Simula noong meeting na 'yon, mas naging close kami ni Hannie. She is my first friend.
Although, sometimes I get irritated whenever she starts talking. Sobrang daldal kasi niya. Para siyang radyo na 'pag binuksan wala na rin tigil sa pagngawa.
Knowing me, I will prefer to read all day long than to speak myself up.
But still, I love her company, so...
Kung noon, ako lang ang inaasar ng grupo nina Andrew. Ngayon naman, kaming dalawa na.
Who would've thought that Hannie and I will be friends. A talkative one and an almost mute one. Very unlikely but we matched.
Isa pa, pinagtatawanan din nila ang height difference namin. Hanggang balikat ko lang kasi ang kaibigan ko.
"Jules, I think mas bagay sa'yo ang fit na dress. Mas mae-enhance 'yong curves mo pati rin ang long legs na tinatago mo!"
We were waiting for our adviser. Homeroom period kasi namin ngayon, at ngayon ang itinakdang araw ng bunutan ng partner namin sa party.
In our meeting before, it was an agreement that everyone will be having a "date". Mayroon daw pasayaw sa party, kaya kailangan talaga ng partner.
The boys and girls in our section is even. And according to Sir Perez, medyo may ilangan pa raw kami sa room, kaya mas mabuting bunutan na lang ang paraan ng pagpili ng partner. Pinapili rin kami ni Sir noon kung sino ang bubunot, if it's the girls or the boys. Agad namang nagpaubaya ang boys.
And since he's not here yet, here I am, nakikinig na naman ng ngawa ni Hannie. She's talking about what we are going to wear for the party.
The event's theme is something shiny and sparkly.
"Tapos ako, siguro mini ballgown na lang ang isusuot ko para naman tumangkad ako." she continued, "Ano ba, Jules?! Nakikinig ka ba?"
"Uh-huh. But I will just let Nanay choose for me."
She rolled her eyes at me, "Basta tatalbugan natin 'yong mga feelingerang HUMSS, ha?"
"No need for that, Han. This party is for gaining 'friends', hindi ng kaaway." I sarcastically said, "Kung pwede lang talagang hindi umattend, eh."
"Tapos ano? Magbabasa ka lang niyang mga libro mo? Ipalamon ko sa'yo ang mga iyan!"
Moments later, Sir Perez arrived. He is carrying a karton box. Doon daw namin bubunutin ang names ng boys.
"Okay, girls! Instructions lang, pagkatapos niyong lahat, saka lang kayo tutungo sa partner niyo, don't say it to others yet unless I said so. Ipakita niyo muna sa akin, so I could check it. And to avoid commotion, alphabetical order ang pagbunot."
Shit!
"Oh, damn. Baby Jules, dahan-dahan lang ang pagbunot, ha?" Andrew said in a moaning tone.
The class laughed at that.
I glared at him. "Your mouth, Mr. Ynarez! Miss Artemio, come here."
Inalog ni Sir Perez ang box bago ako bumunot. I unfolded the tiny piece of paper and showed it to him.
I took a glance at it.
'Carlos, Quentin Dominic'
Mabuti naman at hindi iyong ungas. Thank you, Lord! Kumapara kay Andrew, mas matino kaunti itong si Kit. Inaasar din ako nito. At hindi ko malilimutan ang sinabi ng pangit na ito sa akin no'ng first day!
As I returned to my seat, siniko agad ako ni Hannie, "Sino?" she whispered.
"Miss Rafael!" Sir Perez scolded Hannie and she threw a peace sign at him.
The other girls proceeded in picking. Hannie, too. And when we were all done, all the girls stood up and went to their respective partners.
Kit was sitting in front of Andrew. And the latter was smirking big time, while looking at me.
Anong akala mo, ungas? Sa'yo ako? To take a little revenge, I stared back at him and smiled sweetly.
Nang nasa harapan na ako ni Kit, saka lang ako nagbitaw ng tingin. "Uh, Kit." and I showed to Kit the paper I picked with his name on it.
I heard some curses at the back. Kit clicked his tongue. Hinila niya ako palapit sa kaniya at inakbayan.
Hinarap namin ang likod sa gano'ng ayos.
"Hey, Drew! Ito nga pala ang date ko. Who's yours?"
"Tangina, Kit!" then Andrew whispered something to Lea, his partner, umiling naman ito. He turned to us again, "Kung ako ang binunot mo, poorie, hinding-hindi ko na bubunotin."
Kit almost choked while laughing, and I took that as an opportunity to remove his hand on me. Ew!
"Listen, students! Starting next week, Monday, you will be having a shortened classes so you could practice for your cotillion. I repeat, shortened. Not a half day. Understand?"
We uttered 'Yes' in unison. That's when our class was dismissed.
I was putting all my things back in my locker when Andrew went to me.
"Hindi ba pwedeng palit kami ni Kit, cutie?" saad niya sa seryosong tono.
That was new.
"Hindi na. You heard what Sir Perez said." humarap ako sa kaniya, "Makuntento ka nga sa nakabunot sa'yo."
"How will I? When everytime we will practice, alam kong mas lalamang ang pang-aasar ni Kit sa'yo." he touched my chin and made me look at him, "Ako lang dapat ang bully mo."
Pissed, I stepped on his white rubber shoes. Buti na lang at naka-PE uniform kami ngayon. Nakaganti tuloy ako.
"July 8! This is Daddy's gift to me!" sigaw niya pero iniwan ko na siya ro'n while chuckling.
Hannie's already waiting for me nang makalabas ako. "Balang araw, ako naman ang mang-aasar sa ungas na 'yan."
"Sino? Si Andrew?" she asked.
"Who else? Ma-flat sana ang lahat ng tires niya. O di kaya naman, i-ground siya ng parents niya." I ranted. "Nakakainis, everyday he has anything to say against me or to piss me."
"Hehe. Ganiyan talaga si Drew. Tita Prude spoiled him so much, paano kasi, namana ng unico hijo niya ang ugali niya." huminto siya at tumingin sa loob ng classroom, "Don't worry, I'll tell them about this."
"How... did you know anything about him?" why does Hannie know something about ungas? "Were you e-ex-lovers?"
"Siraulo ka, Jules! Ilalampaso kita rito sa corridor! He's my cousin."
Dinaga ang dibdib ko sa nalaman. Nanlalaki ang matang tinitigan siya, "Sorry, joke lang ang lahat ng sinabi ko!" pambabawi ko, "Ang bait bait nga ng pinsan mo sa akin, Han. At wala lang naman para sa akin ang mga sinasabi niya. Sus!"
"Talaga?" hindi ko napansing boses lalaki pala iyon.
"Yes, really!"
And before I noticed it, Andrew Ungas Ynarez, was already smiling playfully at me. And Hannie's laughing like there's no tomorrow.
Damn!
