"Halika ka na Lili. Baka malate pa tayo." sabi ni Shania habang hila hila ako.
"Alam mo naman pala na malilate na tayo iba't pumunta pa tayo dito? Tandaan mo Nia, limang beses na tayong pinagalitan sa araw na ito." paalala ko habang hila hila niya parin ako at hawak sa may pulsohan.
Nandito kami ngayon sa fourth floor ng building kung saan located ang Grade 10 Class-A and B. Hindi ko alam kong anong pumasok sa kokote ng kaibigan ko at pumunta pa kami dito pagkatapos naming kumain ng lunch sa cafeteria.
"Wag ka ngang maingay Lili. Lima lang naman ah? Tandaan mo, kahapon walong beses tayong pinagalitan at ngayon lima lang, so okay na yun. Kaya wag kang maingay diyan kung ayaw mong madagdagan." sabi niya hanggang sa bumagal na ang lakad namin and we stopped near a door that stood ajar. Sino ba sinisilip niya diyan? Tinignan ko nakalagay sa taas ng door and it says Grade 10 Class-A.
"Sino ba ang tinitigna ---" hindi ko na natapos ang tanong ko dahil mabilis niya na naman akong hinila paalis.
"Okay na. Tara na." she said happily. "Bilisan mo Lili baka andun na ang subject teacher natin. Ayaw ko na dagdagan late ko." ayaw niya pala ba't pumunta pa kami dito?
"Sino ba kasi ang pinunta natin dun?" tanong ko sakanya habang mabilis na naglakad papuntang elevator. "Sasabihin ko mamaya. Malilate na tayo, Math panaman subject natin."
"Kasalanan mo kung malilate tayo, palagi mo nalang akong sinasali sa mga kalokohan mo Nia. Pasalamat ka at kaibigan kita." sabi ko. We went inside the elevator and pressed two. Which is the Grade 9 department.
"I know. I love you too." ay tanginang babae.
Lumabas kami ng elevator at mabilis kaming naglakad papuntang classroom namin and we stopped walking when we reached our room. Dalawa ang door every classroom kung saan malapit ang isang door sa teacher at ang isa naman ay malapit sa last row ng seats. We stopped at the back door, salamat at bukas pa ang pinto. We peeked through the door to see if there's already a teacher, and yes meron na. Tangina naman. Malas. Strict panaman to si Ma'am Buelas
"Now what?" tanong ko kay Shania na parang nagiisip kung ano ang gagawin para hindi na naman kami mapapagalitan or worse baka ibagsak kami.
"Ah ito nalang. Sundin mo ako ah. Wait, hintay ka muna diyan. Akin na bag mo." I gave her my backpack and watched her call someone that was sitting near the door. Di ko narinig ang palitan nila ng salita but I don't know why kung bakit niya ibinigay ang bag namin in a very slow and quiet manner. She turned to look at me after giving our bags and I carefully listened to her plan.
"Ganito, pasok tayo habang nakaharap si ma'am sa blackboard, pero dapat nakatalikod tayong pumasok." What? Nakatalikod? I looked at her with question in my eyes. Is she crazy or what?
"Are you sure about this Nia? Paano natin malalaman kung nakaharap si ma'am sa blackboard kung nakatalikod tayo sa kanya?" tanong ko sakanya. I look at her and I can see that she's really determined to continue her plan.
"Ako ang bahalang tumingin sa likuran natin at paghaharap na si ma'am sasabi akong lakad palabas, kaya magkunwari kang palabas tayo ng classroom. Gets mo?" before I could oppose to her plan she already positioned me so we could start walking backwards.
"Sige na, trust me, this will work. Bilis pasok na tayo, nakatalikod na si ma'am." sabi niya pagkatapos niyang tignan ang loob. She stood beside me and we started walking backwards, we signaled our classmates to not say a word. Habang naglalakad kami tinitignan ni Shania ang aming likuran kung humaharap na ba ang subject teacher namin. And just a few seconds of walking backwards she whispered "Walk forward". And we started walking forward like we're sneeking out of class.
