Tinignan ko ang buong appearance ko sa full length mirror na nakasabit sa door ng room ko.
Oh yeah, I'm really gorgeous. Light lang ang nilagay ko na make up. I don't want to look like a clown and a prostitute 'no! I'm a Campus Queen kaya I have to look presentable.
I have this feature na super lively and hyper and plus super bait, but sa outer look ko lang 'yan. I'm just mabait sa mabait sakin, and I'm not hyper and lively, slight lang, pero kapag nakikita mo ako, iyon talaga ang first impression mo sakin.
I have this long, shiny and straight hair, I have chubby cheeks, I'm chinita, I have pointy nose, hindi medyo curve ang lips ko parang plain lang siya then yung body ko, I'm not mataba and hindi din ako payat, sakto lang. Then hindi ako mataas, and yes, petite ako.
But all in all, I'm still gorgeous and fabulous! I have this innocent face that can tame any guy in this country, hihihi! Kidding aside!
And finally! It is the first day of class!
Nakakatamad, oo pero mas mabuti na iyon kesa makulong ako dito kasama ng mga taong hindi karapat dapat pakisamahan.
Lumabas na ako and I saw Dad na nagbabasa ng newspapers just he always do early in the morning. I reached for his cheeks and kiss him there.
"Good morning Dad!" Bati ko.
And of course, I didn't expect a "Good morning too" from him. Typical Julienne's dad, never gave her an attention. Pity me, right? Nah, don't be.
Nakita ko naman ang five kong siblings na kinakain ang breakfast nila. Pretending that they never saw me nor hear me. I just roll my eyes because of that.
Ako ang pinakabata sa anim na magkakapatid. I have two sisters and three brothers. Si Janine, the eldest, who I hated the most, why? Palagi niya lang pinapamukha sakin na iba ako sa kanila, that I'm such a disgrace sa family. The second one is Jillian, she is super duper irritating! Flirting with someone, she's a playgirl, tapos sakin pa sinisisi lahat kapag may kabalastugan siyang ginagawa, of course hindi ako umaangal, she's my "ate" diba? And my brothers, Justin, Josiah and Jeremy, mga walang pake. Justin is the nerd and cold one dito. Josiah, siya ang sumbungero, kapag may ginawa kaming mali, lalo na ako, isusumbong niya kaagad ako kay Dad. Jeremy, siya yung mas pinakamature, the second Dad, palaging pangaral here, pangaral there. Whatever.
Boring family right? Tss.
Sana nandito nalang si Mom. Namatay kasi siya when she gave birth to me, kuya Jeremy said na ako daw yung pinaka-favorite ni mommy. Ako kasi yung unexpected na mabubuo sa tiyan niya. She thought I was a blessing, well oo, blessing kaming lahat pero ako raw ang "pinaka". She even gave me this locket, oblong-shaped locket, inside this is a family picture. Bata pa ang mga kapatid ko, and of course wala ako sa picture. Kuya said na sabi ni Mom, when I feel lonely or sad, family is always there to be my crying shoulder.
But she's wrong. Everyone in this room, dislikes me. Hates me. Despise me. They loathe me to death for the reason that I'm different from them.
Unfair right?
Sila kasi yung tipong "impressive" for Dad. For being the top of the school. For being a scholar even though kaya naman namin bayaran ang tuition fee. For being the Magna Cum Laude in college and valedictorian in High School and Elementary. Ako? Just being the 2nd honorable mention nung Elementary, and ngayon Hugh School palaging top 4 and 4th honor.
I tried, noon na magstudy. But it is not really my "thing". I want to be a chef someday, like my dad's dream noong kapanahonan niya pero di niya tinuloy kasi sabi din ng parents ni dad, which is lola and lolo ko na mag business siya paglaki, so he followed their orders, pero ako? No!
A big "no"!
Nandyan naman sila mga kapatid ko. Tsk, sila naman ang magaling diba? Sila ang matalino. Edi sila na! But for me? I will follow my heart.
But honestly, I'm trying pa rin naman, I'm trying to study to make it on the top, kaya nga nagawa ko pang maging top 4 diba? Kasali pa nga ako sa role models ng school, I'm a Campus Queen for crying out loud! Kasi kung I followed my heart completely edi nasa kusina na ako everytime and nage-experiment magluto diba?
Kasi kahit anong gawin ko para i-dedma ang kagustuhan ng daddy ko ay I will always want to make him proud of me like he feel for my sisters and brothers, I want him to focus on me too, to give me his attention.
I'm just a girl, also longing for my Dad's love and care.
Nawalan na ako ng gana. Palagi nalang akong invisible dito sa pamamahay na ito. Palagi nalang. Nakakasawa na.
Padabog kong binaba ang spoon and fork which 'cause them to look at me furiously, "Aalis na ako." And umalis na ako.
"Tss, no manners." I heard it. And it hurts the most when my own father said those words that totally broke my heart.
"Ampon 'yan eh. Iba satin."
"A total black sheep in this family."
"Just eat Janine and Jillian, nasa hapagkainan tayo." I heard kuya Jeremy stopped them. Si kuya lang talaga ang medyo nakakasundo ko sa kanilang lahat. Pero medyo nga lang.
That's the life of the Campus Queen Julienne.
