One Step Ahead

15

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,"

Masiglang pagkanta ng grupo ng mga studyante papasok sa campus garden. They are holding a cake and heading towards one person.

She is the only one staying there, she once thought that the spot is the safest and most peaceful place in the campus.

"Happy birthday, Ligaya!"

She was confused, they never treated her as one of them and most importantly, she is never okay with surprises.

"H-hindi ko birthday--"

"Eyy, hindi puwedeng hindi. Nagtanong kami sa office 'no!" Pagtatanggi ng kaniyang mga kaklase.

"Pero hindi talaga--"

They still put the cake in front of her. She gulped, she can't accept anything from them. And besides, these people want her to have a miserable life so it is not possible that this cake has something in it.

"Paano ba 'yan guys, ayaw ni Ligaya ng cake," panggagatong ng isa.

One of them scoffed, "Ang taas talaga ng tingin sa sarili,"

Another one went near her and whispered on her ear, "Kapag binibigyan ka na, magpakumbaba ka! Yumuko ka nalang!"

"Hindi!--"

Two people from her back dragged her head down the cake. Fortunately, her reflexes were fast enough to make her hand cover her face habang siya ay nginungudngod sa cake.

She knew it would happen. Simula palang noong kantahan siya, she knows na hindi siya uuwing may maayos na hitsura. After humiliating and ruining all of her, they went out of the garden, laughing.

"Next month pa ang birthday ko," she muttered as she use her spare shirt to wipe her face.

She saw some blood on it, just to realize that the cake they brought to her have sticks to keep it intact. She froze, what if she didn't use her hands to protect her face, she might have been blind now!

Kinikilabutan itong tumigil sa lahat ng ginagawa niya. She wanted to cry, but the sky burst into tears first before her.

Mas nagkaroon siya ng pagkakataong linisin ang mukha niyang puno na ng icing ng cake. Nang makapaglinis ng mukha ay sumugod na ito sa ulan.

"Tumigil ka na," she muttered at her hand who still bleeds. Hindi nito alam kung paano patitigilin ang pagtulo ng dugo, kasabay pa ng malakas na ulan.

"Eos!" Someone far from her shouted.

Nakita nitong nasa kabilang kalye pa ang tumatawag na iyon. She disregarded it and proceed to walk home under the rain.

"Tandaan mo, dalawang semester nalang ang kailangan mong tiisin," she talked to herself.

"'Wag ka munang sumuko," she tried to encourage herself more.

"K-kahit gustong-gusto mo na talaga," she bit her lower lip as she prevent herself from crying.

Although the rain will hide her tears, ayaw pa rin nitong magmukhang mahina. Maybe this was the reason kung bakit ayaw siyang tantanan ng mga tao sa paligid niya. They want to see how she will fall apart.

Hindi ito lumalaban, pero ni isang beses ay hindi rin nito nagawang magmakaawa sa kanila na tigilan na siya. The first and only person she did those was when she accidentally dragged Dominick out of panick dahil sa baka madamay ang lola niya at madisclose kung saan sila nakatira.

It is still not clear why Dominick tried to come after her. Hindi nito lubos maisip kung anong dahilan ng pagsunod niya noong gabing iyon.

She looked up after niyang maramdamang wala nang tumutulong ulan sa balat niya. There is an umbrella. "It is raining hard," he catches his breath as he speaks.