Good Day!
As requested with due respect, our esteemed learning institution, Sandoval Intelligentia University, through its organized Scholarship Selection Committee, is so grateful for you have manifested your endeavor. We are happy and greatly honored to inform you that you have topped the entrance examination having the average of 97%.
You are please favorably and lucky to have been chosen as our Scholarship Grantee to study at Sandoval Intelligentia University maintaining a good Scholastic Record.
Congratulations and Goodluck on your new journey!
Walang pagsidlan ang tuwang nararamdan ko nang matanggap ko ang mensaheng iyon! I feel at ease knowing that I got the highest score and I will be the one who will be receiving the scholarship. Ang problema ko na lang ay kung pa'no ko ba ito sasabihin kay Mama.
I was already wide awake when the clock strikes at 4:00 A.M. Today is the day of my interview at SIU. I am excited yet nervous. I honestly don't know what to feel. But I think that's normal.
"Thank you Ms. Gomez. You did well!" Puri sa'kin ng nag-interview. She looks kind and has a calming façade. "Welcome to SIU! I hope you'll have a happy time staying here while learning." Then she flashed a sweet smile to me.
I thanked her and immediately go out. Naisip kong maglibot-libot na muna para sa first day ay hindi na 'ko mahirapan. Para na rin kahit papaano ay maging pamilyar na ako sa mga pasikot-sikot dito.
"This school really screams luxury. Wow!" Manghang-mangha pa din ako hanggang ngayon. I've been walking for an hour and yet, I am still enjoying what my eyes are seeing right now.
This University is huge. Mula sa labas ay may malaki at mataas na gate ito. Sinasadya ata nila ito para mabalot ng kuryosidad ang mga tao. Pero sa tingin ko ay dapat lang iyon. Dahil napakaganda naman talaga sa loob nito. Pagpasok mo pa lang ay may fountain na may statue ng isang lalaki sa taas. Sa likod nito ay isang napakataas na building. It was made mostly of glass which made it more stunning. Sa magkabilang gilid nito ay may dalawang building din. The one from the left is for high school students and the one from the right is for college students. Everything in this University jus screams perfection and their buildings are unreasonably high! Parang malulula ata ako rito!
"Can you please leave?!" Abala ako sa pagtingin sa isang bulletin board nang may marinig akong nagsisigawan.
"I'm sorry, Harriet. Believe me, I didn't mean to do that!" Hindi ko sila masyadong makita kaya umusog ako ng kaunti. May grupo ng mga babae na nakatayo doon pero nagulat ako ng may isang babaeng nakaupo at kalat-kalat ang mga gamit!
"What's going on here?" Kalmadong tanong ng bagong dating na lalaki. He's familiar.
"Thank God, you're here! Binuhusan niya ba naman ng kape yung bag ko! I just bought this last week and this is a freaking Louis Vuitton bag!" sabi ng babaeng Harriet daw ang pangalan.
"Maybe it was an accident Harriet. Calm down." Pag-alo ng lalaki sa babae. "And You," baling niya sa babaeng umiiyak na ngayon."Go and clean yourself. Next time, please watch your steps." Asik niya sa babae. Akala ko ba naman siya ang kakampihan niya!
"I want you to stay out of my sight! As in forever! So please, leave the school immediately. You don't belong here." Mataray na sabi nung Harriet.
"Harriet, you know I can't do that. Make me do other things, not just this! Please!" Halos lumuhod na ang babae sa kanya.
"Lucius..." Tawag niya sa atensyon ng lalaki. "Make her leave, babe. Please?" Sino ba s'ya para magdecide na lang ng gano'n?
"I'll see what I can do." What the hell? This people are just really out of their mind. How can they make her leave just because she spilled coffee on her bag?
"Lucius, please don't. I didn't mean to do it, really. Please!" Pagmamakaawa pa ng babae.
"I didn't mean, my foot. I told you, just leave! You keep on ruining someone's day almost everyday. 'Yan lang ba ang balak mong gawin? Ew, you're already ugly and you just made my day even uglier!" Funny how she told the girl to leave but she's the one who left!
