"Weird," I blurted while staring blankly at my room's ceiling.
It's a been a week since that unexpected encounter with Mavin Jaranillo happened. But ever since that day, I never seen him around. Well, it's not that I really look for him. But I figured that at least our paths will cross at any moment because we're on the same neighbourhood.
O baka gaya ko ay hindi rin siya lumalabas ng bahay nila?
With a house as big as theirs, I think it has everything anyone would need and want. Their house occupied almost whole of that block's lot. I wonder if they have a swimming pool.
My thoughts were distracted when I heard a bark. My eyes lazily find the culprit. In four and wagging tails, Kiho stand in my room's doorstep. I happily called his name as I lift my body out of the bed. I crouched, waiting for him to come closer. At nang makalapit, agad kong kinarga at dinala sa higaan ko.
Humiga akong muli habang siya naman ay umikot-ikot, naghahanap ng pwesto. I reach for his plush toy at the end of the bed and placed it near him. Nang makita niya ito ay agad siyang natigil sa pag-iikot. Then he lie beside it. Tumagilid ako ng higa paharap sa kaniya.
Kiho was my gift for my fourteenth birthday. I am not sure who's idea is it to give me dog but nevertheless, I appreciate the thought. He's like my happy pill, my companion. I may have friends, but they are nothing but my 'school friends'. We doesn't invite each other on our birthdays nor hangout on weekends out of whim.
Unlike those some girls at my age, I rather want to experience a certain kind of friendship I saw on those Hollywood films than being in a romantic relationship with my opposite sex. I am curious of love. But I am more interested in finding someone who I can confide everything with, and having my back when things fall apart.
Would I even find someone though?
Tahimik kong sinusuyod ang paligid. They are already in place, getting ready for their performance. Nang makatagpo ko ang mga mata ni Clarice ay nginitian ko siya.
She seems nervous, so I mouthed, "Kaya mo 'yan."
Tumango naman siya saka pumwesto na. I cross my arms and lean on the colonnade beside me. Today is the culminating activity for the Nutrition Month. All students are gathered here at the school's gymnasium. May decoration na ang stage, handa na para sa mangyayaring pageant mamaya.
"Ready na ba ang first section ng grade nine?" the M.C asked.
Nag-thumbs up naman ang choreographer ng klase. Then the M.C introduce our class. Soon after, the drums started to play. And our class then perform their concept for the nutri-jingle contest.
"Bakit hindi ka kasali doon?"
I immediately turn my head.
"Eulace Mariano," I blurted upon recognizing her.
Hilaw siyang ngumisi.
"Just Eula, please." she corrected me.
Napatawa naman ako. I don't know how long she's been here since I didn't hear her steps nor felt her presence. Masyado siguro akong preoccupied.
"Eula," I repeated, as per her request.
"There's a required number of participants," sagot ko sa tanong niya kanina.
Bumalik na ang tingin ko sa harap. The class is giving their all. It was my first time seeing their performance, so I can't help but to be in awe whenever I saw their difficult dance routines.
"Ah," she leaned on the railings and surveyed the crowd below. "Kaya inilagay ka nalang sa props and costume?"
Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin sa sinabi niya. I feel like I am cornered. Nang walang makuhang sagot sa akin ay nilingon niya ako. Ngumisi, saka bumalik sa tabi ko.
"Gusto ko iyong ginawa mo sa mukha nila…"
I smile a little. I met Eulace Mariano back when we're still grade seven. We attended the same computer class, and she happened to be my seatmate. We're not close enough to be called friends but we're in good terms. Minsa'y nagkakausap kung nagtatagpo ang landas, gaya ngayon.
Ang tinutukoy niya kanina ay ang face paint sa mukha ng mga kaklase. Ako at isa pang kaklase ang naglagay noon sa kanilang mukha. I am not really good in dancing, but I can say that I am inclined in drawing. At alam iyon ni Eula dahil siya ang nagturo sa akin kung paano mag-portrait.
After our class' performance, umalis na si Eula dahil biglang may tumawag sa kaniya. Ako naman ay pumunta kung nasaan ang klase.
Next to perform is the specialized section. Habang pumupwesto sila ay hindi ko maialis ang mata sa mga mukha nila. Half of their face is covered with face paint. The art was so good that it will be a shame to wipe it off.
"Rinig ko, si Kaiden daw ang gumawa no'ng face paint nila," rinig kong sinabi ng isang kaklase sa katabi.
"Talaga? Kaya pala. 'Di hamak na mas maganda ang face paint nila kaysa sa atin," humina ang boses ng kausap niya sa huling sinabi pero nahagip pa rin ito ng pandinig ko.
Nakaupo silang dalawa sa harap ko. Hindi ko alam kung aware sila na nakaupo ako sa likod nila. But I wish that they don't. Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa gitna ng gym nang magsimula na silang ipakilala ng M.C. While watching them perform, I taste something bitter in my mouth. I cleared my throat and shifted on my seat.
I surveyed the gym. Hindi gaanong marami ang mga estudyanteng nanunuod. Siguro mamaya, sa pageant, mapupuno ito lalo na at bigatin ang candidates, especially on the male side.
"Akila, manunuod tayo, ha?" pangungulit sa akin ni Clarice.
Pabiro ko siyang inirapan. "Bakit hindi ka sumama kina Tricia nang 'di ako ang kinukulit mo?"
Sumimangot naman siya. "E, syempre loyal ako sa 'yo, 'no! Narinig ko ang sinabi nila Cristin kanina. Ungrateful brats! E 'di sana sila na ang naglagay ng mga face paints nila!"
