Law of Attraction

Film 22

Paige Maree's

"What do you need the load for?" I asked Red. Not that I mind, sadyang curious lang ako kung bakit.

"Makiki-text. Tinatamad akong kunin yung camera sa club room. Sinabihan ko nalang yung vice president ng club..." he said.

"After shift mo, maglilibot ka na para sa photos na gagamitin sa school paper?" I asked. Tumango siya.

"Gusto mong sumama?" he asked.

"Shift ko 3 PM pa, I'll tag along 'pag na-bored ako. I'll text you."

"Wala akong load."

"Ay, oo nga pala..." sinubukan kong mag-isip ng paraan kung paano kami magkikita mamaya. "Wala ka bang pangload?"

"Makikitext nalang ako," he said as he pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Nilalanggam na ako pota," Kianna said. Alissa and Kylee sneered beside her.

I continued to eat my food. Tapos na silang lahat kumain maliban sa akin. Sanay naman sila na palagi akong nahuhuli dahil sa bagal kong kumilos.

Red was just playing with his phone. Napansin kong he started taking random photos sa lahat ng nakikita niya. I posed an awkward smile when he faces his camera to me just in time when I was about to put the spoon on my mouth.

"Ang pangit ko do'n," I pouted.

"Cute kaya..."

Nalunod ang sinabi ni Red sa ingay na galing sa labas ng booth namin. I don't know why some girls were subtly screaming as if kinikilig sila over something.

I continued chewing my food even when the commotion was leading here inside the booth. Wala akong pakialam nang hinawi nila yung kurtina that was separating us sa kung saan talaga bumibilo ng products ang mga tao for privacy purposes.

Nabigla ako nang kaagad na hinawakan ng mga lalaki yung kanang kamay ko... the one holding the spoon kaya nahulog. They didn't even had the courtesy to explain things to me. They were harsh.

I have fair skin kaya nakita ko yung pamumula ng wrist ko.

"Hoy, respeto naman! Kumakain yung tao, oh!" sigaw ni Kylee sa kanila.

"What is this all about?" Kylee asked the other guy who's with the person who handcuffed me.

Kianna was ready to fight. Before the guy could answer, naunahan na siya ni Red nang kaagad nitong marahan na hinawakan ang kamay ko when the guy who handcuffed me was about to take me away.

"Nautusan lang, Red. Kalma," the guy answered.

"Para sa ano 'to?" Red calmly asked. He was never the violent type.

"Love chain," the guy replied.

I can't even defend myself. I'm out of words. Dapat ako yung may pinakamalalang reaksiyon dito because I'm the one they harshly treated.

"Was there a need to grab me that way?" I asked but I was sure it came out softly. My voice never had conviction in it. I was the mahinhin type of girl that was always treated unfairly because I never was able to speak out for myself.

I sighed.

"How much?" that was all I could say. Papakawalan lang nila ako kung magbabayad ako. Kung hindi, I need to spend the entire minutes or hours handcuffed with a guy.

Hindi ko nga kilala kung sino. Hindi pa ata nila siya nahuhuli.

"1,500."

Napapikit ako sa inis. I left my money and my wallet. I only brought a hundred with me just in case of emergency. Hindi ko naman inakalang mangyayari 'to.