Jann's Pov
One day before the start of class.
I'm here now in my new school.
New environment.
Probably new faces to see.
Tsss. Sarap na sana nang buhay ko sa America eh! Then suddenly they just want me home.
The reason why?!
You can't believe it.
I don't even believe it.
Guess what?!
They only missed me. Missed me? Really? When they can pay visit me anytime they like in California. Hindi mahirap ang mag-travel, may pera naman sila.
Missed me huh?! Seriously?! The reason was too blunt! I was thinking what could be the other reasons, but I really don't have any fucking idea kung meron man. Haist. Really, I don't have any idea.
Si Mama.
Si Papa.
At si Collin.
They forced me to be back home, here in the Philippines. My life in California was so fucking good. Kung kelan okay na okay na ang buhay ko doon saka naman nila ako pinauwi. Pssshhh... Ngayon pa nila naisip ah. I've been there long enough.
And because I can't say no to them, though I can but they know, they know, they are my weaknesses, at alam nila hindi ko sila kayang matiis. Kelangan pa talaga i-blackmail ako emotionally?! Idi ayun umuwi na lang ako. Ano pa nga ba magagawa ko di ba?! And I really thought that I'm just staying here for vacation but it came out that I am staying here for good. Yeah. For good. And I don't know what to do? I've been thinking a lot lately and a little bit worried.
Tapos dagdag mo pa si Mama nagdra-drama pa sa fb messenger. Tssss.. Effective talaga mag-drama ang mga nanay.
At dahil mabait kuno ako na anak idi pinagbigyan ko na. I love them so much, actually, even though I really didn't grow up with them. Haist ang hirap lang talaga tumanggi.
So I decided to take the risk.
Took the risk to leave them..
Cali White.
The Cali White Gang.
My friends.
My life.
My brothers from the other mother.
My home.
My second family.
I really hope they're okay. I missed them already. I treats them like a brothers to me. Like we're from one flesh and blood.
Sigh.
They're the one who convinced me to be home. Kahit ayaw ko naman talaga. Dahil ayaw ko talaga ang umuwi pa. Nasanay na ako doon eh.
Tsk.
Sigh.
To be honest hindi ko na naisip na umuwi sa Philippines o ang mag-bakasyon man lang. I didn't grow up here! I don't even know this place. Unfamiliar. I feel like I'm a stranger. It's my homeland but I don't feel like home.
Kumusta na kaya sila?! What are they doing right now?! I must call them. Sa ngayon yung second rank ang nag-takeover muna sa gang, habang wala ako.
Ano ba kasi ang kinain ng pamilya ko para biglaan akong pauwiin. Sayang kaya ang credentials ko kasi pag-transfer ko dito para akong irregular high school student but thank goodness wala akong back subject.
Since grade school, I was only 8 years old back then, I'm living in America, to be exact in Orange County, California.
That's where I studied, that's where I grow up, at nagka-muwang without my parents. And since then I became independent. I can take care of myself. As in everything.
Madami akong natutunan at nalaman. It was 8 years, 8 years full of fun and craziness na may kasamang lungkot.
Lungkot?
Kasi hindi ko kasama ang aking pamilya. It's a bit mushy, but it's true. You'll know what it feels like to be alone, no one's there when you needed them. All you have is courage, in a cold place.
Pero masaya parin ako dahil marami akong na-experience at madami silang hindi nalaman sa mga nangyari sa akin. Especially about my gang, Cali White Gang.
My parents and Collin they're just visiting me when it's birthdays, holidays or vacation time.
Sometimes we travel from different places like Japan, South Korea, Spain and Greece. Those countries are mean so much to me. Sometimes I travel alone, hindi rin nila alam yun. Fuck, we got a lot, lots of money, tsk, my parents money. But hell I care they gave it to me. So technically, I have money.
Anyways, enough talking about me, I'll just tell you some other time, when I am in the mood to tell you about my life.
But for now, ito-tour ko muna ang sarili ko at pati kayo para masanay ang mga mata ko sa lugar na to. Yeah masanay dahil iba ang atmosphere sa America. It's so different. I just came here as suggested by my Mama. At ang init-init. Anak ng tokwa! Hindi na ako makakapag-suot ng sweater nito. Init eh.
I came early so that I could tour in this school. Infairness, malaki siya. Ang galing din talaga ng parents ko. BTW, my parents own this school. Partners nila yung mga best friends nila simula pa noong nasa high school sila. Kumbaga yung best friends ng parents ko nag invest sila sa school na pag-aari ng parents ko. Gets?!
