A Second Chance

Chapter 2

As the days, weeks and months had pass as Sam live her life without any trace of being poor. Hindi dahil sa ikinahihiya nya ang buhay na meron sila, kundi dahil natatakot syang husgahan sila ng mga taong hindi naiintindihan ang sitwasyon nila. Hindi salungat sa kaalaman nila ni Clara na maaring pagtawanan sila dahil pumasok sila sa mamahaling eskwelahan. At dahil alam nilang ginagapang ng ina ang bawat sentimo mapag-aral lang sila ay hindi nila 'yon ikakahiya.
Sa mundong mapang-husga, natuto silang maglagay ng mga boundaries.

Like the ordinary day's for Sam and Clara, Zi are consistent and have the urgency to extend her in kind help for the sisters. Driving for them to their school which the two gladly accepted the offer.
Friday came and it's already approaching the year end. She thanked Zi and went out of the car.
She walked in the hallway and she noticed the way some students looks towards her. Ang iba ay nagbubulungan at ang naman ay parang sinusuri ang buong pagkatao nya. Feeling uneasy, she just keep on walking and did not pay any attention to them.

Napa-kagat sa labi si Sam pagtapak nya palang sa entrance ng classroom nila.
She look around and swallows, she saw their judging looks. Titig ng mga mapang-husga, tumitig sya sa white board na nasa harap. Tears begins to form as she reads the lettering.

'Trash belongs to the Trashcan '
'Fake does not belong with the Originals.'

Some pictures of hers in the Cafe and to their store.

"Woah! Magwalis na tayo, nandito na ang basura!"
Sam remained calm and ignore them. Binura nya ang mga nakasulat at kinuha ang mga litrato.
"Paanong naka-pasok ang isang trash dito sa school na 'to?"
"How on earth, she can't afford the tuition and all!"
"This university are expensive, and yet there's these fake human being freely walking around here?!"
Sam let them, she chose to remain silent. Even if they're insulting her, calling her names and such. She never fight back, nor defends herself from them. She looked at her friends, umaasang hindi sya huhusgahan. But Madie look away, Julie bow down her head, Denisse look at her from head to toe. She gulped, gusto nyang umiyak dahil pati sila. Pati sila ay hinusgahan sya. Bagsak ang mga balikat ni Sam na umupo sa sariling silya. Pinabayaang husgahan sya ng mga kaklaseng kasama nya araw-araw. Pagtawanan at insultuhin sya kahit na wala silang alam.

Then she thought of Clara. Na sana ay hindi nararanasan ni Clara ang mga nararanasan nya ngayon. She knows that Clara can't handle these kind of bullying. Ayos lang na sya, huwag lang si Clara.

Since that day, hindi pa rin sya nilapitan ng mga kaibigan. Thank goodness na hindi nadamay si Clara sa nangyari. Her friends are distant, at sinanay nalang nya ang sarili. She's alone since that incident, just like now. She seats at their usual spot inside the cafeteria, minding her own business. Like her friends, she kept her distance from them, 'cause she already did her part, reaching them out and tried to explain her side, but no avail.

Sam looked up when she noticed someone stopped in front of her. She swallowed and wet her lips, she then gathered her things,
"Sorry." She uttered and transfered into another table, to the corner.
Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas na nandon lang sya sa sulok ay umulan ng mga basurang papel sa pwesto nya. Nilibot nya ng tingin ang paligid at bumuga ng malalim na hininga as she calms herself.
Nakaka-inis na tawanan ang nagtulak kay Sam para umalis sya sa cafeteria.

Paglabas ni Sam sa cafeteria ay patakbo syang pumunta sa restroom. And without them knowing, the school owner saw what happened. The owner saw everything. And because of that, feeling disappointed of the acts, the owner went to the school director.

"Tama na Samarha, don't mind them." She scolds herself.
Pinunasan nya ng sariling panyo ang mukha at inayos ang sarili. Muling humugot ng malalim na hininga at kinalma ang sarili bago tuluyang lumabas at deritso sa classroom.
Hindi nalang nya pinansin ang mga kaklase na sya nalang ang naging katatawanan araw-araw.
Hindi nya nalang pinansin pa dahil totoo naman lahat ng paratang nila. Ngunit hindi ang paratang na isa syang basura. Hindi lang sya pinanganak na mayaman, wala man silang yaman o pera na kasing rami ng meron ang mga kaklase nya, pero hindi sya basura. Hindi sila basura. Mahirap lang sila pero mayaman naman sila sa respeto at pagmamahal sa kapwa na wala ang mga taong nanghuhusga sa pagkatao nya.