Jazz's POV :
"Come home early tonight, baby and let's have dinner together. I'll ask Nana to cook some of your favorite dishes." Mommy said while we were walking our way to our car park.
It's the second day of school. And I am on my way there.
"Sure, mommy."
Naabutan namin sina Selena at Silvia na nag-uusap sa labas ng kotse.
They stopped talking when they saw us coming their way.
"Good morning." Silvia greeted us, in which I only nodded.
What? Sorry, but I never learned how to act all fake and nice if I do not like the person. But I will act civilly.
"Kinakabahan ako Papa. Start na ng regular class." I heard Jealena's voice coming from behind us.
"Wow." I could not help but exclaim. I looked at her then at Silvia. I am starting to regret going with Lexi's idea on what to wear to school today.
"Ahm. Baduy ba ang suot namin?" Jealena asked. Between her and Silvia, I found her tolerable. She looks sweet, innocent and shy, while Silvia is a snake in hibernation. She's 2 months older than me, but like Silvia, she's petite and I tower over them with my five foot ten inches height. The height I got from my maternal family's side.
Maybe, kung hindi siya sunud sunuran kay Silvia, there really is a big chance na magkasundo kami.
They are wearing matching outfits. Pink tops and white skirts.
"No." I answered. "You look good." I said honestly. Which is true. They look better than yesterday.
I turn around and said my goodbye to mommy bago sumakay sa front seat ng sasakyan.
I heard my phone notify me of an sms.
Lexi : Biatch, we're here in school na. Hurry your sexy ass up.
Me : On my way.
Vonn : My Queen, are you in school already? 😍
Me : Going now. We'll be there in 15 minutes.
Vonn : Perfect. Be waiting for you in the parking lot. 😘
Fifteen minutes later and we had already arrived at school and on the way to the parking lot.
I can already see Vonn talking to a few of his friends. It's not surprising though as he is naturally a social butterfly. He can easily make friends in a snap of a finger.
He stopped talking to them when he noticed our car maneuvering to park and walk his way to us.
"What in the world is happening here?" He asked, smiling when we get out of the car. "Did I miss the notice of OOTD?"
I rolled my eyes on him.
"Have you seen them?" I was referring to Lexi, Yui and Simon. He nodded and took my bag from me after giving me a kiss on my cheek. "Stop smiling. I am starting to regret my outfit choice already."
"Okay, okay." he surrendered but still kept that annoyingly handsome smirk on his face. "It does not matter, you still look gorgeous though."
"Whatever."
"Hi Silvia, Jealena." He greeted them which they answered with a simple hi. "Looking better than yesterday. Pink suits you."
He playfully said which made my sisters blush, especially Silvia.
I could not help but shake my head a little.
We started walking our way to my first subject classroom while making small talks.
My first subject is Calculus 101. The classroom is located in CBA - Building 2. Each building consists of six floors and around twenty rooms each floor. Each also has eight elevators, two in each wing, giving everyone a choice to take the stairs or elevator.
Vonn led me to one of the elevators near the entrance of the building since it was empty. Silvia and Jealena were still walking behind us and entered the elevator after us.
I did not find it odd since this is the CBA building and they are BA Majors.
"Which floor are you?" Vonn asked them.
"Third floor." Silvia replied and Vonn pressed the button number three. It's also where my first class will be.
"Hi Vonn. Hi Queen." There were a few students who entered the same elevator and greeted us.
We walk towards room B2-3-12 that is located at the west wing of the building. It's still past 8 am yet the hallway is buzzing with students lively talking and gossiping who are idling in the hallway, waiting for their professors.
We haven't even reached the classroom yet but I can already hear Lexi's jolly voice. She has always been bubbly. Only a toothache can bring her down a notch.
"Goodmorning Biatch!" Lexi greeted enthusiastically, when she saw us by the doorway.
Vonn could not help but chuckle when he saw our friends.
"Don't you dare, Reign Vonn State." I warned him. He raised his hands and made his way to an empty desk my friends reserved for me to put my bag down.
I gave my friends air-kisses which they did the same.
"Look at us!" It's Yui. "We're twinsies."
"You look like K-Pop. Simon is the singer and the three of you are his backup dancers." Vonn teased.
