na perv yun. Pinatulan!”

“So kaya ka nandito cause you’re jealous? Come on, ikaw ba yan? Patikimin mo na si Sarossa. Kausapin mo. Sige ka, baka mamaya, iwanan ka na lang niya bigla.”

“Shut up!” I said at hinagis sa kanya yung isang unan. Bull’s eye! 

“Ugh! LAYAS!” Hindi ko siya sinunod. Nahiga lang ako sa kama niya. I feel exhausted. Ang gusto ko na lang ngayon, matulog…

***

“Hey, wake up! Umuwi ka na. Gabi na.” Napadilat naman ako at nakita si Kuya Xander sa tabi ko.

“Si Kriella?”

“Umalis. Anyway, 7pm na.”

“Shit.”

“Quite. Haha. Sige na, uwi na or you want me to send you off?”

“Nah. Don’t bother. Sige kuya, bye.”

“Ingat, bata!”

“Shaddap!” Agad naman akong lumabas ng kwarto ni Kriella at umuwi na.

***

Nadatnan ko lang si Clyde na naka-upo sa couch.

“Where have you been?” Bakas sa boses niya ang galit. Screw him!

“None of your business.” I said at nilampasan siya.

“Selena, ilang beses mo na kong iniwan. I won’t let you run away again this time.”

“I won’t run this time, but you can push me away. You might want to think about that.”

I left. He didn’t stop me, either.

Tomorrow, one week will be over…