Promise Me

Chapter 2

#PMTheRain

Rain's Point of View

Andito ako ngayon sa classroom, nagmumuni-muni habang nagke-kwento si Mikee at Donna, akala nila siguro nakikinig ako sa kanila, iniisip ko kasi kung kailan ba ako pwede makakain, kanina pa talaga ako nagugutom, pumasok kasi bigla yung Proffesor namin nung kakain na ako. Haay...

"Rain!" they both shouted at me to get out of my thoughts, itong mga 'to kung hindi ako sasabunutan, sisigawan ako. "Magsisimula na daw yung orientation, tara na ba?

Nauna na akong tumayo nung sinabi nila yon, sana naman makakain na ako this time, naisip ko na 'di nalang ako aattend sa orientation, tatakbuhan ko na lang 'tong sila Mikee at Donna, nahihilo na ako talaga eh.

We're now walking, when suddenly someone grabbed my arm it was Vice.

"Ano teh? Bakit parang namumutla ka?" he asked me worriedly.

"Nagugutom na talaga ako teh, 'di ko na kaya yung hilo k—"

-

Nagising na lang ako nang may narinig akong ingay, when I opened my eyes I saw Vice and Pipay laughing. I faked cough to get their attention.

"Oh. Gising ka na pala Rain. Ano ba nangyari sayo? Bakit bigla ka nalang nahimatay kanina?" Pipay asked.

"Kahapon pa kasi ako walang kain, busy kami sa karinderya, tiyaka tubig lang laman ng tiyan ko hangang ngayon. Tapos, andami-dami pang sagabal pag-susubo ako. Sino kayang hindi mahihilo diba." I sat properly on the clinic bed and finally get my jollibee. Sa wakas makakakain na rin ako.

"Eh sino ba kasi may sabing wag ka kumain?" I almost choked when I heard Ms. Salonga's voice.

"Ahh ehh. Ma'am kasi po.."

She cut me out and said

"Next time kasi magsasabi ka para hindi ka nalilipasan ng gutom. Buti na lang andiyan mga kabigan mo."

After she said that she left out the room.

Nagkatinginan na lang kaming tatlo, after she left us.

"O loko! Nasermunan ka tuloy ni Ms. Salonga." Vice whispered.

"Oo nga teh, alam mo kanina parang close kami niyan eh, ewan ko ba bigla bigla na lang nagiging masungit, may regla ata." I chuckled which made them chuckle too.

"Magpasalamat ka na lang Rain, kung hindi dahil kay Ms. Salonga siguro sahig yung sumalo sayo."

"Ha? Ano—anong sabi mo Pipay? Si Ms. Salonga yung sumalo sakin? Ha? 'Di ko gets." I asked in confusion while the fork is still in my mouth.

"Ewan ko sayo Rain, ang slow mo, kumain ka na nga lang diyan. Oh siya, mauna na ako tinext na ako ni Martin eh." Pipay hugged us before she left.

Nagke-kwentuhan lang kami ni Vice hangang sa matapos ko yung kinakain ko, iniisip ko pa rin yung sinabi ni Pipay. Bakit naman ako sasaluhin ni Ms. Salonga? Tiyaka yung huling naalala ko lang si Vice yung kasama ko kanina. 'Di ko naman din siya napansin. Ay ewan ko na.

I spend my day na nasa clinic lang, well, sinagad ko na yung paghiga and yung aircon sa clinic ngayong first day of school, wala rin naman masyado gagawin ngayon. Dahil wala akong magawa at makausap kinuha ko yung pencil and notebook ko. I tried to sketch my surrounding. Nakaka-relieve talaga yung ganito, tahimik tapos nakikinig ng old songs at the same time nagse-sketch.

In my peripheral view, I saw a woman standing in front of me. She leaned her body to see what am I sketching. I looked at her and our face is now a few inches with each other. I gulped and it took a second when she finally sat on my side.

"Ms. Velasquez, okay ka na ba?"

I sat properly and removed my earphones

"Y-yes po Ma'am Salonga. Okay na po ako, nagse-sketch lang ako para iwas bored."

