The Cupid

The Search

I can't help but sigh.

No one believes me, except her.

But I know, they're real, they exist.

I don't care if walang maniniwala, I don't care if they'll call me freak, kahit ano pa yan hinding-hindi ako titigil. I will never stop until I find them.

Kasalukuyan akong naglalakad papasok sa napaka-eleganteng gate. 'Southville International School' basa ko sa nakatatak na mga letrang nakadikit sa itaas ng gate. Cars can enter but we prefer walking. Dad wants to send bodyguards to me but I'm not a kid anymore. I wanna try being independent kaya hindi ko siya pinayagang padalhan ako ng personal driver. May sariling parking lot ang school, since private, maraming nakasasakyan. Wala ring masyadong sasakyan ang dumadaan dahil sa location ng school. I kinda love this environment. Refreshing and peaceful. So much to expect in a countryside.

Naglakad na ako papuntang entrance. Matatanaw dito ang mga students na nasa loob. Mga grupo ng senior high students, maraming nakaupo sa bench at ilalim ng mga puno. Hindi rin plain at flat ang paligid. May mga elevated land covered with burmuda grass. Everything is green and peaceful.

Napapikit ako sa lamig at sarap ng hangin at napahawak ako ng mahigpit sa strap ng backpack kong chanel, I hate wearing this kind of brand but I have no choice. I look around. The buildings are very refreshing too. Sa previous school ko kasi, masyadong common, plain colored walls at lobby sa labas. Dito, I feel like nasa ibang bansa ako. Like Harvard University. They're buildings are very similar to those school.

They are wearing uniforms. Girls wear white blazer, tie done up to top botton, white blouse tucked- in, and black skirt, plus the school badge placed on the right side of the chest. Well, ang sa shoes iba-iba na, some are wearing boots, others wear flat shoes, and typical school shoes.
I, too, wear uniforms like them.

For the boys, same colors. White blazer, ties, badge, white shirt, black slocks and shoes.

The guard approach me, isang malaki ngunit maamo ang mukha na lalake, siguro mid-20's na siya . I show him my ID and the school badge. Pinapasok na ako ni guard kaya agad na akong nagpatuloy. Masyadong malawak ang space dito. More like 40 meters from the gate ang layo ng first building.There are bikes and scooters too.

Everyone is staring. Yung iba nagulat, pero majority, out of curiosity. Well, expected naman. We are transferee. Hindi ko na lang pinansin ang nakakaumay nilang titig. Can ya'll stop it?

Despite sa lawak ng school, konti lang ang students na nandito, like 150 lang ang total students every grade. Also, that 900 students are divided into 2 divisions, kumbaga nahati ang school into two campuses. Highschool and Senior High school students lang ang nandito, the college is on the other location. So, in total, Campus A, where highschool students stay, has 600 students, and for senior high students, 300 in Campus B.

******

After ma-assign ng section ay nagsimula na akong maglakad. May apat na section for grade 11 and 12 kaya sinimulan kunang maghanap ng section ko. May dala rin akong map ng school to avoid getting lost. Maraming students dito na grade 7 palang dito na nag-aaral, or should I say halos lahat sila . Everyone is well mannered and confident. Walang magulo ang buhok, walang gusot na gusot na blazer, at lahat magalang kumilos. But of course, the school is boring kung walang mga abnoi. I spotted group of boys na naghahabulan sa soccer field. May mga girls naman sa gilid ng track and field area na nagpa-practice for cheerleading. The teachers are also confident, well, except for teachers sa lower years. They all look like shy-type teachers.

Natanaw ko na ang name ng section ko kaya mas binilisan konang maglakad. As I enter the classroom, ang kaninang maingay na class ay dahan-dahan tumahimik. They're not actually staring but I can feel the awkward atmosphere. I sighed and look for vacant seat. I spotted one kaya agad na akong pumunta dun at umupo.