Nagulat ako nang bumaling sa'kin ang tingin ng lalaki. Halata ang gulat sa mukha ko pero mabilis naman iyong napalitan ng iritasyon nang makilala ko ang mukha niya. Akalain mong siya pala yung hindi nagpahiram sa'kin ng lapis niya? Nagkatitigan pa kami ng ilang saglit bago siya tumalikod at sinundan si Harriet. Spoiled brats!
"Hey, are you okay?" Dinaluhan ko kaagad ang babae. Pinulot ko ang mga nagkalat na gamit niya at ilinagay iyon sa bag niya habang abala siya sa pag-iyak. Inilahad ko sa kanya ang kamay ko para anyayahan siyang tumayo. Akala ko hindi niya ito tatanggapin dahil natagalan pa siyang gawin ito.
"Wipe your tears." I stated. She's actually beautiful. She has clear and glowing skin. She has curly hair and her body has beautiful curves! The audacity of those girls to insult her when in fact, she's way more beautiful than them.
"Thank you but you don't have to do that. I never let them win over me. It was just.... " Putol niyang sabi. " I was just having a bad day that's why I let them win. Kawawa naman eh, kaya pinagbigyan ko na." Tumawa pa siya habang sinasabi 'yon na talagang ikinagulat ko.
"Hmm. That's fine, I understand. But let them win only once, and let them ask for it on the second time." Makahulugang ani ko. Bahagya pa 'kong tumawa to lift up the mood.
"Woah! That's deep." Manghang sabi niya.
"Oh? Nasisid mo?" Pabiro ko namang sabi na ikinatawa naming dalawa.
"That's noted!" Masigla nang sabi niya. Mabuti naman at tumigil na siya sa pag iyak dahil mas gumaganda siya kapag nakangiti.
Ayoko talagang nakakakita ng mga ganoon. Kumukulo agad ang dugo ko, eh. Siguro dahil alam ko ang pakiramdam ng ganoon dahil minsan ko na rin iyong naranasan.
Ilang araw bago ang pasukan ay naisipan kong pumunta sa mall at bumili ng mga gamit ko. Gumising ako ng maaga dahil plano kong maaga ring pumunta sa mall para wala masyadong tao since malapit na ang pasukan.
"Mom, I want that! I want that! There's my favorite cartoon character printed on it! Look!" Narinig kong magiliw na sabi ng bata. I looked at them. She's with her parents who are so happy seeing their child happy.
A picture suddenly flashed through my mind. I remember back in the days when me and my parents will go together to buy my needed stuffs too. I was happy but now, I'm hurt. Deeply.
I immediately erased it on my mind. I don't wanna cry here!
"Excuse me but you're blocking my way." Nabaling ang atensyon ko sa nagsalita. Mabilis akong tumalikod para tingnan kung nakakaharang nga ako.
"Oh. I'm sorry!" I said in panic nang makumpirma kong nakakharang nga ako. Dali-dali din akong umusog hanggang sa makadikit na 'ko sa book shelves. Nakatagilid ako sa may book shelves kanina at para mabigyan siya ng dadaanan ay gumilid ako dahilan para madikit ang likod ko sa book shelves.
"I said you're blocking my way." Sabi niya ulit. Umusog na nga ako d'ba? Dahil don ay tiningnan ko siya nang masama. He's familiar.
"What else do you want me to do? Umusog na nga ako d'ba?" Naiinis ko ng sabi.
"You're blocking my way."
Aba! Tanga ba siya? Napakunot ang noo ko dahil do'n. He's the guy! He's the guy who didn't let me borrow his pencil and the boyfriend of Harriet!
"I said you're blocking my way. I have to get that book behind you." Sabi niya na tinuro pa ang librong kukunin niya. Tiningnan ko iyon at tama nga siya, nasa likod ko nga iyon.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Napapahiyang sabi ko at mabilis na gumilid.
"Tsk." Asik niya. Napayuko ako dahil sa sobrang kahihiyan. Ba't ba sa kanya pa 'ko napahiya?