If you asked why, it's because Lexi suggested last night in our group chat that we should come to school in matching outfits. It took us a long time to decide what to wear until we settled in black and white colors and the top or bottom should be plaid.
So here we are, the three of us are wearing plaid skirts with white tops and black blazers. While Simon is wearing black slacks with short sleeves, plaid shirt over a white undershirt with necktie.
We do really look like KPop.
"Your sisters are twinning as well." Simon pointed out.
This is the reason why I almost facepalmed myself when I saw them earlier.
"What are you two doing here?" I asked them when I realized that our professor may be on her way already to start the class. "Don't you have to go to your class?"
"Dito yung classroom namin." Silvia answered and looked for a vacant desk to occupy while Jealena followed after her.
"Don't BA students have blocked classes?" I asked Vonn which he nodded.
The SDA curriculum puts more importance on Business courses as most students enrolled here are children of businessmen. The school scouted experts in various fields of business to teach each BA subjects. They are not just regular people looking for regular jobs, as a result, CBA students have blocked classes which focused more on major business subjects rather than minor arts and science subjects which calculus falls under.
"Hindi namin alam. Si papa kasi ang nagdecide ng subjects namin." Sabi ni Jealena.
"Ah ok. I was just surprised." I did not say anything more, instead got back to chatting with my friends.
"Hey masochist. Shouldn't you be going your way to class now?" Lexi asks, referring to Vonn. That's her friendly endearment for him. She could think of the most shameful adjective and make it her endearment.
"This is me being in class, imp." Vonn answered that surprised me. He is sitting down on the desk behind mine.
"Are you stalking again?" Lexi's tone of voice is more on stating a fact than asking a question.
"And if I am? Can you do anything about it?" and there goes the start of their banter again which only ended when the class started.
Students only attend four classes everyday, since one semester in SDA is divided into two terms. Each subject is taken everyday Mondays to Fridays for three months which makes up a term. So a fully loaded student have eight subjects in one semester.
Time passes by so quickly.
Before we know it, two months have passed by already.
Somehow, I have already adjusted to our situation at home.
I just chose to stay away from my sisters and talked to them if necessary. They have also found they're own circle of friends in school. And for the sake of peace, I let them have their own table beside us in the cafeteria. Mahirap na, baka umabot na naman kay Dad na inaapi ko sila or hinahayaang maapi.
*******
"Mommy, I'm home." I picked into her room and called out.
"Hi, baby. I'm on a call with oji." She informed me and signaled for me to go to her. I gave her a peck on her cheek.
She's on a Skype call with her older brother, my uncle, Nakago Toheyama.
"Konbanwa ojisan." I greeted him good evening. He is currently in Tokyo as it is where the main branch of Toheyama International is based.
"Anata mo konbanwa, purinsesu." (Good evening to you too, princess.) "Gakkō kara kaette kita tokoro de suka?" (Did you just get home from school?) He asked.
" Hai. Itsu koko Philippines ni modotte kimasu ka? Mō kai itai desu." (Yes. When are you coming back here to the Philippines? I miss you already.)
I talked with them for a while before I excused myself to go to my room to take a shower before dinner started.
"Kumusta ang school apo?" lolo asked me while we were having dinner.
"Getting harder everyday lolo. Especially now that the first term finals are just around the corner."
"It's just your first year in college. You still have three more years to go. So don't be too harsh on yourself, okay?" He reminded me. "Make sure to have fun. Minsan ka lang teenager. If you focus too much of your attention sa mga school activities nyo, baka hindi mo na ma enjoy ang college life mo."
"Ganyan nga papa. Pagsabihan mo yang apo mong yan. Nasubrahan sa bait. Nagrereklamo na sa akin ang mga friends nya dahil daw laging gusto umuwi on time." Mommy said smiling.
"Shouldn't you be proud of me for being a good daughter?"
"Nope. Do you know what my dream is? Being called to the guidance office because you got into a fight." She said jokingly. "Then I will fight with the parent of the student you fought with. Oh diba ang saya."