"Ms. Fajardo and Ms. Alcorte! Where do you think your going you two? Are you two sneeking out of my class?" umalingawngaw ang boses ng aming math teacher sa loob ng room. Shania tugged my uniform, signaling me to face Ma'am Buelas.
"Ma'am we just wanted to go to the comfort room." lied Shania. I just stood beside her and let her do all the work, ideya niya to kaya siya ang bahala.
"I don't buy that excuse Ms. Fajardo." said Ma'am Buelas in a stern and strict voice.
"It's not for sale." said Shania in a low and sarcastic voice.
I elbowed her side to tell her to shut up. Salamat at hindi narinig ni Ma'am Buelas ang sinabi ng bruha kundi, detention ang kakalabasan ng lahat ng ito.
"Sit down Ms. Fajardo and Ms. Alcorte." said Ma'am Buelas, so we went to our designated seats, nanasa middle row. Sana all gumana ang plano.
"Now listen , all of you. I don't want students sneeking out of my class, understood?" said Ma'am Buelas and continued discussing afterwards.
"Muntikan na tayo kanina, kung narinig ni Ma'am Buelas ang sinabi mo detention ang bagsak nating dalawa. Pasalamat ka at matalino ka Nia dahil kung hindi, aba't noon paman Class-B na bagsak mo or worst Class-C. Minsan dinadawit mo pa nga ako." sunod sunod kong sabi habang naglalakad kami palabas ng school.
"Ang importanti ay nakapasok tayo. Ikaw na nga nagsabi na hindi narinig ni Ma'am Buelas." I look at her with disbelief but it quickly changed when I remembered my question for her.
"Oo nga pala Nia, sino yung pinuntahan natin sa Grade 10 kanina?" I asked. She stopped walking and turn to face me.
"Natandaan mo yung kinwento ko sayo? Yung childhood crush ko na taga-Palawan?" tanong niya na para bang may amnesia ako para hindi ko matandaan.
"Yun? Of course I still remember, but it's been three years since you last went to Palawan right?" I asked.
"I know, pero kahapon kasi I saw him with his cousin. So ayun, sinundan ko sila papuntang registrar's office, but then I realized late na pala ako." kwento niya na parang inaalala kung anong kababalaghan ang ginawa niya nung isang araw.
"Kaya pala, late ka, but still, an annoying smile was plastered on your face. Kahit pinapagalitan kana ng teacher." ani ko. Her face turned sour about what I said.
"My God Lili, that wasn't an annoying smile!" depensa niya. "It was a smile of someone inlove." sabi niya habang yakap yakap ang sarili at nakapikit. Wala na baliw na.
"Tss, inlove? eh mukha ka ngang asong nakangiti kahit pinapagalitan." I said cutting her off from her reverie. She opened her eyes and gave me a glare. What? Totoo naman ah? Just kidding.
"Ewan ko sayo Lili." ani niya and left me standing. I just laughed with her reaction. Still laughing, I jugged to keep up with her pace.
"Hey, I was just kidding. Btw, pano mo nalaman kung anong grade siya?" natatawa ko paring tanong sa kanya at bigla siyang huminto kaya huminto din ako. I looked at her and can see na umiba na ang kanyang mood. Di na galit si gaga.
"So last night, I decided to stalk all his social media accounts at dun ko nalaman na cousin niya pala ang kasama niya at Grade 10 sila at nasa Class-A. Kaya yun, I decided to pay a visit for my baby, since it's been years since I last saw him." ani niya na para bang proud na proud siya sa ginawa niyang pagstalk at pagbisita.
"Ewan ko sayo Nia." sabi ko. I continued walking and she also followed.
"Alam mo Li? Gwapo rin yung cousin niya. Gusto mo?" pagrerecommend niya na parang bagay lang yung tao.
"No need, may kamay ako." sagot ko.
"Sinabi ko bang jowain mo? Bata pa tayo no at hindi yun papatol sayo at mas lalong hindi mo rin papatolan yun. Alam kong ayaw mong magkaroon ng deep connection sa iba. You're just too scared to get hurt. Loosen up Lili." I went silent about what she said, cause she's right.
