Players Game |

22: Missing My Missing part

I was left alone. Like always, ano pa nga ba ang nag-bago?

"Our test will be on Jan 22 to 23, so be ready. Review your notes and everything."

Napa-pikit na lang ako sa mga naririnig ko, this week is so restless. And January did not go lucky for me, but I guess always it works that way.

I remember that I was living in my dark secret love because the love that they gave me -kept ruining the entire me. I don't even understand why people don't get me, like most of the time.

"Madami atang may galit sayo ah?" One of our classmates said, she was a former friend of Amaya and I don't bother anyway. Ayoko kasi makaramdam siya ng kung ano habang ako kasama, it will ruin my ego.

"I am aware of it," I answered casually. Totoo naman, madami at alam ko na mayroon talaga halos lahat naman ng tao na nasa mundo may kaaway hindi ba?

"Hindi lang nila gets humour ko," I laugh. "They are too stupid to understand it. And I don't care, it is what is it." Tumatango ito habang naka-kabit ang kamay niya sa braso ko.

Physical touch and my trauma took me to so many flashbacks.

"Ewan ko ba sa kanila."

Nag-lakad na kami pabalik ulit sa classrom. Kakatapos lang halos ng class picture namin. But before that happened, I remembered Arthur...

"Avery!" Sigaw ng kaklase namin na si Nicholas, isa sa kagrupo namin iyon sa SPADES.

"Lumingon ako," still with a headphone on, it was not literally on I was just putting it on so no one would distract my review session. Yet someone already did.

"Pahiram daw lecture si Arthur!"

"Hala, hindi! Tumahimik ka nga, nakakahiya!" Tinakpan ni Arthur si Nicholas agad agad. Pero naka-lingon na ako kaya kita ko ang mga nang-yayari.

Tumapat ang mata ko Amaya sa mga panahon na iyon dahil nga nasa gitna din siya ng paningin ko dahil nakatayo sa siya malapit sa kanila. Tinaasan ko ito ng kilay, pag-tatanong kung ano kailangan nila.

"Pahiram daw si Arthur ng lecture." Bangit nito.

I calmly take my notebook and give it to Amaya, without any words.

"Arthur! Ito na iyong notebook ni Avery, nahiya ka pa!"

I shook my head as a reaction and murmured, "Sa akin din pala bagsak mo." A slight grin drew on my lips.

I got you. . .

Still smirking, ibinalik ko ang tingin sa notebook na pinag-aaralan ko for our quiz too.

Tama nga ako, I was the last option. In this case, Alijah is not available, and so Nicholas is.

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

"I-babash ko talaga mga tao na ito!" I exclaimed. Chinecheck ko na kasi ang mga papel namin sa MAPEH quiz.

Sinumulan ko muna ito bago ako mamili dahil na burdo ako sa mga tao.

"Huli ka," bulong ko nang makita ko papel ni Arthur.

I take it and put my paper on top of his paper. I analysed it and checked it.

Arthur Greiger MAPEH
9-Sirius

11/25

"Kay nako, bash ka sa'kin, Arthur," I say it out loud.

Not bad, but it is bad. Nilagay ko na ito agad sa mga tapos nang-macheckan.

Suddenly, I heard our Filipino teacher speak inside the room.

"Tumaha ka na diyan Alijah. Umayos ka."

And there my eyes stopped at Alijah who was crying on his chair, he was on the first column. My heart sank when I saw him sobbing.

I feel bad for him.

Kaya dali-dali akong tumayo kasabay ko doon si Reia.

"Alijah?" I call him.

Hindi ito sumasagot pero narinig ko ang usapan ni na Amaya, "Okay lang yan, Alijah. Bawi ka na lang."

This is it. About his scores and grades, he was getting a low score these days because of our journalism too.

I lowered myself and looked at him closely, and I started to pat his head so he could gain comfort.

My eyes dwelled on him and on Reia who was watching him too. I wonder if this girl got jealous of me, crush niya kasi si Alijah.

Malalim ang bawat pag-hinga nito at pag-habol sa hininga habang umiiyak. And all I do is play with his hair and scratch his back multiple times.

I was not planning to steal him to Reia, he was still a friend of mine even if we were not that close. He is a friend to my heart, and I am hurting it when I see him hurt. Kahit kanino sa SPADES, even if they give me a big trauma - they still have a place in my heart.

"Avery iyong mga test paper."

Napalingon ako sa may upuan ko ulit na nasa third column, "Paki-pulot naman, sa atin naman iyan at tayo din ang maano." I laugh bitterly and look back at Alijah again.

"Hindi ko naman sinabi na hindi ko pupulutin ah?!" May isang malakas na boses ang sumigaw sa loob ng classroom at napalingon ako sa kanya.

This bitch.

"Kaya nga, I just said paki pulot what's wrong with that?" I said annoyed.

Madami na ding nag-papatigil sa kanya dahil hindi pa din ito tumigil sa kakadada. Hindi ko pinansin iyon, silent is the best mechanism in a nonsense fight. And I am not that immature to cuss about that.

"Reia, I think she was kinda jealous." Bulong ko kay Reia na may ngisi, "She was red-handed. Huli pero hindi kulong."

• • •

I was having my time now on a Thursday morning in our department, journalism to be exact.

Hindi pa kami nag-sisimula kaya tumingin ako sa cellphone ko.

Auntie 💋:

Kamusta Ave...

Auntie... She texted me, she remembered me!

I put myself up and chatted her back.

Avery:
H

ello po
Okay lang po. Kayo po?
Kakatapos ko lang po sa exam namin pasado naman po lahat, hehehehe
Baka po next month pa ang bigayan ng card

I replied with a wide smile. Ang saya sa puso, she was the missing piece - a piece that heals my lonely heart but also she aches it at the same time.

Siya iyong nag-alaga sa akin simula bata ako and I can not blame myself for feeling - still feel close to her. She was more mother than my real mother, she gave support even though it was not that big. She hugged me and treated me every time I did something good.

Only if I knew that my mother was lying to me. Maybe I am not suffering like this. Standing alone, crying.

Auntie 💋:
Uwi ka na dito

Yes, please take me home. I start to bite my lips aggressively to stop my tears from falling from my eyes.

I miss her, I miss the presence of a parent beside me. I miss being a child. I miss to spoiled again, being cared for again - to me babied again.

I miss it. So much. My life at the Roxton is the missing part of me.