CHAPTER 3
Red Spencer
Nothing is sadder than leaving your hometown and moving to a place where you are surrounded with unfamiliar faces. Learning to adapt to your new environment becomes a norm but of course it takes time and process. If there is one thing that I can't afford to master that would be dealing with other people.
Well, it's been a year since we moved into this place but still I felt so empty. Nobody understands my feelings and I'm getting used to it. I was like a living dead who doesn't have a single idea about the reason of my existence. It's the situation and the people around me are the reasons why my life fucked up until I completely lost myself.
I see no difference between our home and the school I'm currently in. Teachers are strict and superior just like my parents na para bang isang pagkakamali kapag hindi ka sumunod sa sinasabi nila. My classmates are so annoying just like my siblings na kahit anong iwas mo, susundan at kukulitin ka pa rin nila.
Walang araw na lumilipas na hindi ako nakararamdam ng pagkabagot. I really hate going to school and attending my class not because I'm smart enough but because of the people around me. Hindi ako sanay na maging sentro ng atensyon nila. At wala rin akong intensyon na pansinin sinuman sa kanila.
This school sucks like hell. It's freakin' fuckin' boring. Wala man lang school activities na makakapag-motivate ng interest ng mga estudyante. This school focus solely on academic purposes which makes me more arid.
Kung alam ko lang na ganito kalala ang school na 'to, I should have resisted transferring here in the first place. Well, only if I have the freedom to decide but everything depends on my parents. They keep on telling me how my life should be lived with but sometimes I resist to what they wanted. I'm not their puppet na sunud-sunuran sa kanila.
Hindi naman talaga naging problema ang lugar sa pagbabagong buhay. The problem is not the place, it's about us, our family. Sabi ni Dad magiging normal ang lahat kapag lumipat kami. Normal my ass!
I shook my head just to erase the stupid thoughts. I diverted my attention back to the teacher in front of us. Judging from the way he looks, I'm sure he's genius and most likely irremediable. My gut is telling me that he's planning something surprising. Ano naman kayang gagawin ni tanda?
Ilang saglit pa ay nagsalita siya at pinagmasdan ang papel na hawak niya which is all about the seat plan and the pairing. I hate how came up with this plan. First day pa lang pero may pasabog na si tanda. Will it really works?
Tahimik na nakikinig ang lahat nang magsimulang tawagin ni tanda ang mga pangalan namin. Inaantok ako kaya dumukot na lamang ako sa bulsa ng lollipop. I don't care if tanda gets angry with me. I'm bored enough waiting for my name to be called.
Pansin ko ang panghihinayang at inis ng ilan sa mga classmates ko dahil sa unwanted partners nila. This old bald man is really unpredictable!
"Xuxia Queen Del Martin and.." huminto saglit si tanda at ipinukol ang tingin sa direksyon ko. I think he's angry again because I have another lollipop under my mouth. "Red Spencer."
Wait. Who's my partner again? Sushi Queen? Adik ba sa sushi ang Mom niya at 'yon ang naisipang ipangalan sa kanya? Her name sounds awful. But I have this feeling that she's mean or a clingy type woman. Epal din talaga 'tong si tanda.
"Mr. Experto!" Napatingin ako bigla nang tumayo ang isang babae sa harapan ko. My eyes locked on her hanggang sa makilala ko siya. She's the girl from the Bioethics class. The cutie girl who resisted to be my seatmate.
Nakilala ko agad siya dahil sa style ng buhok niya. She has a shoulder length hair with a messy bangs in front of her forehead. On top of that, her height makes her cutest. So I ran into her again?
When I first entered here, the thing that I always prayed for is to have a peaceful life. Pero hindi nangyari iyon dahil maraming mga babae ang laging nakabuntot sa 'kin. Kulang na nga lang sunggaban nila ako at iuwi sa mga bahay nila. Two things I hate about girls are those tailer and obsessive.
I thought all the girls in this boring university are the same but I guess I'm wrong. Only this cute little girl with a sushi sound name has the guts to refuse to be with me. Hindi ko siya kilala at sigurado rin akong hindi pa kami nagkikita dati. If we did, imposible hindi ko agad siya makikilala.
What's wrong with her? First, nakipagpalit siya ng upuan during our Bioethics class because I thought she didn't want me to be her seatmate. And now, she resisted to be my seatmate again and my partner for this Research Project subject. I think she's doing it on purpose. Interesting.
"Are you deaf Ms. Del Martin? Do I need to say it again?". Tahimik lamang siyang nakayuko na para bang takot mapagalitan. "Your partner is Mr. Spencer. Now, pick up your things and occupy the seat on the fourth column of the third row. Same with you Mr. Spencer."
"But Sir.." she resisted. I played my lollipop between my teeth due to excitement. "Sir alam niyo namang hindi ako komportable na may kapartner di ba? Okay lang po ako. I don't need help. I don't need him."
Tanda sighed for a moment pagkatapos ay lumapit sa kanya. "I explained everything Ms. Del Martin and again there's no exception for this, not even you. So the least thing you can do is to sit beside your partner."
"Sir can you change my partner then?" she added. I think my assumption was right. She hates me for some reasons.
"No changing of seats. No changing of partners. You can't change my mind Queen. And if you still insist, you better drop this subject." She didn't respond after hearing what tanda said.