-----
Royal North Academy
"Ingat po kayo Manong Jeff!" Paalam ko sa driver ko then I get out of the car. Nakabusangot pa ako that time pero paglabas ko I smiled.
I have to.
I started to wave my hand and give my fellow schoolmates a genuine smile. I gave my hello's and hi's in everyone, may iba na unang bumati sakin but may iba na ako ang unang bumati. I have to be friendly to all of them.
Campus Queen's duty.
Saktong nakita ko si Chloe, Zara and Katie kaya sumabay ako sa kanila.
Wave here, wave there. Greet here, greet there. Ang sakit na nga ng mukha ko kakangiti at ang kamay ko masakit na din.
Pero nakasanayan na eh, and we have to. We're the Campus Queens.
Dumiretso kami sa HSSC Office. Kasali kaming apat sa Student Councilors ng school. Chloe Miyuki Park as the SC President, Raiza Mae Ibasitas, a grade nine student as the SC Vice President, Zara as the SC Secretary, Katie as the SC Auditor, and me, the SC Treasurer.
Pagkapasok na pagkapasok namin sa office ay clear, walang ibang students and kaming apat lang kaya sumimangot na ako. Gosh! Ang sakit sa panga ang pagngiti. Gee.
Kaya umupo na kami, nasa unahan at pinakadulo si Chloe dahil siya ang President na agad na nag check ng schedule ng school for the whole year. Malapit naman ang upuan ko sa kanya and katabi ko si Zara while kaharap ko si Katie.
"So, malapit na ang 10th Anniversary ng friendship natin! What's the plan?" Excited na tanong ni Zara habang naglalaro ng Color Switch, she's always like that. Para talaga siyang bata, oh well, siya ang pinakabata samin eh ng one year.
Hays, makapag-manicure na nga lang. It's boring din, maaga naman kasi kaming nakapunta dito sa school eh.
"Oo nga no! Pupunta nalang tayo sa mall! Shopping and food trip!" Suggestion ko habang in-add ko yung silver dust sa nails ko.
"Hmmm, I think we should go to a coffee shop or somewhere we can relax right? I mean alam kong magiging busy and stress tayo everyday in our school life, so we should at least, rest? Or Movie Mara?" Katie suggested while reading a Physics book na may katabi pa na T.L.E and Math book, typical Katie. Always reading.
"What if we will just go at my place? But before that, we'll go shopping and buy some foods so that we can eat it at my house and watch some movies? What d'you think?" Chloe said habang ngumiwi and I guess she's not sure about her suggestion.
Hmmm not bad, its perfect kaya!
"Good suggestion sissy!" At pumalakpak pa si Zara tapos bumalik ulit sa paglalaro ng Color Switch. Sa aming apat talaga, siya yung mahilig sa games, kahit anong games pinapatos talaga niya.
"And it's settled then?" I said.
We just smile and they nod in response.
Saktong nag-bell kaya we proceed to our class rooms na.
Section Queen and Kings.
Yes, tama kayo ng basa. Iyan ang name ng section namin. Section A kami of course, bakit naman hindi diba? Obviously.
Pumasok na kami and Chloe wants us na nasa harapan so that we can listen to our teacher clearly. Mas focus ka sa discussion kapag nasa harap ka diba?
So she asked sa apat na babae na nasa harapan na pwedeng kami ang umupo doon, of course they agreed. Who would reject a Campus Queen right? Who would reject us? Tsk.
Then Teacher Miyuki Rodriquez, ang class adviser namin ay pumasok na sa class room. We stand up in unison and greet her, "Good morning, teacher!"
She smiled, "Good morning class!"
Our adviser is also beautiful and gorgeous, right? She looks like Park Hyo Jin, but more taller and mature looking face. Even some of the teachers and students have a crush on her. Oh well, I'm more gorgeous pa rin, plus fabulous!
"So are you all ready for the nomination for the class officers?" Teacher said while putting her things on her desk in front of us.
"Alam na namin kung sino teacher. For almost 3 years, si Queen Chloe ang naging president in the classroom or even in the High School Student Council."
"Oo nga teacher. Alam na namin kung sino ang president."
"We should skip the president nominations teacher, we all know Queen Chloe is more suitable and perfect for the position as President."
"Kailan pa si Queen Chloe hindi suitable as President diba? Hahaha."
Everyone is blabbering about it. While I heard Chloe sighed in frustration. I feel her though. We four feel each other, we don't like to be one, I mean oo, we want to be the role model of the school, but not for us, we're doing this for the school.
We, four, are the stockholders of this school. And when I say na kaming apat ang stockholders, it means kaming apat talaga. Our parents are not included or any family member. Just us four.
So the nomination continued.
I'm the Class Secretary, Zara is the Class Vice President, Katie is the Class Muse and do I have to mention Chloe's? She's the Class President. Sa aming apat, si Katie ang pinakamaganda, oh well, maganda naman ako, kaya lang I'm too conyo daw and maarte, tss I just hate dirt you know? Nakakasira ng beauty, and of course they would choose Katie, she's beauty and brains, proud bff here!
And after the nomination for the class officers. It's time to vote na naman for the Campus Royals. Here we go again.
Kami pa rin naman. Our section is responsible for voting the Campus Royals. We're the section A or section one or the best section, whatever you name it.
"Okay, at dahil marami ang nagsabi na same pa rin ang Campus Royals ay same nalang din for four years."
And a new student came.