Stuck In Between (Published Under IMMAC PPH)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The lunch went great. Kahit na napag-usapan naming ang parents ko and he seems suspicious at some moments, it was great. Bumalik din agad kami sa classroom namin at umattend ng mga natitira pang klase. Rico attended the last classes. Nang makita niya akong pumasok sa pintuan ng classroom namin ay ang ganda ng ngiti niya, but when he glanced at my back and saw Red, his smile faltered. Umupo na lang siya sa upuan at nanahimik don.

After we finished, I went back to the woods hoping to see Augustus again. Yup, I decided to give him a name and I hope that it is completely fine for him. Pero nang nakarating ako roon, wala siya. I stayed for a few minutes at nang hindi siya dumating ay nagpasya na akong umalis.

I'm now walking to the parking lot, hindi pa rin mabura sa isip ko ang mga sinabi ni Red kanina. He really seems to know who I am and it's a bit annoying that I do not know anything.

I saw Kuya Lando waiting on the car. Nakita ko pa na may kausap siyang lalaki but when they saw me, agad na umalis yung lalaki and Kuya Lando faced me with a smile. I smiled back.

"Who's that, Kuya?" I asked.

"Kaibigan ko, Miss," he said and looked at the track the man from earlier took.

Nagyaya na siya kaya naman sumakay na rin ako. While were on our way home, napansin ko na mas kumonti rin ang tao sa bayan. Some are acting like my schoolmates and teachers. Out of curiosity, I decided to just ask Kuya.

"Kuya, bakit po parang mas umunti ang tao sa bayan ngayon?" tiningnan niya ako gamit ang rear view mirror.

"Ah, kabilugan po ng buwan kahapon," he said.

"Ano pong meron sa buwan? Some of my classmates were absent today too and some were acting weird. Parang ang tamlay-tamlay nila."

"Sa tingin ko Miss, dapat hindi ako ang magsasabi niyan sa'yo," he said with finality. Para bang pinapahayag niya na roon na nagtatapos ang aming usapan. I still have a lot of questions in mind but I chose to keep quiet.

I sighed. If he can't tell me what was the real reason why it happened, then who would?

Nang makauwi kami ay tinanong ko rin sila Lola Lori at Athena but the both of them told me the same. Na hindi sila ang dapat na magsabi sa akin.

Nakahiga ako ngayon sa kama ko, staring at the ceiling, when suddenly, I remembered what Papa told me.

"I know that you'll be able to search for the answers yourself. You are special, anak."

What Papa said lingered in my mind for a few weeks. Nakapag-adjust na rin ako sa klase at maayos na ulit ang lahat. After the day we had our lunch, mas naging malapit kami ni Red though sometimes he's still acting weird. Emy came back after that day, too. Si Rico naman ay madalas na wala.

I was walking down the hallway from the woods because I met with Augustus too when I heard someone spoke.

"Well, I know she wouldn't last when she comes back already."

"I know right? Pansamantala lang siya ngayon and when she comes back, basura na siya right?"

Nilingon ang pinagmulan ng usapan at nakita ko silang nakatingin sa akin. Oh, I guess I was the one they were talking about, but I wonder who the other person was.

The day passed like a blur. It was just as normal—a little abnormal for me for some unknown reason.

The next day, hindi na naipasok ni Kuya Lando ang sasakyan dahil marami ang kumpol ng estudyante sa may gate. Though it is normal na madalas dito sila nakatambay kapag umaga, mas dumami ata ngayon.