Cafeteria is the only place I know here in EWU kaya doon ako pumunta. Pero kulang na lang ay tumakbo ako paalis nang makita ko ang pamilyar na grupo ng mga estudyanteng pare pareho ang uniporme.

I sighed and just went to the counter area of their cafeteria. Its almost empty. Ang lahat ng tao ay paniguradong nasa gym o kaya bumibili sa iba't ibang booth sa labas.

I bought a bottle of water and went to a seat far from Leander's group. Malayo naman sila sa akin pero kapag luminga linga sila ay ako lang ang mapapansin nila bukod sa ako lang ang hindi nila ka school mate ayon sa uniform, talagang mapapansin nila ako dahil kakaunti ang tao dito.

I saw Miles beside Leander. Nakapatong ang kamay ni Leander sa likuran ng upuan ni Miles habang malaki ang ngisi sa pinag uusapan nila. Nangunot ang noo ko.

I drank my water immediately when I saw Axcel stood up. Lalo pa akong lumagok ng tubig nang makita kong tumayo din si Leander na natatawa at hinila si Theo para tumayo din.

The counter area is near me, they have to pass by me before reaching it. Kaya naman todo ang titig ko sa cellphone kong kalalabas ko lang para may mapagdeskitahan.

"Hazeth!" Axcel's voice called me.

But I was wrong. Talaga pa lang makikita nila ako dito.

I snapped up and looked at them. Axcel and Theo were both smiling at me but Leander was raising his eyebrow on me. Binaba ko ang cellphone ko at ngumisi sa kanila.

"Congrats! You guys are awesome!" I said and faked my giggle.

Axcel laughed. "Iniinsulto mo ba ako?" Biro niya.

Hindi ko alam kung anong pinupunto niya pero nang makita kong ginagawa ni Theo ang moves kanina ni Axcel ay doon ko lang naintindihan. I laughed. Hinampas ni Axcel si Theo dahil doon.

"Sila Seidon? Bakit mag isa mo lang?"

Binasa ko ang labi ko. "Nauhaw kasi ako," I lied.

"Sakto! Nanlilibre si Lean ngayon!" Tulak ni Theo sa kaibigan niyang nakapamulsa sa likod habang nakamasid lang.

"Birthday niya kasi."

Umawang ang labi ko. "Talaga?"

I saw Leander rolled his eyes and said something we didn't hear. Humalakhak si Theo. "Hindi, joke lang. Feeling daw niya kasi mananalo kami. Ang yabang di'ba?"

Axcel looked at his friend at the back. "Bakit natahimik ka ngayon?"

Leander eyed me. Umiling siya. "Gutom na'ko."

"Hazeth, ano? Kumain ka na ba? Sabay ka samin!"

I immediately shook my head because of that. "Hindi na! I'm fine. Sige, kayo na lang."

"Sure ka? Libre ni Lean, don't worry about the bill! Mayaman 'to, seryoso." Theo joked but I still shook my head.

Why would I want to eat with them?

"I'm fine. Busog pa'ko.."

"Sigurado ka, ha?" Naninigurong sabi ni Axcel. I nodded so he smiled. "Sige, bahala ka ah!"

I didn't talk, I just smiled and let them pass by me. Kumakaway pa si Theo hanggang makalampas na sila sa akin.

I stared at Leander's manly back. I tilted my head and stared at it. Ngumuso ako. I thought its his birthday. Babatiin ko pa naman sana.

Bumuntong hininga ako at padabog na inubos ang aking tubig nang may maalala kanina. I remember the way he stare at Miles' body and the way he smoothly almost touched her body. I gripped the bottle of water tight and I almost choked myself.

Umubo ako at tinakpan ang bibig ko. I put down my bottle of water.

I made myself busy by texting Derek on my phone. He's nagging me because I didn't reply to his texts this morning.

Speaking of Derek, he's still courting me until now. Hindi ko mabilang kung ilang buwan na dahil nakalimutan ko na din. Hanggang ngayon, wala pa din akong balak sagutin siya. Besides, he's not saying anything about it.

Tumuwid ako ng upo nang makita kong pabalik na sila Axcel. They're already holding a tray of foods on their arm. Ngumisi ako nang dumaan sila at muling tinitigan ang cellphone ko dahil muli iyon nagvibrate.

I was about to type when a burger and soda dropped on my table. Gulat kong nilingon kung sino ang naglagay ng pagkain sa lamesa ko.

And then, I saw Leander looking down at me. Taka ko siyang tinignan sabay lingon kila Axcel na nakalampas na. Hindi ko namalayan na naiwan pala siya doon!

"What's this?" I asked.

Umupo siya sa harapan ko at nilapag ang tray niya na may lamang soda na nakabukas na at may straw pa. I was so stunned looking at him in front of me.

He gestured the food. "Pagkain."

"Why are you giving me food?" I asked with a creased eyebrow.

He shrugged. "Sharing is caring."

My eyebrow raised. "I didn't ask you to give me-"

"Ayaw mo ba?" He leaned closer.

Umatras ako dahil sa biglang paglapit niya. Conscious akong luminga linga dahil bahagya akong nailang sa ginagawa niya. I looked at him. He is raising his eyebrow on me and waiting for me to spit my words on him.