Tipid akong ngumiti. I let her rant for me. Tapos na ang nutri-jingle contest pero hindi pa sinasabi kung sino ang nanalo. I hope that our class would win, but I can't ignore the fact that the other classes are good, too. Lalo na ang specialized section dahil masyadong pinaghandaan ang props at costumes. Simple lang ang mga routines nila ngunit dahil din doon ay mas organized ang sayaw nila.
I can't really tell the relationship between our section and the specialized section. In rare times, we're ally. But just like today and any other days, we're competitors. They comes second after us. That's why they are thriving to keep up. Lalo pa at ilan sa kanila ay originally galing sa first section.
"But it's true that Kaiden's work is way better than mine," I commented after she's done with her rant.
Inikutan niya ako ng mata. "Give yourself some credits naman, Akila. His concept may be better but your work can keep up with him."
Ngumuso ako. I don't know how to react to compliments so I just kept mum.
Bitbit ang mga biniling snacks ay bumalik na kami sa gym. And just like what I have expected, the gym was now packed with students… and some outsiders. Last year, the gates remain closed. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ngayon ay nagpapasok sila.
"Wait," a hand grab my arm to stop me from taking any step. Nilingon ko si Clarice. "Naiihi ako."
Luminga-linga ako. "I think there's a restroom here."
Tumango siya. "Alam ko kung saan. Pahawak nalang nito, Akila. I'll be fast!"
Pagkakuha ko ng plastic bag sa kaniya ay tumakbo na siya palayo. Ilang segundo pa ang lumipas bago ako nakagalaw. Bitbit ang dalawang plastic bag ay pumagilid ako. I stand near the entrance, watching every passerby. Nang magsawa ay inilabas ko ang cellphone mula sa bag at nag-online.
Notifications popped up. Pinindot ko ang isa na umintriga sa akin. I was mentioned in Clarice's story. Umangat ng kusa ang gilid ng labi ko. It was a selfie of her, flaunting the part of her face with my work. I checked my other notifications. When I saw nothing relevant, I exited Facebook and put my phone back in my bag.
I adjusted my stance, and glance at the crowd. My heart leap a beat when I caught a familiar pair of orbs. Standing few meters away from me, leaning on a colonnade was the man I least expected to crossed path with.
Wearing a plain white shirt underneath a blue green denim jacket, dark jeans, and white sneakers is Kaiden Gomez. What surprise me the most is he's staring straight at me amidst the crowd between us.
Napalinga ako sa magkabilang gilid ko. It can't be that he's staring at me, right? By the time I decided to look back at him was the exact moment Clarice appeared in front of me.
"Grabe, ang haba ng pila!" reklamo niya, ginigiya na ako paalis doon.
"At least you had your leak," I absentmindedly responded.
Lumingon ako kung saan naka-pwesto si Kaiden kanina. Na sakto namang pagkapit ng isang babae sa braso niya. Ibinalik ko ang tingin sa harap.
"Nasa restroom din kanina si Cara?" I casually asked to Clarice.
"Cara Denueva? Oo, magkasunod kami sa pila…"
I pressed my lips together. Of course. The reason why he's there is because he's waiting for his girlfriend.
"Hindi ko talaga ma-gets si Kaiden sa part na 'yon," sinulyapan ko siya. "I mean, I get it. Cara Denueva was really pretty… and hot. But girl--ano nga ba ang section niya? It was next to the last section, right? I assumed that Kai would at least want a girlfriend with both beauty and brains."
Tumaas ang mga kilay ko pero hindi na ako nagsalita. My opinion should remain in my head. It's their relationship anyway. And I don't have any right to comment on Kaiden Gomez' preferences.
Matagal pa bago nagsimula ang pageant. Halos maubos na ang binili naming pagkain nang magsimula ito. The pageant lasted for almost two hours, crowning the SPED female candidate Ms. Nutrition, and the male candidate from grade eleven Mr. Nutrition. Sa nutri-jingle contest naman, unexpected thing happened. Our class won the first place, making the specialized section in the second place. Hindi tuloy mawala ang smug smile sa mukha ni Clarice.
Naiiling nalang ako.
A week passed by with the culminating activity still the trending topic. Laman pa rin ng usapan ang mga natipuhan nilang mga candidates at ang performance ng bawat year level sa nutri-jingle contest. Our adviser was happy with the results that she bought us some boxes of pizza. Other than that, nothing special happened to me on that week.
"I brought my card, Tita." I show the card to assure her.
Tipid na ngumiti si Tita Emilia, saka tumango. "H'wag masyadong magpagabi. Saka imessage mo ako kung nakauwi ka na."
After few more instructions, she rolled up the window and the car then move. Hinatid ko muna sila ng tingin bago umikot at pumasok sa animal care clinic. Nasa loob lang din ito ng subdivision. Probably a twenty minutes walk away from our house.
"Akila Tresvalles, po." sabi ko sa receptionist.
Agad naman niyang binuklat ang isang hardbound notebook, maybe to check if I really do have an appointment. Nang makita ang pangalan ko sa listahan ay agad na niya akong giniya sa loob. The vet immediately recognize me the moment I step inside her office.
"The usual, Akila?" she asked with a warm smile, like always.
I nod. "Yes, Doc."
Dahil halos regular na ako ni Doc ay alam na niya ang gagawin kay Kiho. She checked first his teeth and mouth before proceeding in grooming him. Bumili na rin ako ng shampoo niya dahil paubos na iyong dati.
"Come again, Ma'am," said by the guard when he open the door for me.
Ngumiti ako at nagpasalamat. Pagkalabas ay napatingin ako sa kalangitan. It's nearing sunset. Humakbang ako kasabay ng pagbaba ng tingin ko. This part of the subdivision has a rather quiet neighbourhood.
My eyes narrowed at the guy walking towards my direction. It took me several seconds before recognizing him. But when I did, my eyes slightly widened.
Mavin Jaranillo?