"Cela n'arrivera pas, maman. Du moins, pas au SDA. Même si je deviens folle et que je me bats avec quelqu'un, ils baisseront la tête. As-tu oublié qui se tient derrière moi?" (It's not going to happen, Mommy. At least not in SDA. Even if I go crazy and fight someone, they'll just put their heads down. Have you forgotten who's standing behind me?) I playfully replied that made her laugh
"No speaking of French or any other languages in the table except for Tagalog and English, Jazz. Your sisters and tita Selena will not understand. Please be considerate." Father said, putting a stop to our laughter.
"Sorry." I shortly replied.
"Hindi ba't my foreign languages sa SDA? Hindi ba kayo nag enrol?" Tanong ni lolo kina Silvia.
"Hindi po sila kumuha senior." Selena answered in the middle of chewing her food. "Hindi naman kasi ganun ka importante yun."
"Your daughters are taking up Business and you think learning foreign language is not that important?" Grandpa put down the cutlery he was using and wiped his hands with the table napkin, signaling that he was done eating, and looked at father. "You letting your two daughters take up Business means that you plan on giving them a job in the company once they graduate. Am I right?"
"Yes Papa."
"Balak mo lang ba sila gawing regular employee? Or balak mo silang bigyan ng mataas na posisyon?" Grandpa paused for a moment and looked at my sisters for a moment before looking at father again. "Our company's three biggest investors and clients are based in Japan, France and Greece. And yet this woman and your two daughters think that learning foreign language is not important?"
I smiled inwardly sa sinabi ni lolo. He never addressed Selena with her name or as father's wife. He has always addressed her as 'this woman', one thing that makes me feel better. Not just for myself, but for mommy as well. It's a sign that lolo still considers mommy as father's legal wife regardless of the situation.
"And your brother-in-law, Nakago, although very fluent with the English language, prefers to speak in French and more so in Japanese. You have offended him greatly for this mess you caused, Jaime. No dejes que pierda la paciencia. Sabe lo que le pasará a la empresa si piensa en dejarla ir. ¿Lo has olvidado? Debido a su decisión equivocada anterior, nuestra empresa casi quebró. (Don't let him lose his patience. You know what will happen to the company if he thinks about letting it go. Have you forgotten? Because of your wrong decision before, our company almost went bankrupt.)
"Paano napunta doon ang usapang ito Papa?" Father asked in a raised voice. "Ang gusto ko lang naman, ay isipin ni Jazmin ang mga kapatid nya."
"Isipin?" Grandpa violently slammed both hands on the table that gave me a scare. I have never seen him mad like this and it made me worry. Pati si lola sa tabi nya ay nabigla rin. "Lagi na lang bang ang apo ko ang mag-a-adjust para dyan sa mga anak mo? Lagi lang ba sila dito sa bahay? Pag nasa labas ba sila kasama ang mga kaibigan ni Jazz at iba pang ka edaran nila na marunong magsalita ng ibang lengwahe, sila ba ang mag-a-adjust dahil hindi nakaka-intidi yang mga anak mo? Do you think other people will do the same courtesy to them? Or balak mong isisi na naman kay Jazz pag umuwing umiiyak ang isa sa mga yan dahil pinagtawanan sila?"
"Lolo, please calm down." I pleaded. Holding his palm in mine.
I am worried for him. He is already old and he shouldn't be angry like this.
I don't know how our conversation turned into shouting.
Why did father have to make a big deal about me speaking foreign language at the dining table? We have always done that ever since I was young. Though lolo and lola could not speak French or Japanese, they understood. Sila pa nga ang nag encourage sa akin before to talk in French or Japanese at itatanong lang nila kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng word, pag hindi nila maintindihan.
"Kung gusto mong walang marinig na reklamo mula sa akin sa paraan ng pagpapalaki mo dyan sa dalawa mong anak, never restrain Jazz to do whatever she wants to do again. It's too late for you to have any say on what she should and shouldn't do. Kung nagpakatatay ka lang sa kanya noon pa man gaya ng pagpapakatatay mo dyan sa dalawa mong anak, hindi tayo aabot sa ganitong usapan. You never cared how we raised her, from the start. And you do not have to start caring now. Asikasuhin mo yang dalawa mong anak kung paano sila makakahabol, kung hindi man lang kay Jazz, kahit man lang sa anak ng mga kakilala natin sa negosyo. So you won't be embarrassed to introduce them to high society. Dahil hindi ang mundo ang mag-a-adjust sa kanila."