Umiling ako. "I'm not hungry."

"Nag lunch ka na ba?" He asked and looked calm.

Sumandal muli siya sa upuan niya at kinuha ang soda. He played with its straw while looking at me, waiting for my answer.

I don't exactly know on how we started to talk so comfortably on each other. Sa tingin ko ay hindi naman kami gaanong kaclose. He seems like he hate me before- he hates everybody.

I shook my head. "No, but I'm not hungry."

"So you're not going to eat that? Libre ko na nga, ayaw mo pa?"

Tinignan ko ang kawawang burger sa harap ko. "I never asked food from you."

"Its free, Hazeth." I stared at how he pronounce my name.

Clean and proper. His tongue is placed between his teeth when he pronounced the last two letters of my name. Hindi ko maiwasang punahin iyon.

Ngumuso ako at hindi mapigilang magtago ng ngiti sa hindi malamang dahilan. "Nilibre mo din ba sila Theo?"

"Oo."

Ngumisi ako. "Yaman mo, ah?"

He shrugged. "Sakto lang."

Nanginig ang balikat ko dahil sa bungisngis. I never expected that he'd be that humble when I assumed that he's boastful and arrogant. Or he's just being sarcastic?

"Hindi ka ba aalis?" Tanong ko dahil nasa ibang lamesa ang mga kaibigan niya.

I looked at their table and found Axcel looking at us. He smiled and waved his hand. Nahihiya akong ngumisi dahil pakiramdam ko may meaning iyong ngiti niya sa akin. I even saw Miles giving us stare and immediately looking away.

"Pinaalis mo ba ako? This is my school." Mayabang na sabi niya sabay simsim sa soda na hawak niya.

I rolled my eyes jokingly, now I was wrong. "Nandoon ang kaibigan mo."

"So?"

"Why don't you seat with them?"

"Are you owning this seat?" Luminga linga siya. "May kasama ka ba?"

"I'm just saying-"

"Perhaps your boyfriend?" He continued.

Nagkatinginan kami at hindi na alam kung anong itutuloy sa sinabi niya.

We both looked at my phone when it vibrated. Tumaas ang kilay niya. Kinuha ko iyon ang binuksan. It was Conrad, asking me where the hell I am. Ayaw kong masira ang moment namin ni Leander kaya naman tinago ko iyon at hindi na nireplyan ang kapatid ko.

He dropped his soda. "Your boyfriend?"

"Wala akong boyfriend." Tanggi ko kasi totoo namang wala akong boyfriend. If he assume that I have, then he shouldn't.

"Bakit hindi mo pa sinasagot?" He asked like he already had a clue. Oo nga pala, he probably know the thing about me and Derek.

Nadismaya ako. Is he saying that I should make Derek my boyfriend already? O nadidisappoint siya dahil hindi ko pa sinasagot? Alin man doon, ayaw ko!

"I don't like him enough to make him my boyfriend."

"Bakit mo pala pinayagang manligaw? What's your point?"

"Well.." Tinagilid ko ang ulo ko para makapag isip ng maayos na sasabihin. Kinagat ko ang labi ko.

He chucked when he realized that I don't have an idea. "Ang tagal mo naman sagutin. Pangit ba?"

Umawang ang labi ko at napatunganga dahil sa tanong niya. Derek flashed in my mind, not on purpose. Bigla tuloy akong napaisip sa tanong niya. I'm not judgemental but I'm being one because of his question!

Derek is not ugly! Grabe talaga siya magsalita. Too harsh, I cant.

I shook my head. "Gwapo naman siya.." Tinagilid ko ang ulo ko habang malalim ang iniisip.

"Naman? Medyo lang?" He tilted his head too, trying to catch my eyes.

"Gwapo talaga siya!"

Ngumiwi siya. "Gwapo na 'yun?"

I snapped up. I was offended by the way he asked it. Why's he being so rude and judgmental at the same time? Pinanliitan ko siya ng mga mata.

"I don't base on looks, Leander."

"I doubt that its on attitude. That guy is a dickhead." He boldly said and had a little smirk on his lips. "You have a bad taste on boys, Hazeth."

Bumuga ako ng hangin at hindi makapaniwalang tumingin sa kaniya. He's really insulting people in front of me and even me! And the worst is, he doesn't look like regretting every word that comes out from his filthy lips.

Nangunot ang noo ko. "Your girlfriend has a bad taste on boys, too."

He crossed his arms on his chest and tilted his head more while staring at me with a little smile on his lips. His arms looks firmed now and his chest is revealing his massive chest.

"As far as I know, wala pa akong naging girlfriend, Hazeth." Mapaglaro ang tono niya.

Pinagkrus ko din ang braso ko. "Then your future girlfriend."

He smiled more. "Try me, Hazeth. You'll know.."

Hindi ko alam kung papaano ako nakaalis ng maayos pagkatapos ng sinabi niya pero nagawa ko naman. The last thing I heard before walking out is my heart, beating loudly.

I looked down on the soda and my phone that I'm holding. I bit my lips and an unexpected smile crept on my lips. Mabilis ko iyong tinikom.