EINO X AVI: Freedom or Glory

I. School of Nobodys

"Eino! Eino! Tulog ka nanaman! Get your bag, apo, andito na tayo sa labas ng school mo."

Unti-unting bumukas ang mga mata ko sa sinag ng araw na tumama sa mukha ko pag-bukas ng Lolo sa pinto ng nag-iisang McLaren Sabre sa syudad na 'to.

"Bat niyo kasi ako kailangan ihatid? Ilang taon na ako, 'Lo at ilang beses na natin pinag-usapan 'to!" I love my Grandparents, but they can be very protective sometimes. OA na, 'di na nakakatuwa minsan.

"Apo, it's the first day of your senior year! At kung hindi ka pa pinahanap ng Dad mo kagabi malamang hindi ka nanaman umuwi. You need to start taking life---

"Oo na po. Sige na, iuwi mo na si Lolo, Mang Rudy."

Buti pa si Mang Rudy, walang sinasabi. 20 years ng driver ng Lolo and after "passing the torch" to my Dad, ako na pinagda-drive ni Mang Rudy. Si Mang Rudy walang sinasabi, no matter what time, no matter where. When I tell him I wanna go somewhere, go agad yan. Walang maraming putak. Haaaaayyyyy....

"Fix your tie. You need to look good para first day high!" Ang baduy ng Lolo, trying hard to be conyo.

"Opo na, opo. Love you na din. Please lang don't pick me up, okay?"

Iuuwi muna ni Mang Rudy ang Lolo bago siya bumalik at tumambay sa parking area ng school to wait for me. I don't know why but he's always been like that. Weird noh? Kailangan ba talagang hintayin ako all day? Nasa car na din mga needs niya, like water, food, snacks, everything. He's my most prized "possession" dahil sa patience niya siguro sakin. I'd love to give him something big in the future, but not now. Kasi right now, I just want to live life to the fullest habang may pagkakataon pa ako... before I take over, before my life is tied to guns and bullets, business and cash.

I started walking lazily toward the school entrance. Ayan nanaman si Mr. dela Hoya, yung security guard ng school na mas matanda pa ata sa Lolo ko. Sabi ng mga chismosa sa school, he's been here for 40 years and he donates half of his salary to the school's feeding program. Separated from his wife for many years, no kids, and no relatives either. He lives alone and looks lonely on certain days.

"Mr. Escobari, your ID please. Kailangan lagging suot ang ID. Pambihira! Ilang taon ka na sa school hindi mo parin alam ang rules?"

I reached into my pocket, flashed out my ID card, and walked away without a word when Mr. dela Hoya finally smiled and waved his calloused, wrinkled hands as a sign that I can finally, finally enter school premises.

"Oi, Eino! KJ mo! We were waiting for you to come back last night, hindi ka na bumalik. Parang gago naman to! Dami pang girls who were expecting you." Siya nga pala si Clay, childhood friend. We went to the same schools since kindergarten. I get tired of his whining, lalo pag wala na ako sa mood maki-join sa parties nila with girls. Not that I'm a woman hater. I like girls – I just don't like their drama.

"San ka ba nagpunta last night?"

"Umuwi na. I told you I felt weird, nakulob na ako kagabi. It was your fault. The bar you chose was too crowded."

"O edi sorry na po Sir! Anyway, I heard we have a transfer student sa class today. Are you excited?"

"Why would I be excited?"

"She's a girl! And she's from abroad. According to our IT geek 'mates who got a hold of a photo by hacking into the school system, she's the bomb!"

"So what? Transfer students are boring. Do you remember Reika who transferred last year? The fandom only lasted for about a week. They soon discovered that she's just a boring kid who happened to be transferred to this cool school. I think it's time the school stops embracing these boring transferees. Dagdag gastos lang yan sa cafeteria and other school expenses."