A Hundred Days With You

T W E N T Y

WHAT SHOULD I expect when I'm suspended?

Of course, extreme boredom.

But thankfully, that's not what I feel right now. Nandito kasi kami ni Venice sa school supplies store malapit sa school. Pero hindi ito yung usual na binibilhan ko ng expensive supplies dahil kakaunti lang ang pera namin.

Kasama rin namin ang dalawang bata, si Esteng na siyang nangunguna while curiously looking at the products on the stalls at si Leang, na nasa likuran lang namin at nakasunod. Parang ayaw niya pa nga sumama, ang kaso ay may kailangan daw siyang bilhin kaya sumabay na lang siya.

Is she avoiding me or is it just my imagination? Kasi I feel like she's kinda distant at me--not that I like her around me but---nevermind.

We are now at the art supplies section, nanguna na si Leang na pumunta sa mga colored paper at kumuha ng ilan doon. While I just stood here waiting for them. But suddenly I felt someone pulling my sleeve at pagkalingon ko ay si Esteng iyon. My eyebrow raised at her while she pouted at me.

What the heck is she pouting for? She's not even cute.

"What?" I asked.

Then she pointed at the watercolors and other painting materials. "Ate, gusto ko non."

Nangunot ang noo ko sa kanya as I sighed and shook my head. "Wag ka na bumili. Wala akong pera."

"Pero---" I gave her a just-shut-up look that made her stop and just looked sadly at the materials then back to me, parang nagpapaawa pa. Well, whatever you do, I can't buy that kasi wala talaga akong pera! Sumama lang naman talaga ako dito para hindi ako ma-bored ng sobra sa maliit na bahay!

At isa pa, kung may money man ako, hindi ko pa rin siya ibibili! We're not even close, duh.

Biglang lumapit si Venice mula sa likod namin. "Anong gusto mo, Esteng? Ako na lang ang bibili for you!" Saka niya ako sinamaan ng tingin dahil nabasa na naman niya ang naiisip ko. I just sighed and rolled my eyes at her.

Ugh. Ano ba yan. May mind intruder. Wala tuloy akong privacy! Well, kaming lahat naman siguro na nakikita niya ay walang privacy sa isip dahil nababasa niya din.

"Yun po, Ate Venice!" Bigla namang sumigla si Esteng at hinila na si Venice papunta sa gusto niyang bilhin and I am left here, wondering what I should do in here.

I was just slowly walking along the hallway between large cabinets full of school supplies when I met Leang's eyes watching me. Hawak niya sa isang kamay ang pack ng colored paper while she stood there like a statue, just staring at me.

Mabilis naman siyang tumalikod when she realized that I am staring at her. Kunot ang noo ko habang nakatitig sa likod niya then I made a creeped out face.

Geez. What a creep.

I'm not a really sociable person pero ayoko naman na mag-isa kaya mas pinili ko na lang na sumunod kina Venice na busy pa rin sa pamimili ng mga itinuturo ni Esteng. Nakangiti pa rin siya kahit pa alam naman niyang mauubos ang pera niya sa kakabili pero that's least of my concern anymore. Pera niya yan eh. Bahala siyang malunod sa regret mamaya.

"Hindi pa ba kayo tapos?" I asked when I started to feel boredom again. Kaya nga ako sumama para hindi ma bored, kaso pati ba naman dito wala pa rin akong magawa? "Can we just go to another place? It's so boring here." I said while my arms are crossed in my chest.

"Grabe ka naman, saglit pa nga lang tayo nandito eh. Mamili ka na lang ng bibilhin mo diyan." Inginuso niya ang mga cabinet. "Diba may art lesson daw tayo kay Ma'am Guerra next week?"

"What? I don't know that." Nalito kaagad ako. Have I missed something in class?

Nagpamewang siya sa harapan ko. "Hindi ka ba nakikinig tuwing may klase? Aba, Laning!"