Lain

04

L A I N

Inubos namin ni Chan ang kinakain. Nagutom din ako roon sa nangyari kanina. Grabe 'yung nerbyos ko. Wala akong valid na palusot kapag nahuli ako ni Mama. I, as Ely, just went in her dead daughter's room! She'll be mad for sure. Kilala ko si Mama.

"Nakita ko si Dann paasa pati 'yung wrestler sa labas ah."

"Me too." Sagot ko sa katabi.

"Galit ka ba sa kanila?" Tanong niya matapos uminom ng tubig.

Who would not?

Although Chan is my best friend, he doesn't know a thing about what my evil classmates did to me. Ang alam niya lang, pinaasa ako ni Dann at iba ang pinili niya, 'yung tinutukoy niyang wrestler, Gerthy's her name.

Pinaasa, I mean you know? It was a love triangle. Actually, it's my fault because I befriended Dann and fell for him. I confessed, though he's already courting Gerthy. I couldn't help it, he treated me special and loved, that pushed me to telling my feelings.

That issue.. is nothing to me. I'm not mad at Dann for chosing another girl, may mas nauna na siyang pinili dati pa. Hindi naman niya kailangan pumili ulit. No sweat for me. Ang kasalanan lang niya roon ay nagpakita siya ng motibo pero 'di niya pinanindigan.

Enough with the love thingy. So Chan also doesn't know about my mental state. Minsan, nagcha-chat ako sa kaniya na may gusto akong patayin, ilunod, saksakin, but he only took it as a joke. Ang alam niya, minsan ay nagiging brutal ako magsalita.

"Hindi naman." Matabang kong sagot. "Let's go out." Yakag ko at tumayo.

"Meow~" My cat, Tiger approached me.

Masaya ko itong nilapitan. I bent my knee to pet him. I will miss my cats. Kung hihingiin ko 'to kay Mama, hindi sila papayag ni Papa.

"You're asking me out? On a date?"

I looked at him in a straight face, "Kung gusto mo si Ely pre, tsaka na kapag wala na ako sa katawan niya, okay ba?"

"Oo na, inaangasan mo na naman ako."

My eyes searched for Mama when we got out, nakita ko siyang nakikipag-usap sa kanila. Sa mga walang hiya kong kaklase. Ni isang anghel, wala man lang bumulong sa kanila na nanganganib sila.

Sa bagay, sino ba namang anghel ang bubulong sa taong ugaling mas masahol pa kay satanas?

"Chan! Ely! Halikayo rito!" Tawag sa amin ni Mama.

Lihim akong napangisi. Thank you, 'Ma.

Sabay kaming naglakad papunta sa lamesa kung saan nakaupo ang lima. Seems my mother is telling stories about me to them. Embarrassing, but I'm dead so, okay.

"Mga kaklase sila ni Lain at madalas silang kasama ng anak ko, Ely."

I made my posture intimidating. Tinignan ko sila isa-isa. Tingnan mo nga naman ang mga mukha, parang sila pa ang pinaglalamayan. Are you all guilty for your crimes? Oh, I doubt. Nakakaramdam pa ba sila ng guilt?

"Ely Filotimo, my Dad owns thirty percent shares of the Arellana and the CEO of Filotimo Companies. I'm your schoolmate, and we'll see each other often since the blending classes are over for the next school year, which is when? Next month?" I smiled at them, "I hope we all get along, close rin naman yata sainyo si Lain." Kay Dann ako nakatingin habang sinasambit ang huling sinabi ko.

"Iwanan ko muna kayo rito ah? Mag-aasikaso muna ako ng pagkain."

Prente akong umupo sa harap nila, sa kanan ko ay nakaupo si Chan, tapat ni Gerthy. Katapat ko si Dann, na hindi makatingin sa akin.

"So Mr. Elliot Filotimo is your dad?" Marga spoke.

