"They're just fictional characters!" I screamed as I reached into my chest, pulled my heart out, and flung it down the window.
-Just a visual of my internal conflict at the moment. Lol, enjoy!
Coco xxx
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TWENTY NINE
I clenched my fists, wishing the floor would swallow me alive so I could just disappear. Parang masusuka na ako sa mga naririnig kong pinagsasasabi ko kay Key sa pinapalabas na video – Jusmiyo I sounded so... inappropriate – pero naisip ko, kung dito pa ako sa harapan ng lahat susuka, mauubos na talaga to the core ang dignidad ko.
Mamaya na lang, I thought, pep talking myself, maybe I can even belch my vomit out on Harina's perfect hair if I get lucky.
I should've seen this coming, masyado akong naging kampante. The universe thrives in balance, I had better kept in mind that the happiness I so briefly enjoyed until about five seconds ago had to mean an equal amount of sorrow later.
Napa-iling ako, hangang hanga na talaga ako sa Harinang 'to. It made me wonder how someone could singlehandedly ruin everything in just a minute – she was that talented. Unti-unti kong iminulat ang mga mata ko, hindi ko alam kung matatawag na ba akong masokista nito pero gusto kong makita kung ano ang ekspresyon sa pagmumukha ng babae.
What met my eyes, though, was something else.
Everyone, and I mean everyone, was exchanging whispers, throwing me accusing stares – judging me. I felt genuinely exposed.
Grabe, nakakatawa, makukuha ko pala talaga ang isang explosive at dramatic na exposé na ginusto ko. The possibility has always been in my head, iniimagine ko pa nga minsan kung papaano magaganap ang mga eksena eh, but now that doomsday has finally come forth, I realized that no amount of time could have ever prepared me for this.
Tila nawalan na ng silbi ang sense organs ko dahil hindi ko man lang namalayan na nasa tabi ko na pala si Principal Lee Chone, he was standing with me behind the speaker's podium, taking control of the microphone.
"Attention!" He rumbled. Doon lang yata natauhan si Sir Guzman at naisipan niyang i-hinto ang nakapalabas na scandal-ish namin ni Key, kung kalian pa mukhang patapos na ito. Saya. I took a few steps back, laking pasasalamat ko na malaking tao ang Principal dahil madali kong maikukubli ang aking shamefaced self sa malapad niyang likod.
"Advisers, lead your students back to the classrooms. That concludes our Assembly for today. Thank you, and good morning."
Great. Yes, everyone, have a good day, because I know I won't. Nagsisimula pa lang ang bitter rage ko sa taksil na mundo nang tumalikod ang principal para harapan ako. My breath caught.
"Ikaw rin Ms. Pring, umakyat ka muna sa classroom ninyo. I'll have a talk with Mr. Ayala first, ipapatawag kita pagkatapos." The man looked at me weird, like he was measuring me. Kalmado naman 'yung boses niya, but it was indifferent, it had a strange edge to it. Ngayon ko lang siya narinig ng ganito.
May pag-aalinlangan akong tumango. I wanted to protest but I didn't think I was allowed to. How hilariously unbelievable was this? Hahayaan lang akong maupo ni Lee Chone sa isang lugar kung saan nandoon din si Harina? Oh, that would be worse than any torture chamber.
Hinintay ko muna na maubos ang lahat ng mga tao sa gym bago ako umalis, because really, after that madness, walking alongside everybody here would feel like a damn death march so... no, thank you.
