Karina

SHS

"Babe, pinatawag ka daw ni Ms. Tamayo?" I asked Winter as she sat beside me. I asked her to meet me sa library dahil may midterms kaming dalawa.

Her brows furrowed, "S-san mo naman nalaman 'yan?" She stuttered. 

She's lying. 

She gulps more than usual kapag nagsisinungaling o kinakabahan siya. Palipat-lipat din ang paningin niya.

"Why? Is it not true?" 

She cleared , "H-hindi." 

I hummed. Hindi siya mapakali, isa pa 'yan sa palatandaan na hindi siya nagsasabi ng totoo. 

"Saan ka nahihirapan babe? Physics? Ayon nalang aralin natin." Pag-iiba niya ng topic sa akin, "Nag-lunch ka na ba? Lunch muna kaya tayo, babe?" 

I shrugged.

I suddenly want to be alone. 

She still lied when I already caught her. Isa pa, I already knew na she was called by Ms. Tamayo kanina dahil sinabi sakin ito ni Ms. Tamayo mismo. Winter almost failed her subject sa kaniya. 

And Winter just pretended na she's alright. 

Walang umimik saming dalawa. I can feel her staring at me lalo na nung hindi ko pinansin ang pag-alok niya sa akin sa Physics. She knows how much I hate that subject. 

"May problema ba tayo, babe?" She asked, I felt her warm hand on my back. Hinagod niya ang likod ko bago niya pinatong ang braso niya sa balikat ko, "You need help diyan?" Turo niya sa Physics, naka-akbay pa din sa akin.

She scooted closer. 

I sighed. I can't just simply let her go dahil sa pagsisinungaling niya. She also never shares her problems sa akin, not that kailangan niyang sabihin lahat, but I just want her to know na I'm always there for her. 

I closed my reviewer and faced her, tinanggal ko ang pagka-akbay niya sa akin, at hinawakan ang kamay niya. 

"You're lying." Diretsong sabi ko sakaniya, "Alam kong pinatawag ka ni Ms. Tamayo because you almost failed her subject." Tuloy-tuloy na sabi ko sakaniya.

Nagulat siya pero agad ding napalitan ng pagkakahiya. 

"Okay naman na, m-may project lang na ipapagawa." Nahihiyang sabi niya.

I shook my head, "Still..." 

What bothers me the most is what Ms. Tamayo said. She said na I was just a distraction kay Winter, and that hindi naman daw ganon si Winter noon.

She raised her hand, nangangako. "I swear! Babe, ayos na...you don't have to worry." Malambing na sabi niya.

Ever since matapos ang klase namin kay Ms. Tamayo ay nasa isip ko na 'to. 

"Maybe we should take a break." 

Kumunot ang noo niya, "Anong break?!" I shushed her nung napatingin sa amin ang ibang mga nasa library. She leaned closer, "Anong break sinasabi mo, babe?" Mahina pero may diin niyang tanong.

Oh my God. I'm sure she got it wrong.

"I mean, let's just take a bre—"

"Anong break nga? Ayaw mo na ba? Rina naman..." She looked very fragile.

I caressed her cheek, "That's not what I meant naman kasi..." Malambing na sabi ko, "Let's just...you know, not talk to each other for the meantime?" Hindi siguradong sabi ko. Pinigilan ko agad siya nang makitang magsasalita siya, "Ngayong midterms lang, babe. You have to do well on your exams." 

She looked like a sad puppy, "Bakit pa...?" She sighed, "I can study naman habang kasama ka. Kahit bantayan mo pa ako!" 

"Hindi. You don't understand," I shook ny head, "I might distract you kasi." 

There.

I dropped it.

She hissed, "Hindi naman..." She frustratedly sighed again, "You'll never be a distraction to me, Rina." 

That sentence made my whole life better.

Napatigil ako. 

"Did Ms. Tamayo told you na distraction ka lang sa akin? Sa studies ko?" She looked at me, full of concern, "H'wag mo pansinin 'yon. Papansin lang 'yon." She tried to lighten the mood.

I chuckled lightly, "Baliw..."

"Hindi naman kasi ganon 'yon, babe. You even inspire me to become better nga eh..." She explained, "Mahirap lang talaga subject niya." 

God...Winter, really.

Tinawanan niya lang ang pag-irap ko. 

"I just don't want you to think na nadidistract ako sayo. Hindi ko sinabi sayo kasi hindi naman kailangan." Hinagod niya ang braso ko, "Tignan mo, you're overthinking."

I pouted. She knows me so well.

"But babe..." I trailed off, "You really have to do well sa exams mo. Midterms pa ngayon." 

She ga