It's always the smartest who initiates the conversation. I really like Marga. Kaya gusto ko siyang kaibiganin dati, 'e. But people change so is my perspective on her.

"Yup, and I'm his only daughter. Oh," bumaling ako kay Chan. "Siguro kilala n'yo na si Chan. He's Lain's best friend, minsan nga nagseselos ako sa kanila kasi sila na lang palagi naglalaro at magkausap." Bahagya akong sumimangot, I checked Dann on my peripheral vision.

He's always jealous about us, ni Chan. Dann's my first playmate sa mga online games. I found Chan the time he rejected me. I was desperate to pull my heart out and lash out my feelings, so I went to an online website where I can talk to strangers. Luckily, I found Christian, and he became my best friend.

"Si Lain ang representative namin dati sa isang tournament ng laro." Mike, short for Michael Jake said. "Astig siya maglaro. Ayaw ko lang sa kaniya ang dami niyang pusa." His nose crumpled.

Tumaas ang kaliwang kilay ko, "Why? Cats are cuties." Unlike you.

"Takot siya sa pusa. Ang bading 'no? I think he's really gay, yuckies." Nakakairitang boses na singit ni Robbie.

Uminit ang ulo ko. Bading? What the heck? Ginagamit pa rin ba ang term na bading para mang-insulto, manlait? What do I expect from a homophobic bitch.

"'Di ako bading, hoy! Dami ko ngang ex, at isa ka na ron."

"I don't consider our thing as a relationship so shut your mouth, Mike."

"Bagay kayo."

Bumali ang aking leeg. She wasn't talking about Robbie and Mike. She's looking at me and my best friend.

"Tama!" Sang-ayon naman ng bugok at umakbay pa sa akin.

"We're just friends." Sagot ko kay Gerthy.

Ngumiti ito, "Talaga? Mukha kayong expensive pareho."

Mukhang expensive raw, mukhang basahan nga porma ng katabi ko.

"You should go on a date."

"I'm already dating someone else, I can't date him, or entertain my friend's feelings. I don't want him to get false hope from me." Sabay tanggal ko sa brasong nakaakbay sa akin.

"Uuwi na ako."

My eyebrows rose up and shifted my gaze to the guy who spoke. Natamaan ka yata.

"Sabay-sabay na tayo."

"Huh? 'Wag muna! Hindi ko pa nga alam mga pangalan ninyo, 'e." Hirit ko nang tumayo sila.

Naunang magpakilala si Marga, as I expected.

"Marga Tolentina, former class president of our section. My Dad is the CEO of Liv. Inc."

"Michael Jake Adnina, single."

"Robbie De Leon, we can hang out sa campus kapag may pasok na! I love going on parties."

"I'm Gerthy Armada, these two girls are my best friends-"

"And who's this?" I asked then turn my head to the guy beside her.

"Dann." He simply said.

"Just Dann?"

Titig ang mga mata ko sa kaniya. Binabasa ang mga emosyong naroon. Wala akong pake kung nakikita nila ang paraan ng pagtitig ko.

"He's Dann Mendo, my boyfriend."

Oh, so sila na.

"I see, nice to meet you!" I said with beaming smile as I lend my hand to shake with his.

Kita ko sa mata niya ang pag-aalinlangan sa pagkamay. Inabot ko ang kamay niya at inalog. Kusa namang nakipagkamay ang iba sa akin.

Pag-alis nila ay nagpaalam na rin kami kay Mama na uuwi na kami ni Chan.

"Good thing I have hand sanitizer with me." Wala sa sariling sambit ko habang nagi-ispray sa kamay.

I don't wish to be touched by those hands anymore. With those hands whose controlled, ruined and destroyed my life.

Hinding-hindi ninyo na ako mahahawakan tulad ng dati, mako-kontrol. Instead, I'll be the one who's in charge of the manipulation now. You will all beg to me to forgive you, Robbie, Marga, Mike, Gerthy and Dann.