CHAPTER FOUR
"HA!? Bakit? Ano bang nangyari?" Gulat na tanong ni Mafi nang magkita kami kinabukasan. The Senior Ball is already tomorrow and I won't attend anymore.
Last night, inihatid ako ni Kingston sa bahay namin. Habang pauwi kami, nakapag-usap kami sandali. Nagpakilala kami sa isa't isa and he said that he remember me as the girl who bathed on iced tea. Tinanong ko siya kung bakit siya hinabol no'ng mga lalaking 'yon. He said he accidentally entered their territory, which was the alley we walked into, and he mocked them. They got angry and chased after him. What a troublemaker.
Kaninang umaga, binalikan ko 'yong damit ko ro'n. But unfortunately, wala na ro'n 'yong bag. Hindi na siya mahagilap. Malamang sa malamang, hindi na ako makaka-attend sa ball. Sayang.
"Baka naman may itim kang dress. Baka naman pwede na 'yon," sabi ni Mafi.
"Sshh! Parating na si Mr. Galvez!" Saway ko sa mga kaklase kong nagbabatuhan pa ng mga crumpled paper. Agad naman silang nagsibalik sa mga upuan nila. The day goes on like normal.
Pag-uwi ko sa bahay, agad kong binuksan ang walk-in closet ko at naghanap ng kulay itim na dress. Black is not my colour kaya tatatlo lang ang nahanap. Kaso ang problema, both the three of them are a little too small for me. Dress ko pa ata 'yan no'ng nasa middle school ako. 'Yong isa namang nahanap ko, may malaking mantsa ng bleach sa likod.
Napapikit na lang ako sa inis. I calmed myself for a while. I took deep breaths until I gain my composure. Ako kasi 'yong tipo ng tao na nagwawala kapag nagagalit. And as much as possible, I avoid such dramatic reaction. But hell! In the end, pinaghahampas ko sa sahig 'yong mga dress hanggang sa tuluyang napunit 'yong isa. Ugh! I can't help it!
So be it. Hindi na lang talaga ako aattend. Bahala na.
*****
Kinabukasan, wala kaming pasok dahil nga sa ball. Late akong gumising kasi nakakatamad gumising nang maaga. Mas okay kasi 'yong tutulala ka muna habang nakatitig sa kisame bago matulog. Hirap kasi ako matulog nang maaga. Hindi katulad ng iba na pagkahiga, tulog agad.
Pagbaba ko, nag-aalmusal na sila. I sat on my assigned chair before greeting them a good morning. Dad's not home already. Well, he's always not home anyway. Mom's busy reading the newspaper while sipping her favorite tea. Era, who's sitting beside me, is eating her pancake quietly. Nagsimula na rin akong kumain kahit di pa nila ako binabati pabalik.
"Ate anong susuotin mo mamaya sa ball?" Tanong ni Era. Tss. Pinaalala niya pa 'yang ball na 'yan. I took a deep breath before giving her my answer.
"I decided not to attend," I said in my normal voice. I didn't even looked at her. Mom, obviously, heard what I said. She finally put the newspaper down and looked at me with her eyes widen in shock.
"Did I heard it right? Hindi ka aattend?" She finally spoke. I awkwardly smiled at her. Mom's always been the most supportive mother. But she's also competitive.
"Wala kasi akong damit na masusuot eh," sagot ko.
"I thought you went shopping with Ate Mafi?" Emerald butted in.
"Ninakaw 'yong damit na binili ko," walang gana kong sagot saka itinuloy ang pag-kain.
"Ano bang kailangan mong damit? Baka meron ako," Mom insisted. I diffidently glanced at her. Buo na kasi ang pasya kong hindi na ako aattend eh.