Well, ang alam ko na mana pa to nila sa parents ni Papa, my lolo and lola. Ganun talaga pag-mayaman binibigay sa mga anak nila ang kanilang mga kayamanan. Tawag ay mana. But my grandparents both sides are all deceased now. Toddler lang ata ako nung nawala sila. Actually in-ambush sila. What I remembered is that ka-rival daw nila sa business world ang may gawa. It's not easy doing business because of rivalry.
Anyways, if you gonna ask me who am I? Fine I'll tell you who am I?
Who am I?! I'm Jann, short for Janet Heavenly Han, just call me Jann. Anak ako ng may-ari ng paaralan na ito.
Call me Jann. I repeated.
Because I like it.
No, I love it, kasi medyo boyish ang dating.
I'm not the type of a girl who wear girly stuff. I'm not the type of a girl who is modest or lady like in action or loves dressing up. What I meant, ang pagiging mahinhin.
But for now, I need to hide my true identity. This is gonna be difficult for me to act like this but I've got no choice, but this is what it is. The things that I don't want will be the things that I need to do. I don't wanna get in trouble that will involved my family. I've got lots, lots of enemies. All around in the face of the earth.
I can't trust no one here. So betta hide the true me. I'm pretty sure, madaming galamay ang kalaban. Madami narin akong naitumba kasi.
And I really hate my second name. Why?! It's too girly. Masyadong mabait pakinggan. So don't call me Heavenly, kung ayaw mong laslasin ko ang leeg mo. Enough of threatening.
Pagkapasok ko sa campus, ang una kong nakita ay ang parking area nila. Wow ha! Ang lawak ng parking area. I parked my black Porsche.
The next one you'll see is a big building, which is composed of admission office, principal office, and other stuffs for students and faculty rooms, guidance office, actually two floors building siya.. And it was built in the middle front, so it means may left wing building, and right wing building. They called it left and right wing buildings. Just like white house.
The Left Wing Building, is the library , and the computer laboratory and the like. My parents told me that they want a separate building for the library, they want the students na magbasa parin kesa maging dependent sa computer. The Right Wing Building is the cafeteria. Well, this is a private school, so they want the best para sa mga students. Mostly kasi sa mga nag-aaral dito ay anak mayaman talaga. I mean hindi lang basta anak mayaman. Some are business tycoons, politicians, celebrities, own a manufacturing factories, land developers, even foreigners, etc. Hindi basta-basta makakapag-enroll dito mahal din kasi ang tuition fee because this school is giving the students a high quality of education.
Sa likod ng tatlong buildings na to ay dito mo makikita ang sports activity area, the gym, locker room, music room, and of course the classrooms. So naiisip mo na ba gaano kalaki ang campus na to?! They even have a map, para di daw maligaw ang mga students and they can easily explore and transfer other rooms. Every new students handed a map along with the handbooks. Ang alam ko from time to time they think of building of new facilities and expanding the lot area. They bought the neighbors lots.
Sa kabuuan, malaki din 'tong campus na ito ah! Sige pwede na. But at the back of my mind. Ayaw ko parin dito because I'd rather stay in America.
After kong maglibot-libot, napansin ko na lahat ng place sa campus eh tadtad ng CCTV. May mangilan ngilan din akong nakitang tao dito. Yung iba mga teacher at may mga Janitor at Security Guard. 24/7 ata ang mga bantay dito. As what it says in the handbook.
Kung nagtataka kayo bakit marunong ako magtagalog, samantalang 8 years din ako nakatira sa ibang bansa?! Well, blame my Mama. She always remind me that I should stick or never forget to speak Tagalog/ Filipino language. Halos araw-araw nakakausap ko naman kasi sila. As always, there's nothing I can do if she commanded me to do so. Weakness nga diba. Ganun katindi eh. Masyadong magaling ang charm ng Mama ko. Madami narin nangyari bago ako pinalipat sa America. Kaya ayan what my parents asked, kuya and I always follows them. Ayaw namin ni Collin na mag-alala sila sa amin.
Then I decided to go home. Wala na naman akong gagawin pa dito. Isa pa may mapa pa ako ng campus oh?! "Hello Mama, I'm going home. Yes Mama. Ok lang Mama. I'll get used to it. Ok bye. I love you too Mama." She was asking me if I like the school. Oh well, sabi ko ok lang, masasanay din ako. Sila tong nagpumilit tapos magtatanong pa kung okay ba o hindi?! Labo din tong mga magulang ko noh?! Smirking. Kahit hindi ko magustuhan dito, ay dito parin naman ako papasok.. So what's the used of asking me, right?!
May pupuntahan pa sana ako pero sige next time nalang.
Pumunta na agad ako sa parking area, then I drove home as fast as I could. And I wanna sleep all day. May jetlag pa ata ako. Damned. I'm tired.
To be continued..