I don't want to get hurt and I also don't want to bring someone down just because of my emotional problems. Kaya laking pasalamat ko na dumating sa buhay ko si Shania kasi wala pang ibang tao na nakakita ng totoong ako at lumaban kasama ako. They all think that I'm a type of girl who can conquer treacherous waves of problems. Di ko nga alam kung bakit yan ang palagi nilang sinasabi pag may open forum kami.Are they blind? I can give advices if needed, specially for my friends, but that doesn't mean I don't need fixing. I guess that's just how they see me.
Umuwi akong mag-isa dahil may ipapabili daw ang mama ni Shania sa kanya. I volunteered to go with her pero I don't why kung ba't ayaw niya. Ano nanaman kaya ang kagaguhan ang gagawin nun?
The jeepney stopped in front of the village kung saan kami nakatira. I took out my fare and passed it to the people next to me para maibigay sa driver. I got out of the jeep and started walking but I got a tinged of feeling na may nakasunod sa akin, so I stopped walking for awhile para mapakinggan ang footsteps niya. And when I heard it walking to my direction, I walked faster.
'Malapit na ang guardhouse Lili, keep walking.' a voice in my head said. But when I saw the guardhouse, wala si kuya guard. Okay, calm down.
Just keep walking Lili. Calm down. Don't panic. I tried to reached for my pepper spray na nakasabit sa I.D ko, pero wala akong nakapa na I.D. Fuck, where's my I.D? Sinabit ko lang yun dito sa strap ng backpack ko! Ang malas talaga! Dahil walang pepper spray, I took out my scissors.
As I walked faster the footsteps also did, it's trying to keep up with my pace. Sino ba tung hayop na to? Calm down Lili, don't run baka mas habolin ka pa niya. I kept walking fast, gripping the scissors in one of my hands. Bakit parang lumayo ang bahay namin? Lord naman, kahit gusto ko na pong mamatay wag naman sa paraang ganito. Gabayan niyo po ako. Please po.
'Takbo Lili.' a voice in my head said. Kaya wala akong nagawa kundi sundin ito. I was about to run fast when a hand gripped my shoulders.
"Miss" a man's voice said. Out of panic, I faced him and raised my scissors.
"Don't you come near me, you rapist! Kung ayaw mong matusok nito!" sigaw ko sa lalaking nakatayo sa harapan ko with my scissors raised.
"What the fuck, miss?!" sigaw niya pabalik raising his hands habang hinihingal. Sino ba 'tong hinayupak nato?
"Who are you? And why the fuck are you following me?" tanong ko sa kanya. Wait, rapist ba to?
"Ako na nga 'tong nag mamagandang loob." bulong niya sa sarili niya but still enough for me to hear. "Oh ito I.D mo." he tossed something to my direction and I caught it. I.D ko nga talaga.
He eyed me from head to toe and his eyes went back to meet mine.
"At kung rapist ako, Miss? I'm sorry, but you're not qualified to be my victim."
Oh my god. I swear my face is all red right now because of embarrassment and irritation. Walang hiya. Anong not qualified? Was that his way of insulting me? Kung wala lang talaga akong kasalanan hindi ko yun palalagpasin.
Nakakahiya. Did I just call him rapist? Lili naman, rapist talaga? Mas okay na yung asong gala. Oh my, it's still not good Lili. Pero atleast hindi talaga siya rapist diba? Atleast. Well, it's not my fault. Well yeah, it was my fault, but not entirely. Kasalanan ko bang hindi niya kaagad ako tinawag?
"H-hey I'm sorry and -- san na yun?" tanong ko sa sarili ko when I realized na wala na siya sa harapan ko. I turned around to see him walking. Wow ha, linagpasan lang ako? Deserve mo naman talaga yun Lili. But he insulted me. Oh My God, just say sorry!
"H-hey! S-sorry talaga and thank you pala." I shouted and he just waved his hands without looking back.
"What's your name nga pala?" pasigaw na tanong ko para kung makita ko siya ulit, makapag sorry at thank you ako ng mas maayos.
"It's Adriel. Adriel Navasquez. Not rapist. Ms. Zaiyana Lilith."
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s.