The Ugly Duckling (PUBLISHED UNDER PSICOM)

Ugly #32

Happy Birthday, Princess! Have a great day. May babies rock \m/

Aniya
x

Dee.

Dee was the first person that came into my mind as soon as my brain started working again. My clouded mind cleared when Sage left me alone in the clubhouse. The following moment, I was able to fully function again.

I knew Dee. She's my bestfriend and her heart is too big and soft to do something like this. I didn't want to believe it. She could never stab me like that in the back. Hindi ito magagawa ni Dee sa akin. Hinding-hindi.

"She was right anyway. You're nothing but a fake."

My eyes closed at Sage's voice echoing inside my mind.

"Masaya ka na ba? Now that you've made him fall in love with a fake?"

A crack made its way in my heart as Dee's voice reverberated in my brain. I opened my eyes and bit my bottom lip as hard as I could.

Umuwi ako nang lutang kagabi at wala sa isip. Hindi nga ako sigurado kung paano ako nakauwi nang ligtas. I wasn't myself when I walked out of the estate and waited for a taxi to pass by. Kung may nakaisip sigurong sumaksak sa akin kagabi ay hindi ko mararamdaman.

Maaga akong nagising ngayon dahil iyon ang nakasanayan ko. Maaga rin akong natapos sa pag-aayos dahil hindi ko na isinuot si Maria Celestine. It was pointless to be the ugly duckling anymore. The plan's over with. I've won but lost everything in process. Can I even consider myself a winner when I lost everything... Even my heart?

Nakatitig ako sa salamin at naninibagong makita ang sarili ko na nakasuot ng puting uniform na hindi maluwag sa akin at hindi nagmumukhang manang. My white blouse was fit, same goes with my white skirt. Ang mukha ko naman ay makinis at walang pekeng pimples at blemishes. Hindi makapal ang kilay ko at nakaayos iyon. I was wearing my daily make-up. My teeth were bare and the braces were gone. I've thrown it away.

I stopped making my hair look dry and even curled the ends to waste time. I've been staring at the mirror for half hour, thinking of everything and nothing at the same time.

Narinig ko ang sunod-sunod na katok. Naalis ang tingin ko mula sa salamin at napatingin sa pintuan. Hindi ko alam kung sino iyon pero alam ko na kinakatok ako dahil nakahain na sa baba.

Napabuntong hininga kong inangat ang bag ko. It wasn't the same bag that I used for my ugly duckling suit. This time, it's an expensive designer bag. I also got rid of my phone but didn't forget to copy Coach's number. It would be pointless to include Rome's, or Marcus'-especially Sage's.

Pagkalabas ng kwarto ay naabutan ko si Avis na palabas din ng kwarto niya. Napahinto siya nang makita ko at bumakas ang pagkagulo sa mukha niya. Kumunot ang kaniyang noo at sumimangot.

"Hindi ka papasok?" masungit na tanong ni Avis sa akin.

"Papasok." tipid at matamlay na sagot ko.

"Then why are you dressed like your usual self?"

I shrugged at Avis, my face lacking any kind of emotion. "The clock stopped ticking and the bomb exploded."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Avis sa sinabi ko. Bakas ang pagkabila sa mukha niya at halatang hindi inaasahan na marinig sa akin iyon. She already knew it would happen. Hindi niya lang siguro inaasahan na ganoon kabilis iyon mangyayari.

"Are you okay, Maria Celestine?" kita ko ang pag-aalala sa mukha ni Avis. Hindi ko naman maiwasan ang magbuntong hininga.

"I'm not." my sister's lips pursed. "But I don't want to talk about it. It's making my... head hurt." Or maybe a little lower.