Chapter 4
Kada hakbang ko pataas ng hagdanan ay pakirmdam ko na pabigat ng pabigat ang dibdib ko, na tila ba'y may mabigat na bagay na nakapatong dito.
At the end of the hallway, I finally saw the door to my room. And as I felt the weight of my body rest on the hardwood door as I slowly slid towards the floor with my mother's wrath, and her bitter words pierced through my heart like shards of glasses. She expects so much from me, and yet, I can't escape the suffocating grip of my own incompetence.
"My son, a candidate for Valedictorian... A candidate?! Meaning may isa 'pang pinagpipilian. So, choice ka lang?!"
Valedictorian... a title that once held promise and pride, now feels like a cruel joke. A mockery and as well as a reminder that if I receive anything less than it, all my efforts will be all for nothing. The countless nights of studying, being socially isolated, having little to no sleep—lahat ng yun ay mawawalan ng silbi. Lahat ng sinakripisyo ko just to get ahead of everyone, isn't it enough? Am I still not enough?
Removing my glasses, I let my tears escape from its cage, as I stared blankly at nothingness wondering kung saan ba ako nagkulang?
Knock! Knock!
Agad kong iminulat ang mga mata ko ng marinig 'kong may biglang kumatok sa pintuan. But feeling mentally and emotionally drained, I chose to ignore it hoping that the person behind the door would just leave me alone.
Unfortunately, it did not.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
This time it was louder.
"Hoy, Martinez! Buksan mo nga 'tong pintuan bago ko 'to sipain!" Hindi ako umimik, nagbabakasakali na isipin ni Chase na wala ako dito.
"Hoy, Martinez! Alam 'kong andiyan ka! Nangangalay na kamay ko, kaya buksan mo na!"
Hindi ko napigilan ang bumuntong hininga nang marinig ko ang nakakarinding boses ni Chase na nagbabantang sisipain ang pintuan ko. Pinunasan ko ang pisngi ko at isinuot ang salamin ko bago padabog na binuksan 'yung pintuan.
"Ano ba?!" Bulyaw ko kay Chase.
"Ba't ganyan mukha mo? Mukha kang namatayan." Kumento niya at dirediretsong pumasok sa kwarto ko ng wala man lang pasintabi.
"What the fuck are you doing here? Hindi ba't sabi ko dun ka sa guest room?!"
"Sabi ni Manang dalhan daw kita ng pang-gabihan mo, kanina ka pa daw hindi kumakain eh." Saying this, ngayon ko lang napagtanto na may dala siyang tray ng pagkain.
"Ano? Tititigan mo lang ba 'to, Martinez? Nangangalay na kamay ko, baka itapon ko 'to sa mukha mo."
Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin, "Tsk! Just leave it there." Utos ko and pointed at the door. "Now, umalis ka na. Ayaw ko makita 'yang pagmumukha mo!"
"Ang sungit mo talaga kahit kailan," kumento niya sabay irap. "Ang dami kayang nagkakandarapa sa mukhang 'to!"
"Mukha ba akong may pake, Dela Fuente?"
"Tsk! Kung 'di mo lang ako niligtas baka sinapak na kita eh."
"Subukan mo..." Pagbabanta ko, "Baka dagdagan ko pa pasa mo eh."
BINABASA MO ANG
Chasing Keith Alexander Martinez
Fiksi Remaja• A C A D E M I C H E A R T S S E R I E S • Book 1: Chasing Keith Alexander Martinez Book 2: Loving Chase Astrid Dela Fuente __________________________________ Keith Alexander Martinez is in his last year of Senior High School at Clifford State...
