CHAPTER NINETEEN
NAUNAHAN ko pa ang intercom. Nag-inat ako habang nakangiti. That was a good sleep and a good dream.
Pagbaba namin sa dining hall ay naroon si Mr. Williams. Mukhang sasamahan niya kaming kumain ng almusal ngayon. My brows furrowed when I heard people entered my room. What are they doing there?
"Good morning!" Bati ni Mr. Williams.
"Why are there people inside my room?" Tanong ko sa kaniya.
"They will prepare your things," he answered before drinking on his cup of tea.
"What for?" Mafi asked.
"For the festival! You will stay in the Capitol for a week." A week? Ano namang gagawin namin doon? "Please proceed with the meal."
What a quiet breakfast. There's a serious ambience in the dining hall. No teases and laughter this time. Only smacking of lips and silverwares scraping at each other.
Matapos naming kumain ng almusal ay iginiya kami ni Mr. Williams sa main hall. Doon nakita namin ang mga maletang may iba't ibang kulay na dala ng mga maids. Marami silang inilalabas na mga maleta. I kinda feel unexcited about this trip.
"Please change into your formal dresses. You might bumped into a lot of people when we arrived there," Mr. Williams commanded. We nodded and obliged.
Pagdating ko sa kwarto ko ay may babaeng nakatayo ro'n. She must be the girl from our first night in this dorm. The same maid that prepped me for the dinner with Headmaster White.
"Young lady, this is what you are going to wear today." She gestured to the dress that's lying on my bed. It is a blue dress with a long loose sleeves, a ribbon on the collar and another ribbon on the waist. It has buttons in the middle front as decorations and some small embroideries.
Walang sabi-sabi kong kinuha ang damit at pumasok sa loob ng banyo. I was so impressed on how comfortable this dress is. I can even sleep with this on. When I went out of the bathroom, the maid beckoned for me to sit in front of the vanity. She started doing my hair gently. Her hands were so soft, I could fall asleep any moment now.
"Are you a maid here?" I asked. I don't like the deafening silence.
"Yes," she answered, respect still evident on her tone.
"Do you have a family?"
"I don't have any family anymore, my lady." That brought sadness to my calm heart. Ako nga na nawalay lang sa pamilya ko, nalulungkot na eh. Siya pa kayang wala na talagang pamilya. How lonely that could be?
"Why are you working here?" I asked. She put a black headband on the top of my hair and just let my wavy hair flow on my back. She started adding colour to my face.
"I have nowhere to go, my lady. I am a slave." I was flabbergasted when I turned to her. She's a slave? Arinth is a really modern place. I didn't know slavery still exist. She looked at me and smiled. "You don't have to worry, my lady. Being a slave was my choice."
Nakakaawa. Slaves don't get paid for their work. She must have no possessions; no money and no property. I hate slavery. I will do my best to create a better life for them. I will strive to abolish this kind of cruelty.
"You are all ready, my lady," nakangiti niyang sabi. Tinignan ko ang sarili ko sa salamin at ngumiti rin. I always see myself as an extremely privileged person. But now, I am seeing myself as a girl who don't know how to value her treasures. I was born wealthy. All I did was to waste money on expensive things. Little did I know that there are people who are doing their best just to have a roof on their heads and a bread to eat. Life will never be fair.