"Good. Next time kumain ka sa tamang oras para hindi ka nahihilo." She said and turned her gaze to the window.

"Opo. Thank you po pala Ma'am kasi kung hindi mo daw po ako sinalo baka sahig sumalo sa akin." I looked at her and smiled

"Wait, what? Nakakasalo ba yung sahig? They have hands?" She chuckled at natawa na lang din ako, para support sa ka-cornyhan niya.

She looked to her wrist watch and said, "We have a meeting pa pala, lets move our org meeting tomorrow. Magpagaling ka muna diyan."

"Okay po Ma'am. Ingat po kayo." I smiled sweetly. Kanina lang ang sungit sungit tapos ngayon ang bait. Half demon, half angel ata talaga 'to eh.

"By the way, Ms. Velasquez, I really love your sketch. I hope you can sketch me next time." She turned around and looked at me waiting to my answer.

"Yes po, I would love to, Ma'am." I told her shyly and I bit my lower lip

"I'll wait for that. Ingat ka Ms. Velasquez, baka madapa ka sayang naman yang cute mong mukha." She grinned at me before she left and I found myself blushing on what she said.

-

It was almost 6pm, dumaan pa kasi ako sa Theater room para kunin yung papers and nakipag-kwentuhan pa ako saglit kila kuya guard at mga ate ko sa canteen. Iniwan na nga rin pala ako ng magagaling kong mga kaibigan. May emergency daw kila Pipay kahit alam kong magda-date lang sila ni Martin, ito namang si Vice sumabay na dahil tinatamad na mag-commute. I was walking alone in the campus pauwi na nang biglang umulan. Oh shet, wala pa naman akong payong. Sumilong muna ako sa ilalim ng puno para magpatila ng ulan. Bakit kasi sa parking ko pa naisipan dumaan. I was waiting for the rain to stop when I noticed someone is walking. It was Ms. Salonga.

"Ma'am!" I run to her, para makisilong sa payong niya.

"Ms. Velasquez, look at you basang-basa ka na, bakit wala kang dalang payong?" She looks worried.

"Eh sa pagmamadali ko po kaninang umaga, naiwan ko po sa bahay." I was now shivering, ang lakas pa ng hangin.

"Come with me, ihahatid na kita sainyo."

She grabbed my hand and when our palms met, it felt different, para akong nakuryente. Eto ba yung sinasabi nilang spark? O baka naman kasi basa lang ako kaya ganon?

She opened her car door for me to step inside. When she's already settled, she reached for her bag on the back seat and gave it to me.

"May damit ako diyan, you can change if you want." She reached her phone and turned her attention to it, para hindi ako mailang magpalit.

"Okay na po Ma'am. Thank you po." I said to her and gave her bag.

She started the engine

"Kahit wag mo na akong tawaging Ma'am pag wala na tayo sa campus, you can call me Soleil, mag-kasing edad lang naman tayo." I was shocked when she said that.

"P-po? Magka-edad lang tayo?"

She looked at me for a while and continued driving

"Yes hindi ka ba naniniwala?"

"Bakit nakapag-masteral ka po agad?"

"How'd you know that? Wala ka naman sa orientation kanina."

"Hindi po ba pwedeng andon lang yung kaluluwa ko?" She death glared me. Takot nanaman ako dito, 'di na nga ako magjo-joke.

"Pinag-aral kasi ako ng parents ko when I was 3 years old, tapos na accelerated pa ako nung elementary. Kaya 'yun, maaga ako naka-graduate. Ikaw Ms. Velasquez? Tell me about your life."

"Rain na lang po itawag niyo sa akin, masyadong formal yung Ms. Velasquez. Eh wala naman po ako make-kwento sa buhay ko basta po scholar ako simula elementary tapos may karenderya kami, ay alam mo masarap pagkain namin doon. Baka gusto mo muna mag-stay kahit sandali." I said excitedly.

"It depends sa traffic, and yes, here it is. I really hate the traffic here in Manila." She said annoyed and turned her radio on.

"Next time Ma'am ha, aasahan ko yan. Pwede po ba akong umidlip? medyo nabagsak na po kasi yung mata ko eh." I told her and she nodded in response.