"Napano ka?" Bungad sa akin ni Adhara pagkapasok ko kinabukasan. We are in our classroom preparing for the first class nang lumapit siya sa akin, eyeing my bandaged elbow pagkatapos kong hubarin ang sweatshirt ko.
"Nadapa lang." I simply lied before I settled down. Ibinagsak ko ang mukha ko sa kamay ko sa armrest at ipinikit ang mata.
"Ang tanda mo namang tanga. Saan ka naman nadapa?" Tanong niya ulit. She is really persistent.
"Sa garden sa bahay."
"Iniyakan mo?" She asked again. Napansin na rin siguro niya ang maga kong mata.
"Siyempre masakit." I reasoned out even though it sounded pathetic.
"Sinungaling. 'Di ka kaya umiiyak sa mga ganung bagay." She stated the fact. Hindi na ako sumagot pa dahil my silence alone would tell.
Kapag ayokong sabihin ang problema ko alam kong alam niya na kung ano iyon.
"Sabi ko na nga ba." I heard her say, as if she knew very well. I heard her familiar footsteps walk away and I could only sigh in relief.
Nagsimula ang klase nang halos wala akong naintindihan sa lahat ng diniscuss. The topics are mostly continuation of yesterday's discussion kaya naman nangangapa pa ako.
I didn't have the time to review last night because as I expected, Mom got mad. Pero hindi dahil sa sugat ko but because I left her despite her disapproval. Pero sandali lang din iyon dahil bigla siyang kinailangan sa trabaho niya.
Obviously, she didn't learn about the accident I met yesterday. I actually convinced Xian na ibaba nalang ako sa bahay katabi ng bahay namin that is probably fifty meters away from our house dahil mas malala ang aabutin kong sermon kung sakaling makita niya hinatid ako ng isang hindi pamilyar na kotse.
At kung wala naman siya doon ay may CCTV kami sa labas ng gate. Tanging si Kuya Caloy lang ang nakakita sa akin pero I am certain he's the last person who will utter it to Mom.
Pagkatapos ng klase namin ay agad akong nilapitan ng mga kaklase ko. I was confused at first but then I figured out magtatanong lang pala sila tungkol sa coverage ng college admission examination kahapon.
Wala kasi akong kasabay sa kanila kahapon that is why I understood. Some of them were really anxious about it.
"Sabi nila mahirap daw yung Math. Totoo ba 'yun?" Richard asked me when we were on our way to the cafeteria. Hindi na rin gaanong masakit ang sugat ko at maayos na rin akong nakakapaglakad. I don't know what magic did Ate Chel do.
Mahirap lahat. I wanted to say but I shrugged instead.
"May calculus ba?" asked Adie beside Richard. Tumango ako bilang sagot. Adhara was eerily silent beside me, just looking at me waiting for me to answer.
"Hala totoo ba?" Si Kailee na nasa tabi naman ni Adie. I was a tad grateful because Richard's question was now forgotten. I don't want to tell them na mahirap pero ayoko rin namang sabihing madali lang.
"Gagawa ako ng list ng coverage mamaya. Isusulat ko mga natatandaan ko." I assured them nang makarating kami sa cafeteria.
They briefly uttered their thanks before we parted ways.
Nang makapag-order kami ng pagkain ay agad din kaming naupo. Adhara stared at me as soon as we settled. I ignored her for a while until I gave up.
"What?" I asked her.
"Bakit ka nga umiyak?" I rolled my eyes.
"Nag-away kami ni Mommy." I finally admitted. It was futile, really to hide her the truth.
BINABASA MO ANG
There, Somewhere
Teen FictionFerica Lavish, a senior high school student who lives in a confined room of her own, who struggles to escape from the humdrum frames her mother has imprisoned her, tries to keep it, but with emotions unfelt, actions reserved, afraid to stir somethin...
