The Student Assistant

Chapter 2: Student Manager

"Good morning, 'nak. May oras ka pa bang mag breakfast?" Tanong ni mama sa akin.

 "Opo, ma, may 30 minutes pa." Sagot ko.

 "O eto nagluto ako ng hotdog at itlog. Kain ka nang marami." 

 "Salamat, ma. Si papa po tsaka si Jam jam?"

"Maagang umalis si papa mo ngayon dahil Lunes, baka matrapik. Si James naman ngayon pa lang ata maliligo eh. Pabaunan ko na lang."

"Opo, ma."

"Eto naman ang baon mo - chicken nuggets, your favorite."

"Wow, thank you very much, mama. You know that I love chicken nuggets! Charot."

"Haha, ikaw talaga."

honk honk

"Ang lakas naman nun. Dito ba yan sa bahay natin?"

"Rory!!!! Are you ready?" Ay! Sina Laurel at Star pala 'yon.

"Ay, mama! Mga kaibigan ko po yan. Di ko napakilala noong ihinatid ako kasi nagmamadali na sila. Labasin ko lang ah." sabi ko kay mama.

"Guys, anong ginagawa niyo dito?"

"Ay, bumili ng toyo. Pabili po!" Sigaw ni Laurel.

"Huh? Wala kaming binebentang toyo. " 

"Hahaha you're so cute! Syempre we're here to pick you up."

"Ay ganun? Ang bait niyo naman."

"Syempre naman noh. Hahayaan ka ba naming mapagod at mahaggard sa public transpo natin? No way."

"Hahaha salamat. "

"You're welcome, Rorykins! Si Mac naman sunod. Nakadorm siya pero 10 minute walk away from the uni."

"Salamat, guys ah. Mama! Mga kaibigan ko po, si Laurel at Star.""

"Hello po, ang cute niyo naman po, like Rory here." sagot ni Laurel.

"Nice to meet you po."
 
"Hehe nice to meet you rin. Maraming salamat sa pagpunta dito. Nagbreakfast na ba kayo? Marami akong nilutong hotdog at pwede pa ko magluto ng itlog. May sinangag rin."

 "Smells good, Tita. Pero we're gonna pass by Tims to get my fave honey crudle and coffee."

"Ah okay, sige, ingat kayo ah. Ingat, anak."

"Bye, ma. " Sambit ko sabay halik kay mama.

"Your mom is so cute, Rory. Does she stay at home? "

"Oo, housewife si mama pero minsan naglalaba at nagpplantsa siya. Nananahi rin minsan."

"Wow."  Sambit ni Star.

"Eh ang mommy niyo?"

"Oh, mom is never home. She's the CEO of her own Morena lipstick brand called Morena. Wala na siyang time samin halos. Huhu." sabi ni Laurel.

"Drama mo naman, umuuwi naman siya. Kidding aside tho, sanay na kami. O nasa Tims na tayo. You want anything, Rory?" Tanong ni Star.

"Okay na ako. Busog na. "

"Okay, ikaw, Lau? The usual?"

"Of course."

"Okay. Same order na lang kay Mac. Dalawa pong Hazelnut ice cap cupreme and dalawang honey crudle. Tapos dalawa pong hashbrown and caramel ice cap supreme."

"Okay po, repeat order lang po...."

"Yeah, thanks."

"Let's go!" sigaw ni Laurel.

Nakita kong tumawag si Laurel kay Mac. "We're here na outside."

"Ay wow, basa pa buhok ah, ang dami mo namang time mag blow dry." Dagdag ni laurel.

"Late ako nagising. Haha. Thanks for picking me up. "

"Sure. Here's your food. My treat. Today lang." 

"Yas, thank you, queen. Hey, Rory and Star." 

"Hello!" Sagot ko.

"Same ba tayo ng schedule?" Tanong ni Laurel sa amin.

"Gen Lit ang first subject ko, ikaw ba?" sagot ko.

"Same." Sagot ni Mac.

"Ako rin. Baka same lang tayong lahat as a block." Sagot ni Star. 

"Oh em gee! That means same kami ng schedule ni Hans!" Tili ni Laurel.

"Uy, oo nga."

"Di naman ganun kagwapo. " singit ni Star. 

"Eh pano magiging gwapo? Babae mostly type mo."

"Una, I like men too, rarely though. Pero kahit naman anong sexuality ko, may mata pa rin ako. Ang mainstream ng mukha niya, di naman gwapo."

"Whatever! Kayo, guys, ano opinion niyo kay Hans?"

"He's cute. I got my eyes on Leon, though. Those legs." sagot ni Mac. 

"Ooh" sabi ni Laurel with an approving nod.

Sumagot naman ako, "Ah, okay naman si Hans pero hindi ko kasi type 'yong masyadong bulky."

"Eh ano type mo?" Tanong ni Mac.

"Edi tall, chinito, and handsome. A certain someone whose name rhymes with Bowl."

"Ha?! Si Mac na lang kahit di kami talo. "

 "Wow, mas pipiliin mo tong baklang to over Cole?" Pabirong sambit ni Laurel.

"Maka bakla naman, hindi naman siya flamboyant." Sagot ko.

"Hmph. Aminin mo na - oozing with sexual tension kayo ni Cole. Doon sa game natin sa orientation noong kayo magkatapat, parang kakainin niyo na isa't isa."

Amp! "Luh! As if naman. Hindi talaga noh."

"We're here na. Kuya, may parking ba? " tanong ni Star.

"Swerte niyo, ma'am. May isa pa." sagot ni Kuya Guard.

"What, really? Ang aga na nga natin. Agawan pala dito." Sabi ni Laurel.

"Kadalasan po eh nagbabayad na lang ng prking space sa mga condo ang iba dito."

"Ganun ba? Mac, may space ka ba?" Tanong ni Laurel.

"Mukha bang condo yung akin. Dorm nga. Ayun si Hans naka condo ata." sagot ni Mac.

"When I get to know him, di ko na kailangan ng kotse. Sa kanya na ko matutulog." confident na sabi ni Laurel

"Love the confidence." sabi ni Mac. 

"Lol." Sambit ni Star. 

****

After class pinatawag ako sa Office of Scholarships. Sa tingin ko, may kinalaman to sa mga kailangan kong irender na hours for work as a scholar. Requirement kasi yun sa financial scholars. Hindi naman din kasi ganoin kataas ang grades na kailangan i-maintain.

After 10 minutes, may lumabas na babaeng blondie tapos short-haired na may glasses. 

"Ms. Alvarez. Thanks for seeing me. I am Ms. Cassandra Trinidad, scholarship chair of New Haven University. Congratulations on getting your full scholarship. "

"Thank you, Ms. Cassandra."

"So yeah, I called you here today to tell you what you need to do for your scholarship work. There are four departments of work: One is the research assistant to help with the required research outputs of the professors. Second is student assistant for Sports Management- You help with managing the players. Basically, student manager ang role mo. Next is student assistant for admin which involves any admin work that is needed such as printing, decorating, and others and finally, student assistant for discipline."

"Wow, ang dami po."

"Yes. Kulang ang slots kaya hindi ka na makakapili."

Sayang naman. Pero sana talaga research ako kasi doon ako nagexcel in high school and mukhang mageenjoy naman ako.

"You'll be assigned as student assistant for Sports Management, so manager of the athletes."

Student manager? Pwede na rin. 

"This is understood po, Ms. Kaninong athletes po ako naka assign?"

"About that, sa isang athlete ka lang naka-assign."

Isa lang?! Ganoon ka kailangan ng assistant?

"Kanino po?"

"You will be assigned to Cole Rodriguez."