Kinuha ko ang mga gamit ko saka naglakad papunta sa upuan na nakalaan para sa 'min. After a while, umupo na rin siya at tinabihan ako.
Pansin ko ang panginginig ng kamay niya. She sat down awkwardly na para bang hirap siyang kumilos. I smiled at her as soon as our eyes met. Mukhang mapapaaga ang pagpasok ko sa Research Project class simula ngayon.
"Ahhmmmm..... Hi, I'm Xuxia Queen Del Martin," she finally introduced herself.
So it's Xuxia and not Sushi. Mali yata ang narinig ko kanina.
"Your name is unique." I commented. Bahagya akong lumingon sa kanya para makita ang reaksyon niya. She smiles awkwardly. So cute!
"T-Thanks." She paused for a moment bago nagpatuloy sa pagsasalita. "And I think your parents love the red color. Is that how you got your name?" she asked.
"Nope. That's the initials name of my father Rustin, my grandfather Emerson and my grandfather's father Daveson." I replied.
"I see."
Hindi ko na sinubok na magrespond sa sinabi niya. I don't want her to overthink much. Ayoko ring ipitin pa siya sa sitwasyon namin ngayon. She's still nervous and she needs to calm down herself.
Napangiti na lamang ako sa nang wala sa oras. Am I really intimidating? I don't know why she's scared of me. It's as if I'm gonna steal a kiss from her.
Well, not now but maybe soon.
****
Xuxia Queen
"Ang ganda mo today Queeniebells. Akalain mo 'yon ikaw pa ang naging partner ni Red sa Research Project! Ibig sabihin n'yon ay makakasama mo pa siya ng matagal. Shocks! Waaaaah!"
Nahihilo na ako sa kakayugyog ni Billy sa 'kin. Kinuwento kasi ni Molly ang nangyari kanina during Mr. Experto's class. Hindi talaga marunong maglihim ang babaeng 'to!
"I do really believe in the law of karma. Dahil sa ginawa mong pakikipagpalit ng upuan kay Primo kaya ikaw naman ang minamalas ngayon at naging partner mo si Red. We're even now, Shu." pang-iinis naman ni Molly. Hindi na lamang ako sumagot at tumahimik na lamang. Mas hahaba lang kasi ang usapan kapag nagsalita pa ako.
Kasalukuyan kaming naglalakad ngayon palabas ng unibersidad. At hanggang ngayon, bothered pa rin ako sa nangyaring pag-uusap namin kanina ni Red.
Having a conversation with him for the first time is really a breath-taking one. Kulang na nga lang mag-hyperventilate ako kanina. Sobrang nakakakaba.
"Bat natahimik ka? Iniisip mo pa rin ba siya?" Hindi ko napansin na nasa harapan ko na pala si Molly. Huminto ako saglit bago nagsalita.
"Pwede mo ba akong samahan kay Mr. Experto? Kakausapin ko lang siya ulit. Kahit palitan lang niya si Red bilang partner ko," pagmamakaawa ko sa kanya.
"Hindi mo ba narinig ang sinabi ni Sir kanina? No changing of seats. No changing of partners. Hindi mo ba naiintindihan 'yon?" Pansin ko ang pagtaas ng boses ni Molly samantalang nagulat naman si bakla.
"Baka makinig at maaawa siya sa 'kin this time. Sige na naman Molly," pagpipilit ko sa kanya.
"Alam mong wala tayong mapapala doon. Magsasayang lang tayo ng oras. At ano naman ngayon kung seatmate at partner mo si Red? Kailangan mo lang naman siyang pakisamahan. Besides, hindi mo naman aaminin sa kanya na crush mo siya."
Hindi ko rin talaga maintindihan minsan ang babaeng 'to. Kanina tuwang-tuwa siya habang iniinis ako tapos ngayon iba na naman ang approach niya. Bipolar lang amp*ta.
"You know for a fact that I'm not comfortable with him. Hindi ako makakilos nang maayos kapag andiyan siya." Ramdam ko ang kakaibang kirot sa puso ko. Gusto ko siya pero kailangan kong umiwas sa kanya.
"Wala namang mawawala sayo girl if you will try. Baka ito na ang time para magkalapit kayo. Kahit maging magkaibigan man lang," pagsingit bigla ni Billy sa usapan. Nagmake-face na lamang ako ng wala sa oras.
"Wait. Ayaw mo bang makipagkaibigan lang sa kanya? Are you dreaming to be his girlfriend?" Hindi ko inaasahan ang naging tanong ni Molly kaya't nag-iwas agad ako ng tingin. Ayokong mahalata niya na namumula ang pisngi ko.
"Wag niyo na kasing ipagpilitan sa 'kin si Red. Nakapag-move on na ako okay? Wala na akong feelings sa kanya," tanggi ko.
"Ikaw may sabi niyan. We're watching you, Shu." bulong niya sa 'kin. Ilang saglit pa'y nagsimula na siyang maglakad. She waves her hand as a sign of goodbye.
"Bye, Queeniebells. See you tomorrow," paalam naman ni Billy bago kumaripas ng takbo.
Napabuntonghininga na lamang ako ng wala sa oras. Tumingala na lamang ako sa taas at pinagmasdan ang kulay pulang kalangitan habang unti-unting lumulubog ang araw.
Mukhang masasaktan na naman ako ulit.